Christian Paranormal Network

Ryan Buell, the director and founder of the Penn State Paranormal Research Society and star of A&E's hit show Paranormal State took the time to post about this blog on the PRS forums.  I would like to thank Ryan for his honest and well thought out response.  The more I learn about him the more I like him as a person.  I think that just the fact that he takes time to do something like this flies directly in the face of many of his critics.

The original post can be found at :

http://forums.pennstateprs.com/index.php?showtopic=18358&st=0

Hey Brenton,

Thanks for posting this. I typically don't respond to criticism, especially from the "paranormal media," because they have, so far, done a very poor job of providing balanced, objective reporting. Most of these people toot their own horn about being scientific and research-oriented, yet their posts are full of generalizations and from-the-sidelines-commentary. It's one thing to have an opinion, but from a group/site claiming to be reporting facts and promoting research, they sure do a piss-poor job of representing themselves and their goals.

I have no problem with criticism and negative opinions geared towards, "Paranormal State." At best, "Paranormal State" has become a spring board for diverse discussion and debate on a variety of topics that it has covered. I don't mind dissenting viewpoints, but it'd be nice for people to have respect for the other side and be open to the possibility that other viewpoints might also have legitimacy. In other words, to keep an open mind. After all, isn't that what a researcher/reporter should do? But alas, people don't understand the true meaning of "journalism" and "researcher" anymore.

Although I am unfamiliar with ghosttheory, I find myself just shaking my head at outlets like this, who tout headlines like, "proof 'Paranormal State' is fake." Especially when it comes from people who clearly have unbalanced opinions and provide no evidence. What happened last fall from the criticizers was, at best, just an opinion. It was a he-said, she-said fiasco. And ultimately, people realized that these were just people trying to get attention geared towards themselves to promote their own agenda's. And they failed miserably.

So how is an opinion proof? But sites like ghosttheory proclaiming that it's proof that something is fake shows how naive and biased they are, and it has undoubtedly provided much egg in their face in their attempts to convince people that they are on the moral/ethical high-road.

The good thing is that there are a lot of reasonably intelligent people out there who realize when BS is being paraded around as "proof" that we are fake. At the end of the day, "Paranormal State" is about the human experience and the belief that someone is experiencing the paranormal. Although we do provide evidence when we find it (and our investigation techniques have greatly improved this past season), evidence is usually secondary to the show because we are dealing with experiences and trying to provide resolve. So for these people who rely strictly on the "show me" method, they have very little ammunition to prove that something is fake. After all, it's a difference of opinions and viewpoints. How do you disprove that? "Paranormal State" has never advertised itself as promising to prove that ghosts are real. It's a journey of both the investigator and the haunted. We provide points-of-view and allow for discussion.

None of this has ever hurt the popularity and reputation of, "Paranormal State." If anything, it's shown the hypocrisy of how far people are willing to go in order to bring attention to themselves, which is ultimately what a lot of this was - and still is - about.

At the end of the day, it's no skin off of my back, as we've continued to see an overwhelming amount of support from researchers around the world who understand the importance of, "Paranormal State," even if they don't agree with everything. My only hope is that - at some point in the future - sites proclaiming to be watch-dogs and journalistic media will realize that they have a moral responsibility above anyone else to check for facts, allow for intelligent discussion and allow for both sides to present themselves before making any judgement, if they should make any judgement at all.

Until then, they are doing a great disservice towards their own goals and the paranormal community they claim to care for.

--------------------

Ryan Buell

-Director/Founder of PRS

"To Trust, Honor, and Always Seek the Truth."

So, I am really starting to become a fan of this show. Why? Because I haven't seen anyone criticized this harshly by sloppy journalists and pseudoscientists since Galileo Galilei. It seems internet paranormal police will stop at nothing to prove this show is fake, even if it means posting complete and utter crap. I have previously outlined one glaring example of this in my previous two blogs. I have yet another example here.

The site whofortedblog.com, which bills itself as "The Online Paranormal Magazine" has forever shamed its reputation. Back in November of 2008 they posted an article titled "Fool Me Twice-The Lost Paranormal State Episode". You can see the original article here:

http://whofortedblog.com/?p=145

There was an episode of the show in season two that did not air in the originally scheduled time slot. It was briefly available on the A&E On Demand channel before it was pulled. This website used the occurance to nail the show to the proverbial wall. They salivated like dogs in a butcher shop at the thought that the show had been pulled for dubious reasons. They even took the opportunity to insult fans of the show saying, "fans of the show ?Paranormal State? are, in fact morons". We shall see who the true morons turn out to be.

After ripping apart the show scene by scene, they go on to question the motives and credibility of the PRS team.

"What I am questioning is a team that states they?re motivated by a desire to ?help? people and further explain the existence of paranormal phenomena. I saw nothing during that episode that would lead me to believe their stated objective."

Ok, so lets see how well their powers of observation turn out to be.

The episode in question did in fact air on A&E in January of 2009. Imagine that! A&E didn't pull the show because of PRS. There was no grand conspiracy to hide something from the general public.

On February 2, 2009, the client featured in this very episode decided to write whofortedblog.com and set the record straight. You can read the original article here:

http://whofortedblog.com/?p=592

Here is the letter from the client (emphasis added is mine)

Hi to you and all your readers,

I just happen to be the hysterical mother that this blog is about. Your blog was good. I guess all I can say is that to a degree, I do deserve to be raked over the coals. I have read a lot of cruel comments about me and my daughters suffering. I have been called a basket case, exploiting my daughter to being slapped with a well deserved lawsuit at the hands of a disgruntled father. At least you weren?t that cruel! I enjoyed the debate that you lay out there.

I do hate to hear how rough everyone is on PRS.

In my view, they are strong enough to take it all with a grain of salt. They are committed to their purpose and are truly passionate about it. I felt that their presence in our home did us a lot of good. It was a healing experience. Being on television though has not been good. I never wanted to be on television, but it came along with the help. I understood at the time. They were documenting their research. I was fine with that and knew I was leaving us exposed, but I was at the time desperate to get the help that I had been everywhere to get and no one until PRS offered us anything. I was at the end of my rope. Just so exhausted and my little girl just so scared to fall asleep. The pictures she drew about her nightmares would have sent any mother scrambling for answers and hope. The difference with me was answers were not good enough. Every doctor, expert?they all had a reasonable explanation. It?s just that those explanations did not solve the problem.

I finally decided to think outside of the box. For children, and in my child?s case, I took a chance on showing her in a big way that help was on it?s way and to just hold on. I started looking at it or trying to look at it all from her perspective. Children have such an imagination, and if imagination created this lady vampire, maybe imagination would send her away too, and if by some chance we got proof that it really was paranormal and got rid of it?that was fine, just make it stop. What I am trying to articulate is that the imagination is powerful. Why not use it for good instead of feeding fears?

Understand that she and I were battling this unknown for a year. We were exhausted. Lola was a happy child and very well balanced considering the dreams, night terrors and the proof in her drawings and clip art that she would collect. It would really break anyone?s heart.

Back to my point. When we walked outside the day PRS and crew arrived, we saw the big trucks, the bright lights and camera?s, the group themselves and all the kind and gentle people that poured into our home telling Lola that they believed her (finally the validation she needed) and they were all here to help her. She held my hand and looked up at me and said, ?Mommy, are they really all here for me?? She couldn?t believe that all of this was for her. She and I were so touched. I don?t care if it was real to them or not. We believed it and it helped bring our miracle about.

I guess it could be argued but I am not crazy. I am a professional. I am a single mom on my own and it is hard. But I can take comfort in knowing that in all Lola and I have endured through a bitter divorce, night terrors and then yes, a battle with her father that is another drama more appropriate for Oxygen than A&E, I never fell apart. Crying is not falling apart. Crying is feeling what is happening and not ignoring something that you don?t understand. We were facing a problem and dealing with it whether anyone agree?s with the how is irrelevant, really.

To be truthful, I still don?t really know what happened. I know that something did happen but the good news is that it stopped when the trucks drove away. The night Ryan put that helmet on and Lola across the house from him and he in silence, both experiencing the same thing at the same moment opened my eyes to the fact that there is another layer to the reality that we know. There is something else out there that we will never understand. It was not a hoax at all. That was all real. And now that it is over the main questions I had were answered. It was real, it wasn?t just her imagination and not my concern feeding more into her fear and secondly that it could be made to stop just by empowering yourself to believe you can make it stop. The what it was and how doesn?t even matter anymore. It?s just over and we sleep peacefully and she did so in that room afterwards.

In my mind it was successful in every way. They listened to us and took us seriously, they taught us how to take control, empowered us and we put it behind us. Lola, went in her room and yelled at whatever was there for 5 minutes and laid the law down. It was a release for her. To declare her space and say, I don?t want you here and you can?t stay. Wow. It has served as a lesson in life for us. For her at such a young age to be able to know, ?look what I overcame! If I can do that at 5 and 6 the rest is a piece of cake!? It is a great example to us and should be to anyone who watches what we went through and can benefit in some way and to apply the lesson to their own lives. If I am made a fool then it was well worth it. I gained a lot more in the healing of my daughter.

Finally, I will say to you because although I don?t agree with what you say, I want to use your forum and not all the others to defend myself and my decision. I am not excited about being on tv looking like a basket case but in the end so what. I know what happened and so does Lola. She is proud of me and the choice I made. Your forum is different and had asked good questions that are fair to ask and I respect you for that.

As far as my ex-husband, I will take a chance and tell you that it was because of him that it was pulled. I had kept him in the loop the entire time. He knew of every step I was taking to help our little girl and never really was any help. He didn?t take her to doctors, talk to counselors seek any remedy whatsoever other than taking my daughter to what was supposed to be a faith based light worker that ended up being a freaking witch doctor. That was the bad move I think. It scared the crap out of her. The honest truth is, he is a cruel person and it was about power and greed. What better way to take a child from her mother than to allow the daughter to suffer only to get the mother to ?give herself enough rope to hang herself with?. He is the one that exploited this baby. I told him everything and he seemingly supported what I was doing every step of the way. I was just foolish in believing that he was telling the truth. He sat back knowing for 3 months that PRS was coming to help. He sat back every time I invited him to review contracts, watch a sample episode, meet the people and even watch every moment of the experience. Never saying he disapproved. He chose not too and remained silent. Until the day it was to air. He shut it all down with a phone call from a concerned father, and had the audacity to lie to a judge and say he knew nothing about it and that I was delusional and convinced my daughter to play along with me. I kept a log of every correspondence with him about her night terrors, my journey to an answer and all the conversations I had with him about it all. I wasn?t so stupid after all. In a disgusting and shameful attempt he stood up in a court of law and lied and sought unspecified damages from A&E. But still, I had the truth and I kept good notes!

We are still battling but I will never allow anyone to use me, Lola or the court to extort money, get attention and exploit a terrible situation. And he is supposed to love her and once a long time ago, said he loved me too. I don?t know about what anyone else thinks but that is not love. Exposing yourself to ridicule and harsh consequences to get help and to get other mothers and parents talking. That?s love. My basic point is and has been ?What if?? What if there really are monsters under our children?s beds? What if there aren?t? But just like santa claus they believe with all of what they understand that yes, they are real. With that, as a parent, what is so wrong with embracing what they believe with them and conquering it as a family. Not make them lay in a room that terrifies them, telling them, ?it?s just your imagination?stop waking me up?go back to bed. How about the alternative. Confronting it as their protector. Saying out loud in front of the children, yelling at the monster under their bed or in their closets. Leave this child alone and get out of her room. Then imagine together that the monsters then leave. What is wrong with that?

I hope we help someone else in some small way. That it was all for something. That we turned a bad situation and made it good.

In the end, the show finally airing marks the death of the lady vampire, the end to a legal battle and a life re-emerging?my own.

I hope I have been some help. Feel free to ask me anything that you like as long as it is done in a respectful way, I am happy to discuss this.

Dawn

I do not understand what more critics could want from the PRS team. Here is a woman who is stating for the public record, even though she knows she is going to be ridiculed on this site, that PRS came in and did exactly what they said they would do. They helped her. It may not be the method paranormal journalists want them to use, but it worked. It doesn't even matter if it is real at this point does it? It doesn't matter if it stands up to extreme scientific scrutiny does it? What is important is that someone is better off because of the PRS team. In the end this should be about people and not about our need to "prove" something to our peers. PRS proved the most important thing; paranormal investigation can be used to better people's lives.

Critics continue to crucify this show and the PRS team any chance they get. Yet, these same critics will not swallow their own pride and admit they are wrong. This site stated as a matter of fact that PRS does not help people and were proven wrong. Ghosttheory posted an article from a client who had an agenda to promote themselves at the expense of Paranormal State, and yet they neglect to post an article from a client saying that the show helped her family. That is irresponsible journalism and it amazes me that this community will slit the throat of Ryan Buell for the smallest mistake and yet no one seems to speak of the elephant in the room that is slapdash journalism.

In a previous blog, I discussed an article posted on ghosttheory.com. The post was a letter written by paranormal investigator Kirby Robinson and former client of the show “Paranormal State” Kelli Ryan. The article was titled “Paranormal State Caught Faking Entire Show”.

The premise of the article is that a former client has come forward to expose the show as being a lie. However, if one really looks at the letter (as I did in the previous blog), one can see it isn’t as simple as that.

Kelli Ryan claims to be a “medium” herself. Her part of the letter, that was examined in part one of this blog, is much more a commercial for her own “abilities” than it is evidence that the PRS team is doing anything wrong. Looking at the letter as an objective investigator, there is a theme of self promotion and jealousy throughout the entire letter. As far as I am concerned, the evidence in that letter to suggest that Kelli Ryan called PRS thinking that she would be able to showcase her own abilities as a medium on national TV and perhaps jumpstart her own career. When the episode aired, she was outraged that she was portrayed as just another client and not as the super psychic she imagines herself to be. In fact, I would go so far as to say that she was more deceitful to the PRS team than they ever were to her.

Why would I say that Kelli Ryan was deceitful? I firmly believe that if the PRS team were aware of the extent of her “relationship” with her alleged ghost Bill, they would not have taken that case. Now, I am the first to admit that this is just an educated guess based on the content of the letter, but I cannot fathom anyone of sound mind taking that case.

Kelli Ryan makes several odd claims in her letter. She claims that she has a “spirit guide” who directs her at every step in her life. It was this spirit who told her to call PRS. The spirit also had told her two full years before contacting the show to knit a sweater for a guest medium that PRS called in to help with the investigation. She also claims to be friends with Bill the ghost. Never once does she say she wanted to rid her home of the ghost. She only wanted to be rid of a second spirit that she felt was harmful. I do not believe that the PRS team would have taken that case if they were aware of these facts.

It is also obvious in the letter that Kelli has a personal rivalry with Chip, a medium PRS uses. She seems to go out of her way to single him out and to claim that she is a better medium than he is. It is easy to see that she is jealous of Chip’s success.

No intelligent person would view her portion of that letter as credible. She is not merely an innocent client who has come forward to expose what goes on behind the scenes of Paranormal State. She is in fact someone who has an ulterior motive for coming forward. You cannot make any judgment about the show based on her letter.

Let us continue with the rest of the article.

In addition, the former owners of the property were contacted to be on the show and again, it’s best to read what happens in their own words via email.

Rachelle Schaaf and Mike DeRoest: “Well, as those of you who tuned in to A&E’s Paranormal State last night and watched the “Headless Haunting/The Messenger” YOU DIDN’T SEE US! We were left, I’m afraid, on the cutting room floor – edited out. Bummer! Had to fit those commercial breaks in!

Actually, that’s ok because our experiences were far more tame than what the Ryan’s endured – thank heavens! Paranormal State was looking for the juicy stuff that they could handily craft a story around. I guess stoves, heaters, lights that go on by themselves were not sexy enough for “Reality TV.”

When the producer called us. We did agree to make the trip over to Gold Beach to be interviewed on camera. We spent a few hours hanging around town while the crew tended to some dramatic new development; and then we spent a couple of hours wandering around the house having our conversations recorded with the new home owners and the ghostbusters. And then it didn’t even make it to TV! Mike and I need a better agent.

The story that came out on TV was only a portion of the history of the home and that which lent itself most readily to sensationalism. There were some other wild things that the paranormal experts were tossing around that were way over the top too, I’m glad the public was spared that stuff.

So basically what you have here are two people who were interviewed for the show and their footage didn’t make the final cut of the show. I can see why that would suck, but did A&E do anything wrong? I am sure only about one tenth of the footage shot makes it on the air. That is just one of those things you have to expect

Yet, much like Kelli Ryan, you have two people who are upset they did not get the kind of exposure from the show they wanted. Nothing to see here folks. Lets move along.

Do I believe in paranormal energies, perhaps ghosts? Yes, I do.

Do I believe in Reality TV? Uh, no.”

And as the final credits roll, listen to the deceptive words that Ryan utters as he strolls along the beach. All those words are empty words, for he knows as well as anyone, that the needs of a client were sacrificed for the personal needs of fame and fortune that both him and Chip Coffey so desperately seek. In closing, Kelli says it best, and I will let her have the final words on this subject.

“On the one hand, people say these shows are just entertainment, it’s no big deal. And they are right. But real people’s lives are used as the kindling and are used up just as easily. They could simply interview people about their problem and portray it as a dramatized account of the ghosts/demons etc. in these peoples’ lives. What they do is offer help to people who are at their most vulnerable and not equipped to handle it. If they had an infestation of rats or bugs they could call a reputable exterminator and hold them accountable for their services rendered. PRS offers themselves up as help with experts and clergy and after they dramatize, fictionalize, and sensationalize some household’s problem they walk away and leave these people with whatever haunting, demonic presence or troubling spirit and, in some cases, worsen the problem. After PRS gets what they want the family is left on their own. If a reputable exterminator came to the home, looked at the situation, invited in a few more rats and cockroaches to move in and then walked away that would be illegal. When anyone is on national TV offering themselves as experts the FCC requires truth in advertising. These people are saying they are researchers, helpers, and warriors offering to battle evil paranormal forces. They cannot mix their metaphors. First by saying we’re here to help you and follow up, and then, at the end of filming drive off and say you’re on your own. After all, this is only entertainment.”

I am of the belief that there really aren't any "experts" in the field of paranormal research.  We are all just poking sticks in the bushes in the dark hoping we get lucky.  The only thing I can say about this is that I believe PRS continues to help some clients after the cameras stop rolling. They have even posted updates on their website on clients. Perhaps in this case, they realized that you cannot help a client who doesn’t truly want to be helped and so they cut their ties. If the Ryans had such a bad experience with PRS why would she ask for MORE help from them. If they didn’t like the way PRS was conducting themselves, why didn’t they just throw them out after day one? As I said, there are so many holes in this letter that it is laughable any website would post it on any day other than April Fools. Moving on…

OPEN CHALLENGE TO CHIP & RYAN:

Ryan Buell and Chip Coffey are attacking me and my credibility. They are attacking my claim that my readings have never been wrong. I don’t claim my readings can never be wrong. I am stating correctly they have never been wrong, past-tense. They have all proven to be correct to this date.

I don’t know when was the last time I came across someone who was so completely dedicated to self promotion. On one hand I admire her ambition. On the other hand I am shocked at her arrogance. I don’t know anyone who has been completely perfect at anything . . . ever.

The most telling part of this attack is that they attack me. Two bullies ganging up on a 5′ tall, 51 year old grandmother — that’s easy. What is not so easy is attacking the truth. They don’t seem to be attacking the truthful evidence. The truth is never that easy to corrupt or fight, it stands on its own. It’s much easier for a coward to attack the messenger.

This part is funny to me. She has written a letter full of vile and hatred toward Chip and Ryan and then she goes on to play the victim. I am sure that when the PRS team left her house they concocted a plan to spend the next six months attacking this lady.

Why haven’t they confronted me directly? They have my address, phone number and email. They have been in my home. They used my home to lie to their entire audience and no matter how many times they re-edit the episode to remove their lies, more lies show up on tape until there is nothing left to air. How naive can they be? They aired it once in its entirety. Haven’t they heard of DVR? Too many people have saved this show, it won’t go away and neither will the memory of their deception. They are only compounding it by attacking me on the Internet and all behind my back.

I also find this part funny. So, if they did make a mistake with the beer can (and I believe they have admitted that mistake), isn’t it the responsible thing to do to edit that from the show? Yet, they get crucified for that too.

They used my home to stage their fakery and my crime is that I spoke the truth about it. Chip Coffey has threatened to sue. I pray he does. I would love to show my episode to a judge and the beer cans with their fingerprints and the emails between A&E and me. Let a judge decide who is telling the truth. A judge would also deem their attack of me and my sanity on the Internet LIBEL and award me damages. I am a private citizen who offered their home to these people who abused my trust and attacked me when I told the truth about it TWO CELEBRITIES ATTACKING A PRIVATE CITIZEN. Does the truth threaten them that much? If I were lying they would have a lawyer send me a letter demanding I cease and desist in my lies. No officer of the court would do this after examining the evidence because they would not bully a person who will beat them in court.

One piece of advice I would give to Kelli is don’t go to court. They will tear you apart. I have already showed you how someone trained to look at evidence will view your statements. The more you talk, the more you are sinking any case you every thought you might have. Your testimony is not credible because of many, many, many, many, many reasons.

Please look at my biographical data at your public library. Who’s Who on the Web is the original Who’s Who started in 1899. It is not a vanity Who’s Who imitator. My listing is Kelli Lorraine Ryan, DOB 062657. See what I have accomplished in my life. This data is verified and considered the most authoritative biographical data in the world. What have Chip and Ryan done in their life? You can sample Who’s Who free for a week if you don’t want to go to the library or newspaper office.

I hate to be the one to burst anyone’s bubble. Anyone can submit their biography for Who’s Who on the Web. They very rarely turn down anyone because they want to have “the largest internet database of biographies on the planet”. Most of us just aren’t so driven to see our name in print to even think about something like that. Again, Ms. Ryan has a highly inflated opinion of herself.

One last lesson on accurate readings: My readings are accurate because I do not embellish the information my guide gives me. I am not afraid to say “I don’t know, my guide is not answering.” Many psychics are afraid to disappoint so they use their intuition to fill in the blanks. Some psychics get a real high by impressing their client with all their talent so they give a reading to impress and use excuses to say they night have to be patient for it to come to pass. Some psychics want to comfort their client and use logical intuition and pray they give a good reading. Clients don’t complain because the psychic cares. My clients come to me for the TRUTH. I have the courage to give exactly what comes through. If very little came through, I would not charge my client. My readings generally take 1 hour and I have volumes of inform nation valuable to my client and answer even more than they come in for.

Doesn’t this sound like a commercial? Why would you need to promote your own abilities in a letter about the show Paranormal State? Also, isn’t one of the greatest criticisms about Chip and Ryan on sites like ghosttheory.com that they are in it for the money? Yet, here is this person advertising her services and admits that she charges for her services most of the time and yet ghosttheory.com nor Kirby Robinson seem to care. This is what we call a double standard.

I have my client prepare ahead by writing down their questions and thinking about them before they come to me or call me on the phone for phone readings. I am not afraid to give the information coming from my guide. I know the difference between my guide’s message, my thoughts and the clients’s hopes. My client wants the TRUTH, not wishful thinking — they can get that for free. I have never refused to give a reading based on a client’s inability to pay. I give that reading as all readings with love in my heart. They generally show their gratitude by sending in referral clients. I am not afraid of giving bad news. The client does not ask a question without being ready to hear the answer, good or bad. I’ve never had to disappoint a client. I simply am not afraid to admit something is not coming through. So far, I haven’t had to. That is the main stumbling block of all psychic readings — their fear of something not coming through which actually acts like interference. I give classes on improving your psychic abilities and much of the tutorial is on this very aspect of the reading.

Didn’t I see this infomercial last night? It had Cher in it right? 

Even psychics have questions. I do wonder. Why are two celebrities so unnerved by one little grandmother telling the truth? They can’t be afraid of a little grandma, they must be afraid of the truth.

I am sure they are afraid, but it isn’t because of the truth.

–

Kelli L. Ryan

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

~ On November 8th I will be analyzing the “I am Six” episode of Paranormal State.

~ Beginning on November 15 I will begin an in-depth analysis of the first season of Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal.

In closing, for all those who have been contacting me and talking off the record, I hope you now can see that you’re not alone and that there are others who have been used as well by the hands of other people’s quests for fame and fortune

It is always nice to end your letter of an innocent client of the show with MORE promotion. Wow, this lady should have been a PR agent. The funniest part of this whole letter is that she dares to accuse anyone else of being on a quest for fame and fortune. I can’t wait to see how Kirby Robinson is going to end this letter. Will he call in to question the self serving nature of this letter? Will he call in to question the fact that maybe Kelli Ryan has a motive to discredit the show? Will he tell us to at least take the letter with a grain of salt?

THE PARANORMAL MOMENT OF TRUTH CHALLENGE

Dear Ryan Buell, Chip Coffey, Lorraine Warren, Sandra & Keith Johnson, Dr. Ron Milione, Tony Spera, Shannon & Jeff Sylvia, C.J. Sellers, Chris Moon, Michelle Belanger, Chad Calek, Michael & Marti Parry, Mark & Debby Constantino, Kim Russo, and David Schrader:

I have expressed concerns about how you conduct your investigations and the validity of those investigations, where anyone with a clear and discerning eye can see that they are not authentic. I have also witnessed heavy-handed tactics being used against people who question your alleged authority within the paranormal community and dared to raise questions concerning the validity of appearing on the A&E shows, Paranormal State, and Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal. I can no longer sit by in silence. That is why I came up with The Paranormal Moment of Truth Challenge, which will benefit you, your organization, the paranormal field, and a charity that would be assisted from the donation of the prize money.

1 ~ It would silence your critics if you are determined to be telling the truth about all your claims and how they are presented. There can be no one left to challenge your honesty and integrity.

2 ~ It would not only benefit your organization, but it would also help the entire paranormal field. Because if such evidence is true, it will be brought to a much wider audience, which hopefully would fuel additional legitimate investigations. So it’s a win-win situation for everyone.

3 ~ The charity of your choice would have the prize money donated to them. If the truth is being told, that prize money could reach $500,000.

So, what is The Paranormal Moment of Truth Challenge? I am sure you’ve heard of the Fox Network program entitled The Moment of Truth. This is where a contestant is hooked up to a lie detector test and asked 50 questions, of which 21 of them are used on the actual show. As long as you tell the truth, you keep on winning money — up to $500,000. The production company, Lighthearted Entertainment Inc., would jump at an opportunity of doing a show with the two of you.

And I will put my personal credibility on the line and appear, as well. For if you visit my Free All Spirits page

(www.myspace.com/freeallspirits), you’ll notice that I personally make what some would call outlandish claims concerning my work as a Demonologist/Exorcist/Paranormal Investigator/Caring Spiritual Adviser.

If you would like to be “one step closer to the truth” then this is a way to achieve your goal. If interested, please contact me at this email address and I will get the ball rolling as soon as possible.

Your friend in spirit,

Kirby

No, of course he isn’t going to question Kelli Ryan’s motives. He is going to promote himself too. Kirby’s claim to fame up to this point is that he was on national TV for about 15 seconds on an episode of Rob and Big on MTV. He must have got a taste for it there.

I don’t understand how anyone could take either one of these people seriously. I REALLY don’t understand how anyone could post this as evidence of anything. Maybe I am the crazy one.

I came across an article posted on the site ghosttheory.com.  Now the purpose of this site is to call attention to bad practices within the paranormal community and they seem to focus a lot paranormal television shows.  I believe that watch dog groups are healthy.  I believe this site does a decent job of doing what it intends to do, but I am disappointed in this.

You can read the article in its entirety here:

http://www.ghosttheory.com/paranormal/paranormal-state-caught-faking-entire-show/

Now, let me state that ghost theory did not write the original acticle.  It was written by Kirby Robinson (a paranormal investigator out of California I believe and Kelli Ryan ( a former client of the show Paranormal State.  My issue with ghost theory is that they have a much larger audience than Kirby does on his personal site and so I feel they were irresponsible in publishing an article that is such an obvious jealous tirade.  My problem is that they titled the post "Paranormal State Caught Faking Entire Show" and then go on to comment on the original letter as though it is fact.  Anyone with any common sense can see that even if the show Paranormal State is faking every episode, this in no way is any kind of proof. 

I was trained as an interrogator by the U.S. government.   My job was to gain information and process it to determine the worth of it.  I am going to tell you how I would view this letter as an investigator.   When I am done you will see why I think that anyone reposting this article has malicious intent and isn't just about finding the truth.

"I?ve had my say, I have presented you with my analysis and research into the conduct of the Paranormal Research Society, Paranormal State, Chip Coffey, Ryan Buell and numerous other para-celebrities who have engaged in acts of deception, distortion, and out and out lies. Now it?s time that you hear it and read it from the mouths of those who have been on the receiving end of those acts."

As an investigator, I looked at Mr. Robinson's website and myspace page.  You can too.  What do you see?  What I see when I look at it is someone who is upset that he is not in the limelight of the paranormal community.  He is angry that guys like Ryan Beull have a hit show and he (feeling he is more experienced and more deserving) is left to pander for members on myspace.  I find it odd that this guy and sites like ghosttheory spend a disporportional amount of time and print to go after those people who are on T.V.  This is probably less than one percent of the entire community. 

Kelli states: ?[Name removed] referred me to you. My husband and I are not under any legal restraint from telling the truth about what Ryan Buell and Chip Coffey did and what was edited and aired on our episode of A&E?s Paranormal State.

Chip Coffey play acted at being psychic. He was given every bit of information regarding our case and the identity of the ghost of the past-previous owner of our home who died 28 years before we bought our Gold Beach, Oregon home.

I am a medical hypnotherapist and respected medium and psychic with many satisfied clients. We contacted PRS after our ghost, Bill Wells, began asking us for help.

OK, again let us look at this with some common sense.  It may be true that Chip Coffey is fed the information.  This is something I have often wondered myself and Kelli could be telling the truth, however there are some red flags that go up immediately and would make me be very cautious about anything she says.  The thing that taints this entire letter is her statement about being a "respected medium and psychic with many satisfied clients".  This is obvious self promotion.  First, if you are truly a respected anything, you don't have to tell people that you are.  The only people who state things like this are those who want to be, not those who are.  Second, if this letter is to be taken seriously, then she should be writing it as a client and not as a fellow medium.  Third, I think the term "our ghost" shows a questionable relationship with a paranormal entity which would cause me to question certain things about this case and if I would get involved with it in the first place.

The PRS team represented themselves as being part of Penn State University, which was only the beginning of their deceptions. We initially asked for help because there was some sort of entity in our downstairs hall and adjacent rooms which my own spirit guide warned me from dealing with on my own.?

I don't know anyone who thinks PRS is actually part of Penn State.  I thought it was understood from the beginning that this is a student formed society.  Is that not clear and if YOU misunderstood it, then why would you blame them for deception?  Also, anytime anyone claims to be directed by their "spirit guide" this throws up a BIG red flag for me.  I will let you be the judge of that. 

Kelli and Riley Ryan are a very loving couple who purchased their dream home in Gold Beach, Oregon. Kelli who is a gifted psychic/medium, had established the Hypnotist Center in Merced, California in 1989. She is very accurate within her readings, very comfortable with spiritual communication, and has always embraced her gifts to be of help to others.

After moving in, the couple, along with Kelli?s personal spirit guide, encountered a very pleasant ghost by the name of Bill. Bill was the former owner of the home whose death was tragic, to say the least, that caused much pain for his family, friends, and the entire community of Gold Beach.

Unfortunately, that wasn?t the only entity that had taken up residence in her home. In addition, a very dark and sinister spirit had staked claim to their kitchen and hallway, moving objects at will, turning appliances off and on, frightening their ghost, Bill. The dark entity physically attacked both Kelli and her husband. Her personal spirit guide wisely informed her not to attempt to deal with the dark entity on her own but to get professional help which they did when they contacted PRS seeking such help.

My issue with this is that ghost theory accepts anything nagative said about Paranormal State, Ryan and Chip as fact and yet there is no need to question the fact that everything Kelli does she claims to be directed by a "spirit guide".  So we are just accepting this as fact?  That very odd fact just goes unquestioned?  Not by me. Also this whole section shows a mutual promotion of Mr. Robinson and Ms. Ryan's abilities.  You will see even more of that later.  

Kelli states: ?We made first contact with PRS by email Saturday June 21, 2008. We described all phenomenon and asked if they could help us or refer us to someone who could. We put our trust in PRS because they mention Penn State University so prominently at the beginning of their program. We felt an esteemed university would not want to expose themselves to liability so we thought PRS must be acting responsibly.

Again, this is not the fault of PRS, but the fault of the client.  Who doesn't know that there are hundreds of student groups on every campus?

We received a phone call from Eric Leven of A&E 10:30AM Pacific Time on Monday, June 23, 2008. He told us that he was making our case a top priority because it was such a compelling story (seeing a headless ghost, all kitchen appliances turning on by themselves, kitchen canister sliding across kitchen counter and falling on the floor, an evil entity in the hallway, being locked in the bathroom, being touched, scratched, bruised, squeezed until I couldn?t breath and a kindly ghost asking for help). Eric Leven asked if we could send documentation that Bill Wells lived in our home and died in an accident. We sent the news article detailing Bill?s accident and funeral along with deeds to show the list of former owners. At Eric Leven?s request we sent photographs of all the areas of our home where the phenomenon occurred regularly with detailed descriptions.?

So the wheels of deception begin to turn.

Kelli states: ?On Tuesday, July 1, 2008 Sumit David, Paranormal State Producer, arrived at our home to scout the location, interview us on camera and film all the haunted areas of our home. He toured our haunted house, property, and surrounding forest. He was actually quite frightened by the trees surrounding our home. He indicated they could start filming as early as July 10, 2008.

A&E was very pushy about urging us to contact Jim Gardner, the driver in Bill Wells? fatal accident. We told them we would try again, but we didn?t want to harass the man. We contacted him shortly after discovering Bill?s identity. The point of us contacting PRS was to get Bill the help he was pleading for. Bill wanted people in the town to know there was no wrongdoing on anyone?s part and, indeed, it was only an accident. He also wanted Jim to know he was happy in heaven and he wanted his friend to be happy and live his life without guilt or sadness. A&E said Ryan Buell was very good at convincing people to take part in their investigations and how his participation would help the healing process.

Sumit David promised us nothing on the show would be done which would be injurious to Bill Wells? loved ones. Nothing would prove to be farther from the truth than this most heinous lie.?

At this point we will use the episode, The Messenger, which was originally entitled The Headless Haunting. Each scene will be broken down exposing the deception that was occurring. Prior to the beginning of the opening credits, the lies and deception already start.

So up to this point, the client has only dealt with A&E and not PRS.

The Messenger, Part 1

The shot of Kelli observing a figure dashing past the window was staged. The person doing the dashing is a crewmember.

The photo of the tragic accident that killed Bill was never meant for public viewing. More on that later.

Chip and Ryan seeing something in the hallway and bedroom staged and fake?more on that later.

So, at this point it is one person's word against another about what was faked and what was not.  I do not see how ghosttheory or any decent investigator -cough Kirby Robinson cough- could really choose one side or the other unless you had a personal agenda.

The case briefing takes place at the Gold Beach Rare Book Room what is interesting here is how secretive PRS is.

I am going to skip ahead here because it would be too lengthy to post the entire section of he said-she said. 

We next see that Michelle Belanger is brought into the case. Two years prior to the investigation, Kelli?s spirit guide had her begin to crochet a sweater that was for Michelle. Michelle also received readings from Kelli that were so accurate to Michelle it proved Kelli?s talents beyond any doubt. And she even refers to Kelli ?as the best psychic I ever encountered.?

I am going to use one of the many juvenile internet message board lines that I hate so much.  "Link or it didn't happen."  In other words, I need to see some proof that Michelle said this or it doesn't hold any water.  Second, this is another one of those statements that makes me stop and say, "Really".  So we are going to question the integrity of PRS, but we are just going to take it at face value that this lady had a "spirit guide" tell her to knit a sweater?  We are all going to just pretend this is perfectly normal behavior and that statements like this shouldn't maybe cause us to question the source?  Third, this is yet ANOTHER example of self promotion. So this goes on to debate what time deadtime really was and crucifies Ryan for looking in the mirror. 

Next up is Chip Coffey?s arrival on the scene. He does his normal walk through shtick and informs Ryan that a person with M letters then later changes it to W W.

This is one of those things that what you think you saw you really didn?t. Let?s focus on all the deception that took place here.

~1 Chip Coffey?s arrival. Remember, we are on Day 2 of filming. Is this when Chip gets into town? Not at all. He had been in town for over 48 hours prior to his ?first arrival? on the scene.

~2 When Chip is asked by Ryan ?Have I told you anything about the case?? Chip says: ?You tell me nothing.? That?s actually the first truthful statement that they have made on camera at this point in the episode. Ryan didn?t have to tell anything. Chip knew the whole story of Bill?s death and the haunting prior to stepping foot on the property.

Kelli states: ?Eric Leven asked if we could send documentation that Bill Wells lived in our home and died in an accident. We sent the news article detailing Bill?s accident and funeral along with deeds to show the list of former owners. At Eric Leven?s request we sent photographs of all the areas of our home where the phenomenon occurred regularly with detailed descriptions.

Eric Leven interviewed me by phone twice. He consulted Chip Coffey with all the details about our case before they decided to do the show.

We had to leave so we would not affect ?so sensitive? Chip?s psychic abilities.

I wanted to stop right here just to call attention to that last sentence.  Now, those of you with common sense, what do you see when you read that sentence?  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the jealousy in this statement.  You can tell right away that she has a problem with Chip because he does what she does and he is famous for it while she has to spend all her time promoting her own abillities. 

Chip had been given all those captioned photographs we sent Eric Leven explaining all locations in and around our home where the phenomenon occurred. As a result, Chip very accurately picked up on all the phenomenon including Bill Well?s initials, WW (William Wells).

Eric Leven from A&E told me on the phone, ?I consulted Chip Coffey about your case and he was really excited. I forwarded all your info to him??

Now, she is claiming that Chip knows the info before he comes on the scene.  I do not know if this is true or not.  It may be true.  What I do know is that you cannot use the information in this letter to determine that either way and that is why distributing this is irresponsible.  When someone says "I forwarded all your info", you don't know what that means.  It could mean name and address.  It could be general details about the case.  It could be everything, but you don't know.  None of us know.  Second, you would think that A&E would be smart enough that if they were feeding the info to Chip, they wouldn't let the client know that.  She said they were under no legal contract not to talk about it.  Do you honestly believe that if A&E were faking the show that they wouldn't make them sign a confidentiality agreement?  Really?  Lets skip ahead.

We now witness an outright scripted staged deception by Heather, Eilfie, and Michelle.

I just wanted to stop here to say that she is now admitting that the person she claims as a credible witness to her own abilities is faking something for TV.  What does that say?  She goes on to talk about some things that she felt were shady, but most of this is done by A&E crew and not PRS.  The one valid point she may have is the beer can making an IR signature.  If that is true, it is unfortunate that made it to TV, but all investigators make mistakes on every investigation.  Hate to break that to her.

She then goes on to talk about her relationship with Bill the ghosts.  This is another one of those situations where as an investigator myself, I would take a step back and say, "ok our client may have some issues."  Am I wrong in my belief that if a client has that close of a relationship with a "ghost" and a "spirit guide" that something is off?  Fellow investigators, would that not worry you?  I can tell you that personally, I would not accept that case.  I am wondering if PRS didn't have all that info when they started this either. 

Our house is in a place where the other side and our world have very little separation. That veil, like an ozone is not very defined on our property. We live in a type of portal between us and the other side. Our house sits on top of an underground stream which connects to Hunter Creek. Where Taylor Creek and Hunter Creek meet forms a kind of meridian and that is where our house sits. Put in a channeling medium and you have paranormal Disneyland when you are inside the house. This scared Chip Coffey so much he would not deal with the entity in the hallway after Bill, our ghost, was so angry over what Chip did. He rushed out and lunged at Chip scaring him badly. You can see this on the second Dead Time when Chip has his hand in front of his mouth and is hiding in a leather chair looking at me in the hallway. Michelle Belanger had an argument with Chip during that Dead Time explaining I was the real deal unlike him. Michelle knows this as I spent only a small time with her and discussed with her a secret she says no psychic she has ever been with has ever picked up. I called Chip a fraud. Michelle stood up and told Chip I was the read deal, a real medium, not like him who was faking it. The camera rolled the entire time. Look at Michelle?s face. At one point she simply looks disgusted and quit participating.?

So, speaking as someone who was trained to deal with information and to determine if it is true or not, there are two things that would cause me to throw this whole letter out.  First is the constant self promotion throughout the entire letter.  That alone is enough for a level minded person to discredit this entire thing.  Ask any one in law enforcement what they would think of a testimony that is self serving and they will tell you to throw it out.  Second is her direct competition with Chip.  Both of the people responsible for this letter have an agenda.  I do not see how any responsible member of the paranormal community would continue to spread this information around.  It is tainted.  Using this information to form a judgment about the show or PRS is in bad taste.  I have lost a measure of respect for ghosttheory.com.  I will examine part 2 of this letter at a later date and get into why Kirby Robinson also discredits himself.

Forgive me if portions of this blog are poorly written or my spelling is really bad.  It is 4:30 am and I am a little out of it

Brenton