Name: Mark Manjardi
Year: Senior
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Major: Film Production Major, Theater Minor
Involvement at LMU: Member of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity
Nickname: Sharkdaddy
What inspired your nickname? My nickname actually started when I asked my friend [Nick Higgins] to make me a Twitter. It was around freshman year of high school. The handle he chose was “sharkdaddy9” (9 being my favorite number) and the nickname I guess stuck from there. People think Sharkdaddy started when I started DJing at Sharkeez Bar & Grill since my DJ name is DJ Sharkdaddy but actually it had been my “nickname” for years before that.
How did you pick up DJing? I wouldn’t call myself a DJ. And anyone that has come to one of my performances would agree with that. I actually have no idea what I’m doing. A friend that graduated [Sean Feeney aka DJ Seanimal] used to do it before me and the manager of the bar told him to find a replacement. He told me about the gig and I laughed it off since I had not the slightest clue how to DJ. Then he told me how much they paid him and I stopped laughing and immediately told him that I’ll take the job. I knew I was comfortable being on stage and in front of a crowd but it was the DJ part that I had to actually sit down and learn. My first performance was the infamous “Back to School Night Banger” and the line was around the building to get in. The next day the manager called me in and told me that I was an awful DJ. One of the worst he has ever seen actually. However, the bar was at max capacity and broke the sales record for a Thursday night so he kept me on as the official Sharkeez DJ for college nights the last 2 years. My DJing might not have been perfect but the crowd was having a great time and he knew that I was a great promoter and could bring people in the door. I don’t really have a passion for DJing but I enjoy being on stage and entertaining people so I guess it has taught me more than I would have ever expected. Plus the drinks are free and it pays the rent haha.
How did your food blog, FoodAmericaBeer, first get started? FoodAmericaBeer first got started when I saw my childhood friend’s [Nick Paglione] snapchat story of him posting a picture of a breakfast sandwich with the sarcastic caption “food blog starts Monday”. I texted him and said we should actually start a food blog but with comedic videos and honest reviews. I came up with the name and made the logo/social media sites then we hit the ground running from there.
What is the process of filming for you? How do you find places that you want to try? Mostly all of the videos that I post are improvised and thought of on the spot. The more unique the place is the easier it is for me to make the video interesting. However, I do enjoy reviewing a normal restaurant like Chik-Fil-A or pretending to catch a fish in the ocean since it challenges me to think of offbeat sketches or bits and push the boundaries of what a food blog is. The blog is 70% comedy, 30% about the actual food. Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives meets Saturday Night Live is the idea we are going for I would say.
What are your goals for the blog in the future? We started the blog about a month ago and already have thousands of views on Facebook and a steadily growing fan base on Instagram so we are off to a great start. Going forward it is just about building our following and continuing to come up with new ideas for people to keep wanting more. When we get to 5,000 followers we plan on releasing an official online store for merchandise. We still have a ways away from that but we’ll get there soon enough.
What is the craziest thing you have eaten so far? Either the sea urchin at Kaya Sushi (didn’t know they were even edible) or attempting to take a bite of a dead fish straight out of the Pacific (although I’m not sure if that counts).
What is your favorite restaurant and what do you order? I’m 100% Italian and although I do love a lot of restaurants, nothing will beat home cooked meals. Specifically… My Mom’s chicken cutlets, my Grandmom’s gravy (aka marinara sauce for all you medigans), my Aunt Dina’s meatballs, and my Uncle Mickey’s slow cooked roast beef. I’m going home for Easter and I couldn’t be more excited to eat.
Are there any other creative ventures that you are working on or is FoodAmericaBeer your main focus right now? I love to keep myself busy and always creating new stuff or developing new ideas. I’m currently in the editing studio working on finishing up a spec TV pilot that I created and act in. So I’m really excited about that. I also am working on the pitch packet for another spec TV pilot that I wrote recently. I get bored and unmotivated when I’m not creating or writing a new project so it’s definitely a good feeling to know what I’m passionate about.
The saying, “Living The Dream” is something that you consistently say in your videos and hear people yelling out to you on campus. What does this saying represent or mean to you?
Hahaha it means a lot of different things to me I guess. I would say the first thing is that it puts me in a good mood. The second is that things take time. Living the dream a lot of times gets confused with meaning that you have reached your goal or your dream, henceforth…living the dream. However, it reminds me that you don’t have to be at your destination just yet to live the dream. Part of it is enjoying the fact that you are on the journey to get to where you want to be and that, even when times get hard, you are still living the dream to pursue your goals. Everyone is so used to having everything in the tap of the finger that our generation has no patience or doesn’t want to put in the work if it’s going to take time. I tend to find myself fitting into this constantly. My dad is someone I turn to and he always reminds me that nothing happens over night. And finally, living the dream is just about being positive. There is nothing I hate more than negative people or ideas or whatever. For me, it’s all about positivity…and having a good time.
Closing Statements: Follow @foodamericabeer on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! Also, my last DJ performance will be April 6th to celebrate my 22nd birthday. Come on by Sharkeez Manhattan Beach to join the fun. It’ll be a great final bash!