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!

THE YOLK'S ON MONSTER PARTY!

JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD hatch a new episode chronicling the egg-citing, eggs-traordinary, and eggs-tensive history of a unique subcategory of genre delicacies. Scramble to your listening devices and enjoy this audio omelet that we're calling... MONSTER EGGS!

Eggs have a reputation for showing up in many of the more unusual horror, sci-fi, and fantasy cinematic offerings. Whether it's the gooey, leathery eggs from the Alien film and TV franchise (including the cracked egg on the first Alien movie poster!), the colorful but gigantic egg of Mothra, the gelatinous eggs of a space vampire in the B-movie classic Queen of Blood, the Horta eggs from the original Star Trek series, or the dragon eggs from Game of Thrones, these shelled showmen have sparked the imaginations of monster kids for generations. And for MONSTER PARTY, they've inspired the question: "I wonder how that egg would taste?"

WE THOUGHT THIS TOPIC WAS SO EGG-CEPTIONAL, WE DECIDED TO FORGO A GUEST AND KEEP ALL THIS HARD-BOILED ACTION TO OURSELVES. MINUS THE EGG SALAD. YOU'RE WELCOME, LARRY.

IS MONSTER PARTY HAVIN' A LAUGH?

JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD ponder the age-old question of whether humor and genre topics can live and laugh comfortably together. So, as Elvis Costello might ask… WHAT'S SO FUNNY ABOUT HORROR, SCI-FI, AND FANTASY?

Let's face it, making a truly funny horror, sci-fi, or fantasy film or television show can be tricky business. There's a fine line between a loving send-up and an uninformed attack. And even with the best intentions, that doesn't guarantee you'll be watching a knee-slapper.

In this side-splitting study of genre jocularity, MONSTER PARTY puts all their funny favorites (and not-so-favorites) to the test. How did films like ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN manage to find the sweet spot between over-the-top comedy and a loving homage to Universal horror films? Is SPACEBALLS a better film than we remember, or should we just push that reassessment aside and watch GALAXY QUEST instead? How do genre TV shows like RED DWARF and WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS generate laughs while presenting often thought-provoking horror and sci-fi concepts? Where do cult classics like DR. STRANGELOVE, REPO MAN, MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, and THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI fit in? And are superhero vehicles like THE BOYS, PEACEMAKER, and the DEADPOOL film series the best comedies coming out of Hollywood today?

Helping us answer these important questions while tickling our ribs in her own right is a return guest who is no stranger to the world of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy humor. She is a mega-talented writer who has worked on such beloved genre comedy projects as MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 and HANGING WITH DR. Z. Please welcome back… TAMMY GOLDEN!

OH, AND YES, WE DID JUST WIN THE 2026 RONDO AWARD FOR BEST PODCAST! OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO ALL THE MONSTER PARTIERS OUT THERE WHO HELPED MAKE THIS HAPPEN! NOW, LET'S START CANVASSING FOR 2027!