06.16.2026 MONSTERPALOOZA 2026 PART 1!!!
MONSTER PARTY RETURNS TO MONSTROUSLY UNCONVENTIONAL CONVENTION!
JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD storm the gates of the Pasadena Convention Center to once again hold court at their favorite horror expo! Dust off your hockey mask and apply a fresh coat of Art the Clown makeup, as MONSTER PARTY presents: MONSTERPALOOZA 2026: PART 1!!!
After the laughter, bickering, and power trips that go hand in hand with building the MONSTER PARTY booth, the gang kicks off the first day of MONSTERPALOOZA with a shriek! Friday night yielded a dazzling combination of new friends and old, as well as some much-needed in-person catching up with your beloved, Rondo Award-winning hosts. We’ve got interviews with comedian BORIS HAMILTON, monster actor GENE LeBROCK, game designer and MP pal SCOTT ROGERS, Culture Crypt film critic IAN SEDENSKY, author/journalist/media historian PAT JANKIEWICZ, and 3-D guru ERIC KURLAND!
But what would a MONSTERPALOOZA show (or any MP show) be without the usual assortment of delightful banter, film criticism, personal attacks, gift favoritism, free goodies for the kids, vodka-fueled Godzilla-themed energy drinks, and a host, for no apparent reason, pretending to be surprised by guests we've obviously lined up? It’s a dance we do every year for the benefit of our listeners, where anyone can virtually cut in!
I know we say this every year, but if you’ve never attended a MONSTERPALOOZA convention, it should definitely be one of your bucket-list destinations. This event always delivers a tantalizing treasure trove of terrorizing treats, including monstrous vendors, props, celebrities, photo ops, cosplayers, panels, SFX makeup demonstrations, artists, and the famous MONSTERPALOOZA museum. Oh, and the snack bar is surprisingly decent!
THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE WHO DROPPED BY OUR BOOTH ON FRIDAY NIGHT, AND PARTS 2 AND 3 ARE COMING SOON! UNTIL THEN...STAY SCARED!
Key Topics Discussed
Monsterpalooza Booth Setup & Energy Drink Taste Test: The crew sets up their booth at Monsterpalooza 2026 and samples a themed Godzilla strawberry energy drink together.
Birthday Exchanges Among the Hosts: Larry and Shawn hand out various birthday gifts to the hosts, including vintage tin monster toys, broken figures for Matt to fix, Blu-rays, and action figures.
Fan & Guest Gift Exchanges: Guests stop by the booth with custom creations, including Scott presenting character pins and a custom Creature figurine, and George gifting themed soda bottle caps.
Cosplay Spotlights: The hosts interview attendees showcasing detailed outfits, such as Andy's handmade sculpture cosplay from Smile 2 and George's Blade Runner costume.
Souvenirs from Classic Sci-Fi Locations: Guest Jim Moore shares stories and jars of red sand collected directly from the original Planet of the Apes lake crash site location.
Timestamps
00:00:18 - Setting Up the Booth at Monsterpalooza 2026
00:02:49 - Godzilla Energy Drink Taste Test & Fizzies Discussion
00:06:25 - Larry’s Birthday Gifts: Vintage Tin Toys & Figure Projects
00:11:10 - Scott Drops By: Bedbug Pins & Custom Creature Art
00:17:25 - Shawn’s Gifts: Classic Sci-Fi/Horror Media & Star Wars Figures
00:20:24 - Cosplay Showcase: Andy’s Smile 2 Creature
00:25:21 - Spiral Toys Surprise: Custom Godzilla Figures from Kevin Smith
00:32:20 - Convention Floor Encounters & Larry's Goodie Pumpkin
00:34:41 - Catching Up with George: Blade Runner Cosplay & Bottle Caps
00:42:02 - Jim Moore Visit: Relics from the Planet of the Apes Crash Site
Resources/Links Mentioned
Films
Godzilla Minus One: Mentioned while discussing the Godzilla energy drink cans brought to the booth.
Godzilla 2000: Brought up during the energy drink discussion when identifying the specific Godzilla design and exaggerated fins featured on the can.
Creature from the Black Lagoon: Referenced when discussing classic monster figures and the custom toilet figurine Scott made for Larry.
Castle of Evil: The 1960s horror film on deluxe Blu-ray given as a birthday gift, featuring a robot and people gathering at a castle for an inheritance.
Castle of Blood: Mentioned briefly when the hosts are trying to recall the exact title of Castle of Evil.
Star Wars: Referenced when discussing the comic character Jaxxon the rabbit and the Black Series action figure gifts.
Smile 2: Highlighted during a discussion with cosplayer Andy about the handmade sculpture of the entity emerging from a hoodie.
Jennifer's Body: Mentioned by a cosplayer at the booth as their planned cosplay theme with a friend for the following day.
Invasion of Astro-Monster (Monster Zero): Referenced in relation to the custom Godzilla figures gifted by Kevin Smith.
Zardoz: Mentioned when reminiscing about custom-made tiki mugs and a quote from the film.
Alien: Named by a young attendee in costume as their favorite horror movie.
Blade Runner: Discussed with George regarding his screen-accurate outfit, blazer search, and favorite sci-fi films.
Fright Night: Mentioned by George as one of his go-to favorite classic horror films he loves to watch around Halloween.
Re-Animator: Mentioned by George as one of his favorite horror movies, noting actor Jeffrey Combs.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space: Brought up by Sarah as a favorite horror movie subgenre/film.
Clown: Discussed by the hosts as a 2014 horror movie about a man possessed by a cursed clown suit.
Planet of the Apes: Discussed extensively with guest Jim Moore, focusing on the Malibu filming location (Ape City) and the Lake Powell spacecraft crash site.
Television
The Twilight Zone: Mentioned by George when discussing Bif Bang Pow action figures he picked up from convention vendors.
Books
Famous Monsters of Filmland (Issue #103): Referenced when describing the mini magazine the custom Creature from the Black Lagoon figure is holding while sitting on the toilet.
Star Wars Marvel Comics series: Mentioned when discussing the original comic appearances of the green rabbit character Jaxxon.
