Mike Polk
Mike Polk, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| File:MikePolkComedian.jpg | |
| Born | Michael G. Polk Jr. Warren, Ohio, US |
| Alma mater | Kent State University |
| Occupations |
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Michael G. Polk Jr. is an American comedian, actor, TV commentator, and newspaper columnist, known primarily for his sketch comedy and viral videos.
Early life and education
[edit | edit source]Polk was born in Warren, Ohio. After being raised in Newton Falls, Ohio, he attended Kent State University as an undergraduate and earned a degree in communications and psychology in 2002.[1]
Career
[edit | edit source]Polk created the YouTube series Runaway Box / Man in the Box.[2] His work has also appeared on HBO, Cinemax and TNT's Inside the NBA.[3]
He sang his YouTube song "One Semester of Spanish - Love Song"[4] for Kim Kardashian on Spanish television channel Telemundo.[5][6] That video has received over 9.4 million views on YouTube. He thanked his viewers as "Spanish Mike" when the video hit 2 Million views.[7]
Some of his other work includes "Ooh Girl!" - An Honest R&B Song",[8] "The Great Office War",[9] "The Factory of Sadness"[10] and two different versions of a "Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video"[11][12] all of which have about 32 million views combined on YouTube. The tourism spoof video actually prompted Cleveland's convention and tourism bureau to solicit other videos in a 'counterattack' to Polk's not-so-flattering work.[13] Segments of the Cleveland tourism videos were also featured in the Michael Moore documentary film Capitalism: A Love Story.[14][15]
In 2010, Polk coordinated a group of local celebrities in order to record "Please Stay, LeBron", a parody of the charity song "We Are the World", in order to persuade NBA player LeBron James not to leave the Cavaliers.[16]
In 2012, Polk became a weekly contributor on The Rizzo Show – a Sunday night sports/comedy program airing WJW channel 8 in Cleveland (the local FOX affiliate) hosted by local sports media personality Tony Rizzo.[17] Polk also contributed to the sports section of the nightly news broadcast with Browns Hangover, a recurring segment providing comedic commentary after Cleveland Browns games.[18]
Polk has also worked for Funny or Die and has performed in a local comedy troupe called Last Call Cleveland since 1999.[19]
In 2016, Polk became a writer for the Plain Dealer newspaper, doing periodic columns about pop culture and humor.[20]
In 2019, Cleveland NBC affiliate WKYC channel 3 hired Polk as a feature reporter and contributor.[21] That same year – with the 2019 MLB All-Star Game occurring in Cleveland – ESPN solicited Polk to make a third "Hastily Made Tourism Video" for Cleveland, which he released on July 9, 2019.[22]
Awards
[edit | edit source]Polk was named as one of Cleveland Magazine's Most Interesting People of 2010.[23]
In 2013 readers of Scene Magazine voted him to be Cleveland's Best Local Comedian and Best Local Author for his book Damn Right I'm From Cleveland.[24]
in 2022, Polk won three Lower Great Lakes Emmy Awards in various categories in his role as commentator/host on WKYC.[25]
Personal life
[edit | edit source]In 2024 Polk became engaged to local journalist Stephanie Haney, with a wedding planned for September 2025.[26][needs update]
Bibliography
[edit | edit source]Damn Right I'm From Cleveland (2012 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).)
References
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- ^ One Semester of Spanish - Love Song on YouTube
- ^ Spanish Mike at Telemundo on YouTube
- ^ Spanish Mike en Mas Vale Tarde on YouTube
- ^ Spanish Mike-2 Million Viewers on YouTube
- ^ "Ooh Girl!" - An Honest R&B Song on YouTube
- ^ The Great Office War on YouTube
- ^ The Factory Of Sadness (A Cleveland Browns Fan's Reaction To Today's Game Against Houston) on YouTube
- ^ HASTILY MADE CLEVELAND TOURISM VIDEO on YouTube
- ^ Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video: 2nd Attempt on YouTube
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- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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- ^ 53rd Annual CGL Emmy Awards Recipients - Great Lakes Emmy Awards
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
[edit | edit source]
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