Meet Lamia: Queen of the Dark
Host of the Horror Hotel
Lamia is the Cleveland area host of the nationally syndicated Horror Hotel. She is building quite a following with her knowledge of scary movies, and and was even voted as one of the best Horror Hosts at the Rondo Awards this year.
TheSteveStrout: What inspired you to become a horror host and what were the biggest inspirations to your character?
Lamia: Becoming a host was not my idea, but it was one I quickly came on board with. The show was the creation of my executive producer, Ray Szuch. Growing up in Cleveland, Ray was a big fan of shows like Ghoulardi's. Cleveland seems to be a hub for horror hosts, and he was a long-time fan. In 2012, we started up The International Horror Hotel, a yearly indie film festival that highlights some of the best genre films each year. Not long after we started the festival, he had an idea of creating a hosted horror show that not only highlighted the old classics but also brought light to these amazing independent films and creatives working in the industry today. Since I'm a monster myself and a longtime cinephile, particularly where horror is concerned, he asked if I would come on board with the show. And so it began.
TheSteveStrout: When did you debut your character?
Lamia: The show debuted in September of 2013. Initially, it streamed only on an online broadcast site of independent shows, The Reel TV Network. By the end of the year, we had a few independent stations broadcasting the show throughout Ohio and Kentucky. In October 2016, we started up our own ROKU channel. In November of 2016, we were picked up nationally on The Action Channel, and on New Year's Eve that same year, we had our debut on RETRO TV nationally.
TheSteveStrout: What have been some of your career highlights to date?
Lamia: Probably my biggest highlight was being named Runner-Up for "Favorite Horror Host" in the Rondos earlier this year. The Rondos are a huge thing in horror, and this was the first time I was nominated. To be runner-up (alongside Elvira and Joe Bob Briggs) to horror host icon Svengoolie in the first year I was nominated was unexpected and wonderful. That is a testament to my amazing fans, who helped put me in with that group of the biggest living names in the horror host world, people who have had shows going for far longer than mine. The show also won a Telly award in its 2nd season.
TheSteveStrout: What is your personal favorite horror or sci fi movie, and favorite that you've had the opportunity to host on your show?
Lamia: I honestly don't have a favorite. I have a handful of favorites from each era of horror films, but no one particular films stands out for me. I've watched horror films since they first came to be with the creation of cinema, and so I respect and enjoy the art form as a whole. I do tend to favor the more psychologically driven horrors and thrillers over your typical slashers, but that being said, I'll watch and enjoy all of them and do love a good creature feature. My favorites on the show have been the fantastic independent horror shorts we've featured. There are some amazing films that just don't get a lot of recognition outside of the film festival circuit, and it's great to be able to bring them to a wider audience of fans.
TheSteveStrout: Where can people view your program?
Lamia: We air every Saturday night at midnight EST on Retro TV, and new episodes also go up on our free ROKU channel and at horrorhotel.net the day they air on Retro. We are also Saturday nights at midnight and Sundays at 10pm on The Action Channel. In Northeast Ohio, we are on Community Focus in the Southeast suburbs of Cleveland as well.
TheSteveStrout: Since it's the Halloween season, what is your favorite thing about Halloween?
Lamia: Depending on how you look at it, I have either the luxury or curse of being a monster every day of the year. But in the Halloween season, and in the realm of horror fandom, humans themselves get to unleash some of their darker aspects they are so often forced to repress. We all have a monster inside of us, and Halloween is a time to safely let some of those darker aspects of humanity loose, without fear of reproach. We all like to be weird, right? Halloween is a good excuse to be just that.
Follow Lamia and the Horror Hotel on social media at the following:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/horrorhotelshow
Twitter: https://twitter.com/horrorhotelshow
Roku users, be sure to add the Horror Hotel channel!
Here's are more photos and a clip from the Horror Hotel's host, Lamia:
Stay tuned all month long to meet some more great Horror Hosts, ranging from up and comers to legendary characters, sharing their love for horror, B movies, creature features, sci fi, and the best (or worst) in film.
Be sure to read and share all the Horror Host profiles, and share them with the hashtags #ComicBookSwapMeet and #HorrorHost to be entered to win our Horror Host themed prize pack!
Personally, I'd like to thank you all for reading and enjoying this series of Horror Host profiles im putting together for Halloween, and many thanks to the hosts for taking their time to participate.
It's my honor and pleasure to share my love of the art of the Horror Host, and to share and promote these great performers with you. Stay spooky, my friends!... Steve aka TheSteveStrout
Steve Strout is the media mastermind (haha) behind this site, host of the Comic Book Swap Meet, nerd, terrible artist, gamer, convention goer and comic book reader who spends more time rescuing toys from thrift shops than a normal adult should. He is also known around the northwest for his promotion of live music and stand-up comedy events and is the creator/producer of the Comic Book Swap Meet mini convention, and Olympic Peninsula Comedy Competition (which will make it's big return soon!). Follow him on Instagram at http://instagram.com/thestevestrout, and He can be reached for comments at ptcomedy@yahoo.com on twitter at @thestevestrout
