(Plain Press October 2024) If you were to tune in to channel 8 at around 11:30 PM Friday nights, back in 1965, you would have also seen a funny looking man, wearing a fright-wig and lab coat, smoking a cigarette on live television. His name was Ernie Anderson, and he was a Cleveland sensation, from 1963 to 1966. The late-night TV horror host character he invented was “Ghoulardi” ─ a barbed beatnik. The show was called “Shock Theater”, which aired 1950’s horror flicks with intermissions of Ghoulardi’s sly comments on how bad the movie was. At times, with jazz music playing in the background, he would even blow up something with firecrackers on live television.

   Back in 1963, there was nothing else like it on television. No matter how rude it seemed, Ghoulardi usually spoke whatever was on his mind. Not only did he bash his competitors on other television stations like Mike Douglass on Channel 3 and Dorothy Fuldheim on Channel 5, but Ernie also took shots at hosts that aired on the same network as his. Local politicians, like the Mayor of Cleveland, were also targets of his critical remarks. Many adults loathed him, but the teenagers worshiped him. Unfortunately, what younger minds perceived from his message was that it was cool to be rebellious and make fun of others. Because the Friday night show was live, the TV 8 station manager was constantly worried about what Ghoulardi would say next.

   Eventually, after 4 years, towards the end of 1966, Ernie Anderson became bored with the whole “Ghoulardi” act and headed out to Hollywood to break into the entertainment business. Ever since then, others have come and gone, trying to gain the same high status that Ghoulardi gripped Northeastern Ohio with.

   A new documentary about Ghoulardi was produced by Shocker Enterprises and will be shown on Spectrum Tri-C Channel 1025 through the month of October 2024 Monday nights at 9PM. For more information you can contact Kevin@shockerenterprises.com or call 440-888-8327. Please check out: ShockerEnterprises.com.