I would just think that I would remember modeling for the cover of an album with Tom Waits, who I've always loved.
It's in the public domain. That's one of the reasons I do it so much. But luckily, it's a brilliant film [ Night Of The Living Dead]. Every horror aficionado must see that film at least once.
I felt like I kind of got to know [Elvis Presley], and got a little peek inside what was going on there. That was pretty amazing.
When I lived in Las Vegas, I was meeting everybody: Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Engelbert Humperdinck, Tom Jones - we won't go there - but all these people that were working in Vegas a million years ago, way before I was Elvira.
One of my favorite people I got to meet was my childhood idol, Vincent Price. I got to not only meet him, but become friendly with him before he passed away.
Luckily, it's one of my favorite movies [ Night Of The Living Dead]. I never get tired of watching it.
There's a lot that I watch over and over. But I have to say, because of my line of work as a horror-movie hostess, I've probably seen Night Of The Living Dead more than any movie. I've probably seen it more than George A. Romero.
I had a dream about riding a black cat, and then the next day I was at this antique mart, and I found this little devil riding a black cat - an Austrian bronze, tiny little thing. It was super tiny. And it was kind of like, "Oh my God, my dream came true." Except it was a devil, of course. Not me.
Brian Hyland just happened to be playing in our town and that song [ "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini"] was really big. And I got to go back by the stage door, and he autographed a piece of paper for me and I just, I went crazy.
[I] go to the Golden Globes, the Grammys, all the awards shows. Just stuff you would never get to do as a regular person were things that were really exciting for me.
Not a time with him passed that I didn't say, "You should've been a comedian." [Vincent Price] was hilarious. He was just such a quick, funny wit. I don't think most people would think that about him, and it was really surprising to me. But man, the guy had a brilliant wit.
[Brian Hyland autograph] was what got me started on going to concerts, because from then on, I was at every concert for everybody.
I loved Wilson Pickett, so I just went on from there. I became sort of a semi-groupie because, I don't know, I got bitten by the music bug.
My first ones were The Young Rascals. I made out with Dino Danelli, the drummer, in the alley behind the City Auditorium. Then I met Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels. This is all way, way back in the day. Later I got in the big leagues, like chasing around The Rolling Stones. And I hid in the bus for Paul Revere & The Raiders. And The Zombies.
I chased every band around the world. Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention, you name it. I could just go on and on. It was my hobby, my pastime, and my obsession for several years.
I think the strangest thing probably is when I went to Japan, and I don't know what the hell I was eating, but there was this one thing that seemed to be in a lot of soups and things there - I always called it pond scum. It looked exactly like the green stuff that floats on top of a pond. I would say, "Oh my God, this has pond scum in it!" I would eat it, to be polite, because we were usually with Japanese people and I didn't want to gag or spit it out or anything. And I still don't know what it was.
Maybe one of the strangest opportunities was I got to ring the closing bell on the New York Stock Exchange.
When I was a kid, my favorite after-school snack was hominy and pickled pigs feet.
I ended up spending some time with Jimi Hendrix and hanging out with him, and that was beyond awesome.
It's weird. I guess I got so used to [g-strings] when I was really young that I just couldn't stand it anymore.
I just count myself really lucky to have a career that I love and that continues to pay my rent.
The labor part wasn't so great, but seeing [my daughter] for the first time was pretty awesome. I mean, how does it get better than another actual person popping out of your stomach, you know?
Since I always go to work as Elvira, maybe a giant version of a cat. A black cat. I love cats and I think Elvira would look really good sitting on one.
Actually, when I was little I even dreamed about riding a black cat.
[Vincent Price] did Oscar Wilde on Broadway, and I think he probably did it because he was almost like an Oscar Wilde. He had that brilliant humor.
