Athena ~ First off, Meet Cleaver THeatre, Thank you for taking the time out to do my interview. What made you decide to be a Horror Host after all your college education?

Butch R. Cleaver ~ Hello Athena and Fendred's Chamber! Thank you so much for the opportunity to interview with you!
I see someone's been reading our myspace profile. *wink* You know, before my masters degree in information science I spent almost 12 full years in a variety of film and media roles. Everything from working on feature films like Hoffa and Innocent Blood, to independent flicks and even commercial and cable television production. After trying out a new career of computers and research I found myself gravitating back to my first love...video production. I've always had an intense love of the horror and sci-fi genres... so with a little encouragement from some friends at the Horror Host Underground we embarked on creating our very own host show: Meet Cleaver Theatre!

Athena ~ You finished your Masters Degree at The University of Kentucky, what made you decide to go south, when you lived In Ohio?

Butch R. Cleaver ~ Ohioans! *wink* Just kidding.... Actually my wife attended the same program a number of years before I did and recommended it highly. Truth be told I am originally from Kentucky myself (insert hillbilly joke here) so it was nice to spend some time back in the "mother-land".


Athena ~ Your video presentation is amazing, How did you come up with the ideas in the videos?

Butch R. Cleaver ~ Thank you for the kind words! Meet Cleaver Theatre is an evolving beast of sorts...and most of our ideas come from the classic brainstorming process and working with materials on hand. We looked at the hosts of current and past and tried to design a character that deviated a bit from the norm. We've all always enjoyed bad 1950s sitcoms and those horrible classroom films and we were looking for a way to combine and celebrate them with a horror twist. Butch describes the show as a strange yet
strangely erotic copulation between Barbara Billingsley and Donna Reed...while Tim Burton watches, gravy boat in trembling hand.

Athena ~ How did you pick and choose the actors to play in these videos?

Butch R. Cleaver ~ The entire cast and crew are comprised of dear friends and their spouses actually. I've had a long history of friendship with everyone involved and I think that's what makes Meet Cleaver Theatre work really well. We are all comfortable with each other and have good rapoire. Butch is played by myself, Joan Cleaver and all puppets are portrayed by my real life wife (and former puppeteer), y friend of over 20 years, Scot, plays both Emergo the Skeleton and Saint Corman (as well as many others). Scot's wife, Tracy is our prop mistress and lady of many faces on camera. Our paranoid Neighbor, Dave went to college with my wife and has been a good friend and fellow film-partner for over 5 years now We're just now bringing on more friends to assist in various roles such as writing, promotions and sales. We're not only a TV family, but a true family of friends in real life as well.


Athena ~ Are there any other videos in progress that we can look forward to?

Butch R. Cleaver ~ We're always producing something new! We just completed a very fun episode that will appear as a DVD bonus feature on the nationwide release of the 2004 "Rock and Roll Eulogy" film....we're working on a special episode that features the cast of MCT on a ghost hunt in the haunted Mansfield Reformatory, Ohio's largest haunted prison. We should also mention that we'll be releasing special weekly "vid-casts" for free on our website starting the first week of June (2006)! Stop by for laughs, an obscure movie trailer and some cool web stuff in each and every episode!


Athena ~ Do you have a favorite Horror Host that inspired you at all, or one that got you started?

Butch R. Cleaver ~ As far as a horror host that inspired me, I would have to say it's a toss up between Commander USA (a superhero themed character from the early 80s) and Cincinnati Ohio legend "The Cool Ghoul" (played by the now deceased Dick Von Hoene). A. Ghastlee Ghoul is the man you can thank for really giving the Cleavers the push they needed to get started. He is a legendary horror host from Dayton, Ohio and a bastion of good will, talent and support to horror hosts all around this fare nation.


Athena ~ And an easy question...What is your favorite Horror movie?

Butch R. Cleaver ~ I have a penchant for deliciously rotten movies....so many in fact that it's hard to narrow it down to just one. I am a huge fan of George Romero's "Dawn of the Dead" (I actually wrote my thesis on it in film school). I also have a strange affection for a roleplaying themed horro/thriller called "Mazes and Monsters" starring some unknown by the name of Tom Hanks (we even have a web tribute to the horrid little flick at www.spookylibrarians.com/mazes.html). I'm also a big fan of C.H.U.D., maybe it's a holdover from when I saw it as a young boy...but I still grin everytime I walk over a manhole cover....


Athena ~ If you could produce your own Horror Flick, what would it be about and is there any preperations that you feel you would need to take place before your summary of the movie was developed?

Butch R. Cleaver ~ Hmmm... I've worked on quite a few horror flicks so I have a whole new appreciation for the incredible amount of planning, time and labor that goes in to even the smelliest turkies of films. I would love to make a sci-fi flick set in the early 50s...maybe throw in a giant bug or two. I've always really enjoyed the drive-in flicks of the atom-age and I think it would be a kick to pay tribute to them with a tongue-in-cheek monster movie. 

Thank you so much for the opportunity to chat with you and the rest of the Fendred gang! The only other thing I would like to let the public know is that there are so many brilliant hosts out there...so many different personalities and characters that you are sure to find one that clicks with you! That is the beauty of the internet, the traditional horror host was a local celebrity...virtually unknown outside of their viewing area, now we have a treasure trove of personalities that transcend city limits! A special thanks to websites and promoters like Fendreds Chamber and the HHU for gathering and exposing these talents. It's a horrorhost smorgasbord out there Crypt-kats...so don't be shy and dig in!

For more info on Meet Cleaver Theatre stop by our website www.meetcleaver.com