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CINEMA WASTELAND |
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OCTOBER 4 - 6, 2003 |
FRIDAY
On Friday, John (TV's Dr.
Sarcofiguy) and I got
to the hotel at about
Ken Kish, the man behind Cinema Wasteland, is a man among men; there is no one else running conventions who treats Horror Hosts or Horror Hosting with so much respect and affection. Don’t let the hair fool you (heh-heh) – the man legitimately “gets it.” He has, on more than one occasion, told me how it’s a no brain-er for him to turn his convention over to the hosts; he knows they will bring people in, and will help keep them entertained. The way the film room was PACKED Saturday night hammered this point home with him, as he just sat back with pride.
The table(s) he gave Ghastlee (which AGG gave to the HHU) this year took up a huge amount of real estate in the dealer room. In any other convention, we would be hidden away somewhere; treated only slightly better than costumed fans coming in. Not at Cinema Wasteland, where one weekend out of the year (and soon to be two weekends!) the Horror Host is respected!
The Mortician was one of the first of the Hosts I got to meet, and it was a sincere pleasure. His show has left quite an impact with me, and his generosity and hard work behind the scenes on the HHU really has been remarkable. With or without the mask, he made quite an impression as one of the nicest men around – how can you say anything bad about someone who hands you a beer (the man kept us stocked!), and his wife (“BellaMorte”) gives you a cookie, and is a fan of Adkins?! WOW! My only regret was Friday night, in the lobby of the hotel, he came and sat next to me without a mask on and wanted to talk about hockey, and I had no idea who he was and I was a tad on the rude side to him; you never know - hockey fans scare me! Seriously, “Mort” came prepared this weekend, and within moments of having arrived, I had many of his most recent episodes in my grubby little paws. Very grateful this man is on our side!
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Baron Mondo Von Doren and
El Sapo de Tempesto were also chained to the table most of the weekend,
along with
(Hey! Baron! You may be consider yourself “The Rodney Dangerfield of Horror Hosts,” but at least you got mentioned in Professor Griffin’s shout-outs! HA!)
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Professor Anton Griffin from "The Midnight Shadow Show," was actually the first person I met at the convention (moments before Crystal), and it was sheer joy to watch someone experience their first convention in all of its sensory overload convention-ness. While I had fun teasing him and his voice and his enthusiasm during the weekend, I hope he took note that others that got/get that playful treatment include A. Ghastlee Ghoul, someone who is like my brother. Make no mistake – Grif is the man. |
The way he threw himself into his “barking” before the wedding Saturday night was awe-inspiring (shocking that it was his first time in front of a throng of drunken convention goers! - by the way, I hope someone got a picture of him in the bar with the "Griffins" on the frosted glass!) A case could be made that no one else got as much out of this weekend as Grif (and Joseph!); big thanks for helping me film the SPOOKY MOVIE episode – you are a master of the improve, and you defiantly made new friends and fans this weekend.
(And, yes, I did notice the one-on-one time you had with TBJ, Anton!)
Ahhhhhh…THE BONE JANGLER and Nocturna!
Two hosts who I met at Cinema Wasteland 2002, and whose friendship has only grown over the course of the last year – they were also at the table Friday night when I arrived. Both are a force of nature you gladly let envelope your life; the stolen moments, and candid conversations I had with both of them during the course of the weekend only helped strengthen my respect for both of them, their groundbreaking show, and the hard work they have done (without ever being asked to) for the Horror Host Underground.
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Big thanks out to them as well for
filming with us for the show; some very funny stuff of Dr. Sarcofiguy
trying to pick up Nocturna behind The Bone Daddy’s back. And especially
big thanks to Nocturna, for her advice on cold and allergy medication –
these immortals know so much! I really hope you both can make it to
Horrorfind 2004 next August!! The Bone Jangler crew was
huge, what with the Deacon and Charles “Chucky” |
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Yeah…thanks Charles…now I get to start thinking about it…no need for me to actually enjoy a moment or two…!
HA! Seriously, it was a hoot to have him in our corner all weekend (look! I made a wrestling reference!!); it seemed like whenever I turned around, there he was, making me laugh.
Right to the right of TBJ and the HHU table was the one and only, Son of Ghoul, who has become a good friend of the Horror Host Underground, and avid supporter of all of the new Horror Hosts coming up through the ranks. He even came prepared to film an inspired bit featuring many of the Hosts on Saturday that were lingering around the tables to all simultaneously introduce a movie in their own style – all at the same time! Quite a pleasure and a privilege to watch, much less actually be in.
Picture courtesy of CountGore.com
And, as promised, the
man…the myth…the
Ahem…Ok…I was talking about HJ!
Another of my brothers, it wasn’t Horrorfind without Halloween Jack this year, which is why his appearance at CW was particularly sweet.
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Not only was he busy concocting the lynch-pin in Saturday night’s “Game Show” skit (he and Del are a terrific team!!!!) …not only did he help kick ass on “Werewolves of London,” helping to shake off the nightmare that was the rendition from 2002…not only did he walk the bride down the isle…not only did he shell out his own money for autographs for a prize he’s going to give away…not only did he finally get to meet many of his Horror Host family and friends…but he did so fighting a nasty cold! Jack (sporting a nice new coat!) also thrust upon me a new “Haunted Theatre” episode that I am looking forward to watching soon. |
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Thank you also for your help in filming my SPOOKY MOVIE episode, with Robin and Nicole; I took a quick look at it, and (as usual) your work with John is hysterical; we really need to get him up north to be on your set some time!
The highlight Friday night (for me) was the world premiere of the documentary on I. Zombi, creatively titled “I. Zombi!” HA! A very touching testament to his life, the love of his family and friends, and the acceptance found within the brotherhood of Horror Hosts, the film comes as close as a film could get to get to know this remarkable man as a film could…huh? What did I say – did that even make sense? Well, whatever, the film brought tears to my eyes, as well as laughter. Anyway, one of many classic moments of the pre-wedding festivities Saturday night was I. Zombi coming out as “Elvis.” BRILLIANT!! Hayden…you and Hazel are remarkable, and thank you again for your kind words about my own stuff.
The final bit of festiveness Friday night actually happened Saturday morning, shortly after midnight, when I helped begin a lobby singing spectacular of “Happy Birthday To You!” to Kyra Shon, from “Night of the Living Dead,” whose birthday she shared with Jeff McClellon – on the same day as Ghastlee and Suspira’s wedding. Kyra seemed to enjoy having a bunch of drunken strangers in masks and make-up sing happy birthday more than Jeff did, of course I did do it to him several times, and I’m sure it just was getting old as hell (the David Letterman school of comedy says that if something isn’t funny, the sheer repetition of it will make it so). Next>>
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