Em Rusciano

{{Infobox person

| name = Em Rusciano

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name = Emelia Rachael Rusciano

| birth_place = Greensborough, Victoria, Australia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Australian

| other_names =

| occupation = {{hlist|Comedian|podcaster|television presenter|radio presenter|singer-songwriter|author|entertainer}}

| years_active = 2003–present

| known_for = Rage and Rainbows stand-up special, 2021 The Masked Singer Runner Up, Presenting at the National Press Club, Emsolation podcast with Michael Lucas 2020-present

| notable_works =

| spouse = Scott Barrow

| children = 3

| website = http://emrusciano.com

}}

Emelia Rachael Rusciano is an Australian comedian, podcaster, television and radio presenter, singer-songwriter, author and entertainer.

Early life

Rusciano was born and raised in Greensborough, Victoria, and grew up in Diamond Creek and Warrandyte. She attended Eltham College and Forest Hill College.{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Megan |date=14 April 2013 |title=From track to radio to comedy – Em Rusciano is the accidental star |newspaper=Herald Sun |publisher=News Limited |location=Melbourne |page=6 |id={{ProQuest|1326145546}}}}

Career

Rusciano has appeared on All Star Family Feud, The Circle, The Project, Studio 10 and Hughesy, We Have a Problem.

Rusciano competed on the second season of Australian Idol, where she finished in ninth place.{{cite news |last1=Blake |first1=Elissa |date=20 November 2014 |title=Em Rusciano's Divorce, the Musical! comes from the heart |url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/comedy/em-ruscianos-divorce-the-musical-comes-from-the-heart-20141118-11oef7.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141121074040/http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/comedy/em-ruscianos-divorce-the-musical-comes-from-the-heart-20141118-11oef7.html |archive-date=21 November 2014 |access-date=22 July 2015 |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |location=Sydney}}{{Cite news |last=Mansour |first=Chanelle |date=22 September 2021 |title=The Masked Singer might just be Em Rusciano's latest career move |url=https://www.newidea.com.au/em-rusciano-australian-idol |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102144150/https://www.newidea.com.au/em-rusciano-australian-idol |archive-date=2 November 2021 |access-date=4 September 2022 |magazine=New Idea |publisher=Are Media |language=en-AU}}

In 2009, Rusciano left the 92.9 breakfast show in Perth after four years and returned to Melbourne.{{cite news |last1=Pepper |first1=Daile |date=26 November 2009 |title=Breakfast radio diva Em quits 92.9 |url=http://www.watoday.com.au/entertainment/breakfast-radio-diva-em-quits-929-20091126-jtx9.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128103829/http://www.watoday.com.au/entertainment/breakfast-radio-diva-em-quits-929-20091126-jtx9.html |archive-date=28 November 2009 |access-date=22 July 2015 |newspaper=WAtoday |publisher=Fairfax Media |location=Perth}} From August 2012 to May 2013, she co-hosted the radio show Mamamia Today with Dave Thornton on the Today Network.{{cite news |date=21 May 2013 |title=Mamamia is yesterday on radio Today |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/mamamia-is-yesterday-on-radio-today/news-story/7d43551dc939d062a08fcb7810b5b6cf |url-access=subscription |access-date=22 July 2015 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |department=Sydney Confidential |publisher=News Limited |location=Sydney}}

In January 2016, Rusciano toured Australia with her stand-up comedy show, Em Rusciano Is Not a Diva.{{cite news|last1=Taylor|first1=Belle|title=Fringe World: Comedian Em Rusciano's quirk-life balance|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/stm/fringe-world-comedian-em-ruscianos-quirklife-balance/news-story/8f69a2ffb3bf61145cfdcaa633502a19|access-date=22 March 2017|newspaper=Perth Now|date=20 January 2016}}

In June 2016, Rusciano joined the Hit Network to host The Em Rusciano Show on Sunday nights.{{Cite web|url=http://www.radiotoday.com.au/news/whats-new/9117-em-rusciano-returns.html|title=Em Rusciano Returns|website=Radio Today|date=14 June 2016 |access-date=18 June 2016}}{{Cite web |last=Podcast |first=The Em Rusciano Radio Show |title=The Em Rusciano Radio Show Podcast – Podcast |url=https://podtail.com/podcast/the-em-rusciano-radio-show-podcast/ |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Podtail |date=12 September 2018 |language=en}}

Rusciano published her memoir Try Hard: Tales from the Life of a Needy Overachiever on 26 October 2016.{{cite news |last1=Cahill |first1=Mikey |date=21 October 2016 |title=Em Rusciano a force of comedic nature |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/em-rusciano-a-force-of-comedic-nature/news-story/c5b94cd202b02f57a80c6faa2b02bc98 |url-access=subscription |access-date=20 December 2016 |newspaper=Herald Sun |publisher=News Corp Australia |location=Melbourne}}

In January 2017, Rusciano was announced as one of two hosts for 2Day FM's new breakfast show. She left the show in September 2018, due to her pregnancy. Rusciano admitted her time at 2Day FM was a "mixed bag".{{cite news |last1=Carmody |first1=Broede |last2=Cooper |first2=Nathanael |date=3 September 2018 |title=Em Rusciano to depart 2DayFM breakfast |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/em-rusciano-to-depart-2dayfm-breakfast-20180903-p501d1.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903120620mp_/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/em-rusciano-to-depart-2dayfm-breakfast-20180903-p501d1.html |archive-date=3 September 2018 |access-date=5 September 2018 |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |location=Sydney}}

In 2021, Rusciano appeared on season three of The Masked Singer Australia and finished runner-up as “Dolly”.{{Cite web |date=6 October 2021 |title=Em Rusciano Reveals The Best Part About Working On The Masked Singer |url=https://www.hit.com.au/story/em-rusciano-reveals-the-best-part-about-working-on-the-masked-singer-183836 |access-date=4 September 2022 |website=Hit Network |publisher=Southern Cross Austereo |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=5 October 2021 |title=Global star Anastacia wins The Masked Singer Australia as Em Rusciano places second |url=https://themusicnetwork.com/the-masked-singer-australia-2021-finale/ |access-date=4 September 2022 |website=The Music Network}}

Rusciano was nominated for the 2024 AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Media Personality{{Cite web |date=4 February 2024 |title=AACTA Announces the Nominees for the 2024 Audience Choice Awards |url=https://www.aacta.org/our-news/media-room/aacta-announces-the-nominees-for-the-2024-audience-choice-awards/ |access-date=14 February 2024 |website=AACTA |language=en-AU}} (and was noted as "Best on Ground" by Fashion Critical at the red carpet event).

Personal life

Rusciano is married to Scott Barrow and has two daughters and one son.{{Cite web |last=Aubusson |first=Laura |date=4 February 2021 |title=Em Rusciano's touching post with son Elio about finding comfort after miscarriage |url=https://www.kidspot.com.au/lifestyle/entertainment/celebrity-news/em-ruscianos-touching-post-with-son-elio-about-finding-comfort-after-miscarriage/news-story/68a4bab0c8562e75cf752e8777456db6 |access-date=31 March 2024 |website=Kidspot |publisher=News Corp Australia}} She was diagnosed with ADHD at age 42 and autism in November 2022.{{Cite web |last=Rutherford |first=Karlie |date=13 May 2021 |title=Em Rusciano on being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult |url=https://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/health/em-rusciano-on-being-diagnosed-with-adhd-as-an-adult/news-story/8df3c0ca7e38b4de5f8516d9367011ec |access-date=1 April 2024 |website=Body+Soul |publisher=News Corp Australia}}{{Cite Instagram |postid=CltG_SwrOPr |user=emrusciano |title=E and I have always understood each other on a magic level. It kinda feels like we exist in our own personal realm. We both share a love of microscopic details, plain pasta and really soft blankets. He gets me and I him and now I know why. A week ago I got my autism diagnosis and in all honesty it wasn't really a shock. Going through Elio's diagnostic process prepared me. And just like after my ADHD diagnosis, I again find myself trying to untangle all the ways in which being an undiagnosed autistic person has impacted my life. Ultimately I'm working towards liberation from the masking and pretending I've learned to do, two things this little kid will never have to do if I have any say in the matter. So on this day of visibility for all disabled people, I simply ask that you celebrate, see and honour those of us who are perhaps different to you. #IDPwD |first=Emelia |last=Rusciano |date=3 December 2022 |access-date=25 February 2023 |language=en |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CltG_SwrOPr/}}