“It came out of me,” he says. Muzzio Duck in dialogue with Infobae. He dreamed of being a sports journalist. And he worked hard to achieve it. Born in Capital Federal, he graduated from DeporTEA, his career began in the city of Rosario and, over time, he was able to make a space for himself on the most important radio stations in Buenos Aires. There he met Marina Rosettihis partner for a decade and mother of his two children: Agustin (5) and Zoe (9 months). And, with her unconditional support, he set out to grow in her profession. However, her innate talent for imitations did not go unnoticed. And, at a certain point, she understood that her future was linked to humor. She wasn’t wrong. Today, at 40 years old and with a statuette under his belt, he is nominated for the fifth time for the Martín Fierro Awards for his work in Lopez 910 and A good momenton Radio La Red.
—How did you receive this nomination?
—Honestly, being taken into account is already a lot for me. With this thing about two years together being rewarded, I’m half lost. I won in 2017, which was my first radio nomination in a similar shortlist, in which they were Rolo Villar and Ariel Taricoonly now instead of being Claudio Rico this Homero Pettinato. Imagine that with those names, it was a pleasure for me to win the award on that occasion. And that delivery was also made in La Rural with broadcast from América, like the one on June 16. So I’m hopeful. But now that I’m at the party I’m satisfied: it’s twice on the radio, twice on cable and once on the air with La Peña de Morfi. What more can I ask for?
—He was always nominated for Best Comedy Work…
—Exactly: I make humor from imitations.
—But you started your career as a journalist, didn’t you?
—Yes, the humor thing happened almost unintentionally. In the year 2000 I went to live in Rosario for my father’s job. I finished high school there and started studying sports journalism. And, in 2004 or 2005, I started working in the media there. The imitation ones were something innate that I used to fuck with my friends at school. He always copied everyone in class. And, when I started on the radio, I did it in the cuts for fun. Over there we were talking about something about a footballer and I started talking as if I were that character.
-So?
-One day Julian Bricco, who is a presenter of Tournaments and Competitions from Rosario, told me to start doing those imitations on the air. And I was encouraged. When I came to Capital Federal in 2012, I started working at Radio 9, which later was AM 950 and is now CNN Radio, doing the sports column and humor with Oscar Gomez Castañón. That’s how it all started. Because, obviously, the media in Buenos Aires has much more significance. And I liked the characters that I played a lot.
—What happened to journalism?
—One day they told me: “Sports journalists, you have a million. What you do with the imitations is very good and there are not many who can do it.” That’s how, little by little, I added politicians and entertainment people to the football characters. And, before I realized it, I was already working on this. Then they started calling me to perform in events and I even had the opportunity to do theater with a production of Daniel Dátola. They were opportunities that I felt fell to me from above and that, with my DeporTEA title, I would never have been able to get.
—But you had set another objective, was it difficult for you to change course?
—From a very young age, I wanted to be a sports journalist because I am a soccer fan. And, suddenly, life took me the other way. But I adapted because I realized it was the place for me.
—Were you afraid that journalism might leave you out of the loop?
—Ten or fifteen years ago it was not like now, where kids with a telephone practically have access to their own media. At that time, it was difficult to insert yourself when there were guys like Fernando Niembro and many professionals were growing who today are number one as Martin Liberman either Gustavo Lopez. There was no room for those of us who were just starting out.
-I understand.
—And for me, with the issue of imitations, a very big door opened for me. And I entered, directly, into a studio where I was part of the table and made everyone laugh. So, right away, I realized that this was my place. And I said: “If I can’t do journalism, I’m going to go here.” Because, ultimately, I always wanted to work in the media. Furthermore, all my life I liked playing characters.
—The peculiarity is that you not only get the voices and catchphrases, but you also seem to think like each character you imitate. How do you achieve it?
—Well, that’s where journalism comes in. Because being used to paying attention to the news, reading the portals and listening to interviews, I am always up to date. So if I have to talk like Mauricio Macri, Alberto Fernandez either Sergio Massa, I know what everyone said or what they are going to do that week. And that means I can respond as if I were that character. The same if I have to do Roman Riquelme oa Santiago del Moro. In that sense, being a journalist is an advantage.
—Did any of your imitators get angry with you or mark something on you?
—Until now it hasn’t happened to me. When I imitated the politicians in front of them, they had no choice but to put on a happy birthday face, laugh and play along. Because they know that if they get angry, they lose. And some like Hugo MoyanoFor example, they even asked for me when they went on air. Only Merlo Mustard He called me once, because I had said I wanted to direct and he said they were going to think it was him. In any case, I always do my job with great respect.
—I imagine your friends must ask you for imitations…
—All the time: “Record me an audio like Lionel Messi“, “Make me Diego Maradona“…
—What’s going on at your house?
—My son is so natural to imitating that he is constantly asking me to play characters for him. I’m taking him to the garden and he asks me to Edinson Cavanito Peppa Pig oa Javier Milei. Or are we seeing Star Wars and asks me how he speaks Chewbacca. He also begins: “Daddy, how do you talk?” Mickey Mouse?” And not to mention when his classmates are present: he tells them that I know how to do voices and I end up doing a show for the kids.
—Lucky that the girl is a baby…
—Likewise, when he starts to cry I make different voices for him to calm down. And it works!
—What does your partner think about it?
—She knows that we live largely thanks to this, so she takes it. Furthermore, I met her working in the media and, since she is also a journalist and producer, she understands me. Because here you have to put up with the strange work schedules, in addition to the fact that sometimes my voices get mixed up and I can end up speaking like Carlos Bilardo.
—Does he ask you for any special character in private?
—No, but there is something that needs to be treated in therapy. Because she told me that she started noticing me one day when she saw me imitating Nadia Zyncenko, the meteorologist. I don’t know, she says that I made her laugh and that from that moment on she started to like me.
—Each one with his fantasy…
-Yes it’s weird. Some other character might have caught your attention, but no. Anyway, she knows that when I come home I’m burned out, so she takes care of me. And she doesn’t ask me for anything because she knows that, for a little while, I want to be me. Although at times even I forget how I really speak.
