Paradise Profiles: Billy Loves Stu

Today’s profile is about a very unique individual to the horror blogging community. His name is Pax Romano and he owns the amazing horror blog: Billy Loves Stu. Now, this blog focuses on the homosexual and lesbian aspect of horror film and as funny as the blog title may sound… it is actually very relevant to his style. Honestly, I am a fan of Billy Loves Stu and I think Pax has a great blog set up here. This was probably one of the more insightful interviews that I have done.

What was the horror movie that got you started into horror?
When I was a kid, I watched all of those Universal Horror films with my dad. I was especially fond of Dracula. My Dad was (and still is) a big fan of the classic horror films and he helped me cultivate my love of the macabre. My mother, on the other hand, loved Science Fiction, and when I was very young she let me stay up with her to watch the original War of the Worlds – that movie just blew my mind. However it was not until I saw Night of the Living Dead, at the ripe old age of 10 that I was hooked on horror.

In your opinion, what makes horror stand out from the rest of the genres?
In the old days, seeing horror films was a communal experience. Everyone screamed, laughed and cringed together – it was a release. Good horror films seem to play on several different emotions and people react to that . Of course, let's face facts, we are all scared of dying, and I think when you scratch away everything else, that's what a horror film Is about, confronting our own mortality. That's not something you are going to get from an Adam Sandler film.

You are a very unique individual among the horror blogging community, do you think this blog will benefit young horror readers and provide them with a new outlook on some movies?
I hope so. I think that this generation is somewhat more open minded, and how can they not be? They've been exposed to so much more, and much earlier in life than the previous generations. I enjoy pointing out the more homosexual overtones in horror films, some of them are very subtle, while others, not so much (see A Nightmare on Elm Street II for instance).

What is your opinion on hidden homosexual/lesbian themes in horror movies?
I think a lot of movies (not just horror films) have had hidden homosexual themes in them. Filmmakers have probably felt restrained from laying all of their cards out, so they sneak around the obvious to make their point. In horror, it's a bit easier to mix sexual themes with the fantastic. Look at the slasher films from the 80's; they were nothing but puritanical morality tales; Mrs. Voorhees was the ultimate anti-sex crusader! And then, of course, her son continued her work. Michael Meyers also had a problem with people enjoying sex. Meanwhile, other films, especially vampire films, seemed to delve in deeper to the gay/lesbian vibe. A vampire could claim any member of any sex for him or her self and one could view it as not only a victimization, but as a sexual conquest. Of course, all of this is subjective.

Why did you want to start a blog and who inspired you to do so?
I began blogging in 2004. My original blog (Pax Romano's Ramblings), is still out there and I started it purely out of the anger I felt over the political climate of the time. It eventually became filled with a little bit of everything. I'll say one thing, that blog helped save my sanity on more than one occasion as it offered me a spot to rant over anything and everything and to do it anonymously.

Now, I know your blog title is referencing Scream but can you elaborate why you chose Scream out of all the other possible titles for your blog?
I knew these two guys when I was in college, both of them were, allegedly straight, and yet they were inseparable. It was as if they were joined at the hip. And then one of them got into some major trouble over a stolen car and a few other unsavory things. Well, when the shit hit the fan, it turned out that they were both involved and they sold out their friends, family and, respective, girlfriends. They had such blind devotion to each other it was crazy. I remember thinking to myself, “These guys love each other so much they'll throw anyone else under the bus rather than turn on the other”. Years later when I saw the movie Scream, Billy and Stu reminded me of them.

As a devoted horror fan and as a proud homosexual, do you often find these two things clashing?
Actually It's never been much of a conflict at all.

What is the biggest accomplishment you got out of this blog?
I am going to have a piece published in the upcoming Dark Scribe book, Butcher Knives and Body Counts.

What do you like to do in your spare time? How do you relax?
Blogging is relaxing. In my real life I have a very stressful job in social work, it's draining and soul sucking. Sitting down at my computer and posting some silly articles about horror films is a nice way to decompress. I also enjoy photography, reading, traveling, and Marx Brothers movies.

Check out his blog, again, by clicking here.