Rondo Awards - Best Horror Host

This year is the first that the new Horror Host category was added to the Rondo Awards. Rondo founder David Colton had toyed with the idea in the past, but this year went ahead and made it official by adding BEST HORROR HOST to the ballot.

This category is for active hosts working today, which excludes the first generation of horror hosts who have retired or passed away. However, they are long from forgotten - two of these, Zacherley and Vampira, are in the Rondo Monster Kid Hall of Fame and I expect others will be added in the future. I personally think Ghoulardi, played by the great Ernie Anderson, should be the next horror host inductee to the Hall of Fame. His influence in the Ohio area is legendary, and I still meet people all the time who rememeber his show fondly.

There were thirteen nominees for Best Horror Host in this year's ballot. I'm honored to be included in this list along with the likes of Count Gore DeVol, Svengoolie, Dr. Morgus and many others. The Rondo Awards also accept write-in candidates, so those folks whose local host wasn't listed can cast their vote appropriatly.

I want to give a big tip of the goggles to David Colton and all the ghouls responsible for adding this category. This year couldn't have been a more appropriate one to add the category, as we've had a number of horror hosts pass away lately. I. Zombie, played by Hayden Milligan, passed away recently, followed by cable access horror host Gotem Shreek (who sadly committed suicide). Legendary host Vampira also passed away recently as well as Chattanooga's Dr. Shock.

Vampira in particular was a major influence on the field. A couple of years ago I celebrated my 40th birthday, and invited a bunch of people over for a party. Something I had always wanted to do was play music, so I got together with a couple of friends and we worked up a few tunes. We each selected one we really liked - and the one I insisted on, and insisted on singing, was VAMPIRA by the Misfits.

So here's to the Rondos, horror hosts past and present, and Vampira.

In the words of Ghoulardi - Stay Sick!

_

Vampira
by The Misfits

Black dress moves in a blue movie
Graverobbers from Outer Space
Your pulmonary trembles in your outstretched arms
tremble so wicked

Two inch nails
Micro waist
With a pale white feline face
Inclination eyebrows to there

Mistress to the horror kid
Cemetary of the white love ghoul well
take off your shabby dress
Come and lay beside me

Come a little bit closer
Come a little bit closer to me
Vampira