Like many Northeast Ohioans, I grew up watching horror hosts. Ghoulardi was a bit before my time, but I had Hoolihan and Big Chuck (later Big Chuck & Lil’ John), Superhost and the Ghoul warping my mind with schlocky movies and cheesy comedy sketches. Half the time, the movies would suck, and I’d just be waiting for the breaks to come so I could watch the Ghoul put Froggy into a blender or see one of Big Chuck’s “Certain Ethnic” skits. Other towns across America had hosts of their own, too, each catering to the particular sensibilities of their region. Of course, this was before cable TV homogenized everything. A few hosts still hang on (including Canton’s Son of Ghoul), but for the most part the tradition is fading. American Scary, now available on DVD, takes viewers back to an era when local personalities could be huge stars in their hometowns by putting on fake beards or vampire teeth and acting goofy.
This article appears in May 13-19, 2009.