Our Conversation with Mary Kay McBrayer

Mary Kay is a rookie to the Women in Horror Month Celebration. Her podcast is called: Everything Trying to Kill You

What’s your show about?

My best friends (Maegan Stone Brooks and Mary Beyer) and I host a comedy podcast about horror films. We love the good horror movies, the kind that have you thinking on them three days later when you’re in the detergent aisle at the grocery store… and we love making fun of the bad ones, the ones that establish convention only to abandon it, the ones with no character development, the ones with dialogue so bad that you may as well mute the TV and make up your own, the kinds that give you hope because if THIS piece of shit can get made, there’s hope for your own transcript, surely.

What are some of your favorite episodes?

Black Swan: The Gravitron
Night of the Living Dead: A Practice in Segue-ism
The Omen: Family Takes All Forms, You Piece of Shit
The Witch: Butter, Axes, and Pretty Dresses
Rosemary’s Baby: Devil Emoji, Baby Emoji

How well do you think horror is represented in the podcast world?

I think there are mannny podcasts about horror, but like horror itself, not all of them address the same aspects or have the same interests. And most of them approach the subject from different perspectives, too.

What about women-led podcasts? In your experience, are they common or rare in horror?

Well. My bias might be skewed because I’m just so much more likely to invest in a podcast if it’s run by women… I feel like as a human, women disappoint me less.

I DO think, though, that women of color are underrepresented in both podcasts and horror, so that’s a relevant detail. (Also, since I am often the voice for the whole group, please: stop killing us off first. As characters. No. As people, also.)(And stop making us the token person with good sense! We have to live that life IRL; can we do something different in fiction? At least? Fuck.)

What podcast/podcaster influenced you to begin podcasting and why?

It might be basic to say it, but My Favorite Murder, for sure. I loved how they presented ACTUAL content, not just fluff, and it was perfect for driving because it felt like having two of my most interesting, funniest friends in the backseat, keeping me company. The conversational quality ALONG with the content itself is the aesthetic that inspired me.

Inspire someone who is just starting out in the podcast world.

It’s SUPER validating when you see the listens rack up–people want to hear your ideas! People think you’re funny! #worthit

What’s your favorite experience as a woman horror podcaster so far?

It’s pretty great when people you know–regardless of gender–tell you in person (or online, or wherever) that you made them think of something they’d never thought of before. Especially when it’s an issue of perspective. That’s nice.

Oh, also, my CURRENT boyfriend asked me out for the first time because he KNEW ME FROM THE PODCAST. and. he was a fan. That was the best thing. Especially because I knew there wouldn’t be that awkward moment where I’d diatribe about a random movie, and he’d be shocked and appalled and question his own taste. He already knew what was up.

What do you have coming up?

Our most recent episode just posted. It’s about Tales from the Hood–it’s Women in Horror month, but it’s ALSO Black History Month. We’re pretty proud of that episode. It’s called “Bear Witness, You Weak Bitch.”

But next, for Valentine’s Day AND Women in Horror Month, we’re covering the film It Follows–and we have a REALLY good time unpacking the tropes and inversions on that movie. I recommend it. It’s a great place to START YOUR OBSESSION WITH US, haha, just kidding, kind of.