ABF Season 4 - Meet the Crew: Mercedes Khali
Up next in our lineup of weirdos is Mercedes Khali. As Co-Executive Producer for A Bad Feeling Horror Podcast, Mercedes has contributed to your nightmares since episode one alongside Creator Deanna Gomez and brings co-host Marina Longdead out from the shadows of the great beyond to trade spooky tales with Ghoulia Gomez.
Mercedes Khali
Co-Executive Producer
Writer, Actor
Mercedes Khali is a horror and dark comedy writer whose work gives voice and power to the non-conventional, angsty, and emo Black girls of the world by ensuring that they are NEVER a sidekick, token, or heartfelt self-sacrifice. In her nightmares, all the Final Girls are Black.
Where are you from originally? living in LA, is there anything specific you've learned about the city through the lens of a creative?
I'm from Moreno Valley, CA, but I feel like I've lived in nearly every part of California over the course of my life thus far. I'm local to LA county now, but I feel like growing up in SoCal you wind up feeling like you're enveloped into Los Angeles. Everyone knows there are really only three cities in California - Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, right? Anything in between is considered to be the watered down version of whichever of the big three they're nearest to.
As a creative currently living the closest to the perceived creative epicenter than I ever have before, I'm learning that for every genuine asshole, there are five other people that you can connect with that are genuinely in this industry for the craft. Also, everyone's an influencer, apparently. If you're not already connected via nepotism, a high follower count seems to be the thing that instills confidence in the mainstream. I think it's for the birds. I don't need thousands of followers to make my creative work worth the time and effort.
What do you consider to be your major creative influences, across genres?
From an early age, I always gravitated toward the strange and unusual and the awkward and darkly comedic in every medium. I also love a weird, sassy mystery. From a literary standpoint, Ray Bradbury and Stephen King remain authors that compel me and force me to dig deeper in my own work. Raymond Chandler's character Philip Marlowe is also a heavy influence on my tone for leads, I love the approachable cynic.
For TV and film, I see glimmers of things like Heathers, Invader Zim, Jawbreaker, Bedazzled, Twin Peaks, and Midsomer Murders show up throughout my work. I would also be remiss if I didn't shout out the pop punk music that raised me, that is definitely a major influence on my creativity. I just love art, all of it, anything that someone had the guts to create should at least be perceived. Even if it sucks, I still want to form a well-rounded opinion on it about why.
What are your thoughts on the current explosion of horror media in the mainstream? How do you feel about it and where do you think it's stemming from?
I think it's really exciting to see so many unique approaches to the genre be able to hit the mainstream. We are entering an era of this genre that is embracing the farthest reaches of its boundaries. It's no longer horror for horror's sake, I think people are realizing that we can use this genre to speak to hard truths. We have some of the major voices of our time showing up and showing out every time they create; the names that stick out to me most at this particular moment are Jordan Peele, Jane Schoenbrun, Little Marvin, Danny and Michael Philippou, and Robert Eggers. When I see these names pop up with new work on the horizon, I get excited.
Did you go to school for writing or are you self taught? What do you think are the pros and cons of the path you took?
I have two writing degrees, a BA in Broadcasting and an MFA in Screenwriting, and I can say with the utmost confidence that they have done absolutely nothing for me besides collect dust on my nana's wall (and put me in tremendous debt, oh my god). The most valuable experiences I've gained as a writer and creative have come through teaching myself through practice and collaborating with others who are tired of waiting for a miracle and opt for the trial and error approach. Here is my honest take on film school: You're paying for connections, not degrees.
If you can't afford or are not accepted to the big names like USC, UCLA, Chapman, or NYU, don't bother. The only thing any other program can give you beyond limited access to mediocre film equipment is a headache and an identity crisis. If you're looking to write specifically, Robert McKee's Story is a complete film school for writers in 400 pages and as of 2025, it's only $20 to purchase a copy. So much cheaper than college. If you want access to equipment you can't afford, try your local community college! If you're enrolled in a class that's $90 a unit, still so much cheaper than a 4-year. Please, for the love of god, understand that you have options. Get a "practical degree" if you need to, but put your money, time, and energy elsewhere, like maybe your own creative work.
What's your favorite scary story, across mediums?
In Ray Bradbury's anthology Dandelion Wine there is an interwoven narrative of some sort of prowler wreaking havoc on the small town all of the stories take place in and it comes to a head in one story that follows a woman as she walks home alone at night and over the course of the walk, that sinking feeling comes over her that she's being stalked and it is to this day one of the most unsettling stories I've ever read. I'm scared now just thinking about it, ah!
If you could've written any great horror film first, which one do you wish you had done and why?
I think about the film Green Room (2015) constantly, like at least once a day (Rest in peace, sweet Anton Yelchin). It is probably the most punk film I've ever seen because it actively defines the difference between skinheads and true punks in real time. And who doesn't love to see a skinhead get wrecked? From the moment the band realizes who their audience is for this gig and plays "Nazi Punks, Fuck You" to the crowd, I knew I was witnessing a masterpiece. Bold, Beautiful, Bad Ass. I want that same feeling to come over anyone that experiences my work; I'm not here to coddle you, I'm here to set the record straight with my work - Black finals girls exist, true punks are the last critical thinkers of our time, and life can be bloody, messy, disgusting, and bad ass (sometimes all at once).
That said, a VERY close second would have to be Rats! (2024). If you were a pop punk Black girl in the early to mid-2000s, meet yourself and every boy you had a crush on at the time embodied by one man in the weirdest adventure you'll ever experience. I wish I had written it because it embodies everything I thought I was, but presents it to me as I am now, an adult, and I see how ridiculous and awkward I must have truly looked at the time. But still so freaking good. I love it so much.
What advice do you have for creatives that are just starting out?
Do it. Make the project, write the story, record the podcast. We're living in an era where it has likely never been easier for artists to create their own work on their own terms AND release it to the masses without permission (and in a lot of instances get paid). You don't need anyone's permission to be an artist and the concept of success in this field of work can be defined by the individual.
I understand that a life of grandeur and applause looks so delicious from the outside looking in, but at the end of the day you have to be able to create for yourself first. That's where your authentic voice lives and that's what will get you the respect and appreciation you crave. The millisecond you start pandering for a paycheck, you'll find it a lot harder to create good work because you've stopped putting yourself into your work. It's already hard enough to do this in the first place, don't overcomplicate it by failing to set boundaries where it really counts.
Listen to Her Work
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Listen to Her Work 〰️
There are only 3 episodes left this season, Listeners! Let’s get our final three of season three started with Static!