Martini Rox: Savage world
Written by Martini Rox | | starmusic@toledofreepress.comhen I met Andre Savage he was a rapper and already way ahead of his time. He wore tweed blazers with a clean-cut college boy style and had a low monotone comedic flow much like Kanye West and Young Money. He was young, arrogant, passionate, easy on the eyes and on the brink of greatness. An entertainer at heart, he was focused on a career in entertainment or television after graduating from college. If his plan to rap didn’t pan out, no worries, as an athlete and sports enthusiast his desire was to be in front of the camera talking about sports.
Today, Andre Savage is arguably one of the most provocative figures in television in NW Ohio. His view of television has few boundaries as he is not afraid to make viewers uncomfortable. He admits that he can be overly ambitious and impatient, but his urgency comes from a personal and spiritual place.
This is not just a job, for Savage this is a calling and it goes beyond what may be perceived as egotistical achievement. He is providing a platform and an opportunity for artists in video, communications and music spending most of the time behind the camera.
Savage also showcases Toledo’s unsung heroes through his entertainment show, “Game Savvy Late Night,” which is premiering its new season Feb. 26 on WNWO after “SNL.” The show consists of a multicultural cast performing skits and conducting interviews with the who’s who around the city. The show also features local musical talent that ranges in genre and ethnicity.
Adding to his already impressive resume, Savage is the newest cast member to the NBC 24 family as co-host of “Game Time with Eric (Haubert) and Andre.” Not bad for a former aspiring rapper, but it took years of hard life lessons to bring him full circle. He started working for various stations in Toledo and then moved to Atlanta. Within two weeks his aggressive determination landed him a job as a freelance editor for WSB an ABC affiliate while working on the show, ‘Inside the NBA’ as a side job.
Andre Savage and the Game Savvy cast
His love and dedication to his daughter would bring him back to Toledo and eventually to the first station that gave him a shot over a decade ago. His future goals include building a television network based on the creativity and hard work of a team consisting of like minded, hardworking individuals. Savage shares his start and how he would like to finish.
Martini Rox: What were some of the obstacles you faced after graduating college trying to pursue a career in the entertainment industry?
Andre Savage: I don’t ever like to really blame being a man of color as the reason (because) I don’t necessarily know, but people weren’t letting me try what I wanted to try. In other words, I was never given the opportunity to be on air and I knew I wanted to do that in the very beginning. As a matter of fact the strategy after the camera thing was, “OK, I’ll do the camera guy thing.” Let’s take this position with the hopes that if we just get in the door, eventually we’re going to get the opportunity to be in front of the camera.
Rox: Now that your Plan B has paved the way for Plan A, what is the desired out come on your path to give back to the city?
Savage: Some damn esteem, some pride and selflessness. Yes, even as naive as that is, Yes, I’d rather die in the spirit of trying to make that happen in my (own) way, but I am only one person, it has to be thousands of us to change it all the way around.
As we continue on …
