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When Tony asked me to moderate a panel on THE LAIR for at the Los Angeles Weekend of Horrors, I was thrilled. I participated in a bunch of panels at Gaylaxicon a couple years ago and had a ball because, let’s face it, I’m a bit of a ham. So the opportunity to be on a panel at a Fango con was an automatic, “Yes!”

As the date approached, I started to feel more and more nervous. I wondered if anyone would actually show up for this panel. I mean, THE LAIR is a fun show, but it’s on a Pay-Per-View network, and I would guess that ninety percent of its audience is more camp enthusiast than horror fanatic. Would there be any fans of THE LAIR actually attending the con? And more importantly, would there be any GLBT horror fans attending the con? Okay, yes, obviously there would be some GLBT horror fans at the con, but enough to justify a panel?

I wasn’t able to attend Friday night, as I was deep in apartment rehab, getting ready for our families’ arrival for our wedding the next weekend. (I don’t know when this is going to post, but if it’s after 4pm on April 25, 2009, I will be a married man.)  But literally five minutes after receiving my VIP pass at the registration area on Saturday, I was recognized by someone in the bathroom. His name was Greg (and if you’re reading this, Greg, I’m sorry but I’m totally spacing on your last name!), and he was a fan of SOCKET. Yes, yes, I know, recognized in the bathroom, but it was not nearly as salacious as it reads, and it was a nice ego boost.

I wandered around the con a bit more, ran into Tom Devlin and Lola Wallace, who have been cranking out films for the past couple years. I met them when I produced GAY BED AND BREAKFAST OF TERROR – he did the special makeup effects, and she did sound. Now they’re writing and directing their own stuff - THE TREK, GHOULD CREEK, LEGEND OF THE SANDSQUATCH. We chatted for a bit and then I headed into the main auditorium for the NIGHT OF THE DEMONS panel, which I am totally jonesing to see. After talking with Tony for a few moments, it was time to head home, as there was more pre-wedding prep to do.

Just as I was leaving, I ran into Gage Munster Hubbard (SOCKET) and his boyfriend, Matt Morgan (who shares a first name with my soon-to-be-husband.) It was great to see Gage again – he’s been in Italy doing makeup and creature effects on some films for Full Moon. We had a little gay bonding, and then I made a quick exit.

Sunday was the day of the panel, and by now I was really nervous. I knew Gage and Matt would be there, as would my Matt. But would anyone else?


The first person I ran into this day was Jeffrey Reddick (FINAL DESTINATION, TAMARA and the DAY OF THE DEAD remake) , another out, gay horror writer/director. Again, great to see Jeffrey after many months. As we chatted, a fan of his appeared, who then recognized me. Weird! I’m still not used to being recognized outside of gay film festivals. (Not that it happens all that often.) The three of us chit-chatted until Lloyd Kaufman walked by, and this young kid bolted to worship at Lloyd’s throne. But how could you blame him? Lloyd make POULTRYGEIST, for God’s sake.

Jeffrey, Matt and I ventured into the dealer’s area, and not ten steps into the room we were approached by a guy who first recognized Jeffrey. Then he turned to me and said, “I’m pretty sure I know who you are…” and started pulling some letters and scripts out of his bag. Before he could finish, I recognized his name on one of the letters – Scott Witherall! Now, you may not know who Scott is, but he and I have a fifteen-year history. Way back when Clive Barker came out, and Tony wrote a really great “Elegy” supporting him, I wrote a letter to Fango praising both the mag and Tony for being so cool. I asked for my address to be printed so other GLBT horror peeps could contact me.

Of the many letters I received, Scott’s was certainly one of the most literate. He and I corresponded for awhile, but eventually lost touch. Now, after reading my blog on the Fango website, and hearing that I would be moderating a panel at the con, he packed up some of the stuff I’d sent him fifteen years ago and brought it with him on the off chance he’d find me. It sure was a nice surprise, and insanely flattering. I’m looking forward to keeping in touch with him again after all these years.

Finally it was time for the panel. My nerves weren’t helped by the fact that ten minutes before we were supposed to start, no one from the panel was anywhere to be found. I called Dylan Vox (“Colin” on THE LAIR) and he told me parking was a nightmare. I was backstage by myself when Tony introduced me to the crowd. I limped up the backstage steps (I’m recovering from an Achilles tendon rupture in January) and hopped out onto the stage. I said a few words, thanked the crowd, then threw to the promo clip for THE LAIR. While it played I went backstage again, and FINALLY the group showed up. The clip ended before I could introduce myself, so I limped back up the steps and onto the stage.

While I was introducing the panel, I looked out into the auditorium and realized that we actually had a decent sized crowd. Not NIGHT OF THE DEMONS preview huge, but more than enough to justify my little dog and pony show. To see that many Fango readers interested in either a gay vampire show, or Fred Olen Ray and Sybil Danning and willing to sit through a gay-themed panel, is really encouraging. Phew! The panel all came out on cue, and off we ran.

The actual panel is a bit of a blur. I remember trying to class it up for Sybil Danning, and discussing just how much of Peter Stickles’ (SHORTBUS, the upcoming CONQUEST OF THE SILKEN BEAVER) pubic hair his contract would allow him to show. There were jokes and good stories, and then suddenly Tony was telling me it was time to wrap it up.

After the panel all my peeps told me it went swimmingly. Yay!


Matt and I needed to leave, but we took one quick lap around the dealer’s room first. While there we ran into Armando Munoz, an indie filmmaker who also happens to be gay. He thanked me for the panel, and for this blog, and we talked about the state of gay horror filmmaking. It was a great chat, and he gave me copies of two of his films – THE TERRIBLE OLD TRAN and MIME AFTER MIDNIGHT (“Silent…But Deadly.”), which I can’t wait to watch (but after the wedding. Did I mention I’m getting married? I’m getting married.). Check out more of his work at www.eekentertainment.com.

Right before we left, we ran into Jeffrey Reddick again. We discussed something that I hadn’t really even thought of until he brought it up – the fact that, as far as we know, I’d moderated the first gay-themed panel at a Fango con. I might even be the first out, gay moderator as well. And there were no catcalls, no one making fun of the show, and no one hassling the obviously gay fanboys and girls in the audience.

Funny, the fact that there could be a negative reaction was the last thing on my mind up to and through the panel. Maybe I’m naïve, but I think that’s a good thing, because it means that attitudes are changing in the horror community. Well, maybe not changing, but certainly those that may have felt marginalized are making their voices heard more clearly.

And on that note, I thought I would present some of those voices in this blog. I asked all my fellow homo horror fans to give me their impressions on the weekend, and being a gay horror fan in general.

JEFFREY REDDICK: I think I witnessed history being made at this year’s FANGORIA Weekend of Horrors Convention, with the first unabashedly gay panel for THE LAIR. When I first heard about the panel, I got giddy…okay, it was more like manly excitement. See, I’ve been an avid FANGORIA reader since I was a kid. But I remember a few times in the past, when something gay was mentioned in my favorite horror mag, the letter columns would inevitably have missives from people pissed off that “the gays” were invading their horror sanctuary. So to be honest, my excitement was tinged with nervousness.  I wondered how the crowd would react.  Would people walk out?  Would a random heckler, determined to prove his manhood, yell or boo?  But then something amazing happened.  The panel started and the crowd was great.  They were respectful and attentive. We were all there…brought together by our love all things horror.

Sean Abley was the fun-loving ringleader and his excitement was contagious.  (Note: I did not pay him to say this – S.A.) We got to hear from the one and only Fred Olen Ray and his lovely wife and producing partner Kimberly.  We got to see the sexy and sassy Sybil Danning, who is just all kinds of awesome.  (Special kudos to Kimberly and Sybil for pointing out that it’s only fair to give women, and us, the male nudity we’ve been denied for so long.)   And not only did we hear Dylan Vox and Peter Stickles’s fun anecdotes and cool insight into working on the first gay horror series, but we got to ogle them.  Hey, I’m a red-blooded American ‘mo and they’re hot….sue me.   Then when the panel was over, the audience applauded and all my worries were washed away.  

What did this mean to me?  I hate to wax poetic, but it was truly moving to be a part of. I’ve always been a gay horror fan.  Like many fans I’ve met, I grew up thinking I was the only one. Being a young gorehound, definitely branded me as weird by the cool kids. This sense of being “different” or outside of the mainstream is something I think a lot of diehard horror geeks can relate to.  It’s the bloody ties that bind us.  Clive Barker was the first out gay horror icon I encountered and through his honesty, he let me know that being a horror fan and being gay weren’t mutually exclusive.  Seeing this panel, gave me that same feeling.  (And did I mention that Dylan and Peter were dreamy?)  Sorry, I just had to gay it up on my way out...

ARMANDO MUNOZ: FANGORIA has always been a welcoming place for gay horror films and fans, with that one curious exception of a four page, thinly veiled homophobic attack on John Waters, written by famed sportswriter Brick Thornshaw, in Fangoria #21. “He doesn’t like sports!”, Thornshaw repeatedly complained, just like my grandfather did about me in disapproval while growing up. But FANGORIA was among the first to sing the praises of Clive Barker, and their support continued after he came out in their pages. The magazine’s coverage of Barker and David Decoteau and Don Mancini and Sean Abley (among many others) is not because they make gay horror films, but because they make horror, period.

The panel for THE LAIR at this year’s L.A. Weekend of Horrors was an exciting first, the only one I can recall that covered gay horror entertainment with a partly gay panel. There were even a few same sex kisses within the auditorium that I witnessed (gasp, hot!). But there were no cries of outrage or people storming for the exits. The convention center did not go up in flamers, I mean flames. THE LAIR panel ended up being no different than any other panel. There’s Asian horror, exploitation horror, an endless number of subgenres. Thank you, FANGORIA, for treating gay horror equally.

SCOTT WITHERALL: I think the crowd was respectful, but I certainly didn't expect anyone to shout out "What a bunch of fags!"  I kind of suspect that most of the audience was there to see Sybil Danning anyway.  When the autograph session started, and people had to choose between Tobe Hooper (who was signing at the same time) and THE LAIR panel, Tobe won by a landslide.

Even in 2009, I think it's a bit difficult to be a gay horror fan.  Many other fans talk about the sexy girls and the whole genre is geared toward straight, teenage males.  Of course, I guess the entire movie industry is that way!

I suppose being a gay horror fan is not that different than being gay in the "real world."  Most of the world is straight, and we gay people have to navigate ourselves and gauge how people will react before we can open up.  Then again, I guess it shouldn't matter if someone is gay or straight.  Our love of horror should be common ground to build a foundation of friendship.


GAGE MUNSTER HUBBARD: [When I heard there was a gay panel] I was very excited and intrigued to see what might happen, and if the crowd would be up for it. It is somewhat of a taboo subject, or at least one that people seem to shy away from, due to its nature.

MATT MORGAN: I was extremely excited that there would be a gay voice during the convention, but was honestly nervous as to the turnout and/or reaction. I was so happy to see fans of all different kinds of horror movies attend (or even just stick around from the previous panel because they were still interested).  

GMH: I wasn't sure [how the crowd would react], this is probably where I was most skeptical. Because horror seems to have as many gay followers and contributors as it does people who don't agree with being gay. It's almost a 50/50 coin it seems. Which is odd because SO MUCH of the greatest horror films where made by gay people. All through the 80's, most notably HELLRAISER and Clive Barker, to some of the classics from director James Whale with FRANKENSTEIN, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, and THE INVISIBLE MAN! Needless to say I was very excited to see what might happen!

MM: Despite Hollywood's supposed "open acceptance" of gays, there still seems to be a great deal of fear and secrecy regarding being openly gay, so I was legitimately nervous about how the crowd would react, or IF they would react at all. Being a horror fan through and through, I had my fingers crossed that this being a "gay" panel would have nothing to do with it, and that fans would see the artists for what they really were... ARTISTS.

GMH: I felt the panel itself went really, really well! The response was positive, the people where great and everyone was in high spirits! My only complaint was it seemed like they where running behind and rushed the panel a bit, thus not allowing for any questions from the crowd! (bummer) But all in all, wonderful!

MM: I thought it was terrific! Everyone seemed so excited to be there and it simply looked like a good time. And that feeling was infectious for the audience, who while seemingly stiff at first, quickly loosened up and got into it. Echoing the above, it would have been nice to have been able to take questions, but obviously things had fallen behind schedule. Never the less, it seemed like everyone walked away excited and engaged.  

(For the record, it was me who forgot to include questions! – S.A.)

GMH: I love horror SO very much, without it my childhood AND adult life would be very empty. To be able to be a fan as well as a contributor to a genre that has so much gay history and influence, is a priceless feeling indeed!

MM: Horror for me has always been about the "things" that are unexplained or misunderstood in society; morality plays hidden behind suspense, gore, and usually large breasts. For a gay horror fan and creator, it's the ultimate opportunity to express the things that are repressed. I'm proud to be a gay horror fan, and am thankful for the outlet it provides. There's always a story to tell.