For comedian Samantha Hale, horror isn’t just a genre—it’s a lifelong love language. The granddaughter of Gilligan’s Island’s Alan Hale Jr., Hale grew up idolizing Morticia Addams instead of Barbie and found both comfort and catharsis in the monsters that scared her. That fascination fuels her new horror-comedy special, Samantha Hale: Horror Nerd, now available on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play and other digital platforms. Blending sharp stand-up with heartfelt storytelling, the special explores Hale’s deep connection to the genre—from growing up watching IT and Scream with her dad to turning classic slasher tropes into punchlines. We caught up with Hale to talk about merging fear and funny, the healing power of horror, and why sometimes the best way to face the dark is to laugh at it.
You can watch Samantha Hale: Horror Nerd here and also listen to her podcast here, that she hosts alongside Bonnie Marie Williams and Anthony Landry.
Photo: Jill Petracek
Jordan Von Netzer: Let’s start at the beginning—when did your love for horror first begin? Was it a specific movie?
Samantha Hale: My first idol was Morticia Addams for sure. The Addams Family sitcom was my gateway into horror. My dad recorded a marathon of the show on Thanksgiving Day when I was 7, and I was absolutely enamored with Carolyn Jones. I had no interest in Barbie, but when I saw Morticia I remember thinking “Yes. She feels right to me.” Then of course I later fell in love with Angelica Huston and Raul Julia as well. But the first movie to scare the hell out of me was IT. My dad let me see it when I was 8. I was fascinated with and terrified by Tim Curry at the same time. It took me years to be able to watch it without crying, but I kept coming back for more, and when I was maybe 12, I could watch it without fear.
JVN: Horror Nerd is a unique blend of horror fandom and stand-up—what made you decide to merge those two worlds?
SH: I was already doing stand up for about ten years and had bits on horror films for sure, but the pandemic changed everything. Live entertainment was shut down in Los Angeles. I couldn’t really work much for almost two years. So I had to find ways to stay inspired and of course to pass the time. I started visiting the most iconic horror film locations, like the Michael Myers house, or the Nightmare on Elm Street house, and would film jokes about the movie in front of them. I had a blast doing it, and people were incredibly receptive, so I kept going. By the time the comedy clubs were able to open again, I had a lot of new material. A friend of mine encouraged me to build a show around it, and pitch it to The Hollywood Improv. I decided to call it Horror Nerd, because that is what I am. I was so excited that they wanted to give it a go. I really thought it would be a one-time thing, or a seasonal show, but here we are four years later, and we do it monthly.
JVN: Is there a horror trope that you just can’t resist making fun of in your act?
SH: I love a Good for Her genre film, and I love even more making fun of the characters who totally have it coming! I am also all about the evil clown and demonic doll tropes (I hosted my show at Midsummer Scream as Annabelle,) but I think my favorite trope to make fun of is the group of stereotypical teenagers who go into the woods then split up. How many camp counselors had to die in Friday the 13th before one of them decided to apply at Orange Julius instead?
JVN: How autobiographical is this special? Are the horror stories in it based on real-life fears or just love letters to the genre?
SH: I would say it’s extremely autobiographical. It’s not just jokes roasting the killer, it’s more about why I love horror, and how I got into it. Horror weirdly makes me feel closer to my dad, as he is the one who introduced me to it. He passed away when I was 22, so when I miss him, I can put on a film like King Kong, or Killer Klowns From Outer Space, and memories of watching them with him come flooding back. He took me to see my first scary movie in a theater when I was 13. It was Scream. I made him take me to see it 5 times. Actually, before that, I made him take me to see Hocus Pocus 7 times. There are also very personal stories about getting to meet some of my horror idols like Greg Nicotero, and Kane Hodder. I actually took a lot of inspiration from Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher’s one woman special. It was so vulnerable, yet so funny. It was intimate. That was the tone that director Tom Dolby and I were going for. I am really proud of the vulnerability we were able to show.
JVN: Do you think horror fans have a special kind of humor? What’s something only a horror nerd would laugh at?
SH: The darker the punchline the better. I think the most dedicated horror fans have been through some shit, so to speak. Many of us were bullied as kids, or didn’t quite fit in, or had to overcome significant hardship, and we take our power back by making fun of, or laughing about how dark life can be sometimes. Ironically we find relief in the darkest of material.
JVN: Your grandfather was Alan Hale Jr., who famously played the Skipper in Gilligan’s Island. He also starred in horror projects such as The Giant Spider Invasion. Did he tell you any fun stories about making those projects?
SH: I love The Giant Spider Invasion! I am so grateful that I can see him in so many films and television shows anytime I would like. That’s really special. He passed away when I was 7, but I was the first and favorite grandchild (I would like to think, anyway.) I wish I could say I had more memories of getting to talk to him about the projects he worked on, but I do have many memories with his sister, my great aunt Karen, who was actually the script supervisor on one of my all-time favorite movies ever, The Witches of Eastwick. I was like, excuse me, you got to work with Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pffeifer, Susan Sarandon, Veronica Cartwright and Cher at the same time? Actually, I got to spend some time with Veronica, and she was absolutely lovely. So I get the warm fuzzies every time I watch Alien now, believe it or not.
JVN: You lived across the street from the house where Poltergeist was filmed. There have been many stories about that house being haunted, did you ever see anything weird?
SH: I walked past it a million times, but never got to go in sadly. But I am hoping to change that now that it has been turned into an Airbnb. Actually, Rachel Powers, the brilliant woman who owns the house now is coming to the show next month. I am very excited to meet her! Poltergeist was another film very special to my dad and I.
JVN: That house also is said to be very near to an old burial ground. So does that mean you lived close to a burial ground too?
SH: Wait, the actual house is? I feel like that would scare most kids, but I would have been thrilled to pieces to find that out. I would have insisted on finding it (while my mom was away at work.) Once I started driving, however, I did always find it creepy when I was driving through Santa Susana Pass when going from Simi Valley back to The San Fernando Valley, once I learned that Charles Manson and his family were there.
JVN: Aside from the special, you also have a podcast called Horror Nerds Comedy podcast. Can you talk about this? What can people expect to hear if they have never listened before?
SH: The thing I love most about the podcast, is that it’s not the more typical movie review format, it’s more three genuinely nerdy scary movie lover friends sharing personal stories on our connection to horror, along with super fun sketches and parodies, featuring some of the best voiceover talent there is. It’s almost like a podcast version of a horror themed SNL. We of course have various guests sharing stories about films they have worked on, such as Hellraiser composer Christopher Young, or actor Mickey Yablans from Halloween, but we also get to showcase some of the best comics who have been featured on the live show.
JVN: Is there a horror movie that you find too intense to watch?
SH: Cannibal Holocaust definitely comes to mind! Oh man, that was brutal. As much as I absolutely love The Substance, I had to look away here and there at the end of it. Body horror is not my strength. Tusk? Never again, but I can say I saw it. Not sure I want to see the rat in the neck scene from Terrifier 3 again anytime ever. Still love Art the Clown though.
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