Paranormal Reading: A Buell Book Commentary

Again, I've let my blogging fall on the wayside. There has been so much going on—exams, university work, research for books—that I keep forgetting to set aside time to write. But it has been worth it. I have over 100% in my psychology course and very high marks in the other classes. I'm assisting in research for a book due out this fall and starting early research for a book I'll be co-authoring next year. Let's just say my days of dabbling in local ghosts are far from over...

I have taken the time to catch up on some reading over the past few months. I do plan to keep the trend going and talk briefly about them on this blog. After Ghost Hunters (which is currently being borrowed by my psychology professor... I knew I liked her for a reason), I finally sat down to read Ryan Buell's book Paranormal State: My Journey into the Unknown. In many ways, the book was a pleasant surprise... though at times it left me shaking my head.

Having read a few books written by people in the limelight, my hopes weren't too high for Paranormal State. If I were to judge purely by the television show, I would say that Ryan and I are polar opposites. After reading the book, however, that view has somewhat changed. In reality, from what Ryan says about his view on the paranormal, we think quite a lot alike. He's not the demon-obsessed religiously-superior fanatic. His approach toward the paranormal is rather neutral and unbiased (to some degree: we all have a certain level of bias) and he's a staunch skeptic with psychics and mediums (unless proven otherwise, as he says he was wth Chip Coffey, Michelle Belanger—who wrote an excellent foreword—a fellow Clevelander, and Lorraine Warren). The procedures for membership indoctrination into PRS is impressive. While his "brief histories" in the book were lacking many key figures (How could you leave out J. B. Rhine?), I like to believe that the in-depth classes required for all members covered them.

In these respects, Paranormal State brought me to admire Buell. Yet there were many instances where I was disappointed. The first was quite simple: for a Journalism Major, I expected the writing to be more of a journalistic caliber. At times, it read like typical, casual conversation trying to blend in with the in-crowd. Parts almost read like, ". . .and I was like, 'Fuck, dude, that's so lame!'" (paraphrasing, of course) It was hard to ignore a certain amount of egotism woven into the passages as well. While at times he was extremely unbiased in his observations, there were still hints of superiority. A few times I felt he crossed the line into blatant name-calling:

"I love ghost hunters, but sometimes they can be really thick and immature . . . The spirits do not need a bunch of overweight, fashionless ghost geeks walking in and asking for the spirit to do parlor tricks for their amusement." (p.142)

That's not to say I felt the whole book deserves to be written off based on a few momentary lapses in neutrality and humility. I could relate to his very brief mention of "coming out" to others in the field. Having walked that tightrope, I know how difficult it can be to address your sexuality with those you admire and work with. Buell is well-read (I was shocked at how many of his recommended books were on my list of best books), and his hard work and dedication shows. For those reasons, I can let the arrogance slide. If you want a fast interesting read, I do recommend it.

I'll be tackling more books, hopefully this week, including The Mothman Prophecies and a book by Michelle Belanger. I have a few more days before getting swamped with work again. As the weather improves, I hope to get out there and check out some places as well. But for now, back to the grindstone...

Graduating from Paranormal Television...

With a new year there are bound to be some changes. Some are good or bad while others can only be described as indifferent. While we loathe change it is inevitable. Even in the paranormal most things eventually come to an end. At least that's true with television. This weekend marks one such final curtain call. Fans of the A&E show Paranormal State were likely caught by surprise when Ryan Buell announced he won't be returning for another season of the series.

"It wasn’t easy coming to this decision," Ryan said on his blog. "There are a lot of factors involved. The main one, of course, is that I’ve become a different person. I have different goals and views on things... But now it’s time to move on to other possibilities." While he is closing out the chapter on his televised ghostly exploits he reassures everyone that his days of investigating haunted places are far from over.

"I have other projects that I’ve had to sit on because I’ve been so preoccupied with 'Paranormal State'... Deciding to do 'Paranormal State' was a big commitment. It took over our lives.” Without the hectic filming schedule, Buell said he'll be able to focus on many other things he has wanted to give more energy to including private investigations and UNIV-CON. "There are some truly exciting and remarkable projects coming up, so please do not take this as a permanent goodbye. It’s simply time to close one door and enter a new path in life."

In many ways, this is a wise decision. And I don't mean that in any derogatory way. I respect Ryan for having the clarity to step away gracefully and forge ahead with other planned pursuits. It's far better than clinging to a single achievement and becoming that tired old one-trick pony. Yes, it's disappointing to me for paranormal television to lose its one openly non-heterosexual personality. But this isn't something for me or anyone else to decide. It's purely Ryan's own decision. It's his life, after all, and he's the one who has to live it as he sees fit.

Perhaps one of the more amusing points Ryan made was this:

"Do I believe in the paranormal? Yes. I have received much criticism for standing up for what I believe in. People claiming that I’m crazy for believing in ghosts; some investigators thinking I’m crazy for believing in demons; some people who convinced themselves that I faked evidence; some people who just thought I was plain nuts as a whole."

On one hand, I can relate wholeheartedly to what he says. And then there's the section I highlighted in bold. Well... for the record I don't think that belief in demons or angels makes someone crazy. Do I agree with people when they label something as demonic or angelic? Not really. I believe more in a sense of good and bad and find it perplexing when virtuous or evil behaviors are assigned a non-human entity. Humankind is quite capable of both. Though I imagine that my own view is colored by my own religious beliefs... or lack thereof.

As Ryan Buell spends the next few days in front of a camera for the last episodes of Paranormal State, I wish him all the best. And here's to hoping for more interesting adventures in the future.

The Fate of Hate...

It was announced recently that Britt Griffith was relieved of his duties on paranormal television because of the incident I wrote about a few weeks back on this blog. Chip Coffey and Ryan Buell have each weighed in with their opinions on the incident, the man, and the aftermath. Several other bloggers have chimed in with their thoughts and message boards are discussing both sides as well, from the die-hard supporters to the still-irritated people. As far as SciFi is concerned, it seems to be a closed case, a done deal. As my previous post about the debacle said, it was inevitable.

I don't think you can call this a first strike for Griffith. There was the famous dildo video that came out and had a few people questioning his judgment. I'm not aware of other blunders from the past but considering I don't regularly follow the new wave of ghost programming that's not too much of a surprise. However, I've known plenty of people in the paranormal community blatantly guilty of hate-filled speech and actions. Sometimes it's a simple slip-up of crass talk. Other people devote their entire lives to it.

Britt did recently write a hopefully-sincere apology on his Facebook page. I guess these days that's about standard for a "public apology". It may have been better to do it elsewhere, and while it was good of him to mention The Trevor Project perhaps making a donation himself might have had a bit more of an effect. Of course it wouldn't have needed to be huge since most people on television aren't paid as well as some might like to believe. Consider it the celebrity version of the swear jar, opening your walled any time you open your mouth and something inappropriate falls out.

Many people have been asking why this is such a big deal. Well, first just a glance at news in the past month will show you how many recent teen suicides have involved gay kids. We're in the midst of continuing arguments over repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and whether to allow same-sex marriage. Atlanta police have recently been accused of destroying evidence in the brutal raid on a gay bar last year. Obviously hatred and intolerance are still alive and well across the country. Our awareness of it is more heightened.

Most of us have been guilty of saying (or at the very least thinking) mean things about someone, something, or a group of people. Even I've poked a bit of fun at some absurdities and people but I try not to go for blood. No one is perfect. We all can be unintentionally silly, absurd, or worse at times. But being deliberate and direct with your hate doesn't do anything other than make you seem like a bully. And in a time where kids are killing themselves over bullying in school we don't need adults acting like that as well.

If we want our world to change for the better it will only happen through positive action. In that respect, perhaps SciFi shouldn't have bumped someone for using a derogatory word. While he shouldn't have been rewarded for the slip-up, what about making some amends and adding an openly-gay cast member? We're out there everywhere. Anyone who doesn't think LGBT people are in the paranormal community must not network very much. Something like that would have had a better impact than a quick "you're fired" phone call. It's only my opinion, though. I can't speak for executives and what they think is best for their audience and company.

We do have a very long way to go. And I don't just mean trying to make the world a more tolerant place. The same applies to advances in the paranormal realm. When do we decide that working together for the betterment of everyone supersedes "my ghost group can beat up your ghost group" mentality? How can you say you're trying to help people if you promote hate in another breath? When will investigators pool together data and discoveries to help everyone understand the unexplainable? Perhaps when it all stops being a game and starts being a joint effort to get to the bottom of our strange world.

Haunting the Media and a Buell Book Giveaway...

What's happening on October 17th? A couple things, actually.

For starters, Strange Frequencies Radio will be interviewing author and parapsychologist Loyd Auerbach at 4:00 PM EST. Following his interview, I'll be on the show starting at 5:00 PM EST to discuss the paranormal and my book Queer Hauntings. I was already looking forward to it but once I learned I'd be following someone I not only greatly admire but have read books authored by for two decades I was even more enthralled! It'll be a fascinating show so be sure to tune in Sunday evening.

Then later that night if you're still in the mood for something spooky tune in to A&E for the series premieres of Paranormal State with Ryan Buell at 9:00PM Eastern and Pacific time followed by Chip Coffey on Psychic Kids. Paranormal Research Society (PRS) kick off the new season with "The Death Room" where Buell leads his team back to his hometown to investigate a haunted plantation and "They Only Come Out at Night" where the family of a police officer is being terrorized by alleged demonic activity. Here is the teaser:

I've mentioned Ryan's book Paranormal State: My Journey into the Unknown previously here and do commend him for his bravery and honesty about his personal life. Now, 25 lucky people will win an autographed copy of the book by going to Facebook and entering the Paranormal State Book Giveaway. Be sure and follow the link to enter for your chance to win! The sweepstakes ends on October 19, 2010 at 11:59:59AM EST and winners will be notified on or about October 21.

So take a little time to enjoy the creepy side of the season. Listen in and watch some paranormal entertainment... and maybe even with a book!

Video and information on Paranormal State and the contest provided by enter: new media.

Supernatural Spotlight: Ryan Buell

It's been a while since I've mentioned Paranormal State here on my blog. I know it'll sound terrible but I rarely ever watch any television at all, even the paranormal shows. There is a certain level of drama set up in every episode (not to mention the suspense before every commercial break, which could either be an amazing discovery or turn out to be a ploy to make you believe there's something exciting waiting after advertisers fill your head with products you probably don't need). But--especially in light of recent events--I felt it was high time I said a little about the star of the show and founder of Paranormal Research Society, Ryan Buell.

Hailing from Pennsylvania (so practically my next-door neighbor) the 28-year-old is known across the country for his "directors log" speeches on the hit television show which is entering its fifth season on A&E. He was just 19 when he founded the paranormal group at Penn State where he majored in journalism and anthropology. It wasn't long before he was launched into the media along with his team and psychic medium Chip Coffey from Atlanta. Some people love him while others loathe him. Like anyone who steps into the limelight he became easy prey for rumors and speculation, praise for his work and scorn for finding so much demonic activity in houses and businesses.

Given his background in Catholicism and the religion's disbelief in ghosts, it's possible to postulate that a demon is more acceptable to the Catholic psyche than the spirit of a dead person. Every belief system labels good and bad in a different sense. However, this hasn't been the only dark shadow looming over his life. Buell has spent the last few years with a buzz murmuring through the audience regarding his personal life. People always want to know the little details and that can detract from anything else about who you are as an individual. The paranormal investigator has finally broken his long-standing silence on his private life and the paranormal in a new autobiographical book, Paranormal State: My Journey into the Unknown.

So... is he or isn't he? You know what I mean. "I’ve decided to share my sexuality and struggle over faith," Buell wrote in his new book, publicly announcing his bisexuality, "in hopes that others will no longer feel as though they are alone or that they can’t be religious." There has been an outpouring of both support and condemnation on his Twitter page as one might expect. He recently made a $2500 donation to The Trevor Project which promotes the acceptance of GLBTQ youth. This marks the first time anyone on paranormal television has openly acknowledged being anything other than straight. And he seems to go about it in the right way.

Sadly, there is the risk that like so many others who have "come out" in a public forum Ryan's sexuality could become the forefront of all focus and attention. Hopefully once the frenzy dies down everyone will realize the one thing so many of us try to get people to understand: we haven't changed. We don't suddenly bust into Barbara Streisand and wear make-up. Being gay, lesbian, or bisexual is just another identity or label like being tall, French Canadian, or near-sighted. It may make part of our life different from our heterosexual counterparts but it is not all we are. As a paranormal investigator who happens to be gay, I can understand why Buell has been quiet about his private life. I've been fortunate to be accepted by nearly everyone in the ghost hunting field I've worked with over the past 15 years but that doesn't mean I haven't experienced plenty of homophobia and rudeness as well. We all hope for the day when making a statement about our sexuality will be answered with a "so what" instead of shock and awe.

Kudos to you Ryan for having the courage to speak up. And I believe I speak for him as well when I say, "Now, let's get back to the ghosts, shall we?"