Ep. #43 – Feat. Mike Rugnetta

Today, Matt welcomes fellow Brooklyn resident, content creator, and internet personality, Mike Rugnetta. You might know Mike as host of the Idea Channel for PBS Digital Studios, or as host of the podcast Reasonably Sound. He’s also a composer (among other things). With Matt, Mike discusses the origins of the Idea Channel, a YouTube series self-described as examining “the connections between pop culture, technology, and art.” He talks about the show’s development, the origin and impact of his uniquely thorough Comment Response videos, and the active community surrounding the series. He also talks about his work with Reasonably Sound, along with his background in theater, music composition, computer science, and critical theory, all of which inform his many projects. Finally, with some inevitable asides on comics, movies, and video games (not to mention a brief hosts’-hat switcheroo), here’s presenting Matt Storm and Mike Rugnetta.