MTV Brasil

MTV Brasil was the dream for every 80s/90s kid. And somehow, of all creatures in the universe, I ended up living it? :D

For those hovering around 40 (give or take), many dreamed of working at the original MTV Brasil - whether posing against the green screen, producing, directing, or attending the VMB awards. Heck, you might be one of those dreamers.

Though I'd watched since the early days, I mostly coveted those translucent colored iMacs constantly on screen. As my grandma would say, I was a "shy forest creature" who dodged family cameras throughout adolescence... let alone TV cameras? No way.

But life, right? I started writing about pop culture (also a "life, huh?" moment), online video emerged, and suddenly worlds collided: The same day I brought JUDAO.com.br to the dearly departed Portal MTV, I was invited to that night's recording of the MTV Cinema Podcast to discuss films and this new partnership orchestrated by Rafael Losso and Bruno Ondei under Mauro Bedaque's direction. Weeks passed, invites kept coming, until I became a regular - sharing MTV's sole voiceover mic across dozens of 2009-2010 episodes with Bruno Ondei, Álvaro Campos, Sophia Reis and Léo Miranda.

Thiago Borbolla - actual human - was now inside MTV.

Another face on TV

With growing JUDAO.com.br video experience, by 2010 I became a "Nerd Correspondent" for Penélope Nova's MTV na Praia, showing summer alternatives (movies, games) alongside other Portal MTV creators.

To this day I don't know why I ended my first segment zooming in with "Kisses, Pê! :*". I spent the next day terrified of Penélope's live reaction... until she zoomed back with "Kisses, Borbs!". Chemistry unlocked.

Frequent correspondent appearances led to becoming Marimoon's gaming columnist on Scrap MTV, then passing the infamous VJ audition. Somehow.

As an MTV-raised kid, I never felt like a "classic VJ." Officially? Sure - contract, leg stance (you'd be surprised how crucial that is) and all. But in my mind, I was just hosting Fiz na MTV with Marina Santa Helena, later reporting too. The world disagreed: leg on the table meant VJ status.

Suddenly kids stopped me on the street, buildings required no ID, and over half my body appeared weekly on TV. Who'd have thought?

On Fiz (existing when YouTube did but before "YouTubers"), we spotlighted future internet kings like TV Quase and Anões em Chamas (later of Choque de Cultura and Porta dos Fundos fame), plus Galo Frito, Blues Filmes...

My VJ contract meant doing anything: co-hosting MTV's 20th anniversary MTV na Rua with Penélope; live VMB 2010 pre-show in suit/shorts combo; reporting for MTV News; and as live ~correspondent for Debate MTV across São Paulo universities (infinitely preferring live over recorded). :)

By 2011's leadership changes, most projects (including Fiz and Portal MTV as we knew them) ended. Nearly all archived videos disappeared too - thank goodness for fan recordings. Curious? See what I salvaged here. :)

I may have never dreamed of it, nor fully considered myself an MTV VJ... But damn, what a ride. :)