Scott Wampler, Beloved ‘Kingcast’ Podcaster and Film Journalist, Remembered by Friends, Fans, and Colleagues
Critic, podcaster, and film journalist Scott Wampler passed away on May 31 due to unknown causes, as shared by his “Kingcast” co-host Eric Vespe on Friday.
But, as sad as his passing is, we expect that Scott Wampler wouldn’t want tears. He would want you screaming. He would want you wailing in agony, convulsing in terror, blood shooting out of every orifice. He would want you laughing until you cried, thinking in ways that didn’t make your brain hurt, and engaging with one another cause he knew that it’s the only way to make sense of this silly, scary world.
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He spent his professional life making genre entertainment, particularly horror, accessible to the masses and sharing his passion with not just outsized glee, but downright fervor. He loved movies and television that made you squirm and he made us love them too. He found beauty and art in the disgusting and unseemly and approached what some may view as trash with care and admiration.
Wampler was a lifelong Texan who was born in Plano, raised in Dallas, and spent most of his adult life in Austin. Though his age is up for some debate, he would probably want us all to believe he was 130, but just constantly appeared 25 — a tragic consequence of drinking water from a cursed well.
During his career as an entertainment journalist, he wrote for many publications, including Alamo Drafthouse’s now-defunct website and magazine Birth.Movies.Death, where he served as managing editor. For those who haven’t read his work for BMD, stop and take a look at this interview with Rian Johnson for the release of “Knives Out” in 2019. It’s not only full of insight into Johnson’s influences but indicative of the kind of hilariously accessible writing style Wampler was so well known for.
Wampler would go on to write for other outlets, including Collider, before ultimately landing at the horror fan magazine Fangoria. It was there he started the Stephen King fan podcast “The Kingcast” with co-host Eric Vespe, a show that featured guests such as Kumail Nanjiani, Carla Gugino, Guillermo Del Toro, Patton Oswalt, and many others. Fans of the podcast know that Wampler’s output bordered on excessive, just as he liked it, and that his ability to converse — to pose questions both ridiculous and thought-provoking — was second to none.
His friend and collaborator, Vespe said:
I don’t know what to say right now other than he was a singular presence. Hunter Thompson would have called him “one of God’s own prototypes, a high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production.” That’s the Scott I knew. Hilarious, infuriating, singular.
— Eric Vespe (@EricVespe) May 31, 2024
In addition to his podcast duties and reportage, Wampler also led Fangoria’s news team. He knew the best work came from staying true to one’s voice, and he’s been a part of countless writers finding theirs.
I think Scott Wampler would co-sign my sharing our first exchange at /Film because it’s kind, unflaggingly honest, and contains the phrase “This is, with respect, an inordinate amount of semicolons to deploy in one post.”
He made so many of us funnier and better; I’ll miss him. pic.twitter.com/2jXX7AwJRP— Scott Thomas (he / him / his) (@OGScottieT) June 1, 2024
Perhaps his greatest influence, though, was on social media. A Wampler tweet often felt like a gift. A silly picture. An inappropriate quip. Whatever form it took, it always put a smile on our faces. Even Wampler himself said in the past how he wished for his funeral to take place on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Joke's on you, dipshits: MY funeral will be HELD on Twitter so everyone can come. https://t.co/8w1XNuIJIs
— Wampler? (@ScottWamplerRIP) May 13, 2018
Taking it a step further, he even listed instructions at one point.
Y’all should all make it a party, tho. Do what I’d have done. Day drink. Put some people in The Pipe. Befriend a Furry, cyberbully the President, directly @ people and tell them when they have been owned. Have fun with it.
— Wampler? (@ScottWamplerRIP) January 4, 2018
Honoring his wishes, last night’s X feed was ablaze with tributes to Wampler, ranging from touching to gut-bustingly funny.
I am absolutely gutted, shocked, and devastated to learn that Scott Wampler has passed away. He was a force, a friend, a collaborator, and one hell of a fantastic individual. I can't find the words.
— Mike Flanagan (@flanaganfilm) June 1, 2024
We lost Scott Wampler (@ScottWamplerRIP) today. He was one of the brightest lights in the genre film community. Always engaging, highly intelligent and disarmingly funny. This is a very sad day for all of us who knew him. He will be greatly missed.
— N O S ? ? I ? ? ? ? ⊥ ⊥ O ? S (@scottderrickson) June 1, 2024
Scott was loved, loved, loved and he lived a full life and one that was brimming with passion and many deep friendships. @EricVespe I send you much light and love. I am here if you need me- https://t.co/yFXFa0X47v
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) June 1, 2024
What would Wampler have wanted friends to say? He’d probably have laughed at sappy attempts to eulogize him. But he was so funny (GOD, so fucking funny), so smart, and such a wonderful person to know. We loved him. He was the best. The world is less bright without him. https://t.co/qMZV6kzvzE
— Kate Erbland (@katerbland) May 31, 2024
Rest in Peace Scott. I genuinely don’t know what to say. I always looked forward to seeing you and talking to you and I can’t believe that will never happen again. I’ll miss you buddy. https://t.co/MOQlxBiqWg
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) May 31, 2024
95% of my feed for the last hour is about Scott Wampler once again illustrating I have made good choices.
Hoist one in the air for him, watch a rad ass movie, and discuss with a loved one which monster you'd most like to fuck in graphic detail. Just as Scott would have done.— C. Robert Cargill (@Massawyrm) June 1, 2024
Nothing I could tweet could possibly explain how much I loved Scott.
— BenDavid Grabinski (@bdgrabinski) June 1, 2024
Oh man…Scott Wampler was a truly singular force; passionate, hilarious and loved by everyone who knew him. My heart is with his friends and family. What a shocking loss.
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) June 1, 2024
Awfully sorry to hear that Scott Wampler has died.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) June 1, 2024
Scott Wampler did king shit. And if you were around him, you somehow got to do king shit, as well.
Anyway, here we are on a private jet, flying to Bangor to interview Stephen King.
We should all be more like Scott. He was an absolute legend. pic.twitter.com/eMJwgoa8Fc— Sean O'Connell (@Sean_OConnell) June 1, 2024
There is a giant hole in the film and horror community now, but the outpouring of love for Scott Wampler on here has been an incredible sight to behold.
He touched so many people with his love of movies and his sharp humor. He will be missed.@ScottWamplerRIP, indeed. pic.twitter.com/usKWh6VTRw— Joe Russo (@joerussotweets) June 1, 2024
Death was probably not something Scott Wampler was afraid of. It fascinated and delighted him, and often pushed him to go further. In this way, Scott Wampler will never die. His words, humor, and joyous voice will live on with us forever. For as much pleasure as he found in the hair-raising, he also made this world a nicer place to live in.
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