‘USA Up All Night’ Host Rhonda Shear on Why Her Iconic Show Is Back (Exclusive)
If you spent your ’90s weekend nights watching USA Up All Night, you absolutely remember hostess with the mostess Rhonda Shear, who guided viewers through the B-movie underground with jokes, skits, and undeniable charisma.
This Halloween, Rhonda is back, with a new Up All Night season on the Kings of Horror YouTube channel, which begins with a special that premieres on October 25, 2025, 10pm ET. The new show will be produced by Shear Media Studios, with all new skits, characters, horror spotlights, and that late-night chaos that only Ms. Shear can deliver.
ReMIND magazine sat down to chat with Ronda Shear about all things Up All Night, her favorite Halloween costume, that famous catchphrase and Gilbert Gottfried.
The upcoming Halloween Up All Night special on Kings of Horror — will that be a one-off, or will there be more shows?
Up All Night is back in production! We’re back and the Halloween special will be our first show. Then we deliver another show on November 22nd, and then we deliver a Christmas show on December 20th. Then Up All Night will go every other week after the first of the year.
Courtesy Shear Enterprises, LLC and Kings of Horror
The first show on Kings of Horror, will it be live or taped?
We’re live to tape and will be running on YouTube. The night of the premiere, the chat room will be open. I will be watching along with everyone else. I will be online and answering fan questions in real time. I think that’s going to be a blast.
How are you able to continue using the Up All Night name?
I have the rights to the name Up All Night. I got the rights after the show ended. About a year and a half later, I stayed in touch with the USA Network’s attorneys and got the usage of the name. I also use it in my internet apparel line.
Did you have a favorite Up All Night skit from the original show?
Oh my God. There wasn’t anything we didn’t do. We went out to LA and did bits at movie premieres. Then we did shows that were strictly from my bedroom – it’s just insane, the people that came to that show, such as Barbara Walters, you name it – they were on.
It’s been 30 years. Why do you think that there’s still a huge fan base and love for the show?
I really do think it’s the resurgence of horror films. Escapism — I think a lot of these young kids don’t have a lot of things that were around in the ’90s, and there’s a huge resurgence of the ’90s in general. I think that’s part of it. I don’t remember horror being as hot as it is now. I feel like it’s hotter now than it was, even when I was starring in the show.
How did you get the job for Up All Night?
They had another gal on a year and a half before me [Caroline Schlitt hosted from 1989–1990]. I thought she was really good myself, but I wasn’t the one making the decision to change people. They wanted more sex appeal. So, I went all out when I auditioned. I had a very low-cut dress and spandex. I was just doing crazy stuff, because I kept being told that I was too sexy to do everything I was going out for. I just figured for this role, I would go all in for this character.
Did you keep anything from the set of Up All Night?
I did, and I’m so happy I did. I kind of lifted it, but no one cared. It was my vanity from the original show, which is iconic. It was built for the show, and it’s been in my office and my life for all these years. Now, with the new set that my husband built, and he recreated the heart-shaped bed, it looks so similar. A new vibe, but just like the original. We added a window, a closet door, a balcony, and a front door. I just wanted a bigger bedroom.
We added a window because I have a creepy landlord on the show who’s always looking for rent. I will have some regular recurring guests, such as John Brennan, who will be my upstairs neighbor. So, I think that’s kind of fun. I never had that before and that could organically grow to more characters down the line. What’s fun about the new show – we don’t know what’s going to happen.
USA Nework/courtesy Everett Collection
Your catchphrase, “UP All Night” — how did that come about?
Well, I was working with my first producer, Tommy Lynch, and we were sitting in my kitchen. And I love catchphrases. I just love them; they make people remember you. So, I thought I needed to come up with something. I said, I think I’m just going to make my voice lighter, which eventually became my own. I told Tommy, “I’m going to punch the ‘UP’ in Up All Night. Tommy said, “That’s great … whatever you want.”
So, of course, I was definitely typecast as a bimbo because I used my own name instead of using a different character name, but it’s okay. It worked out. This is my brand now.
How was it working with Gilbert Gottfried on Up All Night?
Amazing. I miss Gilbert, and our first show on King of Horror will be dedicated to him, and we’ll show some wonderful clips. A few years ago, during COVID, I started a podcast called Ronda Shear’s Social Hour and Gilbert was my first guest and that was the last interview I had with him. He was great – just a brilliant guy. I am happy that he married the beautiful Dara and had two great kids, and had that kind of love in his life before passing away. We lost him too soon, for sure.
What was your favorite Halloween costume ever?
You know, I’m from New Orleans, so when you’re from New Orleans, you pretty much live in costume all the time. There’s nothing I haven’t done, especially on Up All Night. I have to say my favorite costume was a clown, because I hate clowns. I was really pissed off at Marty (producer) for putting me in a clown outfit on the streets of New York. He would have me running out into the street and washing car windows. You know, back then that was a big thing for people to get paid for washing car windows. He had me doing that in the streets of New York. You couldn’t do that today.
I was dressed fully as a happy clown, not a horror clown. I have to say that’s probably my favorite because I got to hide behind the makeup, I didn’t have to be me, I didn’t have to have the big hair, I didn’t have to have the big boobs I didn’t have to have anything.
What is your favorite horror movie?
It’s so funny. I don’t really have favorites, ’cause the truth of the matter is, horror is not my jam – I like B comedies.
When you’re doing the conventions, do fans bring wacky things, or things you’ve never seen before, to have you sign them?
They do. I was in Spaceballs and the fans collect all things Spaceballs. I’ll see all these wacky things from Spaceballs. I was in the diner scene and had only one line. I tried very hard to get into the new film. My agent reached out, but they were already filming.
Up All Night Boo Bash Halloween special Premieres Saturday, October 25th at 10pm ET on Kings of Horror via YouTube! Stay UP with Rhonda and join the late-night party, where cult classics meet the next generation of indie horror.
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