Sun Nov 22 2009
By LISA NICELY
Halloween time is the perfect time for a horror host.
Just ask Defiance's own, Dr. Mor B.S.
"I like kidding around and joking around to lighten up people's day," said Mark Newman, aka Dr. Mor B.S.
Dr. Mor B.S. has a TV show on DCTV, hosts Scared Stiff Down by the River and more.
"People are either entertained by the movie, or if it's bad their entertained by the horror host," Newman said, adding he loves the support he gets from the community.
"My fans range from 5-year-olds to 80-year-olds," he said. "I really appreciate them."
The idea for Dr. Mor B.S. formed back in October 1997, when Newman went to a Halloween party dressed as the ghoul from Channel 50 in Detroit.
"I did some silly skits and everybody liked it and said I should do TV as a horror host," Newman said.
He thought that was a good idea, but didn't want to use the ghoul persona. Growing up his inspiration was Ernie Kovacs, Soupy Sales, Ernie Anderson, aka Ghoulardi, from Channel 8 in Cleveland. He decided to kick around different names for his character.
"I thought I'd be a doctor and then use a play on words," Newman said. He eventually came up with Dr. Mor B.S.
What does B.S. stand for? More Big Show, Newman said. Newman doesn't get paid for being Dr. Mor B.S., but does it for fun in the community.
After coming up with the character, Norm Compton told Newman how to do his own television show. That's how Dr. Mor B.S. appeared on his own show on DCTV. He enlisted the help of his wife, Jane, son and daughters to help.
"We're all part of writing the skits," he said. "It a big family deal."
Co-host Matt Wiseman also helped for four years. He played Mr. Death.
"He was 7-foot tall and played a good death," said Newman. Later sidkick number two, Lumpy, came along.
After the show had been on the air a while, Dr. Mor B.S. decided to hit the horror circuit as it is with a trip to the Fright Vision convention in Cleveland in 2001.
"We met a lot of actors from the '50s and '60s," Newman said. "I met close friends Ben Chapman ("The Creature from the Black Lagoon") and Dick Durock ("Swamp Thing") . They gave me my start interviewing. They got me acquainted with everyone in Hollywood."
Once in the Hollywood loop, Dr. Mor B.S. was able to interview several stars. The most interesting he said was Julie Newmar.
"Julie Newmar gave me a kiss," he said. "The woman is truly a natural born actress. She is phenomenal."
Dr. Mor B.S. has had some bad interviews over the years too.
"The worst people I've ever tried to interview was David Carradine and Linda Blair," Newman said.
Besides interviews, Hollywood has come calling in other ways. Newman has been in several movies including "The Town That Loves Pizza."
Newman said he's been doing the Mor B.S. show for going on 12 years, and plans on continuing the character of Dr. Mor B.S. to entertain and help out the Defiance community.
Money raised at the Scared Stiff by the River, which is collected by Papa Johns Pizza, goes to charitable organizations. Indoor movie showings at the Defiance Arts & Media Center hope to beheld about once a month. The $2 admission is for food at the movie, with children age six and younger admitted for free.
Comments
By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite.
Inappropriate posts may be removed.
Crescent-News.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Login above or Register to comment.
0 Total Comments Home | Back
Copyright Defiance Publishing, LLC 1995-2009. All Rights Reserved.
Content may not be republished without the expresse written consent of the publisher.
Content may not be republished without the expresse written consent of the publisher.
Dix Communications