Godfather Interview...Check this out!

[drfrightner]

The 'Godfather' of our industry was interviewed recently...see what he has to say about Transworld. I personally don't think 'Transworld' is a 'retail' show in regards to the Haunted House industry. He says in the interview that Transworld is just a retail show, and his is the haunted house show.
Not trying to pick a fight with anyone, but this is false information big time...Hauntcon has like ONE row of vendors, and they don't have the mega vendors like Scarefactory, Unit 70, and so forth. What does he mean by Transworld is not a haunted house show.

Transworld has more haunted stuff to buy than anywhere in the entire WORLD...maybe a pumpkin fell out of the sky in October and hit him on the head. I also still love how he refers to himself as the 'Godfather' of our industry, or should I say have 'OTHERS' refer to him as the 'Godfather'.

Funny interview check it out...

http://leon.magnify.net/item/CVNZVGH0XYPPN47K

[mindtumor]

He does make some odd comments in this interview. I like Transworld and don't really see where it is only a retail convention.

[SSP]

Sounds like Hauntworld vs. Haunted Attraction. Alright boys, sharpen them battle axes, we're headed to HAUNTCON! haha

I have yet to experience either event, but I do think each are respectable in their own rights. Mr. Pickel does seem to have a strong bias, which is not exactly fair to Transworld, but it's just an interview, and people say things that they don't fully mean.

But, home is here at Hauntworld :twisted:

[drfrightner]

Strong bias is an understatement... How can he tell someone that Transworld is a RETAIL SHOW and that his show is the haunted house show? Would you call that a lie, a fib, or just ignoring the facts?

Personally I wouldn't let him exhibit at TW if I was making the call...for that matter why would a haunted house magazine, haunted godfather expert want to display at a 'RETAIL' show?

He should back up his claims and not exhibit at a RETAIL SHOW.

I love the Godfather crack and the bible of the industry refering to his magazine...LOL

Larry

[NightMareManor]

I love the Godfather crack and the bible of the industry refering to his magazine...LOL

Larry

Haunted attraction magazine is more like a quarterly pamphlet! :? Hardly a bible!
AND, every issue is like 45 pages or something! LOL :lol:

HauntWorld is the REAL bible of the haunted house industry!!!


-Sean

[MDKing]

Larry,

I like the way you used those smiley faces in your last post! It really captures the mood!

Allan

[drfrightner]

I'm laughing...I know some people are thinking there you go again beating up on the poor pickel, but someone has to keep his ego and facts in check. The guy is like a run away freight train...

Last I heard Scarefactory, Unit 70, Ghost Ride, blah, blah where not exhibitors last year. From what I understand some vendors have done so poorly selling at his show that they won't give it another go next year.

Setting the record straight, I wish no ill on his show, in fact I hear its a fun time, but if he only was nicer, and kept his facts straight more people could buy into what he's trying to do. When EVERYONE in the haunted world knows for a fact the only place on the planet to see Scarefactory's 20 whatever booths and Unit 70's 10 or whatever booths, and Ghost Rides newest stuff, or Distortions newest stuff, and 50 other vendors on top of 100,000's of thousands of square feet of Halloween junk downstairs...I mean who does he think he's fooling the newbie?

Yes the newbie, so if we allow him to go around citing he's the "Godfather" or he's the bible of the industry, or that his show is the only haunted house show, then people who try and get their start listening to him are totally doomed.

Kinda like the haunted event he consulted, and which they bought his old modular shows, it bombed, now all for sale after one year! This guy makes a living going around telling people who don't know any better he's the Godfather, the only game in town, and he actually believes it.

I'm still scratching my head...

Seriously who does he think he's fooling...

I loved the crack he made about him being transworlds red headed step child...that was funny!

I was reading in his lastest magazine a big event at TW is getting to eat dinner with him instead of touring the Frozen Tundra you can eat dinner with the Pickel! LOL

I love this guy! I really do! What would I do without him?

Larry

[mindtumor]

I watched the interview but must have missed the bible of the industry remark. Overall the interview does come across like he has the only haunted attraction trade show. I mean no offense to Leonard because I have never met him, but he may be better off if he starts telling people to stop calling him the godfather of the industry. And did anyone notice if the interview was done at hauntcon or was it a different convention.

[Ken Spriggs]

Hmm

Larry, you never give up do you?

Look, you know my issues with a certain person in the industry RIGHT?
Do you see me bashing him just for the hell of it, everytime I can? NO

I have no ties to Leonard.....I have no ties to anyone.....this is not damage control and he hasn't sent me to your website to help him....so please don't say that.

All this shows is that the industry is once again split......your either with Larry or with Leonard....BS...I stand in the middle where we all should.

I don't want to start a fight or anything but why resort to this?

Let it go.....hold your arms out to the side....touch your index finger to your thumb and go HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

[Spookyfinder]

Well said Ken!

Howie "Slobber" Erlich
Deadly Intentions Haunted House
www.deadlyintentionshaunt.com

[drfrightner]

Hey Ken,

I hear what you're saying and I do not disagree with you. And yes I know who you're talking about...LOL.

I'm really not trying to beat up on him, but gee whiz man, telling people Transworld is a RETAIL show and its not for haunted house owners.

He's the one who said not me...he's even proud of it promoting the link on his own website. My only thing here Ken is that people who are getting into the business can't really believe this stuff. Someone has to let them know this just isn't true...when someone claims to be the bible of the industry, the Godfather, and you don't know any better, you just might tend to believe it.

I feel I'm only pointing out he's not correct.

I think you would have to agree he's not correct, correct? LOL

Larry

[PumpkinHead]

Transworld Exhibits is a company that puts on retail shows. The Halloween and Costume show was originally a retail show. Over the past few years with the addition of more and more Haunter show's into the national haunter scene Transworld shifted it's Chicago Halloween show to cater to haunters.

HauntWorld or Haunted Attraction, the more info out there , the better... I subscribe to both and enjoy them for what they are.

[Ken Spriggs]

Larry

No Larry you are kind of wrong.

The show (for the last 10 years that i know of) has been a retail show.
People in suits....people with big money....people with huge business.
Yes it is still there but look around this year.
Haunts bring 10-20 people with them....most have no reason to be there.

The people in charge of TW did nothing but try to keep the haunters out of the show. All of a sudden Greg comes along and wants to change the world of TW. Great...but I think it is a little too late. Watch the attendance this year...it will be down and the vendors will be complaining.

Leonards show Hauntcon.....is for haunters...he welcomes them .....bring your entire crew.....let them all do a seminar. Yes it is smaller....but really take a look at vendor space in the isolated HAUNT section.

Larry as to your comment about letting people know......Why?
He has done enough work in the industry for people to know what he has done and can do.

Do I go around telling people of my bad experiance? I used to....I was the bad guy for doing it. Notice I don't concern myself with others anymore....I have a business to run...a life to live and a family to support, that takes way to much time to do these days.

Get back on the floor cross your legs arms out to the side....HMMMMMMMMMM...or OMMMMMMM whichever you prefer.

[Chris]

Calling TW a retail show seems like an accuratre description to me, but why would anyone consider this an insult? What's wrong with retail?

As for Pickle, after reading him running down the Haunt Industry I don't have a whole lot of respect for him -- that certainly isn't helpful or accurate.

[xxxdirk]

For my 2 cents, Transworld is a retail convention that happens to have a pretty good haunt convention within it. I mean, the majority of Transworld is lots of "people in suits" going around dropping tens of thousands at several booths as well as people with smaller shops like me, walking around in our jeans dropping maybe $15-40K total at the costume part.

The haunt show, maybe you have a few people dropping some serious change, but the majority are people that spend under $10k and then a lot of haunters there to network, learn and drool. Is Transworld a haunt convention? NO. Could Transworld exist without the costume portion. NO. Could Transworld survive ok if there was no haunters there? I bet yes. It would be a boring convention, but yes. IMHO Haunters are what brings the fun to the conventiion. Here you have these crazy people wearing these crazy costumes and bloody make up wandering the center. Where else can you see a skinny dude with a hairy belly and moustache wearing a mini skirt? Where else can you see a guy named Sheldon in a wheel chair chasing a playboy bunny? And thats not even to mention the bar at the Crowne and the craziness that happens there. Transworld without haunters? SHUDDER. I have been to those kind of tradeshows. Hell, I have to man a booth at one in Des Moines this Friday- Sunday.

So in closing, Len wsa partially right in his interview. Is he right calling himself the "Ggodfather" Well, he never did call himself that, the interviewer did. OF course Len never stopped stopped him, and that was Lens own PR machine that made the interviewer think that, but I digress. TW is a retail show. Where he went wrong was not stating that it has also a haunt convention & coming across that his is the only haunt convention.
That was his choice to make and decide if he wants to come across as a proponent of the haunt industry or a proponent of himself. I mean what about Barry and his MW haunt convention? I went to that last year and had a blast and learned a lot. Did Barry have the huge floor of exhibitors? No. Does Len? From what I hear, No. Did I care at Barrys convention that I had not seen the huge exhibits? No because I had seen a lot at Transworld. Perhaps what I am trying to say in this long winded post is that each convention compliments eachother and "can't we all just get along?" ops:

Anyhow, I will be at TW again this year, and have made plans to go to Lens convention in May. If everything works out, I would love to go to Barrys convention again, but will have to see what this Summer brings.

Peace out and sorry for rambling on.... Ron