That Hashtag Show had the pleasure of sitting down with the creative minds behind the beloved horror host show, Svengoolie, at San Diego Comic-Con 2025. We spoke with the iconic Svengoolie himself, Rich Koz, alongside his talented cohorts: Sarah Palmer (Gwengoolie), Scott Gryder (IMP), and Bill Leff (Nostalgiaferatoo). The group shared their first-ever San Diego Comic-Con experiences, reflected on their roles on Svengoolie, and discussed the enduring legacy of classic horror.
For many, including some of the cast, this year marked their first time at the legendary San Diego Comic-Con. “This one seems like it’s four times that size [of New York Comic-Con] and just amazing stuff between the cosplay and all the people appearing and all the merchandise. It’s an amazing experience,” Rich Koz said of the atmosphere. Sarah Palmer also noted the overwhelming, yet exciting, energy. She joked that many people have asked her who she was cosplaying as, to which she had to reply, “myself.” They also expressed their awe at the sheer scale of the event, with Scott Gryder recalling an exciting moment of seeing actor George Takei moments before we sat down to talk. “Mr. Sulu is three yards away from me,” he exclaimed.
The show’s massive appeal was evident even at Comic-Con, as the cast spotted fans in Svengoolie cosplay. Bill Leff shared a touching anecdote, revealing that he grew up watching the original local broadcast of Svengoolie in Chicago. Leff’s personal connection to the show made joining the team a full-circle moment. When asked about his experience, he stated, “To share the camera with him is such an honor for all of us.” Sarah Palmer echoed this sentiment, adding that the small and welcoming nature of the show’s team made it easy to “click with everybody.”
A recurring theme throughout the interview was the show’s ability to bring families together. Koz mentioned that his favorite fan comment is when someone says, “I used to watch you as a kid, but now I watch you with my kids.” The show serves as a bridge between generations, introducing new audiences to classic horror films that might have been forgotten. Koz explained that many of the Universal monster movies hadn’t been aired in decades before Svengoolie began showing them, exposing a whole new generation to timeless stories.
The cast also delved into the creative process of their segments, admitting that the worse a movie is, the easier it is to write comedy for it. Scott Gryder noted that it’s more challenging to find material for a classic like Frankenstein because “it is perfect.” Rich Koz revealed that his favorite movie to feature on the show is Bride of Frankenstein, because it’s a “great movie” and was “so much fun to do.” He added that the show’s comedy is never mean-spirited and is meant to simply add some humor to the films and keep things entertaining for the viewers.
The group also highlighted how the show is pushing its boundaries, noting recent episodes featuring the found-footage horror film The Blair Witch Project and the sci-fi comedy Earth Girls Are Easy. Bill Leff praised his co-stars’ segment for The Blair Witch Project, saying it was “better than the movie.”
The interview concluded with a shared appreciation for the show’s ongoing success and its ability to keep the spirit of classic horror alive for new and old fans alike.
This summer Svengoolie is excited to showcase some new movies to the Svengoolie library, with the Sven Squad also taking over Svengoolie’s dungeon for the night to serve as official hosts.
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