Ghost Hunters TV show – Fake?
“Is Ghost Hunters TV show a fake?” “Are the Ghost Hunters fake?” “Did TAPS fake their Halloween 2008 show?”
The emails have been pouring in, asking questions like these. I was going to ignore them, but the emails continue to flood my in-box.
I’ve looked at the Ghost Hunters TV show footage on YouTube and studied it frame-by-frame. I also listened closely to the audio, where a voice clearly says, “You’re not supposed to be here.”
Here’s my analysis.
“YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE”
That voice is alarmingly clear. During my own ghost hunts, I’ve never heard anything that audibly crisp or like someone was right there, saying it.
Then again, I rarely hear things audibly when I’m conducting research. I rarely capture any EVP, either. Audio is not one of my stronger areas.
However, Jason and Grant have documented increasingly clear EVPs during their research.
In my experience, this seems to be a skill — perhaps related to rapport with the spirits — and most ghost researchers improve as they investigate a variety of sites.
So, while this was a very unusual and audible voice, I think it’s possible in a profoundly haunted setting… and that’s what they chose for their Halloween 2008 show.
Also, at Jason’s MySpace blog, he points out that the voice was so clear, he asked if someone had said anything. (If anything irks me about Jason, it’s that he tends to be aggressively skeptical. This show was no exception.)
Likewise, it looked to me as if Grant was asking the producers if they were in the wrong location… if they weren’t actually supposed to be where they were at that moment.
So, I don’t think that Jason, Grant or the TAPS team faked the voice. I also trust the integrity of the SciFi channel.
There are other, natural explanations, but I don’t think that Jason, Grant or the SciFi channel set this up.
GRANT’S JACKET PULLED
The second controversial moment was the tug on Grant’s jacket… if it was that.
If you watch the video, frame by frame, you’ll see that the collar moves oddly just before Grant stumbles backwards.
However, the fishing line explanation doesn’t work. We might see the line highlighted by the cameras, or a shadow on the wall when the cameras moved in. It’s possible to do that on a recorded show.
However, on a live show, the production company couldn’t take that chance.
Here’s a bigger problem with the fishing line explanation: Grant’s jacket was open at the neck. If line had pulled on his jacket enough to throw him off balance, it would have jerked the neck opening of the jacket as it pulled him backwards, slightly choking him.
In my opinion, Grant perceived it as just his jacket, but he was actually forced backwards by something else. The only visual manifestation — besides Grant stumbling — was the movement at the collar a split second before he stepped backwards.
I can’t explain what happened. I have no idea, and can’t even guess.
Strange things occur in haunted places. That’s one reason we keep investigating them: We’re looking for explanations, but we often leave with more (and new) questions than answers.
The jacket tug baffles me.
NOT ENOUGH REACTION?
Several people have claimed that Grant’s body language, tone of voice, or other cues “give away” that he was faking the whole thing.
That’s not very good evidence of a hoax.
Anyone who has been on real ghost hunts knows that we get used to odd things happening. The “usual” anomalies stop surprising us after awhile. (This may be another reason why the manifestations become increasingly dramatic around experienced ghost hunters.)
But, if you’ve been with me on ghost hunts that turn dramatic — for example, with doors slamming repeatedly, or windows opening and closing on their own — you’ve seen me sigh and mutter, “I wish they wouldn’t do that. It’s really annoying.”
Things that scare other people don’t even surprise experienced ghost hunters, after we’ve encountered the phenomena enough times.
So, it’s a mistake to judge the authenticity of phenomena because an experienced ghost hunter doesn’t seem startled enough.
We just don’t startle as easily as someone with less ghost hunting experience.
Grant’s reaction (or lack of it) doesn’t prove anything.
A MATTER OF INTEGRITY
Jason and Grant are good friends. I see them at least once a year and we’ve chatted over breakfasts, lunches, dinners and at parties. We exchange emails when something is of mutual concern.
Grant is one of the most honest people I’ve ever met. He’s a really clean-living guy. Grant looks you straight in the eye when he talks with you. He seems to leave parties even earlier in the evening than I do… and that’s saying a lot. (I leave before things get even mildly wild. Unlike many ghost hunters, I’m a morning person… but I also live a fairly tame lifestyle and never drink liquor.)
I know both Grant and his wife, and neither of them would make make things up. They’re squeaky-clean, and I’d trust Grant (or his wife) completely in any context.
I like Jason, but sometimes he seems like an almost incorrigible skeptic. If anything, he’s likely to trivialize evidence that the rest of us point to as proof of a haunting. So, it seems absurd to think that he’d be part of a hoax. That’d be completely out of character.
Sure, Jason has a very dry wit, but he would never compromise his own integrity as a ghost hunter, the integrity of the TAPS team, or the Ghost Hunters TV show. That’s not his style. If you’ve met him in real life or listened to him talk at any conference, you know that he’s rock-solid honest.
At this point, I would hope that Jason and Grant have earned enough money that they could retire tomorrow, if they wanted to.
If the show’s production company said, “We want you to fake this,” Jay and Grant would reply, “We’d quit rather than do that.”
And, they would.
They have no reason to compromise their integrity. None whatsoever.
DID IT HAPPEN?
It’s true. Some very odd things seemed to happen during the Ghost Hunters TV show on Halloween 2008.
Could they have been faked?
Yes, the voice might have come from a very well hidden microphone. But — if that voice was part of a hoax — I’m confident that Jason, Grant and the SciFi channel weren’t aware of it.
I wasn’t there to know what direction the voice came from, and what it was like, except for what we saw on the Ghost Hunters TV show… and frankly, that’s not enough information for me to judge.
I’ve said it often: It’s a mistake to judge what is (and isn’t) a real haunting, a real ghost photo or real EVP unless you were there.
The incident with Grant’s jacket is another issue altogether. It couldn’t have been faked without Grant’s knowledge, and there’s zero chance he’d be part of a hoax.
All in all, I trust Jason and Grant. They say that they didn’t fake anything on the show, and I believe them.
But, I’m also aware that many people like a “good scare” on Halloween, and — starting the very next morning — they want to assure themselves that the whole thing wasn’t real, and scary things don’t wait for them in the darkness.
I think they’re the loudest detractors of the Halloween 2008 Ghost Hunters TV show.
Personally, I’ll keep watching the show and enjoy it tremendously.
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July 2009 update:
This article may soon close for comments. Much of the rhetoric has degenerated to name-calling, petty accusations, and a few statements that could not be approved because they border on libel and defamation of character.
I try to keep this as an open forum, whether or not I agree with you. Well-considered arguments can help us find a common ground, and a direction to move towards as intelligent and enquiring members of the ghost hunting community .
If you have something constructive and helpful to contribute to the conversation, I’ll happily approve your comment so that it appears here. If you have documented accusations that would meet legal standards, I can approve those, as well.
However, I will not approve future comments that suggest stupidity or duplicity among my readers… on either side of the argument.
We may have to agree to disagree on the subject of the “Ghost Hunters” TV series.
=================================
August 2009 update
Thanks for the many comments, both positive and negative. As I announced in July, I’ve closed this thread to additional comments.
I’ve set the software accordingly, and apologize if any comments were deleted in this process. (I see that at least one of mine vanished, so be assured that it’s nothing personal.)
Short of putting everyone involved on a lie detector with witnesses with unquestionable integrity (if there is such a thing), I’m not sure that this question will ever be answered. While I respect the opinions of those who’ve disagreed, I still maintain my faith in the personal integrity of Jason and Grant.
No related posts. Use the Contact form (above) to ask Fiona for more info.
I noticed that when something happens that make the people jump the camera man never jumps….
Hi Jordan, Most cameramen I’ve met are very proud of how steady they are, even when they’re actually terrified by what’s going on. They shift their attention to lighting and how the images are framed, and do their best to pretend that everything is perfectly normal. In many years of participating in TV shows, I’ve only seen a cameraman run in fright once, and that’s because he thought it was all nonsense until the ghosts tampered with his camera.
Sorry but I have found that people that are “good friends “are not open to the fact that people do change. I stopped watching all the shows and looking forward to Syfy or whatever they are now. Will start showing good shows.
If your such a good friend of Jason and Grant. How do they feel about all those people losing their money to Mr. Fair (spelled right?) Tapscon2009? They paid and have asked for their money back and so far only a few have received the refund. Right now a lot of people don’t have jobs and that money would be very helpful. Let J/G know this is not Ron from SciFake. Just someone who just happened to see the site and was shock by what I saw. I know that money changes people so do J/G feel they are above everyone right now? The reason I ask this is I am seeing a lot of bad things all over the internet on them. I like them when they first started, and now I can’t wait for them to be off the air.
You’re right, “Ok not a fan,” people do change. I’ve learned (the hard way) to be very cautious about who I endorse and who I trust as real. However, until I see something more compelling (and negative) about Jason and Grant, or a significant change in their friendship with me, I’ll continue to trust them.
If I see a change, I’ll stop saying that I trust them. In this field, integrity is one of our most valuable assets, and I can’t jeopardize my credibility by supporting people who… well, are (or become) more entertainers than researchers.
But, so far (early Aug 2009), I’ve seen nothing in person to suggest that success has changed either Jason or Grant.
Regarding conventions that have used the TAPS name: You keep posting as if Jason or Grant are reading this. As far as I know, they’re not, and we don’t usually “talk shop” when we have time together. We talk about our hobbies, our families, and so on.
We’re friends, not co-workers. I’ve never been on their show and I’m not sure that I’d want to be. (I’m not thrilled with a lot of publicity. I like my privacy. My slogan is: I’d rather be a footnote than see my name in lights. In other words, I’d rather be “famous” for my research, period. I don’t even watch much TV.)
As far as I know — and this is only from snippets of conversations, so I could be mistaken — the TAPS name was used by at least one person without authorization. As long as everything was handled well, that was a little troubling but no big deal. When the organizers didn’t manage things as well as they might have, TAPS set a policy of not allowing future events (organized by others) to use the TAPS name.
Frankly, I don’t watch TV very often. I don’t visit the TAPS website. My Google Alerts focus on research-related terms, not the entertainment industry. I definitely don’t visit websites that gossip or rant about Jason or Grant. So, I can’t address what’s being said.
I’m in this field because I’m interested in paranormal phenomena. I’m looking for answers. Thanks to Jason and Grant and the popularity of GH and GHI, we have new tools that are bringing us closer to understanding what is unexplained and what’s odd but normal.
Mostly, I like them as friends, and I like their families. I absolutely love the Spalding Inn… as a place to relax and enjoy the fresh mountain air. I visit there often to set up my easel and paint the gorgeous views around the hotel. (Yes, I think it’s haunted, but that’s not why I go there. In fact, I visit the Spalding to get away from work.)
That said, if I thought Jason or Grant were con artists or party to scams, I’d stop associating with them in a blink. I’ve had to do that in the past, with other people who turned out to be… well, less than what they claimed.
I’m interested in the research breakthroughs that Jason and Grant (and the TAPS team) uncover. I’m equally interested in what Barry Fitzgerald (no relation to me, as far as I know) of GHI is discovering.
The entertainment side of paranormal research has been a necessary evil, as far as I can tell. And, with a shrinking audience (for all ghost-related shows and websites, not specifically GH or GHI), I’m seeing some highly unattractive efforts among some to maintain popularity.
I care nothing about ratings or popularity. I’m truly not interested in TV shows or any aspect of the entertainment industry… just the research that can result. I’m flattered that people read what I write, and I created this website to encourage others to get involved in this field. I’m now working on books to share more of my research with people in the field, and help them make discoveries.
But, my relationship with Jason and Grant is mostly non-professional. We met years ago when we were both Guests at a convention. Frankly, I didn’t expect to like them… but I did, and that friendship has continued for the past four or five years.
I’ve become cautious, and even hypersensitive to any associations that could jeopardize the respect I’ve earned. I also lived in Hollywood for years, with many friends in the industry, so I’m aware of what goes on when ratings are in peril.
So far, I’ve seen nothing that makes me doubt the integrity of either Jason or Grant. I hope that it stays that way.
HI LUV YOUR SHOW. I’D LIKE TO KNOW WHY YOU GUYS ONLY STAY ONE NIGHT. DON’T YOU WANT TO KEEP ON AND GET MORE STUFF? OF COURSE I HAVE A BIG FASTINATION WITH ALL THIS STUFF, DO YOU EVER JUST TAKE ANYBODY WITH YOU? I WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART PF THAT!!! ALSO, ARE YOU GUYS SCARED? AFTER ALL YOU BEEN THROUGH IT WOULD’NT BE SCAREY.I WOULD EALLY LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU. I’M 60YR. AND LOOKING FOR THIS KIND OF ADVENTURE. THX
Hello, Diana! I’m not part of the show, but appreciate your comments. I can’t speak for the show, but I believe it’s edited to look as if they stay less time than they sometimes do. Visit the TAPS.com website for info about their events and open investigations by the TAPS team and associated groups.
I am from Rhode Island, the state where TAPS is located and where TAPS originated. i’ve been to several of the local places they have investigated and have been on televeision and I knwo for a fact, no its not fake at all.
I found this site recently and I had to LOL when I read ” Not a Fans” List of the type of people that watched GH.
1. Under 18
2. People over 18 still living at home.
3. Shut ins (sic)
4. Drunk, Drugs or more
5. Just plain stupid
As a 48 yr old Registered Intensive Care Nurse working in a large metropolitan teaching hospital I can honestly say that I do not qualify for 1, 2 or 3 of the classification. I am required to take drug tests as part of my employment so 4 is out. As a college graduate and working in a field that requires excellent judgment and making live and death decisions quickly I refute that I “am just plain stupid”
So who am I? I am a woman that as quietly had her own experiences with the supernatural over the years. My first experience was at the age of nine, my second at sixteen. I know what I saw, and I know what I experienced. I don’t know Grant or Jason personally. But they do not need to prove anything to me. I take everything on the show on its own merits. That is what each of us should do. Some evidence may make perfect sense to me; some evidence may even go as far as proof to me. While other folks would throw it out. I think the show is about presenting what information (evidence) it finds at a location and letting each of us make up out own mind about how we feel about it.
There are many shows that I watched and thought were fake, but I then stopped watching them. Life is too short to find ways to tear others down over material that care never be proven one way or another. If you do not like the show, then watch something else. Just a thought.
Signed,
1. Over 18
2. Raising People over 18 still living at home.
3. Working 4 10-hour shifts a week saving lives.
4. Drink a beer on weekends, Dispense drugs for Critical ill patients and MORE
5. Just plain able to think for myself.
judgment I would say I am not “Just plain stupid”
Thanks for a good laugh, Cassandra… as well as some very thoughtful points!
thanks for the input. weird things have happened to me so why not the ghost hunters team? keep up the good work
Here’s a link to an article discussing the controversy caused by TAPS recent filming at the Amos J. Blake Museum in Fitzwiliam, NH in July. The episode will probably air in October 2009. I investigated this location multiple times, along with multiple other groups.
Personally, I believe several paranormal groups–including one founded by the curator of this museum– grossly exaggerated evidence at the museum, partially to get TAPS attention–and it worked.
http://thebeyond.info/articles/2009/07/18/taps-visits-amos-j-blake-museum/
ok to SETTLE THE GRANT and JASON DEBATE FOR GOOD.. I have been an avid ghost hunter out here in las vegas nevada for about 5 years and have encountered situations similar to this so i will explain to the skeptics and arm chair scientists what is probably happening here.
Now in the episode i will admit that yes it does look pretty questionable but if anyone has ever
experienced paranormal activity can admit things happen that dont add up.
For example I have been touched in a couple diffrent investigations and even had film of it. when i went
back to review it NOTHING on my body had moved. Even slightly. You have to understand the ghost
activity is not the same as physical activity. Being hit by a entity is not the same as being hit by someone.
Now secondly I dont think Grant ever said he was pulled off his feet but was like most people thinking someone or something grabbed his collar which like most investigators would probably react to. In fact
many times on an investigation i pulled the same kinda maneuver when i saw something down a hallway or heard something to try and keep my position the same.
And finnally and the most damning evidence to the fact that this was not faked is WHY THE HELL would
Grant risk his career of almost 10 years or more for a fucking collar being tugged? If they REALLY wanted to fake evidence im pretty fucking sure we would being seing the devil himself or someinthg absolutley undeniable before something as petty as that. I mean think about it logically and OBJECTIVELY why of all
times ESPECCIALLY on a LIVE SHOW would they fake something so obvious? WHy not stick to just the stuff
that couldnt be denied. I mean come on Jay and Grant KNOW how badly skeptical their audience can be and have repeatedly thrown out pretty good evidence on that fact. The simple fact remains that they had so little to gain and so much to lost from that. And honestly if they where in it for the money like some people want to say than why was thier first season in a trailer? BECUASE THEY NEVER TOOK MONEY FOR INVESTIGATIONS. Some skeptics are just as bad as some belivers in that they will take anything and run with it as far as possible.
All i have to say is until you have actually been out in the field doing REAL paranormal research you have NO idea what its like. Nothing makes sence and you almost get used to the whole fact that your in the twilight zone. IN my personal opinion they DID NOT FAKE IT, period. Want more ? How about their Queen mary investigation? When someone actually faked evidence and they discovered it and where pissed. Honestly It just doesnt add up that they would stake so much on something as silly as a supposed string down a jacket.
Fiona
I have been a GH fan for it’s entire run, and by extension an avid fan of TAPS. I stumbled upon this website by accident when I began a personal quest for the truth after seeing some of the alternate evidence posted by people who have been refuting Grant’s claims.
I have a major problem with some of the things you have said in your posts:
1. You keep expressing this great “personal relationship” with Jason and Grant, yet you say you have never met anyone else in the production crew. How is that possible? They have been followed around by the same production people for five years. They have been using the same GH members in various capacities for much longer than that….. yet you do not know any of them? How is it, that you with all of your experience have never been mentioned? As a guest, a source, or a participant? I mean GH has introduced the audience to nearly every TAPS family member over the years, from episodes with the family cook outs, to the guest appearances from members, and celebrities all over the United States, and the World for that matter. So why don’t we know you?
I mean many people know you, but why don’t we know you as in relationship to the TAPS people or the GH show?
2. You say “Ghost Hunters is not TAPS”, that is patently false, since the entire concept and premise of the show is surrounded by the TAPS offices, and the various employees who perform case manager duties over the years locating sites for TAPS to investigate. TAPS is without a doubt intertwined with GH in every aspect.
3. You were given evidence to review. Evidence that provided at least one persons proof that Grant is a lair, and that on at least one occasion he has duped his audience, his team, the client, and the public in general. Yet you used a cop-out, and off handed sarcasm to excuse yourself from reviewing the evidence.
Isn’t this just a little bit ironic? I mean you have spent a better part of your life searching for answers about issues of the after life, and paranormal experiences. Time after time you have used video, photography, audio, and personal experiences to offer proof and evidence. So how exactly is it that you can sit here and refuse to review that same kind of evidence when it refutes what you believe in?
The video evidence clearly supports that the EVP came from a recording device from someone on the site, because it was heard by the TAPS members, the guest investigators, the production staff, and the director in their ear pieces and headsets…..Why would you offer a rebuttal in defense of an event, when you refuse to examine the evidence?
The video evidence also supports that Grant was acting oddly, that he was continually adjusting his collar prior to, and after the “coat tugging”.
I have participated in OPs where people were pulled aside and interrogated on less visual evidence than the behavior Grant displayed that night. And none of the police officers you know would stand in front of you and tell you they would refuse to examine exculpatory evidence in a case for or against the validity of an event,….and still call themselves objective.
And isn’t that what you are supposed to be, is objective?
And isn’t that what you have been expressing all your life?….for people to listen to you, and be open minded and objective?
The evidence against Grant goes far beyond the live event on Halloween. The evidence for the lamp at the Stanley Hotel is very damning, did you bother to look at that either?
The evidence against Grant as the mysterious “soldier in the hat” in the morgue is again overwhelming, did you look at that?
The “shadow man” at Eastern State, where the leg and shoe were clearly visible in the original unedited footage, did you look at that.
You talk so much about knowing the program and Jason and Grant, then why is it a surprise to you that a “future” episode might have a psychic? The original show used a psychic and a demonologist as interviewers and investigators.
I will give you a couple of points though, the Queen Mary was an inside job, and I do not believe anyone at TAPS had a hand in that. I do not think that Jason, or Steve, or any other TAPS member knowingly supports Grants antics. Also the live shows are totally ambiguous of the regular case work. Because the live shows have to be stopped and started with people doing exactly what they were doing and how they were doing it when they cut away for commercials. So they issues of “staging” might be true to an extent. It is no more staged than a live televised concert, or cooking show. There is all kinds of movement and in-continuity in the breaks, so the shuffling around didn’t effect the reality in the least.
My problem with what you have been saying is you call yourself an investigator, yet readily admit you refuse to look at evidence, based on something so benign as the language used by the production crew in presenting it.
Yet you fault others who do the same from the other side of the coin…
Hypocritical does not even begin to describe your flawed stance about this issue.
Semper Fi
It’s a fact that people always believe what they want to, whatever makes them feel good. They can and will always have a “logical” explanation for it. It really doesn’t matter what you believe as long as no one gets hurt by it. If you want to believe people you know OR people you see on TV and have never met are the most fine, upstanding people in the universe, so be it. No one will ever convince you otherwise. That goes for belief in “ghosts” or belief that the world is flat or that there will be peace in the Middle East. You can take the liberal point of view and let no facts get in the way of what you want to believe.
I love Ghost Hunters. It is the only show on TV I just love sitting and watching anymore. That team is just awesome. I work in a haunted place and i’ve seen things myself. I’m still trying to come up with how to get them in without to many knowing. At least it would make me feel better. I know just by how Jason and Grant is, that neither one of them would ever fake a episode. Sometimes one just knows. There is another Ghost hunter one on television and I just don’t like him or his mouth. I also like GHI. But Jason and Grant are just *it*. Me and my Fiancee look forward to wednesday nights just to watch them. Keep up the great work! Alcatraz would be a great place to check out. Unless that was an episode I missed.
See you all next wedneday!
Fiona,
I wanted to get your thoughts about provoking spirits. On the season premiere of Ghost Hunters, Jason and Grant seek out to provoke what might be an inhuman entity. I always thought that provocation of spirits, even as a last resort, is frowned upon by the paranormal investigation community. This investigation took place in a residential home and I think that the conclusion that Jason and Grant came to poses a safety risk to the homeowner.
I’ve met the TAPs team and they are as honest as the day is long. I too believe the voice was a set-up but not by the hands of TAPS or the Sci Fi producers. I believe the Fort caretakers might have further information on this subject. The jacket pull. It doesn’t get any better then that. Excellent catch. Enjoy it because it’s real.
Nice way to censor the thread to suit your own twisted idea of what is right and wrong.
Must be great to be a cowardly bitch, and obviously a fraud.
Semper Fi
I’ve approved the Marine’s comment for a reason. I believe that it deserves a reply, in case there is any confusion about why I’ve closed this thread.
Am I a fraud? If I’m wrong about ghosts, a better word might be “stupid” or “naive,” but I’m the first to admit — and possibly (regretfully) antagonize the daylights out of some people in this field — that none of us can prove much about ghosts, one way or the other. We can document the phenomena, and the most likely explanation is: It looks like we’re dealing with ghosts. But, all of us could be wrong. Until we have good, scientific evidence, anything is possible.
For example, it’s possible that we’re sometimes dealing with side effects of subterranean water. UK studies have shown that, where there are underground streams or springs, the low-level sounds tend to disorient people so they interpret odd (but normal) phenomena as paranormal. (That sound could also explain why some pets balk at entering “haunted” locations.)
It’s possible that we’re dealing with parallel realities (ref. quantum studies and unified field theory), and the “ghosts” are actually alive and well, but in their own time. Or maybe there are beings in other worlds who are using anomalies to play pranks on us, making us think we’re encountering ghosts.
Or, there could be far more mundane, everyday explanations for what we think are ghosts. I’d be terribly disappointed, of course, but I’m looking for the truth… whatever it is.
So, if you want to call me a fraud because you think I’m wrong… maybe I am. Plenty of people have accused me of being “weird” or “twisted” just because I’m interested in ghosts, so I suppose that label may fit, too.
However, I don’t lie. I gave that up when I was about five years old… I am simply terrible at lying, and never seemed to fool anyone. So, I rarely even try. (That said, I’ve been appalled when I realized that a few people in this field — a very tiny minority — aren’t as honest they could be. That’s why I wrote my article, Scams and Con Artists. )
I am an admitted coward. If I was genuinely afraid of ghosts or the phenomena that I encounter, I’d be the first person out the door. I think of ghosts as real people, but in another dimension or world. They don’t scare me. If they did, I wouldn’t be involved in ghost research. (For the record, I don’t watch scary movies or TV shows, I don’t read Stephen King novels, and I don’t go on most “dark” theme park attractions and won’t go on roller coasters.)
So, I’m not courageous… not like the people who put their lives on the line, every day, defending principles far more important than whether or not it’s a ghost at such-and-such a location.
Keeping this issue in perspective is vital; when ghost hunters (in general, not the TV show) take themselves too seriously, we all lose credibility.
The censorship question is also important to answer.
Originally, I wrote this article to save myself time. I was receiving hundreds of emails asking if that particular episode of Ghost Hunters was fake. Though I didn’t watch the show (and generally don’t watch any ghost-related TV shows), I do know Jason and Grant away from the show. So, as an “old timer” in ghost hunting and someone who trusts Jason & Grant’s integrity, I wanted to reply to the emails with one post, and then get back to my research.
Instead, I’ve kept receiving comments… and replied to them because I like to answer people’s comments and questions when I can. It seems the polite thing to do. So, I didn’t save time, after all.
Also, I created this website in the 1990s to share how-to information about ghost hunting, period. That was years before the Ghost Hunters TV show, etc. I’m interested in research, not entertainment, and I’d rather not spend time discussing TV shows when I could be contributing to the real work in this field. This was intended as a one-time post, and that’s all.
So, in July, I let people know that I’d soon close this article to comments. I kept waiting for a lull, since I know that closing comments can result in losing about 10 recent comments. (That may be a WordPress issue or related to the WordPress theme that I use.) That was never (and still isn’t) supposed to be censorship.
But, we’re almost in “ghost season” now. This year, it started in late July. The media contact me for interviews, people want me to make personal appearances, and so on.
I’m already working 12- to 14-hour days, many days. (I’m not asking for sympathy. I do this work because I enjoy it.) The extra, seasonal work — including my increased research during this active time — requires more time, and that has to come from somewhere.
So, I’ve considered closing the site to comments altogether. I may yet do that. However, I want to try leaving most threads open… but not reply to them, personally. I’m a rather rabid First Amendment rights advocate, so I’d like to maintain Hollow Hill as an open forum, if possible. The only comments that I delete are those that include libelous statements or are far off-topic (dating services, pharmaceuticals, gambling websites, etc.).
My dilemma is… my time. How do I use it to best help those who are seriously interested in ghost hunting?
This week, I’ve finally resumed podcasts. I’m going to try to add a new podcast every second Friday. I’m not sure that I can maintain that schedule, but I’m going to try.
But, as I compare the number of people I can reach with more research, more writing and new podcasts, and how many I reach with individual replies to email and comments… well, the decision should be easy. (For me, it’s not, because I want to reply to everyone.)
I checked the definition of “censor” and the 1644 meaning was, “An official whose duty it is to inspect books, journals, plays, etc., before publication, to secure that they shall contain nothing immoral, heretical, or offensive or injurious…”
With that in mind, I suppose that I do censor comments, since I don’t approve anything that could badly insult someone, or land me (and the person who commented) in a lawsuit for libel. I also remove words that’d be bleeped on most TV shows.
So, regarding censorship, I’ll leave that decision to those who read this. From my view, the label sort-of applies… and yet it doesn’t.
Mostly, I hope this explains more clearly why I’ve closed this thread. And, while I appreciate additional comments, I hope people will respect my time and let this conclude what’s been a very interesting thread, with many important ideas to consider. (If it wasn’t, I’d have deleted the entire thread when I closed this article to comments.)