Interview with host of Dank & Deadly Podcast, Visual Artist, and cocktail genius, Rih
Can you tell us about yourself and your work?
My name is Rih! I’m 25 years old and have always loved movies and visual arts —my mother’s love of theatre definitely had a huge influence on that! I’m a barista; which certainly helps with curating drinks for the podcast! I’m also a visual artist with a primary leaning toward photography and painting. My photography is mostly influenced by films and horror—but all of my art is fueled by the theme Sucker Punch (2011), that even your story isn't just yours as our lives are so intertwined that you have to recognize how your story affects others and include other peoples stories in yours; especially if they have so positively and greatly impacted you in some way!
What was the first thing you encountered that made you fall in love with horror?
Honestly cannot remember a time I wasn’t encountering horror! The first movie that terrified and intrigued me into the darker parts of media and art was Hide and Seek (2005) with Dakota Fanning and Robert De Niro! Monsters, ghouls, and demons always had been “fun” to me in a weird way (maybe my love for Charmed fueling my femme belief that I can beat them and still look good), but Hide and Seek was the first film to introduce me to the concept of psych-horror; which was terrifying to me—still is! The human brain scares me more than any demon I can call the church to deal with! Even before that, I was always staying up late to watch Truth or Scare hosted by Michelle Trachtenberg Discovery Kids, which had so much horror for kids and teens at the time. I was watching Mothman and Sharknado, and Nightmare on Elm Street marathons on Syfy. Not to mention Goosebumps, Courage the Cowardly Dog and those gateway into things like Chowder and the Misadventures of Flapjack that had a fair amount of horror imagery while still being cartoon-y. The 90s-00s was a creepy time when you think about it!
What does the horror community mean to you?
The horror community means the world to me! It’s a place where I can say “the blood splatter looked really cool” and people won’t look at me weird! The horror community understands that there’s something to be appreciated and learned from in the grittiness and darkness of the world. We cannot appreciate the good without the bad! I also love that hard conversations have to come from some of the art we interact with because it does revolve around real world issues like violent sexism, homophobia and transphobia, racism, and trauma. People who are willing to see that and be vulnerable with it deserve metals, in my opinion. It’s really easy for escapism to be toxic positive or nihilism, so I appreciate a lot of the different perspectives that provide nuance and create that safety within our community that is kinda based on harsher things!
What influence has horror had on you as a person?
In a lot of ways horror is the main reason I identify as a survivor. When you’ve been through a lot it’s easy to get discouraged. Even seeing people you love go through things hurts but the main thing about a final gworl is that they survive! They never downplay their pain or how loss has an impact but are still able to push on and even often go out of their way to protect and help others who have also been victimized. There's such hope in that. They make new friends and build support systems through these circumstances – that’s also what the horror community feels like to me.
You are one of the hosts on Dank & Deadly Podcast, what have you learned about yourself throughout your podcasting experiences?
That I need to work on my time management skills! No, it’s really true I have to curb my spontaneity but I also love switching things up and that’ll probably never change! Aside from that, I’ve learned to appreciate my own voice. Words on a screen or on paper is one thing but to speak feels so different! I tend to overthink and want to stifle myself but setting aside time to chat with people who I know are open to discussion, willing to share thoughts, and have that flow of conversation, swirling of different ideas has been a freeing, educational, and uplifting experience for me!
You write for your own blog Spooki With Rih, what inspired you to create horror cocktails? What have been some of your favourite cocktails?
A simple story really! Hendricks Gin came out with a summer solstice “Midsummer” floral gin the summer of 2020 (a gin and tonic with a splash of cranberry gworl, myself) and I wanted to make a Midsommar (2019) themed cocktail with it! I started a collage journal and making them became a quarantine hobby that just kept going! Some films are easier than others but deep diving into the films to translate that into a cocktail is part of the fun!
The one I’m most proud of is the Mother’s Sour for Sharp Objects (2018). The photos turned out so well and I did a lot of cocktail and series research for it! The Red Light/Blackout Shot for Lights Out (2016) was also a lot of fun to make! Lighting is my favorite thing to toy with in photography so coming up with a shot that incorporated lighting was a very enjoyable challenge.
You also write about horror on your blog, what elements do you draw on to write about movies and horror elements in real life?
Real life is scary! There are so many unexplainable things that happen around us that have inspired or sound like something out of a horror movie; so I want to make sure that’s recognized. Especially with the current belief circulating that horror “just started becoming political” and that we aren't supposed to learn anything from media just because it’s fiction, it’s important that we remember that every fear we see translated in horror started from a real life situation or thought someone had. We can’t escape the psychology and cultural integration of different urban legends, creepy stories, and why those stories are told!
What are you working on in 2022?
As of right now, I’m working on how to diversify our podcast content and grow in that community, as there are so many amazing people and podcasts I hope to get a chance to work with – TGIF included, obviously! I’m also working on a photo series inspired by found footage and a painting series I’m thinking about that combines cathartic misandry and my love for coffee (what a combination)! 2022 is dedicated to starting the plans I’ve been thinking about whether or not they go well! Trying and failing just to find another way is much better than not trying at all!
