Netherworld is the type of place most of us go to encounter ghouls, ghosts and other ghastly creatures to get into the spooky Halloween spirit. Or, for other types of wayward souls and wandering spirits, it’s a good place to find monsters with similarly sinister sensibilities for scaring people. As enchantresses cackle and creep in Season of the Witch and the Mangler continues his underground genetic experiments in Spliced, a weirdo named Bogey wanders the areas in between in hopes that his pets will make some new friends. Only problem is, not many people want to pet his hissing cockroaches! And I can’t help but wonder if he has anything to do with that giant roach I encountered inside Netherworld before conducting this interview. As strange as he may be, however, Bogey is still one of the more approachable of the Netherspawn. Which is exactly why Wrestling with Pop Culture decided he was the safest person to talk to about this year’s Netherworld haunted house.
How long have you been involved with Netherworld? Where did you come from and how did you come to be involved with these ghouls?
Well, I’ve been here at Netherworld for about two and a half years. Before that I worked at a big scientific lab. They had a whole buncha Madagascar hissing cockroaches that they would study, and ol’ Bogey took care of ’em. Can’t tell you which one, though. Last time I did, I got myself in trouble. There was all kindsa hubbub ’bout how the law said I can’t talk about the weird experiments and stuff they were doing in there to get themselves shut down and I had to hide out for a while. There’s not a lot of places a guy like me with a big colony of bugs in tow can go. For some reason, people think me and my babies are creepy. Then it clicked – maybe we can find a home where the other creepy things live. So I came here to Netherworld. They seem to like my babies, and these weird monsters haven’t eaten me yet. So I figure we must belong here. Fine by me. I fit in better with these freaks than those smarty pants scientists anyway.
You spend most of your time wandering around outside with your pets. Explain your fascination with these roaches. Why do you think people tend to be repulsed by you and your pets when you approach them?
The Maddies, as I like to call them, are basically my kids. Not like these nasty-ass roaches that run around in your kitchen. These roaches are clean. They’re sweet. They’re cuddly. They’re perfect. Those sleek shells, their cute little faces – what’s not to love? Hell, it’s the bugs’ world. They just let us live in it. Anyway, one night I was hanging out with the colony and I realized that there was a whole bunch of people waiting to check out Netherworld. So I said to myself, “Self, you should take the bugs outside and introduce them to these folks.” The bugs like people, so I figured they could make some new friends. Now I wander around in the lot trying to get people to pet the babies. Sometimes they do, but sometimes they tell me they’re gross or freak out. For the life of me, I can’t understand why. I don’t like it when people badmouth my babies or act all scared of them. That’s when I have to get a little nasty with ’em and insist that they pet the roaches. It usually ends up in a lot of running and screaming.
The Mangler is back at it this year with Spliced, his latest endeavor. He seems like a guy you might have spent some time with. Do you have any sort of relationship, working or personal, with the Mangler? Have you ever been part of his underground experiments?
That guy kinda gives me the creeps. Reminds me too much of those brainy weirdos I used to work for. He’s always up to no good, just like they were. I let him use my babies in his experiments a couple of times. He promised he wouldn’t hurt them, but I found out he was splicing them with people he snagged and was trying to make bugmen or something. Sucks to that! I steer clear of him as much as possible. If you go see the whole Spliced thing he has going on, I’d suggest you stay far, far away from him.
It’s also the Season of the Witch at Netherworld. I’ve taken a stroll through the witches’ realm and saw some frightening things. What do you think these witches are up to, especially when it comes to The Dead Ones who ruled Netherworld last year? Do you have any ties to them or any of their minions?
Those crazy witches seem to think that if they let all of the beasties loose and make the world as horrific and scary as possible, The Dead Ones might not wanna set up shop here after all. I dunno if that’s gonna work, but if it keeps them away, I say, “Go for it!” I’ll just be here with my babies watching the whole thing go down. They say roaches will survive the apocalypse. Maybe they’ll let me hang around, too, seeing as how I feed them and all. The only folks out of the witches’ crew that I hang out with are the Sawyers. They’re the ones up there running around with chainsaws and throwing people in cages. Ralphus, the big one, that’s one sadisitc bastard. People say we look alike, but I don’t see it. His little sister Lyla might even be nuttier than him. We’re more or less on the same side, though. So we’re cool. I just wouldn’t want to be one of you on their bad side.
The Sawyers look awfully familiar. I think I’ve seen some of them at some of the indie wrestling events I’ve been to.
Then you go to some weird wrestling shows. Like I said, they’re bloodthirsty freaks. So they like those death matches. You know, barbed wire and thumbtacks and stuff. The sort of shows IWA Deep South does. I think Ralphus even makes weapons for ’em. As far as wrestling goes, I like it all, man. Since I spend all of my time hanging around with monsters, I really dig Monstrosity Championship Wrestling. It’s cool to see my kinda sickos mixing it up in the ring. Honestly, though, I’m happy any time folks are beating each other between the ropes. I dig the violence. You know, maybe I do have a little of Ralphus’ sadistic streak in me after all.
The Netherspawn emerge for about a month or so each year. Where will Bogey crawl away to once they’ve gone back into hiding after Nov. 8?
I’ll be right here in the bowels of the building looking after my roaches. Being the bug daddy is a full-time gig. While the Mangler’s in there doing God-only-knows what, and the witches stir those cauldrons of theirs, I’ll be protecting the colony and hanging out with my best six-legged buddies. That’s why, before the crowds die again, I have to make as many of you as possible pet my babies!