1. Tell us how you became interested in all things horror?
When I was six years old in 1966, I came across a magazine with Frankenstein's Monster on the front. Having not started school yet, I could not read the magazine, but the pictures of all the monsters inside thrilled me and sparked something in me. I later learned that the magazine was Famous Monsters of Filmland, issue 56. Before that, at age four, I got a small tin lithograph haunted house bank with a glow-in-the-dark hand that pulled a coin inside when placed on the front porch step, along with a Munsters paper doll set for Christmas. That started my love of horror.
2. Do you have a favourite horror host you grew up watching?
We did not have a horror-hosted TV show in our area when I was growing up. I did see an article in one of my Famous Monsters magazines about the original "Dr. Paul Bearer," played by Dick Bennick. At the time, I did not realise that he was on TV. I thought since he was in the magazine, he must have been a movie star, and I loved the way he looked. We did have a Shock Theatre TV program with no host, only a static cartoon werewolf peeking around a tree.
3. How did you come up with your stage name and sidekick?
I get this question often. The thing most people don't know, even though I have stated it on my show and in other media, is that Bobby Gammonster is my real legal name. My sidekick, "Boris T. Buzzard," is one of the puppets I used in my home party business, where I performed as a ventriloquist and clown.
4. Did you do any traditional TV, local or otherwise, or have you always been a podcaster/YouTuber?
In my area of the world (in Virginia), the local TV stations were too far to travel to, and I did not know anyone who worked there. I had pretty much put my dreams of being an entertainer on a TV station aside. My wife and I went to a convention in Pennsylvania called Monster Bash, where I met other horror hosts, Penny Dreadful, Garou, and an amateur filmmaker named David "The Rock" Nelson. He was filming other visitors, asking them if they wanted to be in his movie and throwing rubber dinosaurs and spiders at them. The thing was, he seemed to be having fun, and I decided I wanted to have fun as well.
So when I got home, I got out a camera. It was not the best equipment, but at least it was digital and had video capability. I had my name, the clothes I used around Halloween and for performing at parties, and my home, which has ten rooms full of monster, horror, and sci-fi memorabilia. These are artefacts I have been collecting since I was five years old. In 1988, I opened my home to the public as Gargoyle Manor – The Monster Museum. These are the items I use as "props" on the show. So, I had everything I needed to start being a horror host.
Sixteen seasons later, with our 350th episode creeping up on 28 March 2025, I became a horror host on the internet. My wife is a website designer who created my website, where all my episodes and seasons can be seen. While I am mainly on the internet, I have recently, in the last few years, been seen on Public Access TV stations, such as WWON TV Channel 48 in New York and CMN TV 18 in Chicago. I was also inducted into The Official Horror Host Hall of Fame in 2020.
5. What inspires your stories?
I don't write stories as such, but the videos I choose are usually inspired by the artefacts in my museum, such as my Edgar A. Poe books. I look for films that are inspired by Poe and use them. Throughout the year, with special holidays such as Halloween, I try and find videos that have matching themes. For example, for Mother's Day one year, I used a horror film called I Dismember Mama.
6. What are your favourite horror books?
As I have said, I love Edgar A. Poe's works as well as Stephen King.
7. What are your favourite horror movies?
Well, that is kind of like asking a parent which is their favourite child. I love all horror movies, but I will say that Frankenstein with Boris Karloff and Dracula with Bela Lugosi are my top two favourites.
8. What do you think the difference between American horror and British horror is?
In the film genres, I would say the British acting seems better. But the American special effects teams seem to me to be better, depending on the specific film. However, I love horror from all around the world. Every film has its own unique style.
Thank you for this interview, and as always... "Keep Screaming" – your creepy ol' curator, Bobby Gammonster and Boris T. Buzzard, Hosts of Monster Movie Night monstermovienight.com
