Meet Matt Weinhold: Comedian, Actor, Writer, Producer & Podcaster

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matt Weinhold and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, what role has risk played in your life or career?
My life and career in the entertainment industry has always been about taking risks. From wanting to perform standup in the first place, to choosing the type of material I did, I never exactly took the safe road. In life and in comedy, taking a chance is usually worth it.

A lot of people thought I was crazy to attempt to make a career out of showbiz. But what may be a bit of a surprise, is that those people did not include my parents. They always taught me that I could succeed in anything I wanted to do, as long as I worked hard and believed in myself.

Although my father worked at a meat packing plant, and then later as a caterer, he was also an extremely talented artist. Sure, he had a long and fulfilling life, but I think he always had a tiny bit of regret that he never made art a profession. So, when it came to my crazy dreams and aspirations, his advice was, “Go for it! You’re only young once!”

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I was born in San Francisco California in 1964, and for as far back as my memory will carry me, I’ve always had an obsessive sense of wonder. This fascination grew into a fervent love for science fiction, horror, comic books, fantasy, toys, cosplay, and a host of other interests that often made me perceived as the neighborhood oddball. But despite the nerd ribbing I got, my passion for the fantastic never waned.

Throughout my adolescent years, I produced a slew of short 8mm science fiction films, often inspired by whatever sci-fi epic was in the theaters at the time. In high school, I was lucky enough to be part of a film production class taught by a wonderful teacher named Bob McFadden. He gave me free reign to produce an “Alien” parody called, “Alias,” which earned me a special citation at graduation. It was even broadcast on a local San Francisco TV program.

My interest in filmmaking followed me to City College of San Francisco, where I made quite a number of 16mm films. It was around this time that I also began to develop an interest in stand-up comedy, and I did my first set at a Star Trek Convention. After crisscrossing the Bay Area doing open mic nights and one-nighters, it wasn’t long until I was able to support myself as a working comedian. For decades, I headlined comedy clubs across the country, and appeared on shows for NBC, CBS, MTV, VH1, A&E, Comedy Central, HBO, Showtime, and FOX.

Following in the footsteps of many of my comedian friends, I eventually moved to Los Angeles, and decided to pursue acting. In time, I appeared on such shows as CBS’s “The Weird Al Show,” HBO’s “The Comeback,” NBC’s “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”, and the feature film, “Green Flash.”

Acting in TV commercials was another fun way to pay my bills, and I did numerous spots for products ranging from Dunkin’ Donuts, KIA, Aflac, Roundup, Hometown Buffet, and Ford. As a die-hard sci-fi fan, I was thrilled when I got the chance to take on Darth Vader in a “Star Wars” themed Burger King commercial. Needless to say, Vader prevailed.

All this acting opened doors into the world of voice-over, and I lent my vocal talents to GSN’s “Throut & Neck”, MTV’s “Super Adventure Team”, Nickelodeon’s “Squirrel Boy”, G4’s “Code Monkeys”, and as the voice of Arthur in “The Journeyman Project” CD Rom series.

Next came a series of writer/performer gigs, which included Style Channel’s “The Dish” with Danielle Fischel, and CBS’s “Culture Click”. Around this time, I was also appearing on various “countdown” specials for various networks. For obvious reasons, NBC’s “Why We Love Vampires” was one of my favorites.

As my career progressed, I started to concentrate more on writing, and for many years, I was the chief contributor to US Weekly’s popular “Fashion Police” feature. I’ve also provided material for The Emmy Awards, BBC America’s “The Nerdist,” and IFC’s horror comedy show, “Stan Against Evil”. Yes, a comedy horror show! Pinch me!

With the help of some great friends and a few lucky breaks, I became executive producer/head writer for several shows on Playboy TV, including “Foursome: Walk of Shame,” “The Stash,” and “Groundbreakers,” hosted by the legendary John Waters.
One of my proudest working relationships has been the one I share with acclaimed documentary filmmaker, Peter Byck. I wrote and voiced several animated sequences for his film, “Carbon Nation: A Climate Change Solutions Movie (That Doesn’t Care If You Believe In Climate Change)”.

Over the years, I’ve done a pretty good job at merging my profession with my interest in sci-fi, horror, and comic books. I’ve done correspondent work for the SyFy Network, written scripts for Cartoon Network’s “Beware The Batman” and Dark Horse Comics’ “Creepy,” and did standup in the Star Trek documentary “Trekkies.”

My latest nerd-centric passion project has been MONSTER PARTY: a bi-weekly podcast I produce and co-host with my friends James Gonis, Shawn Sheridan, and Larry Strothe. MONSTER PARTY has been presenting its petrifying potpourri of laughs, cocktails, and monster kid trivia, for over six years! We’ve welcomed guests that range from genre luminaries like Stuart Gordon, Walter Koenig, Denise Crosby, Doug Jones, and Jeffrey Combs, to comedy greats like Dana Gould, Laraine Newman, Oscar Nunez, Greg Proops, and Scott Thompson.

Monster Party has been featured in periodicals like Fangoria, Famous Monsters of Filmland, and even The Huffington Post! And for those people who still love physical media, we’ve provided Blu-ray commentary tracks for Shout Factory’s “The Vengeance of She” and “The Alligator People,” and William Castle’s “The Old Dark House” for Mill Creek’s new Hammer Films: The Ultimate Collection box set. Let the voice of Monster Party calm you during these difficult times.

To sum things up, I’ve had a pretty terrific life so far, and managed to do most of the things I dreamed of doing when I was growing up. But when it comes to the obstacles and challenges in my life and career, I’d have to say the biggest one continues to be… me.

I’ve been fighting a life-long battle with anxiety, depression, and self-loathing, and at times, it’s gotten the best of me. I think that’s why I’ve always taken solace in horror films. Many of the monsters in horror films were really just misunderstood misfits, and I think I kind of identified with that. And the scary part of horror films provided a safe environment to prepare myself for the real life scares the world had to offer.

Stand up comedy was also a huge lifesaver. It gave me a needed dose of courage, taught me how to stand up for myself, and showed me that life is always better when not taken too seriously.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love Los Angeles. When you’re born and raised in San Francisco, you’re taught to hate LA. But the minute I moved here, I fell in love. Let me give just one example of a potential perfect day in “The City Of Angels.”

I’m definitely not an early riser (if I can help it), so when it comes to my first meal of the day, I’m looking for a delicious hearty brunch. One of my favorite places to find this is LA MARIA, located at 10516 Victory Blvd, in scenic North Hollywood. La Maria serves up a wide variety of affordable authentic Columbian dishes, as well as traditional Mexican food, seafood, burgers, pasta, and more. May I suggest the Bandeja Paisa plate which includes grilled steak, rice, beans, fried pork skin, chorizo, one egg and fried plantains. This dish is where I want to go when I die.

Okay, so you now have a stomach full of Bandeja Paisa and you need to work it off. What do you do? Head to Malibu Creek State Park for a bit of hiking and movie/TV set excavation. Sometimes called “”The Yosemite of Southern California,” Malibu Creek State Park features 8,000 acres rolling tallgrass plains, oak trees, and majestic mountain peaks. But if this natural beauty is not enough to pique your interest, Malibu Creek was also the location for the T.V. show M.A.S.H., and the original 1968 film, “Planet of the Apes.” And if you’re a determined POTA fan with a watchful eye, you may be able to find an actual piece of the set of Ape City!

Now that you’ve worked off all your Columbian food and brought home a piece of Planet of the Apes history, it’s time for a change of pace. Why not embrace your inner otaku (basically, the Japanese word for “nerd”) and take a trip to LA’s Little Tokyo district? In this downtown neighborhood, you can find amazing ramen shops, historic museums, delicacy packed supermarkets, live entertainment, and the mother of all okaku friendly collectible stores… ANIME JUNGLE. Located at 319 East 2nd Street Suite 103, ANIME JUNGLE offers a wide variety of Japanese sci-fi and fantasy collectables. If you’re into things like anime, manga, Ultraman, Godzilla, and cosplay, ANIME JUNGLE has got you covered.

Now, the final destination of this perfect day is a bit off the beaten path. It has no signs and is strictly a “by appointment” affair. This exclusive spot is a place I like to call…my home.

From the outside, Weinhold Manor may seem like just a quaint neighborhood home surrounded by blooming flowers and ADT signs. But once you enter its hallowed halls, what awaits is the Van Nuys version of The Addams Family mansion. In the living room, expect to find odd curios that include taxidermy bats, insects trapped in Lucite, a collection of sculpted skulls, Japanese dolls, a replica of the cane from The Wolfman, antique Chinese cabinets, a working full-sized replica of The Mystic Seer from The Twilight Zone episode “Nick of Time,” two face-huggers from the Alien films hanging from the fireplace screen, a bust of James Arness from the 1951 version of Thing, and oh so much more. And that’s just the beginning.

Wander down a hallway to take a tour of the MONSTER PARTY podcast studio! This inner sanctum contains many signed photos of our past guests, shelves filled with toys and memorabilia that reflect the topics we’ve discussed on our show, and many of the gifts and original art pieces that have been sent to us by our fans. I gotta tell you, we a have A LOT of REALLY talented fans.

Next, lighten your load in the Disneyland Haunted Mansion themed bathroom, complete with creepy chandelier, hanging skeleton, floating candelabra, face-changing portrait, and loads a of vintage Haunted Mansion collectibles. Hurry back!

In the back of the house is what is considered “The Fun Room”. This contains the bulk of my collection of toys and memorabilia, all safely displayed in lighted glass cabinets. Expect of wide selection of items celebrating Ultraman, Kamen Rider, Universal Monsters, Hammer Horror, Alien, 80’s horror, vintage sci-fi, anime, Doctor Who, vending machine cards, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek, Godzilla, robots, 60’s space toys, superheroes, Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Jim, G.I. Joe, film samurais, kung fu heroes, Blade Runner, Stanley Kubrick, John Carpenter, zombies, and more! There’s even a shelf purely dedicated to glow in the dark toys, lit by several black lights. And if you want to actually watch the TV shows or movies all this stuff is based on, I have a big screen TV, an all-region Blu-ray player, and a massive collection of DVDs!

But if you’re like me, you occasionally like your visual entertainment a bit more old-school. So, follow me out to our courtyard for a screening of some old 16mm films on our massive outdoor screen. From the time I was a kid screening Super 8 highlight reels of “Jason And The Argonauts” and “I Was A Teenage Frankenstein”, I’ve always been comforted by the sound of a whirring projector. Since I made the upgrade to 16mm, I’ve collected an enormous collection of films that include full length features, silent classics, Saturday morning cartoons, vintage comedy shorts, educational films, and packed reels of movie trailers. Now, if you’re expecting a solemn and respectful viewing environment for any of this fare, this may not be your scene. Cocktails and comments are always encouraged.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Once again, I’d like to give a shout out to my father, Gary Weinhold. He died on June 30th 2020, about two hours before his 97th birthday, and right up until the end, he was as charming and witty as ever. He always encouraged me to chase after my dreams, so that’s what I did. I miss you Dad.

Next up would be my mother, Anna Lee Weinhold. A fabulous cook, financial wizard, and the person who ignited my love for science fiction. She read a lot of sci-fi books, and always passed them on to me. When I was growing up, she took me to numerous Star Trek and comic book conventions, and even sat with me through a marathon of all five of the original “Planet of the Apes” films. Now that’s a great Mom!

I’d also like to give a shout out to my lovely wife Carrie. I managed to luck out and find the most beautiful, intelligent, funny, engaging, and loving person on Earth. During the 18 years we’ve been together, she has been a constant pillar of support, and my most ardent sci-fi/horror collection enabler. Love you honey!

When it comes to people who have inspired and supported me on a friendship and professional level, their numbers range in the thousands. But here are a few to get you started: K.P. Anderson, Alex Bennett, Edward Boyd, Peter Byck, Eric Dallaire, Chip Chinery, Rob Cohen, Ken Daly, Debi Durst, Will Durst, Graham Elwood, Josh Gilliland, James Gonis, Dana Gould, Tom Griswold, Marc Hershon, Dave Higgins, Jake Johannsen, C. Courtney Joyner, Kevin Kataoka, Jackie Kashian, Tom Kenny, Bob Kevoian, Danielle Koenig, Michel Kripalani, Lisa Leingang, Neil Leiberman, Jason Lenzi, Chris Mancini, Colleen McGarr, Wendy Miller, John Matta, Sue Murphy, Constantine Nasr, Greg Proops, Patton Oswalt, Rick Overton, Mark Pitta, Erin Pooler-von Schonfeldt, Darick Robertson, Alex Reid, Phil Saunders, Tom Sawyer, Molly Schminke, Jamey Scott, Shawn Sheridan, Bobby Slayton, Bruce Smith, Larry Strothe, Duncan Strauss, Greg Uhler, David Weiner, Lynne Wallace, Mark Weinhold, Taylor White, Geof Wills, Wally Wingert, Tommy Yune, and Frank Zamacona.

Website: mattweinhold.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monsterpartyhq/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-weinhold-ab205a4/

Twitter: @MattWeinhold , @monsterpartyhq

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matt.weinhold.9/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd2HYcEf2OlynkiXpym61kAmonsterpartytv

Image Credits
Bruce Smith