#326 The Last Laugh with Peter Cameron

This week, we're running a takeover in collaboration with Peter Cameron, an Emmy-nominated screenwriter and supernatural enthusiast whose credits include WandaVision, Moon Knight, Werewolf by Night, and Agatha All Along (all on Disney+). This contest’s winner will not only be awarded $250 — they’ll also receive personal feedback from Peter himself! Here's what he has to say about his takeover:

In horror, something must go wrong or fall apart. The tension is in the unspooling: those unexpected elements we encounter in the erosion of characters' worlds. But if horror is the eldest daughter of the genre family, comedy is her chaotic younger brother. Both live for those moments where everything spirals, and when things go off the rails, that’s where horror screams and comedy laughs.

This week, let's explore this strange borderland where fear meets farce. Think Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery, or a more recent tonal tightrope walk such as Grady Hendrix’s Horrorstör. Let the unexpected lead to terror, mirth, or both — 'tis the season, after all!

Special Update: The Results 🏆

Peter's top pick for his takeover was "People Person" by Joan Crow. Here's what Peter had to say about it:

There was so much to love in this tale, starting with the narrator’s obliviousness to social cues. The misreading of every warning while maintaining a cheery tone feels reminiscent of a less curmudgeonly Ignatius J. Reilly (A Confederacy of Dunces). The pacing of the story is well done — each misstep ratchets up the tension in just the right way. The descriptions of John Doe and his home are vividly grotesque, yet funny in their exaggeration, perfectly balancing horror and dark comedy. The escalating absurdity of the narrator’s confidence heightens both the humor and suspense. In short, a great read!

Congratulations to contest winner Joan Crow and the runners-up, Keba Ghardt and Marlin Chetty!