Mark Suknanan really has “started from the bottom” and made his way to the top as your new favourite web host. He started as a volunteer and intern at various Canadian TV networks, then became a production assistant for YTV’s THE NEXT STAR. Now, he is this season’s hype-man and Next Star Nation web host! His hard work and dedication has clearly paid off, and you can now see Mark – or Suki, as he is known on the show – chatting with THE NEXT STAR’s contestants and the show’s awesome guest performers like Emblem3 every week.
THE MAGAZINE had the chance to chat with Suki to get all the inside scoop on his job, how he got his nickname and what he’s listening to right now.
What is your role as the Next Star Nation web host and what does it take to be a host?
It’s one of the most awesome jobs ever. It consists of me hosting the online AfterShow and the Backstage Pass and just being this crazy person on camera who I actually am in real life. What it takes to be a host is just being yourself and being crazy. I also do all the website uploads, like the pictures of the contestants. It’s pretty cool that I get to do both – be behind the scenes and in front of the camera.
Tell us about the AfterShow!
The AfterShow is basically the after party! We interview the contestants right after either an elimination has happened or if they made the top 6 or top 12. We’re jumping around, singing, being crazy, rapping and all that stuff. It’s for Canada to get to know the contestants a little more without having to Google them. With this AfterShow, we’re letting the fans see all the information right there in the form of video with me talking really loud.
Tell us about this season’s top 12 and how they were chosen from the thousands of kids who auditioned.
The top 12 as a whole are basically the most talented kids from across Canada. They have so much personality – probably more than ever before! I say they are crazy in a good way. They bring that extra flair to their performances. All of our top 12 have a spark about them that make them unique and different.
What qualities do you think The Next Star has to possess?
I would vote for someone who comes out every single week and owns it. Someone who gives it their all and really cares to be there and rehearse and you can tell they are a hard worker.
Can you give us any hints as to the guest performances we will be seeing over the course of season 6 leading up to the big finale? Any hints on who is performing at the finale?
I can tell you all of them! We have D-Pryde who is an amazing up-and-coming rapper. When I heard him soundcheck, I was like, “wow, you are CRAZY right now!” Then, we have Emblem3 *screams* which was actually the craziest live show and experience ever. I do the crowd hype for the audience tapings and when I said Emblem3 the first time, my left ear drum popped. I still can’t hear. We also have Tyler Shaw who won the MuchMusic and CocaCola Covers Contest.
There are some really cool people in talks right now for the finale but I can’t say who – it’s going to be major! The finale is always the best part about this entire show because we’re all there together and it doesn’t matter who wins because everyone’s just one big family by the end of it. It’s the BEST!
How did you get the nickname Suki?
Right?! Good question. On this show, there are 3 Mark’s: my boss’ name is Mark, there’s the judge Mark Spicoluk, and then myself. Last year, I was a production assistant on the show so I was getting people’s coffees, sweeping the hallways, and getting people their food. It was fine because I just loved being on set and being around music and dancing and singing all the time. There’s nothing more awesome than a concert every day. While I was doing that, they came up with Suki, which is actually my older brother’s nickname. I was in the web host talks and we were talking about what they wanted my image to be. The host, Carlos, is like a veteran. I’m like Carlos 10 years younger, a little bit crazier and 10 coffees later. I just wanted to be called Mark. They said they were going to call me Suki, and I was like, “Don’t do that…just don’t.” Now, I get angry if people don’t call me Suki on set! Mark? That’s not me… When my brother first saw the promo with us all dancing and announcing the tour, he was like, “Really?” I want to apologize to him.
How has your educational background assisted you in getting you to this point in your career?
I went to Niagara College for broadcast TV and radio but it started when I did my co-op at Rogers TV. I just knew I wanted to work on TV and be on camera. I volunteered at Rogers and MuchMusic and got an internship at MTV. Education’s really important because it teaches you things that your volunteer experiences won’t teach you, but I will say that a mixture of my educational background and my volunteer experiences helped me get here because you learn that when you work in television you have to put your all into it. Today, I got here at 6 a.m. and I won’t leave until 10 p.m. but I don’t mind because I just love it. It takes a lot of hard work. It’s all about learning. Go to school.
What are the most played songs on your iPod?
I love music. That’s one of the reasons why I love working on this show. Lorde has a song called “Royals” and it is the best song you will ever hear in your life. It’s so amazing and urban, but I’m also a pop junkie. This morning, I was jamming out to “Anything Could Happen” by Ellie Goulding. Demi’s new album is really good and I love her song “Really Don’t Care” featuring Cher Lloyd. Also, Justin Timberlake, Down With Webster’s “One In A Million”, Selena Gomez’s new album, Ariana Grande and Fifth Harmony! They are the bomb dot com. Anything that’s on the radio I’m listening to, jamming out to and I know all the words.
Do you have a crazy pet peeve?
I don’t like being touched but I’m a hugger. I will pat you on your shoulder or back and give you a handshake, but whenever someone touches me I’m like, “Ewww.” Don’t touch me, but then hug me.
How do you get ready to be in front of the camera?
Before I go to do the live shows and AfterShow, I rap to Nicki Minaj’s verse in “Monster”. It’s really fast and it gets me pumped. Sometimes I do handstands in the hallways…or wall twerk for fun. I’m part of Miley Cyrus’ twerk team.
Thank you, Mark! Catch THE NEXT STAR Mondays at 7 p.m. EST on YTV, then head to nextstar.ytv.com on Tuesdays to watch all new exclusive Next Star Nation videos.