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05/30/2005: X-Entertainment’s First Horror Convention!

AHHHHH!Hello all! Hope you’re enjoying your day off. There’s a new article in town — a massive two-page photo-essay on my first experience at a Horror Convention! We had a great time — met Betsy Palmer, made Betsy Palmer sign a picture of her decapitated prop head and giggled when Betsy Palmer kept interrupting the guy who played Jason for three seconds in the first F13 movie. Lots of Freddy, Pinhead and other horror icons were also there to make this weekend one we won’t soon forget. Admission: Article is really, really long and kind of all over the place, so bear with it.

In other news, this latest article is the last to be posted within X-E’s long-running Christmas layout. I’m looking at the new design now — Brian’s just tweaking it up. I’m using it to introduce a couple of new features to the site that’ll help keep the place alive during weekdays, since I think we can safely say that I have no time to write these EPICS after work. In short, better times are ahead for the site, and I thank all of you who’ve stuck by it during the eternal holiday season. You will all be rewarded with candy canes.


Posted by Matt. E-mail me!

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Discussion Thread: 133 comments

WOW! Far way better than any Treckie convention I’ve been to. Big Props to ya Matt. Great story.

Ghosted by Mexi-Can @ 05/31/2005 12:29 PM EDT

I went to an Anime con that was in the same convention center as some sort of Christian youth group retreat…most of the people were really nice. I think they would have been much more interesting at the Horror convention, though.

Ghosted by Shiamir @ 05/31/2005 12:50 PM EDT

Woohooo finally a new layout. I thought christmas was going to run all the way to halloween. Cause Matt I know you wouldn’t keep christmas around for halloween…

Ghosted by LordSorrow @ 05/31/2005 12:57 PM EDT

Bravo Matt, well worth the wait.

How did you resist that $10 Greedo figure standing behind Granok?

Ghosted by Pedro @ 05/31/2005 2:22 PM EDT

Thanks for another great article, Matt!

Ghosted by Christopher @ 05/31/2005 2:34 PM EDT

I got school credit for volunteering at a horror convention last year.

One of the guests was some trailer trash 50’s scream queen who refused to believe that she was 60 and not 20 something. She had enough plastic surgery to choke a horse, and wore ugly revealing clothing.
I actually saw this woman take a smoke off her cigarette, drink her beer, then drop the cigarette in the can and take another swig of beer. UGH!

Ghosted by Anne Packrat @ 05/31/2005 2:36 PM EDT

I remember I tried Absinth once. It definitely had that funky green color and did have a licorice type taste to it. I took only one shot and it BURNED going down…then about 10 minutes later, and this has to be the strangest way liquor has ever hit me, starting at my feet was this really fuzzy feeling that traveled straight up my body! Normally I feel the alcohal in my head first and then it travels down….it was quite an experience, even doing straight shots of everclear doesn’t even compare.

Ghosted by phunqsauce @ 05/31/2005 2:55 PM EDT

P.S. Kudos on the old school Castlevania skeleton and Legend of Zelda bats!!!

Ghosted by phunqsauce @ 05/31/2005 2:57 PM EDT

Loved the Horror Con. I live in the middle of Michigan, so the only Cons that come within 3 hours of us are of the comic book variety, and it’s nothing more than the your local dealers in a different town.

Ghosted by Rayzak @ 05/31/2005 4:05 PM EDT

I enjoyed the article. Never been to a convention of any kind before. I wanted to go to a Star Trek convention when I was younger but my mom refused to take me. Looking back on it, I think I’m grateful.

And like phunqsauce mentioned, I got a kick out of the Castlevania skeleton at the top of the page(s). It’s like the first thing I noticed :)

That’s sad, isn’t it?

Ghosted by Night_Trekker @ 05/31/2005 4:16 PM EDT

first thing i noticed too

Ghosted by phunqsauce @ 05/31/2005 4:54 PM EDT

May I suggest again that we all send pictures of ourselves to Matt so he can make little paper dolls and have a X-E convention in his apartment. Then he can write an article on how our little avatars behaved themselves during the First Annual X-E Poster Children Gathering and Paper Doll Bowling Tournament. With a special prize going to the one who gets attacked by his cats first.

Ghosted by kingklash @ 05/31/2005 5:04 PM EDT

Hey just wondering Matt…

Did you actually dish out the 20 year old cans of Ninja Turtle and Pac Man Chef Boyardee to the winners of the essay contests?

Still have any of the Hi-C Bubble Gum?

Just some lingering questions I had…Oh, and the skeletons kick ass too!

Semper Fi,
Erik Majorwitz

Ghosted by EMajorwitz @ 05/31/2005 5:20 PM EDT

A few years back, Halloween 2002. Clemson University had Pin Head come and meet with the students. I got to go meet him, as well as getting him to side my Hellraiser comics and taking pictures with my ex and me. It was great! He was a wonderful guy, and did a few things on stage for us too.

Ghosted by Nahim @ 05/31/2005 5:38 PM EDT

Isn’t absinth illegal in the US?

Ghosted by Kris @ 05/31/2005 6:04 PM EDT

Nice work and nice review!

Ghosted by Matthew @ 05/31/2005 6:59 PM EDT

I got one of those Freddy dolls for my sixth birthday and just like the one Matt bought it started to have some sort of fit after a few months. One day it was growling at normal speeds and then it started to speak at high rates in gutteral tongues. The only parts of it I still have are it’s head, hat and sweater. It’s voicebox went the way of the buffalo and my talking Alf’s voicebox.

Ghosted by Mike Kane @ 05/31/2005 7:08 PM EDT

A little update concerning the whole Jason vs. Jason feud between Steve Dash and Warrington Gillette that you mentioned. Gillette made the apology, and Dash somewhat accepted it, but after a posting made by the stunt coordinator for Friday II also claimed Gillette to be a liar, he took back the acceptance of the apology. His last words thus far to Gillette: "Warrington you suck!!"

Ghosted by SkyDog @ 05/31/2005 8:05 PM EDT

Yeah, it’s pretty nuts over there. Not in a good way. :) But check out some of the other forums there — much breezier.

Ghosted by Matt @ 05/31/2005 8:09 PM EDT

The Holiday season starts after Halloween…what’s that…5 months? You might as well just keep the decorations at this point…

Ghosted by Jeff Mack @ 05/31/2005 8:34 PM EDT

Nah, from now on, instead of redoing the entire main page, we’ll vamp only a section of it — so we don’t repeat our current situation. :)

Ghosted by Matt @ 05/31/2005 8:36 PM EDT

Erik,

Sorry I missed the excitement. My only real tidbit of advice is to pack light for the hospital. We (Mrs. Manimal) took too much (worrying about how she looked when people came to the hospital when in reality no one cared). It is such a surreal event anyway. I remember every detail of the day and it just kinda washes over you. Still probably the only new dad to flip between the inauguration/CHARLOTTES WEB/and the THS of Jerry Lewis while is wife and baby slept the day after delivery.
Kingklash, your paper doll idea repels AND intrigues…..

Ghosted by The Manimal @ 05/31/2005 9:25 PM EDT

I went to that Con too. It was my first Horror con but I am sure it won’t be my last. I only live around an hour away and was only there from the opening on Saturday till around 3am in the morning after helping my friends who were in the Rocky show clean up. The only thing I spent my money on was getting my copy of Killer Clowns signed by the creators. Also, in case any of the fans out there wanted to go, there is another convention in August. http://www.monstermania.net/Convention4.htm

Ghosted by Speak @ 05/31/2005 9:47 PM EDT

^oh, at that con, Danielle Harris from Halloween 4 & 5 will be there! Hot stuff! Yeah!

Looks like that one is like a big Halloween reunion. Like 8 different Michael Myers’ and different bit characters…remember "Boom Box Boy" from Halloween 2? Yeah, he’ll totally be there! Kick ass.

Ghosted by kidneyboy @ 05/31/2005 10:17 PM EDT

If you enjoyed Monster Mania, check out Chiller Theatre. Takes place a few times a year across from Giants Stadium and is 10 times better than Monster Mania.

Ghosted by Dave @ 05/31/2005 10:35 PM EDT

Dang, I could have sworn I’d posted already…I said that at least the $75 Mystery Box was less of a disappointment than that horrible raffle prize with the Cosby and the cocoa…that was just a slap in the face.
I’ve made a fool out of myself every time I’ve met a celebrity (most recently Penn and Teller) without the excuse of archaic hallucinogens, so I’m really feeling that bit.
Traj, I’m pretty sure that the modern legalized absinthe doesn’t require the whole production number with the sugar cubes and fancy spoons.
I like your idea King, tho can you imagine if we held a real X-E con? We’re all pretty geographically disparate so it’s just fancy, but can you imagine the mischief we’d wreak? Man oh man…it’s almost too much to imagine…

Ghosted by squee4242 @ 05/31/2005 10:46 PM EDT

I’m really excited for this new layout. I began seriously reading this site last fall so I’ve only been through two layout designs. Both were well done and got me excited for their respective holidays before I even read an article.

I’d like to give a last hats off to the Christmas layout. It may have overstayed its seasonal welcome but it was a good design.

Ghosted by Carri @ 06/01/2005 12:13 PM EDT

man i loved that freddy cd, ive actually listened to it twice.

Ghosted by satas @ 06/01/2005 12:36 PM EDT

matt, could you please list the movies that were in your mystery box?

Ghosted by dee @ 06/01/2005 1:52 AM EDT

Well I’m personally gonna miss the X-E-mas layout. Godspeed, layout! You have served us well, over and above your call of duty (it being June–RABBIT RABBIT RABBIT!). Looking forward to the new and improved though.
Absinthe? Illegal? Ahem. No comment.

Ghosted by jhnnywalkr @ 06/01/2005 9:30 AM EDT

Wow… wierd where you stumble across your own picture. I’m the rollerskating lady who brought you your box o’ junk. You can take the censor off my face if you want… well as long as it is a good picture. Ciao

Ghosted by Katie @ 06/01/2005 9:50 AM EDT

Holy small world. Sure — I’ll de-censor ya later. Just trying to protect the innocent. :)

Ghosted by Matt @ 06/01/2005 10:07 AM EDT

Mia Culpa. It’s a fair cop – I was the poor sap that was doing the Q&As. Thanks for sharing pictures of me naked on a bearskin rug; NOW, I want to take it on the lam to Columbia till the issue’s blown over.

Still and all, you handled me true and square all the way through, and I’m delighted you had a good time. Next show has Lee Ermy, from Full Metal Jacket – I was thinking that I’d pull some people out of the crowd, and then have him… errr… ok. Maybe not…

Ghosted by Bob Bankard @ 06/01/2005 10:21 AM EDT

Bob, thanks for having a sense of humor about it — and what a great show! We had loads of bloody fun.

Ghosted by Matt @ 06/01/2005 10:29 AM EDT

I attended my first ever horror convention in April — Cinema Wasteland. Two things.

At that convention was the Jason of all Jasons — Kane Hodder!

Also, a little tip for you guys. Buying guests drinks in the bar = free autographs the next day! Well, maybe not if the line was a bazillion people long, but it worked for Graveyard Zombie from Night of the Living Dead

Ghosted by Nor the Great @ 06/01/2005 11:00 AM EDT

Last time smeone suggested a X-E convention, that was my idea, because of the diversity, disparity, and general dispertion across our great nation. (not to mention those overseas X’ers) The only conventions that happen anywhere near me is a Sci-fi con that goes on in Tulsa, on the other side of the state from me. Guess I could just schlep on down to Dallas for Wizard World or something, but that’s too much work. I just feel so lazy this year.

Ghosted by kingklash @ 06/01/2005 11:42 AM EDT

There’s a convention for Disney fans in July, the National Fantasy Fan Club. I would love to see how you covered that. It’s in CA, though.

Ghosted by Darth Muppet @ 06/01/2005 1:29 PM EDT

WOW!!! Katie’s cool ’cause she’s met Matt!

Ghosted by bad karma @ 06/01/2005 2:18 PM EDT

Anyone tried out one of these http://www.jakkstvgames.com/starwars.html yet? I´m from Finland so we probably wont get those for a year or so, so I´m just wondering if it´s any good? :)

Ghosted by Tarkkis @ 06/01/2005 2:40 PM EDT

What no Corey Feldman?

Ghosted by Blah...blah @ 06/01/2005 3:06 PM EDT

I dont know if anyone noticed this, Im too lazy to read everyones comments right now but, in the picture after the pic of the Hilton, the boy in the middle of the picture is picking his nose! You caught him in mid-pick!

Ghosted by IHAQ @ 06/01/2005 3:19 PM EDT

Hmmm…seems you are right.

Ghosted by Matt @ 06/01/2005 3:38 PM EDT

Sorry if someone already said this… but a horror convention with no people from Evil Dead?! What is going on?

Ghosted by Mike @ 06/01/2005 5:02 PM EDT

"Anyone tried out one of these http://www.jakkstvgames.com/starwars.html yet? I´m from Finland so we probably wont get those for a year or so, so I´m just wondering if it´s any good? smile"

They’re just a bunch of mini, arcade style games. Fairly fun. For 20 bucks anyway.

Ghosted by Jason @ 06/01/2005 5:14 PM EDT

It’s a bit weird to hear that Matt stayed at a hotel in a hotel 5 minutes away from my house. Matt, you should be glad I didn’t find out…

Ghosted by Chris @ 06/01/2005 5:41 PM EDT

It would be something to have an X-E Convention. Who’d be the guests, though? Hmm…a Kool-Aid Man Q & A would be good.

I would like to go to one of these conventions one day (not to just be ironic either). If there was one for TGIF stars of the 90’s, I would go there in a second so I could say "HOLY SHIT IT’S ERIC MATTHEWS!" in my lifetime.

Ghosted by Dr. Acula @ 06/01/2005 6:46 PM EDT

yes, an X-E convention sounds great. here in vegas sounds even better!

Ghosted by the80sruled @ 06/01/2005 7:21 PM EDT

Hail!

I found the elevator bit most amusing. I wonder if any of this would have been half as hilarious without your word smithing abilities.

You’ve got a gift son.

Although you travel alot Matt, I do seem to live around your neck of the woods. (South Jersey)

One member had mentioned seeing you at the convention. Did you have a pic of yourself somewhere on the site?

You really don’t need that job of yours. I’m telling you, put up a little gift shop, you’ll be in business and we’d hopefully get more stuff to waste our time with on your site.

Ghosted by Novaximus @ 06/01/2005 7:49 PM EDT

Holy Smoke you lucky dog!!!!!

That would be a dream to meet Ms. Betsy Palmer! Plus, the other guests were just too cool: Robert Englund, Doug Bradley, Heather Langenkamp, and Dee Snyder.

It reads like a dream come true. I grew up watching & loving horror movies. Robert & I almost went to a horror convention in San Diego. In reading your article it gets me all excited about wanting to attend. Thanks for another insanely interesting, funny, well written article.

Ghosted by retrorandy @ 06/01/2005 8:18 PM EDT

I’m not a big Horror film fan either. I only like them if they’re bad enough to laugh at or classic Lugosi/Karloff kinda stuff. But that convention looked like fun. Like a Halloween party a few months late. :)

Ghosted by Tetsu Deinonychus @ 06/02/2005 12:54 PM EDT

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