06.08.2025 MONSTERPALOOZA 2025: PART 1!!!

Jun 8

**SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES... TO PASADENA!!!**

**JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE**, and **MATT WEINHOLD**, return to the hallowed halls of the Pasadena Convention Center for another 3-day round of monstrous merriment! Better schedule your back surgery now because your spine is about to be shattered by... **MONSTERPALOOZA 2025: PART 1!!!**
Our favorite convention strikes back with a vengeance, and **MONSTER PARTY** is there to talk you through the first two days of it! Once again, we speak to a seemingly endless parade of fans/friends, horror aficionados, cosplayers, artists, and drop-in celebrity industry professionals like **BOBBY SLAYTON (ED WOOD, THE RAT PACK), DAVID WEINER (FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND, IN SEARCH OF DARKNESS)**, and **TED HAINES (AVATAR, THE HUNGER GAMES)!** And More!
Of course, what would a **MONSTERPALOOZA** be without the usual petty arguments, "free" gifts, lunch critiques, every joke taken seriously, purchase bragging, seemingly endless **Creature From The Black Lagoon** references, and other high-octane monster-kid banter? Well... it certainly wouldn't be one with **MONSTER PARTY!**
We know you'll love the first chapter of our Friday/Saturday **MONSTERPALOOZA 2025** experience, and have no fear that **PART 2** is on its way! You might even say... **IT FOLLOWS!!!** And if 2014 calls, tell it it's not getting its reference back.

About Monsterpalooza! The Los Angeles Horror Convention that celebrates the Art of Monsters & Movie Magic! Featuring Over 400 Exhibitors, Monster Museum, Makeup Demos, Celebrity Guests, Panels and much more! Held at the Pasadena Convention Center.

KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED:

A Hypocritical Fashion Statement: The hosts begin by discussing their "flashy" booth, complete with LED lights. Shawn points out the irony of Larry criticizing the lights as "gaudy" in the past, while currently wearing a sparkly green sequined jacket. Larry defends his outfit, explaining it's a tribute to the 70th anniversary of Revenge of the Creature, and that he even has creature-themed shoes and socks.
Kathy's "Scary Stories Club": Larry's daughter, Kathy, shares an anecdote about her childhood. When she was five, she pestered her dad until he let her watch the horror film Trilogy of Terror, which quickly became her favorite movie. She started a "scary stories club" at school, where she would recite movie plots to her friends. This led to her getting in trouble with a first-grade teacher after her friends began retelling the scary stories to even younger students.
The Creature Squirt Gun Saga: Larry recounts his recent quest to acquire a rare Creature from the Black Lagoon squirt gun made by a Japanese company. After he purchased it, the maker told him he couldn't ship it because Japan had banned mailing any gun-shaped items internationally. By chance, James was in Japan, so Larry arranged for the toy to be sent to James's hotel. James successfully "muled" the toy back to the U.S., and the hosts laugh at its design, which requires filling it with water through its rear end.
Bobby Slayton's Annual Appearance: Comedian Bobby Slayton visits the booth, joking that he only comes to the convention to get in early. He brings Larry a gift: a candle that supposedly smells like the rubber Creature suit. Slayton also complains about how his girlfriend, who dislikes horror conventions, offered to attend with him for his birthday, forcing him to talk her out of it.
A Godzilla Fan Summit: The hosts meet Aaron Neuwirth, who co-hosts a podcast called Two Black Guys Talk Godzilla. They bond over their mutual appreciation for the bizarre film Godzilla vs. Hedorah (the Smog Monster). They discuss how films like Godzilla Minus One serve as a gateway for new fans to discover the older movies, and they analyze the different tones of recent entries, comparing the satirical Shin Godzilla to the serious drama of Godzilla Minus One.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00:17 - The podcast begins live from the Monsterpalooza 2025 convention floor. The hosts discuss their flashy booth and Larry's sparkly green sequined jacket, which he is wearing to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Revenge of the Creature.
0:12:28 - Friend of the show Ken Daly stops by the booth to discuss his "Traditional Godzilla Violence" t-shirt.
0:16:21 - Larry's daughter, Kathy, joins the podcast to talk about her experience at the convention.
0:50:41 - Larry tells the detailed story of ordering a rare Creature from the Black Lagoon squirt gun from a maker in Japan.
1:02:32 - The coverage of Day 2 at Monsterpalooza begins.
1:08:13 - Comedian and "pitbull of comedy" Bobby Slayton makes his annual appearance at the booth.
1:23:30 - The hosts are joined by Aaron Neuwirth, co-host of the Two Black Guys Talk Godzilla podcast.
1:58:38 - David Weiner, director of the In Search of Darkness documentary series, stops by to discuss 90s horror, the nature of nostalgia, and his upcoming projects.

RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED:

Film/TV/Podcasts:

Revenge of the Creature: Larry states that his sparkly green jacket and creature-themed shoes are in honor of the film's 70th anniversary in 2025. The anniversary is mentioned again later to a guest. The hosts also mention that it is the 70th anniversary when discussing the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Godzilla vs. Megalon: Guest Ken Daly suggests the parental warning on this film's DVD box is the source of the "Traditional Godzilla Violence" quote on his t-shirt.
Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster: Ken also considers this film as a possible source for his t-shirt quote. It is brought up again during a long discussion about the Godzilla franchise with another guest.
Pods and Monsters (Podcast): Ken's friend Robert says this is the name of his horror podcast, which is currently on hiatus.
Graven Images (Book): A guest tells a story about having Forrest J. Ackerman sign his copy of the book as a child.
Scream (Film series): A guest named Savannah names the original film as her favorite horror movie. Another guest, Tenly, says her second favorite is the newer film featuring Jenna Ortega. David Weiner later mentions it as a "vintage film" to a younger generation.
Bride of Frankenstein: Mentioned as an example of a classic horror film.
The Wolf Man: Also brought up as an example of a classic horror film.
Friday the 13th (Film series): A guest mentions her love for the series and her collage t-shirt from the films. The hosts and guests praise the practical effects of the original and discuss its murder-mystery plot.
Trilogy of Terror: Larry's daughter, Kathy, explains it was her favorite movie after her dad let her watch it at age five. She recalls starting a "scary stories club" at school where she would recite the film's plot. The hosts note that 2025 is the film's 50th anniversary.
Harry Potter (Film series): Kathy says her young cousin used to be too scared to watch the films because of the spiders.
Creature from the Black Lagoon: The film is referenced frequently, as Larry is a huge fan. Kathy mentions her "creature head purse." A young guest named Amelia says the Creature is her favorite monster. Larry later tells a long story about acquiring a Creature-themed squirt gun from Japan.
Universal Monster Channel (Streaming channel): A guest says she and her granddaughter enjoy watching this channel.
Creature Feature (TV show): The hosts reminisce about watching old horror movies on local shows like this one as kids.
Star Trek (Franchise): Shawn mentions his parents taking him to conventions as a kid. James also attended them. A host jokes about a man at a Star Wars celebration holding a sign that read, "Star Trek is better."
Logan's Run: Shawn recalls dressing as the character Box for a costume contest at a sci-fi convention. The film is mentioned again when the hosts talk about interviewing Larry's sister about actress Farrah Fawcett.
Star Wars (Franchise): Mentioned in contrast to Star Trek during a discussion about fan rivalries.
Night of the Living Dead: A host brings it up as a film that terrified him as a child. It's also mentioned as a "classic" favorite horror film.
Mickey's Mouse Trap (Referenced as the horror Mickey Mouse movie, called "Spring Boat" by the guest): A young guest, Santiago, names this as his favorite monster movie.
The Babadook: A guest names the title character as their favorite monster. Filmmaker David Weiner later cites it as an example of important modern horror.
Smile (Film series): A guest who enjoys psychological horror names the "Smile Demon" as a favorite.
The Thing (1982): A guest names it as his all-time favorite movie, which his dad showed him when he was only six years old. David Weiner mentions he is executive producing a documentary called The Thing Expanded.
I Saw the TV Glow: A guest recommends this recent film for its ambiguous and unsettling ending.
It Follows: Mentioned as another movie with an ambiguous ending that some viewers disliked.
The Innocents: Recommended to a guest as a classic black-and-white psychological horror film from the 60s.
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?: A guest praises it as an underrated psychological horror film.
Feud (TV series): A guest says this show inspired him to watch Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Larry praises a sequence in the show about the making of the movie Trog.
Trog: Mentioned because the show Feud depicted Joan Crawford's work on the film.
The Wizard of Oz: A guest discusses the film's famously troubled production. Comedian Bobby Slayton also mentions he re-watched it with his daughter.
Godzilla (Franchise): The franchise is a recurring topic. Ken Daly wears a Godzilla shirt , and a guest named Aaron discusses his podcast,
Godzilla vs. Monster Zero: Larry mentions this is the film where Godzilla does his iconic victory dance.
Son of Godzilla: Discussed as a cheesy but charming entry in the series, with the hosts praising the touching final scene in the snow.
Godzilla's Revenge: Compared to Son of Godzilla, with one host defending it as a great movie specifically for children.
Ultraman: A host reminisces about meeting a young boy in Japan who was a passionate Ultraman fan.
Saturn 3: The film is brought up because actress Farrah Fawcett starred in it, and Larry's sister Angela once worked with her at Playboy.
Psycho: Bobby Slayton compares the straight-faced hosts of the old Creature Feature show to Anthony Perkins's character, saying their normal appearance made them seem scarier.
King Kong (1933): Bobby Slayton recalls re-watching the film with his young daughter, who asked why the explorers brought back the giant gorilla instead of a dinosaur.
The Giant Behemoth: Mentioned as the kind of film that would have resulted from bringing a dinosaur back from Skull Island instead of Kong.
Jason and the Argonauts: Another classic fantasy film that Bobby Slayton re-watched with his daughter.
Young Frankenstein: Bobby Slayton declares it's his favorite movie of all time and laments that he can't convince his girlfriend to watch it.
London After Midnight: Bobby Slayton expresses disappointment at the lack of merchandise for this film at the convention.
Godzilla Minus One: Discussed at length as a massive critical and box-office success that has served as a gateway for new fans to discover the franchise.
Shin Godzilla: The hosts and guests compare it to Godzilla Minus One, describing Shin as a colder, satirical film about bureaucracy, similar to Dr. Strangelove.
Destroy All Monsters: Aaron Neuwirth mentions he recently saw the film and described it to his podcast co-host as "the Avengers of Godzilla movies."
Varan the Unbelievable: Aaron says he watched this film to prepare for the character's cameo appearance in Destroy All Monsters.
Rodan: Also watched by Aaron in preparation for Destroy All Monsters.
Mothra: The third classic Toho film Aaron watched to understand the characters in Destroy All Monsters.
Collectors Call (TV show): Guest Joe Moe and the hosts talk about his appearance on the show, where he appraised Rich Corell's memorabilia collection.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: A guest stops by carrying a homemade Tom Servo puppet from the show.
Lost in Space: Mentioned as another show that famously used found objects for its props, much like the fan's homemade Tom Servo puppet.
Andor (TV series): A guest asks the hosts for their opinion on the show, leading to a debate about its quality.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian: Compared to Andor, with one host arguing that Andor is a stronger, more adult drama.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: A guest notes that the series has only been released in standard definition, sparking a conversation about using AI to upgrade older shows.
Ghostbusters: Artist Ted Haynes mentions that he built a large-scale sculpture of Slimer for his booth this year.
Famous Monsters of Filmland (Magazine): Guest David Weiner is introduced as the former editor of the magazine. The magazine's founder, Forrest J. Ackerman, is also discussed by guest Joe Moe.
In Search of Darkness (Documentary series): Director David Weiner discusses his popular documentary series covering horror films of the 80s and 90s.
In Search of Tomorrow (Documentary): Also mentioned as one of David Weiner's projects, which focuses on 80s science fiction films.
Aliens: David Weiner mentions he is an executive producer on a documentary titled Aliens Expanded.
Re-Animator: Mentioned as one of producer Charles Band's films from his earlier company, Empire Pictures.
Meridian: Kiss of the Beast: Named as one of the films Charles Band shot at a castle he briefly owned in Italy.
The Pit and the Pendulum: Another Full Moon Entertainment film that was shot in the Italian castle.
Castle Freak: The third movie mentioned as having been filmed at Band's Italian castle.
The Witch: David Weiner cites it as an example of high-quality, important filmmaking within the modern horror genre.
Lilo & Stitch: Discussed as an example of nostalgia driving box office success, with the live-action remake performing well with millennials who grew up with the animated original.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Contrasted with Lilo & Stitch as a much older film whose nostalgia factor doesn't translate to the same modern box office power.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Mentioned in a story about how younger generations' first exposure to Star Wars was the prequel trilogy.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace: Discussed as the film that introduced a generation of kids to Star Wars, leading them to have affection for controversial characters like Jar Jar Binks.
Trick 'r Treat: A guest named Angel says her favorite monster is the character Sam from this film.
Terrifier (Film series): A guest dressed as the killer clown Art says the film "healed" her fear of clowns. The hosts comment on how the franchise has "exploded" in popularity.
It (Franchise, referenced via Pennywise): The hosts suggest that Art the Clown from Terrifier has eclipsed Pennywise as the new iconic horror clown.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space: A host says he would love to cosplay as one of the clowns from this film.

The Collectibles (Jacket, Creature Gun, Candles and T-shirt notwithstanding):

Creature Shoes and Socks: Larry mentions he is wearing these along with his jacket to complete his creature-themed outfit.
Uncle Bobby Mannequin: The hosts have this mannequin displayed at their booth. It was a gift from comedian Bobby Slayton.
Shin Godzilla Zipline Attraction Vinyl Figure: A host mentions seeing this expensive vinyl figure for sale at one of the booths.
Friday the 13th Collage T-Shirt: A guest is wearing a shirt featuring a collage of images from the film series.
Creature Head Purse: Kathy talks about a giant purse shaped like the Creature's head that her dad, Larry, bought for her. She currently uses it as a display piece on her desk.
Creature from the Black Lagoon Target Costume: Larry's niece, Everly, remembers wearing this as her Halloween costume when she was six years old.
Frankenstein Squirt Gun: This collectible came as a set with the Creature squirt gun.
Werebabies: Everly describes seeing "werebabies" for sale at a booth—lifelike baby dolls that look like werewolves. She notes one of them even appeared to have a heartbeat.
Creature Back Scratcher: Bobby Slayton mentions that a friend had recently given him one of these.
London After Midnight Statue: Bobby Slayton says this is the main collectible he is looking for at the convention, preferably a bust.
Hedorah (Smog Monster) Toys: Shawn and guest Aaron Neuwirth both mention they have collections of Hedorah figures. Aaron says he saw many for sale at the convention but didn't have the money or space for them.
Miniature of Forry Ackerman's AckerMansion: Guest Joe Moe discusses the miniature he brought on an episode of Collectors Call to trade. He ended up giving it to the show's host, Rich Corell, to display in his museum.
Tom Servo Puppet: A guest is carrying a homemade Tom Servo puppet, explaining he made it from parts found at a dollar store and on the side of the road, in the spirit of the show Mystery Science Theater 3000.
The Devil's Partner Blu-ray: A guest brings his copy of the film for the hosts to sign, as they recorded an audio commentary track for the release.
Slimer Sculpture: Artist and friend of the show Ted Haines mentions he created a large, quarter-scale sculpture of Slimer from Ghostbusters to sell at his booth.
Zombie Bust: Ted Haynes also has a new, large zombie bust for sale.
Life-Size Aurora Frankenstein Monster Model: Ted Haines talks about the giant, screen-accurate replica of the classic model kit that he built. It was previously displayed at Monsterpalooza before he sold it to a private collector in New York.
Jack Davis Frankenstein Model Kit/Action Figure: After creating a large sculpture inspired by a famous Jack Davis Frankenstein poster, Ted Haines scanned it and is now selling smaller, 3D-printed model kits of the sculpture. As a gift, Ted gives each of the hosts a custom-made, solid resin action figure of his Jack Davis Frankenstein sculpture, presented on a custom blister card.

The Food Silliness:

Shawn's Sandwiches: The hosts praise Shawn's sandwiches as one of the great things about Monsterpalooza. Later, a host jokingly describes the "Shawn Sheridan method" of making a healthy sandwich, which includes "two slices of particle board," Swiss cheese, and sprouts. Near the end of the episode, the hosts get delirious and describe Shawn's sandwiches as a "thriller" with a "mystery element," recalling one that had a "tiny slice of Spam" and another that had no meat at all.
Coffee: While complaining about his friend Dale, Bobby Slayton mentions that Dale will stop to "go buy people coffee" while walking through the convention.
Scrambled Eggs: A host says that he couldn't sleep the night before, so he got up and "made some scrambled eggs".
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich: A host thanks James for giving him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich during a "low blood sugar thing," which "set me right".
Wine: Bobby Slayton says that for his recent birthday party, he told his friends not to bring gifts unless it was a "bottle of wine".
Popcorn: While discussing the movie Son of Godzilla, a host asks a guest if he tried watching it with "some popcorn or something" to get into the mindset of a 12-year-old.
Snack Bar Meals: A host mentions having "some lovely meals at the snack bar" at the convention.