Santino Marella has been a regular fixture on TV for nearly 20 years and continues to be popular with wrestling fans.
The “Milan Miracle” was asked why he thinks he still resonates with fans during a recent interview with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard. Marella said coming out of the crowd for his debut on the April 16, 2007 episode of RAW in Milan, Italy, certainly helped. He believes that, along with his comedic skills, established him as a man of the people-esque character.
“For one, I came from the audience. I came out of a seat in the audience, and I think that’s one of the things. But also, I’m 5’10, 225 pounds. I’m not 6’8, I’m not an Adonis. I think I embody the people. I represent the people when I’m in there,” Santino Marella explained. “And it’s comedy. You’ve got a locker room of tough guys, jacked guys, badass guys—but not a lot of comedy guys. I think it was just a fresh take on things.
“I always tell people: when you go out for sushi, no one says, ‘Let’s go out for ginger.’ But ginger comes with every meal. And it’s kind of like the comedy role. You go to watch John Cena, you go to watch wrestling, but that comedy role is always there. So I was kind of like the ginger of the professional wrestling world.”
Santino is making fans out of an entirely new generation
Marella previously worked for IMPACT Wrestling under his real name, Anthony Carelli. However, he returned to the Santino character at TNA Hard to Kill 2023, thanks to a lapse in the trademark department. He continues to use the Santino name, crediting WWE for allowing him to keep it, and says he truly appreciates the reception he continues to receive now.
“The reactions I’ve been getting lately—it’s been like that for years. It’s just a thank-you ovation. Every new town we go to, I come out on stage, do a promo, and there are long Santino chants. It’s crazy. It’s special for me because I was on the road so long, and there’s equity in your character—and it’s nice to see that it’s there,” he explained.
“When I do conventions, people tell me where they were for certain moments. I’ll meet eight-year-old kids who know everything about me, and I’m like, ‘What? My neck surgery was nine years ago—you weren’t even born!’ But YouTube, social media, TikTok—apparently I’m on a lot of reels. It’s cool that people enjoyed the work I did over the years.”
Santino Marella continues to appear weekly on TNA Impact as the on-air Director of Authority.
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