Today we’d like to introduce you to Dennis Pastorizo.
Dennis, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Since I was a kid, I’ve always been passionate about the entertainment industry and wanted to become an actor. I was going to study acting in college, but since some of the college applications I’d sent out let you check off more than one major (heck, I was already paying just to send it in, so I figured I’d get my money’s worth), I did.
At one of the schools I’d applied at, Syracuse University, I actually got rejected from their acting program but got accepted into their communications school, which is one of the best in the industry. I decided to pursue that instead and eventually got an internship at Univision. Thanks to that, I got a job offer from them a few months after graduating college and moved to Florida.
Two years and several jobs later, I got another job offer and this time it was for a website based out of Los Angeles, Terra.com. I made the move and couldn’t be happier. I love this city and have been working covering entertainment news, have also acted and currently host for LATV (Latino Alternative Television Network).
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has NOT been a smooth road. The entertainment industry is VERY unpredictable and between layoffs, last minute hiatuses for projects you’re working on, sometimes you can literally go crazy. I remember rejecting a job offer in Florida for another project I’d been offered. Well, that job lasted one day because the production company decided to hire staff abroad instead of in the U.S. which left me UNEMPLOYED! It was a nightmare but a definite learning lesson.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I freelance, but I mostly do so for LATV (Latino Alternative Television) Network. There I host for its nightly talk show, The Zoo and other digital content they produce. I also serve as a producer for their syndicated shows, American Latino and Latination.
I really love hosting and having fun with our guests; that’s my favorite part of the job. I think it’s awesome working for this company because it’s one of the few outlets that is geared towards a young, bilingual audience and that’s very rare nowadays in the market.
What were you like growing up?
I was actually really shy growing up and it wasn’t until I took a Speech class in high school that I really blossomed. We used to do these fun activities and sketches and my classmates LOVED them. I think that really impulsed me to pursue a career in entertainment.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Instagram.com/DennisPastorizo
- Facebook: Facebook.com/Dennis.Pastorizo
- Twitter: Twitter.com/DennisPastorizo
- Other: Youtube.com/DennisPastorizo
Image Credit:
Dennis Pastorizo
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