By Jason Harris
CT Horrorfest 2022
Tag Archives: Elvira
Talking with Ken Reid, The TV Guidance Counselor
By Jason Harris
Courtesy of Ken Reid’s Tumblr page.
Q: In 2003, you decided to try your hand at stand-up. What was the impetuous behind that decision?
A: I had been in bands from 1996-1999 or so, I am in no way shape or form a musician, but always wanted to perform. Once the band broke up and I had no musicians to ride the coattails of I thought stand up was my only route. I always liked comedy and watched tons of stand up, so i gave it a go.
Q: How many stand-up engagements do you perform in a year?
A: I average about 2 a week so 100-150 a year is probably about the normal.
Q: Do you have any engagements coming up? If yes, where and when?
A: I’ve taken the rest of 2015 off for the most part for a much needed breather, but I’m still doing the podcast weekly and will be back to frequent shows in 2016. My updated schedule is always at ikenreid.com
Q: When did the idea for your podcast, TV Guidance Counselor, come about?
A: Friend and fellow comic Sean Sullivan basically told me that I have all these TV Guides, when people come over my house we often will flip through them and discuss old shows, why not just do that as a podcast? I wanted to do a podcast for a long time but didn’t have a great idea that would be different from the usual two comics just chatting format, until Sean threw that at me. I also do almost no pop culture stuff in my stand up, despite that occupying a huge part of my brain, so it was a great excuse to exercise a lot of that stuff.
Q: When did you start collecting TV Guides?
A: As early as I can remember. There are photos of me at age 2 with a TV Guide in my hand.
Q: What issue made you want to collect TV Guides?
A: Not sure if it’s a specific issue really . I like having the little digest sized time machine on hand.
Q: Are you still collecting?
A: Not new issues, but if I see some old ones I don’t have, I grab them.
Q: What were some of your favorite shows growing up?
A: Just the Ten of Us is a lifelong favorite, Newhart, Parker Lewis Can’t Lose, The Adventures of Pete and Pete. The Facts of Life. Weirdly I’ve been lucky enough to have people who’ve been on all those shows guest on my podcast.
Q: What are some of your favorite shows now?
A: Weirdly I don’t watch too much new stuff. I like The Flash, and I still watch Supernatural. Fringe was the only show I watched weekly as it came out and LOVED in the last few years. I think it is the best sci-fi show of all time.
Q: Who are some of the people you would like to have on your podcast?
A: I do have some dream guests. Paul “Pee Wee Herman” Reubens, Cassanda “Elvira” Peterson, John Larroquette, John Waters.
Q: You will be at Super Megafest in November and the Pop Culture Expo in December, are these the first conventions you have been a guest at?
A: Weirdly no. Gary at North East Comic Con has had me do live TV Guidance Counselors at the last few. I always have a good time. Last year, I did the stand up show at Super Megafest, which was also fun.
Q: What drew you to being a guest at a convention?
A: They asked, and I’m almost always there anyway, so it’s a win-win.
Q: Are there any comedians you looked up to growing up?
A: Dana Gould was my absolute #1 for sure. I was also always a huge Bob Newhart fan.
Q: Who are some comedians today that you would suggest people go see?
A: Hmm….I’d still go with Dana Gould.
Q: Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to become a comedian?
A: Don’t do it! But if you must be prepared to be terrible for at least two years even if you think you are. Don’t do it with a goal in mind, just do it to enjoy doing it and you’ll be fine.
If you are free this weekend, go to Super Megafest to hear Ken and to meet a lot of celebrities. Find out more information here.
Pictures from Rock and Shock 2015
By Jason Harris
Rock & Shock
Actress Samantha Mathis.
The Cast of The Monster Squad.
Actor Duncan Regehr (“Dracula”).
Actor Stephen Macht (“Del”).
Actor Michael Reid MacKay (“The Mummy”).
Author Stacey Longo.
The American Horror Story panel with Erika Ervin and Naomi Grossman.
Beetlejuice cosplay.
Writer and director George Romero.
Actress Rachel True (The Craft).
John Kassir, the voice of the Cryptkeeper.
Elvira and friend.
Actress Sarah French and author Joe Knetter.
Actress P.J. Soles (Halloween).
Actor Robert Mukes (House of 1000 Corpses).
Actor Dan Yeager (Texas Chainsaw 3D).
Author Jack Ketchum.
There will be a second post with pictures from Rock & Shock 2015 coming in a few days.
Granite State Comic Con, a Glimpse Into Another World
By Dale T. Phillips
Once in awhile you get to do something really interesting, like get a glimpse into another world where people are nice, intelligent, and having fun in a different way. I had that experience this weekend at Granite State Comicon, a convention held in Manchester, NH, for people to meet who enjoy a variety of things: comics, costume play (cosplay), science fact and science fiction, fantasy, horror, anime, manga, and just hanging out with like-minded people.
This particular annual gathering began ten years ago, and Chris Proulx, co-owner of Manchester’s Double Midnight Comics, organizes the event. The show has proven popular, and grown to be a two-day event, with roughly 3000 people attending. It’s such a rush for those attending there were already people trying to register for next year, while the event was going on.
There was a great deal to see: panel discussions on various subjects, Ghostbusters, the only privately-held Delorean from the “Back to the Future” movies, R2-D2 and Imperial stormtroopers, vampires, pirates, superheroes and villains of all stripes, and even a place to play working arcade games from the past.
The Ghostbusters of New Hampshire
R2-D2
Stormtrooper
Jack Sparrow, the Silence from Dr. Who, and Elvira.
The Justice League
The people who come to the con love the stories and characters they find in graphic novels, movies, television, podcasts, and online. Many of them enjoy dressing up as a particular character they find appealing, and there are contests for best costumes in many different categories. But these are no mere outfits grabbed off the rack at a party store, they are meticulously researched and hand-crafted designs of ingenuity and creativity.
You may have seen a television show about people who cosplay and enter these contests, but in true television fashion, it shows many participants in a less-than-attractive light, editing to make them seem as if they are nasty competitors. Those in the costume contest I saw were nothing but supportive of each other, cheering each announced prize and high-fiving each category winner. I spoke with one participant who had a costume that included beautiful, hand-crafted armor. Having made armor myself, I know how difficult and time-consuming the process is, and complimented him on a stunning display. Though he was completely passed over for any prizes (an oversight, to say the least), he had no words of disparagement for his fellow competitors, no whining or complaining like you might see on television. A true hero of cosplay, and one who embodies the completely positive spirit of the whole event.
Winners
One costumer (cosplayer) who really goes above and beyond is artist Amy Fletcher, who over the years has become well-known for a series of striking mermaid costumes: steampunk mermaid, goth mermaid, even Ariel (from a well-known animated film). She’s back at cons after a hiatus, and what she does is more performance art than just dressing up. A true mermaid costume restricts ones movements, and she sits for hours at a time on display, where fascinated folk come to take pictures and marvel at the attention to detail on the current incarnation. Amy says she enjoys meeting people and being an inspiration to others, and loves to push creativity. Her attitude is: “Have fun, be yourself, and don’t care what others think!” Check out her website for great art and all things mermaid: http://sinicallytwisted.bravehost.com/.
Goth Mermaid
One place that encourages and educates this convention audience (and the world beyond) is Sci-Fi Saturday Night, a wicked cool podcast of all things science fiction. Check out their site and listen in on Thursday nights for news, interviews, and commentary by a talented cast of characters and guests from film, TV, and the writing world. Yeah, when I can tune in and hear classic writers like Spider Robinson and Harlan Ellison, you’ve got me without anything else. Then they’ll bring on someone like actor Lance Henriksen from the Aliens movie, just for good measure!
The Dome, Zombrarian, and Kriana of Sci-fi Saturday Night
And there are illustrators by the score, vending their artwork in various forms. Many have created graphic novels or other books, such as Susan Saunders, who was at her first convention, selling her children’s book Snowpocalypse, co-written with well-known horror writer Rob Watts. With a background as a schoolteacher, she’s now interested in creating literature for children. She enjoyed the people-watching element of the show, and was getting inspiration from the many other artists on display.
Susan Saunders and Rob Watts holding their book, Snowpocalypse.
There were other writers as well, most notably a contingent of the New England Horror Writers. Rob Smales, one of those selling books with the group, said that there were “a metric butt-ton of good writers in the New England area– some seriously creative people.” Earlier in the day, he’d gone around the event with a death mask on to scare up some business.
Authors and members of the New England Horror Writers Tracy L. Carbone and Rob Smales.
From left to right: authors Carbone, Smales, Scott Goudsward, and Tony Tremblay.
Goudsward in front of the New England Horror Writers sign.
You see a lot of good ideas here, such as raising money for charities– for example, the Ghostbusters of New Hampshire, who go to cons as their favorite movie characters, complete with heavy packs and gear for dealing with paranormal occurrences. They pay their own way, and make appearances and accept donations from attendees which all go to a specified charity. At the event, they were raising money for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. The Delorean Time Machine is doing something similar, and making appearances to raise money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
The Delorean
So it was a great time, talking to filmmakers, photographers, and fans. Artisans creating accessories and vendors selling items from favorite shows and comic lines. Enthusiastic people having a ball, enjoying themselves and learning about many creative venues while meeting people from all over. If this sounds like your thing, there’s a slew of shows throughout the year, and New England hosts a number of them.
Jason Harris Promotions 