When I first started watching MonsterVision on its opening day on June 29, 1991 (Saturday), there was no host and, of course, no mail girl. This trend went on until Joe Bob Briggs showed up in 1996 and introduced to the audience the lovely Honey as his mail girl. From that moment on, we would see a mail girl, and as the years passed, we would be introduced to a new mail girl. I’m not sure how many there were in total, perhaps three? I’m not sure, but the three I remember were Honey, Reno, and of course Rusty. Every one of these mail girls was great, they did a fantastic job, and I miss them like most of you. It would be great if Joe Bob could somehow bring them on the show. Now, not to get off track, we have a not-so-new mail girl named Darcy.
Diana Prince, known as Darcy, has been the best mail girl by far. No disrespect to the previous mail, girls. But Darcy did what we all wanted. More on this shortly. James Rolfe of Cinemassacre did a tribute video to MonsterVision a little more than ten years ago. A friend sent me the link to the video, and even I wondered what in the hell happened to Joe Bob and can we ever get him back?
I decided to reach out to Joe Bob, and he said it would not work. He had doubts and so forth. I’m sure many of you reading this also asked him to try and find a way to make it back on the screen. We tried like hell, and one day it happened! He’s back! Joe Bob, you magnificent SOB, we told you!
Well, that’s partially correct.
See, while we were clamoring at our keyboards, sending messages to Joe Bob and one another about the good ol’ days and those to come potentially, but likely never will. One lady did what most of us thought was impossible or never would have imagined. Enter Darcy.
Correct me if I am wrong, as I am trying to remember off the top of my head. Still, I believe Darcy heard that Joe Bob was promoting his book Eccentric Orbits: The Iridium Story in San Francisco, and that’s when Darcy dressed up as a mail girl, waited in line with all these individual think tanks, and not only impressed him, but they became friends.
.
That moment was ground zero for the return of the show. By showing up, Darcy had made it clear to Joe Bob that you should be on TV or streaming or whatever, instead of this.
A year later, Joe Bob’s back! He’s on Shudder, he’s on, and that’s all that matters. We see his face for a certain number of weeks and holiday specials, and that’s good (I’d rather it be 52 weeks)!
However, we have to stop and think about Darcy, who got the show off the ground just by showing up and convincing Joe Bob that he is needed.
Darcy has done more than just aid in getting the show up and running. Just from an observational point, I think she keeps Joe Bob running. I believe Darcy has made a tremendous footprint in the horror universe. I think she is one we ought to praise, if not more, because she has also gone out of her way for the fans by putting together the MonsterVision DVD sets that we wait to purchase—a tedious process that will take much time but well worth it.
At first, I was apprehensive about a new mail girl. WHO IS THIS!?!? IMPOSTER!!! But she is not. She is a genuine lover of the movies we clamor every week to watch together.
You can call her a modern-day Vampira, Elvira, or whatever. I don’t see Darcy as any of those except as Darcy. She is equal to them in name and action, just like Joe Bob. Joe Bob is not a modern-day Svengoolie or Zacherley; he’s Joe Bob Briggs!
Well, this article is far too long, but I want to give credit where credit is due. Darcy, you’re a diamond! Thank you for your hard work and patience in getting the production off and running and keeping the Drive-in alive with your presents. I hope you get a horror show to host one day. Maybe it will be called Afterhours with Darcy? Who knows, but you have my support.
Cheers!