Ever since I met the TAPS guys at Dragon*Con 2006, people have asked me what I think of the
team most famous for the TV show, Ghost Hunters.
Okay, even before I met them, people have asked me what I think. I was reluctant to say much.
I've done enough TV to know that the way a show is edited can radically influence how its cast members are
perceived.
My own prejudice
I'd seen several episodes of the TV show, Ghost Hunters. While I'm not an avid TV watcher, I had been interested
in seeing their approach. I also try to watch ghost-related shows that are filmed at locations that I've investigated.
I'll admit that I wasn't happy with how quickly the Ghost Hunters show seemed to brush off Brennan's restaurant in New Orleans'
French Quarter. For example, having investigated that site several times, I couldn't understand how they missed the
cold spot in front of the fireplace in the Red Room.
But, I'd also heard that there was a misunderstanding about scheduling at Brennan's. The
TAPS crew didn't have exclusive access to the most haunted areas when they needed complete silence and darkness.
I know how important it is to have controlled conditions for genuine scientific research.
At Dragon*Con 2006, I attended as a Guest and had access to the same Guests-only areas as the TAPS guys, Grant
Wilson and Jason Hawes. Meeting them face-to-face, away from the fans, gave me time to better judge their
characters. And, listening to them in several panels--and asking them questions during Q&A sessions--provided
important insights.
TAPS - First impressions
My first impression was surprise. I met them outside their first panel on Saturday, and... I expected Jason
to be taller. He's such an imposing personality on TV, I got the idea that he was a towering giant of a guy. Instead,
he's tall, but not intimidatingly tall. So, that made me rethink my initial prejudices.
When I'm not being a ghost researcher and writer, I'm an artist. Visual cues are important to me. I'd
expected Jason to look like a bald King Kong or something. Instead, he's taller than me but not
pro basketball tall. He has nice eyes, and that perfect English complexion that cosmetics companies aspire to create
with their potions.
As I got to know both men during the four-day event, I saw how different they are from the TV show... and how similar, as well.
Filming and editing makes a difference
What resolved my raised eyebrow about the Brennan's investigation was one question that I asked them during
their Saturday morning panel: How much do they film to produce each one-hour show.
Grant Wilson--who is one of the nicest, most genuine and caring guys in the world--replied that they film
about two and a half weeks for each show.
Wow. When I film, I'm lucky to get two hours for a 30-minute segment. I know the pressure that
puts on me (and perhaps the ghosts) to "prove" a haunting to the satisfaction of the
production crew and the audience.
But, that also resolved my questions about the Ghost Hunters' show filmed at Brennan's:
They had just a few hours at
the site, far less than they'd have at other sites. And, most of the time they shared the space with regular restaurant patrons... including a large,
boisterous party in an adjoining room. (The party had been arranged months in advance and could not be
rescheduled.)
So, I understood how they reached the conclusions that they did, at Brennan's. Frankly,
they
didn't have enough time there. And, except for the cold spot and the occasional appearance
by the ghost of a former chef, Brennan's is generally a very subtle haunting anyway.
How we deal with our audiences
When Jason Hawes spoke, he often reminded people that they try to "keep it real"
on the TV show. I appreciate that.
It's a tricky balance, wanting to appear diplomatic and not dash people's expectations, while
maintaining harsh scientific objectivity... and personal integrity. At one extreme, some personalities
appear abrasive and people wonder why they even bother investigating paranormal phenomena. At the other,
there are people who obviously ham it up for the cameras, and it can look like a sideshow.
Sometimes, the only real difference is the editing of the show.
And frankly, we're all working in a field where there is no proof. Oh, we can demonstrate
unexplained EMF levels, play unedited EVP recordings, show measurable "cold spots" and display eerie
photos.
They show that something odd is going on... but we can't prove that it's caused by ghosts.
Separating opinion from research
The point at which an individual says, "Okay, this place is haunted," is very personal.
I've seen
people run in terror when they heard an odd growling noise outdoors. They didn't even look for an
explanation. As far as they were concerned, the site was definitely haunted.
I've also seen people yawn skeptically when
our research group could see phantom lights and full apparitions, and electrical devices such
as mobile phones, EMF meters and cameras all abruptly refused to work... with no reasonable
explanation.
So, except for entertainment value, I'm not sure that it's fair to judge ghost investigators based on
how they seem to interpret phenomena on a TV show. We can only look at how
they do their research, and even that isn't always clear. On TV and
in movies, editing can change anything and everything.
No two researchers will have the same standards for interpreting data and phenomena. Even within a team--including
the TAPS team--opinions will vary. During the panels, it was
fun to hear Grant's and Jason's contrasting descriptions of sites and investigations.
Do they "keep it real?" Absolutely.
Summary
All in all, I was impressed when I didn't expect to be.
In my opinion, Jason's dry wit doesn't always come
across as humor on TV. In real life, he seems both very different and absolutely the same. I think that the
difference is the twinkle in the eye. Cameras rarely capture that.
Grant is vastly more charming as well; time spent talking with
him was one of the high points of my weekend. He's one of those people I like on sight, and conversations
affirmed that. He's even more warm and effusive than he seems on TV, and he's also more outspoken. Of the
two, he seemed more approachable, but that may only be my personal reaction.
They were no different in the Guests-only area of Dragon*Con than they were in front of the audience
during panels. During breakfast, their eyes lit up when they saw the chocolate-covered doughnuts, just
as everyone else's did. They're normal, average guys.
I liked both of them, and I intend to watch Ghost Hunters more often. I have a new outlook on
their personalities, and a different way to "hear" what they're saying during and after investigations.
If you have a chance to see the TAPS cast members at events or meet them in real life, do. You may
be surprised, but I doubt that you'll be disappointed.
Links
About 'Ghost Hunters'
