Michael Cannavo of Rexin Around
Interview conducted by Aesthel
“Meet Michael Cannavo of “The Rexin Around Show” and Super73! You may know him from his viral TikTok videos, Michael took some time to talk with the Cosplay Realm team about his love of Star Wars including cosplay, the fandom, and recent trips to both Lucasfilm and Galaxy’s Edge!”
Photo Credit: @chrisrobertson
CRM: Hello Michael! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us! Could you please briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
Michael: Thanks for giving me this awesome platform to share my story! My name is Michael and I like to keep myself too busy for my own good. For work, I am a co-founder and CMO at Super73. We make these crazy electric motorbikes and market them through viral social media content. When I’m not doing that, I’m podcasting, making Galaxy’s Edge videos, TikToks, and tons of Star Wars costumes.
CRM: It’s so great to catch up with you! We previously interviewed you for our Sci-Fi Issue, published in September of 2018. What have you been up to since that issue’s release?
Michael: So many things have changed! First, I got married to a super awesome (now converted Star Wars fan) girl named Janay! I launched a weekly Star Wars show with two of my closest friends, got back onto YouTube, started out on my TikTok adventure, and overthrew the planet of Batuu to take the throne as the un-rightful king.
CRM: As content creators online we must always adapt to new platforms. One platform that has made a huge difference for you recently has been TikTok. The app sometimes gets a bad reputation for being “cringey”, but we feel it is actually really underestimated by a lot of people. What has your experience on TikTok been like? How has it impacted your work and how do you plan to continue on the platform?
Michael: I’m very excited to get to share this story. As a marketing person, I was so inquisitive about the phenomenon of TikTok. I joked to my wife, Janay, that I was going to figure out the science behind it as she laughed and rolled her eyes in fun. She knows how obsessive I can be about new ideas. I downloaded the app and spent quite a few weeks scrolling through videos watching how trends started, grew, and aged. It’s so funny to say how much time I spent learning how the app worked down to the algorithm. I told Janay that I felt like a helicopter circling the app trying to figure out the best place to land. Once I found my spot, I jumped in. My first video hit the “For You Page” instantly. My second video followed and they never stopped. It felt like I was waking up to 5,000 new followers every morning. As of this interview, I’ve been on the app for two months and have gained 250,000 followers with well over 20,000,000 views on my videos. Sidenote, I started a couple trends too! My favorite one was the “Hello there - General Kenobi” trend where people are spinning lightsabers on each others’ backs. So dumb, but it’s my little treasure. The community has been amazing. While there’s hate in every comment section, this platform feels far more positive than others. People want others to succeed and I see a lot of cases where the community rallies around someone to help them in some way. I’ve seen people who used to hate the app change their minds on a dime after seeing how many awesome opportunities are out there. I try to look at all opportunities as tools to grow, better myself, and communicate positivity to a community of fans who are in dire need of a smile and light-hearted fun. I try so hard to only showcase things that inspire, create joy, and promote positivity.
CRM: Recently you were brought to Lucasfilm by Disney. You were able to meet other creators and see screen used props and more! That must have been a dream come true! Can you tell us some of the highlights of this trip?
Michael: This was one of those “blink and you’ll miss it moments.” A total whirlwind. I opened my messages on a Tuesday night to see an invitation from the Disney media team asking if they could fly me to Lucasfilm on Thursday morning. I closed my eyes in disbelief and when I opened them, Janay and I were walking up the stairs of a chartered jet. Being a former club member, we have been given the opportunity to visit Lucasfilm multiple times, but this was nothing like anything we had done before. We were brought deep into the bowels of Lucasfilm, grabbed coffee from the famous “Java the Hutt,” saw the private prop collections, met the creatives behind some of my most favorite moments in Star Wars, and finally, were ushered into the motion capture room.
Sometimes people say, “my jaw dropped” as an exaggeration to say they were surprised. Believe me when I saw that my jaw actually dropped as I walked into that room.
To see the place where K2S0 came to life, where some of the most emotional lightsaber battles were captured was absolutely unreal. I cannot convey the sense of joy, wonder, reverence, and awe that flooded through me. I could feel the energy in my fingertips as I took the time to absorb every bit of character and charm in that empty warehouse. Tiled with workout mats for sparring, a pile of staffs that would become lightsabers and blasters, and hastily placed foam sound dampeners hanging precariously on the walls, this room might not look like much to some, but to Star Wars fans it’s the framework that makes up the thing that we hold so tightly in our arms. When I say that this room is important, I don’t mean it lightly.
After a bit of time adjusting to the room, I realized a table full of props. You know those moments where you’re somewhere far from home and see someone you think you know at a distance? That thought of “There’s no way that’s them. Why would they be here?” And as you approach, you realize it is them and the universe has somehow glitched, bringing you both together in a way that shouldn’t have been possible? That’s me and this table full of props. They were the hero props from The Rise of Skywalker! I couldn’t believe I was looking at the medal General Leia held, the double-sided saber dark side Rey swung menacingly, the Sith wayfinder that Kylo killed so many to uncover, and the training ball that met its untimely end when Rey lost control of her emotions - being overtaken by the anger channeling through the dyad from our dear boy, Kylo. If you can imagine a 28-year-old man dressed in a half-done Cassian costume, standing perfectly still in reverence, hanging out with a bunch of TikTok’s favorite cosplayers and ignoring everything but a table of things that others might consider toys, you would be picturing the scene perfectly.
I have to extend another thank you to Disney for making this happen. We aren’t fans because we benefit from it. We are fans because we take from it. We replace small pieces of our basic human identity with creations that express themselves better than we are able to ourselves.
Kylo’s inner struggle is a parallel to our own selfish human desires. We know what we need to do but sometimes we don’t think we have the strength to do it. Instead choosing the easier path of uncontrolled anger, selfish ambition, or thoughtless decision making. Those buildings were the DNA of those hazy moments from my childhood; running around the house with my A-Wing, imagining myself in a pilot’s jumpsuit, willing to risk my life to help take down the biggest evil in the galaxy. These aren’t just buildings filled with people clocking in to collect a paycheck. These people are building characters, scenes, and moments that we will hold in our hands carefully and bring into ourselves as our identity for better or worse.
CRM: We would love to hear about The Rexin Around Show! How did you start up the podcast? What is it like working on it? Where can Cosplay Realm readers check out the show?
Michael: The Rexin Around Show was born from our desire to find a safe place for fans to express themselves, geek out, and support others. I can say that it is truly the creation I hold closest to my heart. Being such a loud personality, I’ve found that sometimes people judge me before I get a chance to show them who I really am. I wanted to take that wild personality and wrangle it into submission to be used for good. The name of the show actually came from someone who used to pick on me endlessly. Everytime I would show up, they would say, “ Oh great, here comes the Rexin Around show.” I learned at a young age to disarm people by joining in on the joke and taking control of the weapon that could cause harm. Instead of reacting negatively, I would laugh along. Now I get to introduce every episode by saying, “...and this is: The Rexin Around Show”
To run the show with me, I brought in two of my closest friends, Greg (@gogettergreg) and Taylor (@whostaylor). Rain or shine, they are there. FIND. PEOPLE. LIKE. GREG. AND. TAYLOR. We all work full time and sacrifice a lot to make sure to release an episode every week but it’s never been a chore. When we first began uploading, no one really cared. “Hey internet! Here’s something you didn’t ask for but it doesn’t matter because we love doing it!” is the message we came in with.
It’s never been about the numbers and because of that, we found joy in it every week even when no one was listening initially. Our set looks like a living room because that’s where we want to be with our viewers. Hanging out, talking Star Wars like we did growing up. No hidden agendas and no judgement.
We’ve since turned it into a platform to promote a positive fandom in these divisive times. We started highlighting our creative friends, talented community members, and talking about things other Star Wars shows weren’t talking about. We recently brought in Kimya (@captainkylo on twitter) as a semi-regular guest. She represents the female side of the fandom elegantly and wholly. Wow, she is a well-spoken national treasure. She speaks with such respect and knowledge and has shown us so much about Star Wars from a new perspective. We’ve all grown since bringing her in. Readers can find us on any free podcast platform and YouTube by searching: The Rexin Around Show. Hope to see you all there!
Photo Credit: @chrisrobertson
CRM: One thing that we loved seeing on your YouTube channel was the playlist about how to do Star Wars armor! Besides checking out your videos, if someone wanted to get into some armor costuming what are some resources that you would recommend?
Michael: Since slowing those videos down, I’ve learned how much demand there is for those sorts of videos. While work takes up most of my time, we are trying to find creative new ways to help people on their journey through cosplay. Until then, the costume clubs like “The 501st Legion” are amazing resources. You can find mentors who will walk you through the process and help you with any questions you may have. Joining that community is what actually led me to meet 3 of the 4 guys who were in my wedding. You’ll find friends for life, super cool armor, and endless opportunities to give back in those communities!
CRM: Star Wars is a very near and dear fandom to our hearts, but the fandom can also be pretty toxic at times. So many people seem to be polarized to “one side or the other” especially with the release of the latest film. Have you had to deal with any toxicity in the fandom? Do you have any tips or advice for people who enjoy media that may have tough fandoms like this?
Michael: When you think of Star Wars today, you think of lightsabers, spaceships, heroes, villains, and whiny fanboys in the comment section of dangerous Star Wars theory channels brewing dissention while hiding behind the disguise of “fans who want the best for Star Wars.” The toxicity of the vocal minority was a huge part of why I left the organized clubs and communities and went off on my own. Clubs are amazing opportunities to give back, meet friends for life, and create some really cool stuff. However, with the positive comes the negative.
Star Wars is one of those rocking pendulum rides at the fair. You know the one that looks like an old viking boat that hasn’t been safety tested since before we were born? We’re all on the boat together and we have the momentum going one direction. For the last 40 years, we were sailing smoothly and there weren’t tons of complaints beyond bad writing and poor acting. Since the Disney acquisition, we are experiencing change. Everything is changing. We are at the peak where the momentum is shifting. The 3 seconds of the ride where our organs are still carrying in one direction but the boat is shifting to travel the opposite way. How uncomfortable is that moment? We’ve all felt it. That queasy motion sickness as the pressure in our head feels like it might be too much to bare. We are all in pain but we need to stop vilifying the pain. It’s momentary. We signed up for this when we became fans of something we can’t control. We stood in line for hours. We camped in line for days. We bought what they sold until it was sold out and we tattooed it onto our bodies until we ran out of space.
Just as the boat has to shift directions to keep going, the child has to grow. Our child (Star Wars) is growing, and with that growth comes growing pains.
Have we all seen the movie in our heads before going into that theater? Yes. How could we not? We dream about Star Wars and nothing they could bring to the theaters could ever come close to our dreams. There are hundreds of millions of us out there and they have one chance to make one movie that fits into our expectations. How can they ever win? We never gave them the chance to win.
I genuinely think we will look back at films like “The Last Jedi” and see it as one of the most influential and crucial films in the Star Wars story. My crew and my community stand behind the creative team at Lucasfilm. While we don’t always agree with every creative decision made, the decision to let the universe grow, spotlight minorities that were previously ignored, and become more inclusive of humankind as a whole is one that we feel isn’t only important, it's absolutely necessary.
CRM: Despite some toxic people, we love this fandom and the connections we have made in it so much. Star Wars in particular is known for its fandom working in things like charity work and raising money for so many different causes. What are some ways that other Star Wars cosplayers or fans can get involved with things like this?
Michael: The clubs are the best things for that. The work they do is unparalleled and some of the members go above and beyond to bring joy to others every single day. With that being said, the club has very strict costume standards which are both good and bad for the fandom. I know many people who have left the clubs due to elitism among some of the members or an inability to meet the tough standards. Don’t let that get to you! You can volunteer with so many different organizations without having to have a club approved costume. I always suggest calling local children’s hospitals or charities and asking how you can get involved.
CRM: You’ve gotten the opportunity to visit Galaxy’s Edge in the Disney parks a few times now! We’ve always wanted to go and it looks like so much fun! What are some things you would want to tell someone that is planning their first trip there?
Michael: A few times is what my bank account would have liked it to be. At the time of this interview, we are definitely clear past 50 visits to Batuu. Ridiculous. During that time, we’ve made so many friends with podcast viewers and listeners, TikTok fans, and cast members! I realized after a few of my character interactions in the park went viral, that nothing was being done on the visitors’ behalf to ensure that the cast members and characters were being treated well and taken care of. I created a brief PSA of how to behave while at Galaxy’s Edge that ended up blowing up. I was so happy that we were able to give back to a place that has brought us so much joy. As mentioned earlier, we want to not only take from Star Wars, but give back. Galaxy’s Edge is such a great place to do that. Here’s some quick pointers.
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Thank the cast members.
Respect the park and don’t damage the props.
Using the force on costumed characters always ends up being funny.
Legacy sabers in Dok Ondars are absolutely beautiful and worth every penny.
Blue milk is better than green milk. No arguments accepted.
Ask the cast members about their backstory. You’ll never be disappointed.
The line for Smugglers Run plummits through the floor close to closing.
You can buy Han’s Dice hidden away in the market. Check the souvenir shop. The only storefront not themed “in-universe.”
CRM: Outside of your fandom work, you also work with creating bikes on Super73! Your bikes are owned by many celebrities and have been featured in some pretty awesome videos online! Can you tell us about any upcoming projects with your bikes this year?
Michael: We have been hard at work creating something that I think is going to absolutely change the game. The team here at Super73 blows me away everyday and Saturday, January 25th is going to be the launch of a brand new product that we have been developing for the last few years. We’re always trying to push the limits of design and style and this new product does that in a major way! Our brand isn’t just about getting people from one place to the next. It’s about enabling adventure, creativity, and passion. So much of my fandom has been sewn into the DNA of Super73 and I think people can see it when they look at the work the brand is doing.
CRM: Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, Michael! Is there anything else that you would like to add? Please let the Cosplay Realm readers know where they can find more of your work!
Michael: Thank you for giving me a platform to share my story. We are so grateful to the people who work so hard to put these sorts of things together. You are such a vital part of this community and I hope I was able to do you justice. I know that some of my answers can be long winded but I get so excited to share my Star Wars story and am grateful to have such an unbelievable community to immerse myself in.