Thursday, November 1, 2007
Fear Fest 2 sneak preview and ringmaster interview
In which John Z. Gray tells us his secret name.
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Photo by John P. Meyer
John A. Gray - the real guy
Fear Fest 2 - which happens over the weekend of March 7 - 9, 2008 - seems a long way off, until you consider that it's November already. Plus, with Halloween just over, I'm still finding myself in fright-or-flight mode. So why not invite the Fear Fest ringmaster over to PegNews World Headquarters for a little distant early warning pre-convention conversation?
John Gray is a complex sort of fellow. He's certainly nice enough in person, as you can plainly see from the pictures (each of which are worth 1,000 maudlin descriptive adjectives - which is pretty much why I took them); but underneath the easy-going facade is a man who spends his daylight hours as a... well, you'll have to hear for yourself, but it's a shocking revelation, as evidenced by the s-word it elicited from my lily-white mild-mannered interviewer lips. (And for which I apologize in advance.)
Photo by John P. Meyer
John Z. Gray - Fear Fest ringmaster
Featured in the audio interview are the following revelations:
* what he did for Halloween
* details of his own filmmaking activities (yep, he's a filmmaker in addition to being a convention organizer - along with that other thing he does)
* Black Devil Doll - alluded to by one of the respondents to our creepy movie survey - will be making its world premiere at Fear Fest 2, on a 40 x 40 ft. inflatable screen with outdoor surround sound
* the convention will include a concert night featuring local bands, with a special appearance by a big national act that I can't yet name (so we'll refer to them as "they who shall not be named" - sounds ominous, right?)
* there will be a charity auction benefitting St. Jude's Hospital - "anything for children," says John, the father of two
* "The Bible is one of the scariest books you can possibly read," he declares
* he proclaims in no uncertain terms that he himself is categorically NOT an axe murderer
(Doth he protest too much? Listen and judge for thyself...)
Related stories
- Texas Fear Fest 2 comes to Dallas (March 6, 2008)
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Comments
James Scott Verified
great interview...looking forward to it!
2 years ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
booboo922 Anonymous
I think your hot...Will you marry me John? :)
1 year, 8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
realtxripper Anonymous
Texas Fear Fest promoter roasted on deadpit.com « on: Today at 01:51:40 PM » Quote Modify Remove
That is just one of the things about this promoter, it leaked out that the Texas Fear Fest promoter knew a full week in advance about Tobe Hooper dropping out of Fear Fest 1 a few years ago. He claims Tobe dropped on him the day of the show. Not true, it was reported on Deadpit.com's 8/5/09 MySpace show http://www.myspace.com/deadpitradio that he is a liar, and did know. Also when things go too rough for the Texas Fear Fest promoter on a blog site, he had the web blogger guy lock it out. He still is trying to cover up the facts of his Tobe Hooper deception despite the facts reported on Deadpit.coms myspace show. PRETTY WILD STUFF!!!!
Here is some intense stuff listen to the 8/5/09 deadpit.com myspace show http://www.myspace.com/deadpitradio
3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
realtxripper Anonymous
JOHN GRAY BACK IN 2006 HAD A BIG FEAR FEST CONVENTION CENTERED AROUND TOBE HOOPER, HE WAS INFORMED A FULL WEEK BEFORE THE SHOW OF MR.HOOPER'S DROPING OUT OF THE SHOW. HE WAITED UNTIL THE DAY OF THE SHOW TO MENTION THIS. IT WAS A VERY DISHONEST MOVE ON HIS PART! THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY EVIL MOVES ON HIS PART. HE IS CURENTLY INVOLVED IN MLM TELEMARKETING/PRYAMID SCHEMES ETC.
HE ALSO RIPPED OFF THIS FAN, AND DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE. GRAY JUST WANTS TO DENY THE TOBE HOOPER SCAM.
GOTCHA21 Aug 9th, 2009 at 4:01 am It doesn’t surprise me that someone failed to notify everyone a week in advance about Tobe Hooper droping out of Fear Fest 1.
GOTCHA21 Aug 9th, 2009 at 4:04 am When a convention star drops out a week in advance, they need to post these things in advance!!! Especially if they are big draw to the show!!!!!!!
One more thing! I was one of the fans who flew in from far away to get to texas for FF1. I did it soley for Tobe Hooper! I was SCREWED OVER by the promoter. It pissed me off to discover you knew a week in advance, and didn’t post it! THAT IS JUST WRONG!!!!!!!!!!! The people need to know these things1!!! I had to fly a good distance for this show. But I doubt that guy could care less. IT REALLY SUCKS!!!
fearfest Aug 9th, 2009 at 5:27 am Dude, you do realize you are talkin about tobe hooper right? The guy with the single worst track record on bailing on conventions at the last minute right?
GOTCHA21 Aug 9th, 2009 at 5:34 am You liar, you knew about him dropping out, and my plane ticket was refundable up to 3 days before I left. You are the biggest fraud ever!!!!!! You knew a full week before the show about Tobe, the truth leaked out!!!! CK of DeadPit reported it about you as a fact! Don’t you ever talk that way to me, when you are at fault for my plane ticktet out there. How dare you!!!!!!!!!!
3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
realtxripper Anonymous
It was verified and proven 100 percent true that John Gray, knew a week in advance of Tobe Hooper's cancelation for Texas Fear Fest 2006. It was verified on the 8/5/09 Deadpit MySpace show LISTEN HERE http://www.myspace.com/deadpitradio
NOTE: It is the 8,5,09 MySpace show.
3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
If you were to sum up those past 3 blubbering posts in one sentence, what would it be?
3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
DC Anonymous
Unwashed long haired functionally illiterate man unhappy that you cannot get high from inhaling the fumes of a dead raven stuffed in to a plastic Kroger bag.
3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
realtxripper Anonymous
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
3 months ago
Mike Orren Staff
realtxripper, we let you post your three-year-old beef (thrice over), because it was somewhat germane to the story here. I removed your last comment because it contained unrelated allegations without any substantiation.
We get it. You feel ripped off. You've had your say. Go in peace.
3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Zach09 Anonymous
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
3 months ago
Mike Orren Staff
Zach09 comment removed because it was clearly squelched user realtxripper.
3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Ferris09 Anonymous
It is the job of the promoter to get that word out though, right? People drive and fly many hours to these shows and you'd be surprised how many people were gonna show up just because of Tobe.
I dunno, it certainly is not the promoter's fault he canceled, but they run one of the most active horror message boards and website on the internet. All they had to do was post it as soon as they learned he canceled.
Failure to do that points in the direction of 'let's keep this on the down-low". When another site reports it before you do that is just really sad and awfully sketchy. If DP never reported it, I highly doubt they would have played the "he did not show" game and not the "he canceled a week prior" truth.
2 months, 4 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
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