Follow Up to Yesterday’s Rant…

Yesterday’s post about the Rondo Awards got quite a few comments and stirred up a little controversy, mostly on Facebook. People are very passionate about their horror hosts and I take that as a good thing. It means that the host is doing something right and has a passionate crew and viewers. Horror hosting works best on the local level, that’s what it was designed for. You build a fan base and try to entertain them weekly – sometimes you succeed more than others. So it’s no surprise those same people defend their host just as passionately.
My point yesterday was lost in the midst of comments about other hosts. Let me sort of back up for a second and clarify – not all horror hosts feel that way about the Rondo Awards and in fact most are very proud to be nominated. There are a couple who have mentioned the contrary to me, but I think most are happy for the exposure and appreciate any chance for potential new viewers to check out their work. The point I was trying to make is that despite the negative comments I’ve heard several places – not just from other hosts – about the Rondos they do a lot to spotlight artists, writers, filmmakers, horror hosts and their work.

Is a voting award system perfect? Of course not. But unlike many online voting awards they go out of their way to try and eliminate fraud. It is an email only voting system – which I know discourages many voters because I’ve heard complaints firsthand about how difficult the process is. Every vote must have a name attached to count, and every email is personally read and votes tabulated by David Colton – by hand. He does this because it’s a labor of love for him, something he started because he wanted to spotlight the great work out there.

Let’s take a look at the list of hosts on this year’s ballot:

21. FAVORITE HORROR HOST OF 2011

(Active hosts only; if your favorite is missing -- there are far too many to list here -- please write them in)

-- A. GHASTLEE GHOUL (Ohio)

-- THE BONE JANGLER (Illinois)

-- KARLOS BORLOFF (Monster Madhouse, Washington, DC)

-- BROTHER JACK ANGRY (Omaha)

-- COUNT GORE DE VOL (Creature Features)

-- COUNT GREGORE (Count Gregore's Crypt)

-- DR. GANGRENE (Nashville)

-- Dr. MADBLOOD (Virginia Beach)

-- DR. SARCOFIGUY (Spooky Movie Television)

-- ELVIRA (Movies Macabre)

-- GHOUL A GO-GO (NYC)

-- LATE DR. LADY

-- MR. LOBO (Cinema Insomnia, California)

-- ORMON GRIMSBY (N.C.)

-- PENNY DREADFUL (Shilling Shockers, New England)

-- PROFESSOR EMCEE SQUARE IT'S ALIVE, Pittsburgh)

-- REMO D (California)

-- SON OF GHOUL (Ohio)

-- SVENGOOLIE (Chicago)

-- WOLFMAN MAC (Chiller Drive-In, Michigan)

-- ZOMBOO (House of Horrors, Reno)

-- Or write in another choice:

Twenty-one hosts mentioned, along with their show name in many cases (he didn’t list mine, interestingly enough) and a fill-in category in case YOUR host isn’t listed. That is twenty-one people that just got free advertisement for their show in a venue that thousands of people will see – AND it’s the SECOND time I’ve posted this list on the blog here, not to mention all the other places on the net it’ll get reposted. Not too bad, and you know what – I’ll honestly be happy for whoever wins it. I don’t take it personally. It is what it is. It would be nice to win, but ultimately doesn’t change what I do one way or the other. I’ll still be plugging away weekly making the best TV show I can. And THAT’S what it’s all about.

Long live the Rondos!