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!

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.

MONSTER PARTY TAKES THE STAND!

JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD submit this new episode into evidence as to why you need to listen to this podcast! Consider yourself amicus curiae as we partake in a bit of… LEGAL GEEKING!!!

The world of horror, science fiction, and fantasy is a wondrous realm where the incredible and impossible come to life. But how does the law apply to all these fantastic shenanigans? What responsibility does the Weyland-Yutani Corporation have when it comes to the events portrayed in the classic 1982 film Alien? Do robots, androids, and other artificial lifeforms have access to civil rights? How is Willy Wonka still in business? And who do you sue when giant rabbits lay waste to your property?

Helping us find the answers to these important legal questions is a longtime friend of the show—and, get this, an actual lawyer! Yeah, and one of the scrupulous kind! He's also the co-founder and host of the shockingly appropriate-titled blog and podcast, THE LEGAL GEEKS! Please welcome back Monster Party's answer to Matt Murdock… JOSH GILLILAND!

IF YOU THINK THIS EPISODE IS OUT OF ORDER, YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER!