CONFIRMED! Naomi Grossman Back As Pinhead Pepper on American Horror Story Freak Show – YES!

22 September 2014

We’ll be adding more later, but for now we have this photo as proof (Source: EW.com/Entertainment Weekly).

Again, as we made no effort to even begin to hide here, the first official photo of Ms. Grossman as Pepper is the property of Entertainment Weekly– they own the copyright, not us. There was no way were going to miss showing you the screencap, though! PLUS, we know Pepper won’t get killed off, since Freak Show takes place in the 1950s (and the present, but this is clearly the 50s time period) and Asylum took place in the 1960s.

This will also mark the first time in American Horror Story’s four-season run that any character has ever recurred. Now come on– if you got to pick a character to see again, wouldn’t awesome Pepper be your first choice?

We actually had heard rumors about this before, but didn’t want to post anything until we knew for sure (in fact, we waited to the point where who knows, you might have heard this days ago, but we’re sure as hell posting it now). One of the people that said they saw “Pinhead” on the call sheet also told us that Glenn Close was appearing in the Coven finale, and we know how that went.

More as it comes in. Best news we’ve heard since we saw Tim Minear was penning the season premiere!

She’s baaaack!

Naomi Grossman, American Horror Story’s Pepper, Talks Characters, Not Watching TV, And More (Are You Screening?)

7 April 2013

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Naomi G: … I had no idea I would be getting my direction from the make-up artists. I have to say too, the minute you put that make-up on, you kind of want to go there. You know, I’d been watching things for months and months, on a loop, on my computer, and then I look in the mirror and see it, and you want to go there… I suppose there are actors out there who just want to be pretty, and won’t shave their heads, and won’t do a lot of things. Won’t even sit in a chair and have make-up put on them. I’m definitely not one of them. The way I see it, I’m just a small part of the huge vision, and whatever I can do to help make the make-up people’s job easier. Besides, who wants to play the pretty… I mean, those are the boring parts.

-Naomi Grossman, on why Pepper was both a real treat and a challenge to play.

It looks like we missed a Naomi Grossman interview, posted on areyouscreening.com around the time of the American Horror Story Asylum finale. You can check it out below; Marc Eastman did a great job. She not only talks about Pepper, but her life as it exists outside the show. I hope she gets a guest role on S3 (American Horror Story – Coven). I seriously doubt, though, that anyone will recognize her out of makeup …at first.

American Horror Story’s Pepper Naomi Grossman Talks Characters, Not Watching TV, And More (Are You Screening?)

New! Pepper On American Horror Story Asylum: Naomi Grossman, Who Plays The Fan Favorite, Talks Musical And More!

28 January 2013

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Do I really need a lot of introduction here? It’s an interview with Naomi Grossman on Huffington Post, discussing playing Pepper on American Horror Story Asylum (and on possible future projects). I feel sort of stupid for not sniffing this piece out before, since it was published right after “The Name Game” episode. It’s another great one, she’s entertaining and informative as always:

Pepper On ‘American Horror Story’: Naomi Grossman, Who Plays The Fan Favorite, Talks Musical And More.

I’m really going to miss “Asylum”, but I started missing Pepper the minute “Dr. Krump” gently told Jessica Lange that Pepper had passed in 1966. Too bad, I loved watching her playing “Candy land” with Jude, and also seeing them hanging out in the kitchen. Glad she knows how many fans she’s made happy!

Candy Land: The Great Lollipop Adventure (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

American Horror Story Asylum Fans, Sound Off! Poll: With Only The Finale Left, Who Will You Miss Most?

17 January 2013

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Though characters have been dropping dead (or killing each other/themselves) since New Year’s, who will you miss the most after the story has ended? Note: not all characters here are heroes and heroines, some are just so evil they could be entertaining. A couple, let’s face it, needed to die. Also, some got killed off before this poll was created. We’d really like to know who you’re going to miss.

I miss HER already! How about you?

We know it’s hard to trim it down to one character, so vote for up to three. Due to the fact we didn’t have room for more than ten, we couldn’t put separate categories for, say, Sister Jude and Judy Martin, or Sister Mary Eunice and demon-possessed Sister Mary Eunice. We’re pretty sure we covered it all, but there’s room for you to write-in your vote if we missed someone. If we get a lot of response to this, we have several more fun polls (Scariest Scene? Most Shocking Moment? Nastiest Death? Character most likely to appear in your nightmares? Sexiest Scene?) that were really fun to jot down. Hey, we’re more than happy to have the ~~First~~ Only Annual American Horror Story Asylum Viewer’s Choice Awards and post the winners. Shit, I’ll post polls myself every day, no shortage there!

Either way, start with our poll here and tell us who you’ll miss seeing every week on American Horror Story Asylum!

Oh, and it’s anonymous. If there’s more than a couple write-in votes, we’ll put a second one up for recurring (recurring=shows up in two or more episodes) characters (Shelley, Bloody Face Jr., Leigh “Psycho Santa” Emerson, Percy the compulsive masturbator guy, Frank, etc.). Vote away, please!

Breaking News: Pepper’s Back Next Week! Until Then, Read Naomi Grossman’s Piece From EW.com On Being Cast, Transformed Into Pepper the Pinhead on American Horror Story Asylum!

6 December 2012

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When it comes to covering and Q&A about American Horror Story Asylum, I get more questions about Pepper than practically all the other characters combined. Is pinhead on ASHA real? and Who plays pinhead on AHSA? but the last month, the top question (more than who is bloody face ) is When is Pepper pinhead coming back?

For the answer on that last one, you can read my re-blog here; I highly recommend this piece that Naomi Grossman wrote herself. Right from the ~~pinhead’s~~–er, ~~horse’s~~–that doesn’t sound nice either, let me try one more time. Right from Naomi Grossman’s mouth!

American Horror Story Asylum Releases Official Featurette on Pepper The Pinhead – Watch “Meet Pepper” Now! (horrorboom.com)
See Proof Brave Actress Shaved Her Head To Play Pinhead ‘Pepper’ In American Horror Story Asylum! (horrorboom.com)
Pepper Is A Pinhead; Schlitzie Was The Inspiration (horrorboom.com)
FINALLY! American Horror Story Asylum Fans, We Found An In-Depth Interview With Actress Naomi Grossman – All About “Pepper the Pinhead” (horrorboom.com)
Ten Little-Known Trivia Facts About American Horror Story Asylum – We Bet You Haven’t Heard Them All Yet! (horrorboom.com)
Ten Reasons We’re REALLY Psyched Up For The American Horror Story Asylum Christmas Episode Airing This Week! (horrorboom.com)
“AHS Asylum” and the Problem of “Freaks” (Tod Browning; 1932) (tvandpop.com)

American Horror Story Asylum Releases Official Featurette on Pepper The Pinhead – Watch “Meet Pepper” Now!

28 November 2012

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“I found out kinda late what I was getting myself into.” -Actress Naomi Grossman

Well, it’s about time – after we scoured the internet for information on American Horror Story Asylum’s resident Pinhead, Pepper– and the brave actress who plays her– “Inside The Asylum” just released as official featurette! Warning: it’s rather surreal seeing Naomi Grossman in her full-on Pepper makeup and costume, but out of character, chatting away in her pretty, semi-valley Girl voice. Check it out below!

They also show some clips (“RATS!”). It’s funny how, when her character first popped up, I thought the same thing some people on set did – Holy shit, did they somehow find an actual pinhead with a SAG card? Then I figured it was CGI. Then I went looking, and started posting! I’m still amazed at the job they did, and the whole American Horror Story Asylum make-up effects team deserves an Emmy. If anyone we talked to didn’t think they deserved an award, then they haven’t seen this video.

Gabba Gabba HEY!

You know, she is actually kind of cute. Still not leaving her alone with a baby, though.

See Proof Brave Actress Shaved Her Head To Play Pinhead ‘Pepper’ In American Horror Story Asylum! (horrorboom.com)
Pepper Is A Pinhead; Schlitzie Was The Inspiration (horrorboom.com)
FINALLY! American Horror Story Asylum Fans, We Found An In-Depth Interview With Actress Naomi Grossman – All About “Pepper the Pinhead” (horrorboom.com)
Check Out The Official American Horror Story Asylum For Full Episodes And Better Yet, Exclusive Video (FX Networks) (horrorboom.com)
Exclusive American Horror Story First Look: Frances Conroy Returns as the ‘Ultimate [Spoiler]’ (horrorboom.com)
American Horror Story Asylum Main Title Sequence (behance.net)

See Proof Brave Actress Shaved Her Head To Play Pinhead ‘Pepper’ In American Horror Story Asylum!

17 November 2012

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Well well, it looks like Naomi Grossman has her own You Tube Channel! Cool. She’s done a lot of skits for Funny Or Die, as well as quite a few short films. First, she put up a video of herself stylin’ on the Red Carpet for the American Horror Story Asylum Premiere event (and yes, that’s a wig, you’ll find out why soon):

Here she is being asked about American Horror Story Asylum at the same event (though she can’t give up many details, of course) in a short interview:

Aaand here she is being incredibly brave, getting all that hair off except for that little ponytail on top… WOW.

Any actress that dedicated deserves all the attention she’s getting for her role. She did say in an interview I posted a link to earlier that when she was on set without her costume/makeup, no-one recognized her. That’s definitely a good thing! Glad her character is becoming a fan favorite and getting so much attention. Ms. Grossman sure as hell earns every last bit of it!

“Pepper’s not harmless. She drowned her sister’s baby and sliced his ears off.”

Pepper Is A Pinhead; Schlitzie Was The Inspiration (horrorboom.com)
American Horror Story: Asylum – Gallery of Some Very Creepy Moments In New Opening Credits! (horrorboom.com)
‘American Horror Story’ Renewed for Season 3 by FX (tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com)
FINALLY! American Horror Story Asylum Fans, We Found An In-Depth Interview With Actress Naomi Grossman – All About “Pepper the Pinhead” (horrorboom.com)

Pepper The Pinhead On American Story Is Based On This Real-Life Performer…

11 November 2012

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Here’s a great post. Since various combinations of “Pepper the Pinhead on American Horror Story Asylum” has probably been one of (if not the #1) top search term that lands horror fans on Horror Boom for the past month, I still wonder what her make-up process is, and if any wanted to see how her make-up was done. This great post from Laurie Kendrick briefly discusses that, but also the real life person Pepper is based on, Simon Metz (I never knew “Schlitze” was a man, which is kind of embarrassing since I consider myself a subject matter expert and big fan of the movie since I read about it in 1980. Then I discovered the Ramones connection and that took my obsession to a whole new level. I was actually too scared to see it after I read Stephen King’s vivid, horrifying description of the seminal film in his non-fiction book, Danse Macabre.

At the time, I didn’t want to see anything that gave Stephen King nightmares. Anyway, I’ve read several books on what were oh-so-compassionately termed Freak Shows and the actual people who performed in them. This is a great read on the subject of the movie and “Schlitze”. I have more information on the subject, but that’s for later, and Ms. Kendrick does a much better job here than if I worked on a piece full-time for a week. Check it out – and I agree. May Schlitze Surtees rest in peace. He’s more than earned it.

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American Horror Story Asylum – News and SPOILER Round-Up For Upcoming Episodes (Part 2 of 2) – Plus Pinhead Pepper Plots REVENGE! (horrorboom.com)

First Teaser Trailer for the 2013 Carrie Remake Starring Chloe Moretz and Julianne Moore Is Here – Bloody Hell! (horrorboom.com)

Photo Gallery for American Horror Story: Asylum – Episode 5: I Am Anne Frank – Part 2 (dreadcentral.com)

American Horror Story Asylum – News and SPOILER Round-Up/Specs For Upcoming Episodes (Part 1 of 2) – Plus Pinhead Pepper Plots REVENGE! (horrorboom.com)

“AHS Asylum” and the Problem of “Freaks” (Tod Browning; 1932) (tvandpop.com)

Laurie Kendrick

A year ago—maybe longer—I wrote a post about a genetic condition commonly known as “Pinhead Syndrome”. And since the premier of American Horror Story: Asylum its been receiving renewed interest.

Actress, Naomi Grossman endures grueling hours of special make up, putting on oversized clothes and prosthetic application to transform into Pepper, a patient incarcerated in the edifice which serves as this season’s main character: an asylum called Briarcliff. Pepper is microcephalic.

In the simplest of terms, the character has a considerably smaller head than normal, due to a smaller than normal brain case. She seems gentle and playful but as we learned in the first episode this season, she has a very violent past. She drowned her nephew and cut off his ears. But we later learn, that her brother in-law committed the murder and mutilation and blamed it on her because of her disability.