After two seasons and 16 episodes,聽Ringling Feud聽host and co-founder Will Mauricette 鈥�24, Film, graduated from 四虎影视 of Art and Design on May 2, saying goodbye to the popular ART Network production. But fans and hopeful teams can rejoice: Plans are underway to continue the show into the 2024-25 academic year and beyond.

鈥淭his show means a lot to not only the students but the school as well, which is why we will continue to produce聽Ringling Feud聽next year,鈥� said Marquee Doyle, director of the ART Network and a senior production manager at 四虎影视.

Melanie Perez 鈥�25, Graphic Design, will produce聽Ringling Feud聽next year, and Lauren Avila Santana 鈥�25, Illustration, will take over hosting duties from Mauricette, who first helped to pitch the idea of an ART Network gameshow during his sophomore year. (Co-founders Daniel Webster 鈥�23, Film, and CJ Callins 鈥�23, Film, both graduated in 2023.)

Mauricette鈥檚 charisma and natural presence in front of crowds and cameras helped the show gain popularity. (His exceptional wardrobe also earned raves.) He said that he and his peers created the show, in part, to give ART Network students a project of their own to work on.

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have anything that was for us,鈥� said Mauricette. 鈥淥ur job is to record and document things and put a video together. We pitched this so we could film our own thing.鈥�

He and his co-founders also liked the format of聽Family Feud, which features two competing teams of four instead of individual contestants. And a game show, he argued, was a great excuse for different majors, faculty, and staff departments to come together casually鈥攁nd often comically. 鈥淭o show up, to sit, laugh, and yell at each other for the fun of it,鈥� he said.

罢丑别听Ringling Feud聽format focused on information about 四虎影视 and the Sarasota area in general鈥攁s gathered from surveys of Ringling students themselves鈥攖hat could enlighten new students and their families. Students who had answered the surveys could come to the filming in person to shout their answers and even groan about the more popular responses.

The show found its audience and then some. Students have enjoyed competing against other majors and supporting their fellow students while playfully arguing about the correct answers. Then, as staff and faculty teams got involved, audiences showed up to see the adults on campus participate in the fun.

This enthusiasm from the 鈥済rownup鈥� teams was one of Mauricette鈥檚 favorite parts of the whole experience. 鈥淒r. Thompson (Ringling鈥檚 President) and the donors and Student Life and Public Safety鈥攕eeing how happy and childlike they鈥檇 be in the show,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he kids, I understand [being enthusiastic]. Seeing the grownups, I absolutely loved.鈥�

And what about those famously fashionable suits he sported for every episode?

鈥淚 was doing theater at West Coast [Black Theatre Troupe], and Cristy Shields ran the wardrobe department there,鈥� he remembered. 鈥淚 had an event coming up and asked her if she had a suit I could use. She actually bought me my first suit鈥攕he got it from Amazon for like $30. Then she fitted it to my body, and that made a big difference. It sat on me so well. Ever since then, I鈥檝e been addicted to wearing suits.鈥�

While Mauricette admitted he鈥檚 sad his time as host is ending, he leaves with great memories鈥攏ot to mention a showreel highlighting his hosting talents and a newfound appreciation for how deep those talents truly run.

鈥淲hen I was a kid, people just liked being around me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n the past year, I understand that now. I like seeing people be stoked. I could be having the worst day, but if I could be your hype man, then I鈥檓 doing it. I鈥檝e loved it all.鈥�