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Ghost Stalkers: Episode Six – Farrar School : Notes and Thoughts

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Farrar school, IowaNow that you’ve seen the season finale here are some thoughts and notes about “What you didn’t see on the episode”

  • The daylight investigation is partially show as Chad, David and I experiment with the biometrics. Chad and I, as in every episode perform a larger more thorough daytime investigation getting and setting baseline readings and in this episode checking out our biology in different locations. We also switch equipment around the school to check my heart-rate/blood pressure and Chad’s brainwave patterns. Chad and I actually did a second daytime investigation on the last day after our solo night investigations were over none of that was shown even though we caught a really awesome, and funny, EVP in the boiler room.
  • The crew getting freaked out. Once again a location where the crew, who were mostly hardcore skeptics when Ghost Stalkers first started filming but that didn’t last long, were constantly being touched and “teased” around the school. I wish we could do a behind the scenes with our crew so they could tell you their stories, alas contracts, on-screen time, blah blah etc. Maybe in a season 2 we could get permission to show them on camera and let you hear their stories first-hand.
  • I wanted to go back to Farrar. I had been to Farrar a year earlier and wanted to go back. When I was first there I was so intrigued by the amount of stories and experiences I’d heard about I thought it would be an awesome location for me to re-visit. I was right.
  • Bathroom breaks were easier since there are working toilets. We were very excited about doing another location that had electricity and plumbing! Not only is having bathrooms a bonus but knowing that the structure wasn’t going to collapse around us allowed Chad and I to focus more on our personal experiences. In this episode one of the people interviewed is William Conkel, he has spent countless hours renovating the building and helping maintain the integrity of this historic structure.
  • Localized cold. We talk about this and you see some of it in the episode but what doesn’t come across is the fact that although Chad and I both experienced “cold” spots it wasn’t the ambient room temperature that changed at all. The cold was happening to us. Almost every time we got cold we checked the room temperatures and it wouldn’t change whatever was happening it was happening directly to us.
  • Digging a hole. If you watch episode one of Ghost Stalkers, Whispers Estate, there is a cut-away in that episode, when Gwen is talking about a “medical waste pit”, the clip of that recreation was actually done at Farrar.
  • My recorder. You get to see this strange phenomena happen but you don’t see me testing it out all over the school. This is one of the awesome moments when it benefits the show that we are not “locked” into the location. If I had been locked in I wouldn’t have been able to go outside to test the recorder and get the results that I got.

    Now, let’s get to the meat of the episode shall we?

    Obviously networks want what they want and once the episode is done being filmed Chad and I have very little say in how it is edited. With that being said I can tell you I flexed every ounce of influence I have to make sure this episode didn’t end up portrying Farrar as an “evil” place or even that The Principal was “evil”. Anyone that knows me also knows that I think spirit boards are simply tools like any other tool whether it be a hammer or a digital recorder. I think I made this clear in the episode when I talk about the intent of the user being more important than the tool. A hammer can build a house or can be used to kill someone but it’s not the hammer it’s the person holding the hammer.
    I do not think in any way that Farrar is evil or bad or dangerous. Again, and I can’t say this enough; I fought to make sure Farrar was shown in the most positive light the network would allow. I was really frustrated when I saw the first rough-cut of the episode because I saw the network taking it down the wrong path. I called, argued and eventually got the episode to be what I think is the smartest episode of Ghost Stalkers and indeed my personal favorite episode out of the six. I think Farrar gives you what you give it and I also think the school is what it always as been, a place for people to meet, grow and learn.

    Have any other questions or comments? Feel free to email me john@weirdlectures.com

Ghost Stalkers: Episode Five – Wheatlands Plantation : Notes and Thoughts

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wheatlandsThis week’s episode has aired, so let’s air it out and talk about “What you didn’t see on the episode”

  • Daylight: The day-time investigation is actually shown. Well, part of it but at least it was shown. The area and property have so many different portions you only see snippets. You also only see us talking about the RF fields and Gamma detector. The reality is that during the day we do baseline readings for the property so that we can see if things change throughout the day. Some of this is shown but in the final version it was pared down to RF and Gamma.
  • Chad in socks? Did you notice Chad was wearing his socks while investigating inside the house? The property owners told Chad and I we couldn’t wear shoes in the house. The day before my investigation, after Chad had already done his, they changed their minds and I was allowed to wear my shoes.
  • The slave quarters: Chad and I both did pretty extensive investigations in the former slave quarters. None of this was shown. Also we investigated the barn together during the day and at night separately, none of that was shown.
  • Evidence: For some reason, the choice of the network, there was some weird data collected that didn’t make it to air. One was an EVP that Chad picked up on his voice recorder that sounded like drums and chanting, and one which was an EVP picked up not on Chad’s voice recorder but on the static camera placed outside near the native American burial mound. Chad was doing an EVP session and didn’t get a response, when we looked that the footage from the static camera in the morning he did get a response but only on the microphone from the camera.
  • Animals: One of the scariest moments filming this episode was my investigation outside near the slave cemetery. I kept hearing something walk toward me from the darkness. I couldn’t see it even in my IR camera’s screen. Then, WOOF! a dog had some how snuck up on me and was about 7 feet away in some grass and barked. Seriously I lost my mind. Whew, just a dog;  I’m glad it wasn’t a bear or coyote. haha
  • Fighting for the poke: Although I seem to be pretty provoking of Big Tim in this episode the much larger dialogue I was having in the house never made it to the episode. I was trying in a variety of ways to connect with Big Tim and Little Tim by explaining my personal history with my own father. Growing up my father was Big John and I was Little John and my father was a heavy drinker. Our relationship was strained and explosive. I tried to use that as a means to personally connect with the energies in the house. You only hear portions of me talking about this and it is edited to sound like I’m trying to provoke, which I am, but not so much in the manner it was shown. When it comes to the poke on my stomach I told Chad the next morning, which is not shown in the episode, that I think I probably manifested the abrasions on myself. Much like stress acne, or rashes can be created by intense psychological factors I think it is very probable that my thoughts and emotions created the redness on my stomach. Indeed the redness, and what looked like pokes and cuts, completely vanished within 24 hours. When the episode was being edited I was told that the pokes and abrasions were not going to be used in the episode. That the network thought it seemed fake to have me constantly being poked and scratched. I, with the help of another editor, fought to show it. It happened so show it, it’s not fake, so show it. Eventually I won and you saw it.
  • Safety: There is actually a good deal of footage, somewhere, which shows Chad and I discussing how we keep ourselves psychologically and spiritually grounded. Chad talks about the protective stones he wears around his neck and his personal rituals for staying balanced. I tell stories about my necklace and the objects I carry with me to make me feel comfortable. We also discuss what we do after investigations to make sure we leave anything “bad” behind. I thought it was super interesting but obviously someone at the network did not and needed to hear “portals” said some more. HA!
  • Talking: By now you should all know there is a great amount of me explaining things and discussing ideas with Chad that no one ever hears.
  • Lack of Evidence: Although there are some interesting bits here and there throughout the show, my “poke” etc., there is actually not too much evidence in this episode which I actually love.  Most investigations only produce a small amount of data. In this episode you get to see that aspect. Of course you hear strange footsteps and some odd interactions with whatever, but just like most investigations of locations there is not a lot of supporting evidence. I was really happy that this comes through in the episode. Not every location will perform on command and audiences need to see that.

Funny story maybe:
On our way to Wheatlands the forecast was heavy rain. I jokingly told the crew I would talk to someone in the “secret government weather control center” and have them hold off on the rain; we all had a good laugh. Nick Groff then said, “When you call them tell them “no rain but lightning.”  Again we all laughed and I pretended to make a phone call. Then it didn’t rain and we had lightning. No one laughed. hahaha

 

Have any other questions about the show? Let me know and I’ll answer them if I can! email

john@weirdlectures.com

Don’t forget to check out all the Ghost Stalkers content

at the Destination America site CLICK HERE

Also visit the Destination America Facebook page! CLICK HERE

Ghost Stalkers: Episode Four – Holmesburg Prison : Notes and Thoughts

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HolmesburgNow that you’ve seen this week’s episode let’s talk about “What you didn’t see on the episode”

  • The daylight investigation is not shown although in this episode it’s clearer, while watching the experiment with David, that some kind of investigation probably took place during the day. As well as Chad, I also, stood in the middle of David’s EMF Quadulator and tried to get a response but took a more quiet approach than Chad and I got no response. During our day-time investigation Chad and I took turns trying to open and close cell doors, which was close to impossible as they had all been opened when the prison closed and their hinges had rusted into position.
  • Dave Adams the former Warden, wanted nothing to do with Holemsburg. He hated the place and had to laboriously be talked into coming back to do the walk through with me and Chad. I don’t blame him for not wanting to come back to the prison.
  • Two of the former guards we wanted to interview never showed up. For whatever reason two of the former employees chose not to show up.
  • Securing the location wasn’t as hard to do as other locations since it’s a prison.
  • Bathroom breaks were easier since there are 2 working toilets.
  • The electrical problems were shown in the episode but even so to a much lesser degree. We’ve never had as many electrical problems at a location. Everything refused to work. We brought into the location a massive amount of extra batteries, extension cords, fuses, etc.
  • Most of Chad’s night investigation. Of course since we investigate from about 9pm until 6am you don’t see most of our investigations on any episode but only the most “engaging” parts. At Holmesburg Chad went all over the prison from the sub-basement tunnels to the very top of the guard tower. At one point during his investigation I heard Chad laughing and I went outside and saw him at the top of the prison tower! For as much as Chad is portrayed in the show as being a nervous person he is one of the most thorough explorers I have ever met. I didn’t even get to the top of the guard tower.

Interesting Story:
The day before we arrived at Holmesburg I had a vivid nightmare in which I murdered the entire crew with a hammer. I jokingly told the crew to not be alone with me and everyone had a good laugh. The first day we arrived at the prison I was doing a walk through with Chad and the crew and when we were in the basement I walked up to a closed cabinet and opened the door, the only thing inside was an old hammer. We all got somewhat nervous but fortunately I didn’t murder any of them.

My health:
I’m generally in good health but filming an episode can wear almost anyone down. A shooting day for Chad and I is usually from 11am to 7am which means he and I are getting about four or five hours of sleep a day. This can run havoc with your physical and psychological health. We’re also eating pretty terribly and randomly. Ever since my NDE I have suffered from panic/anxiety attacks and will always have a certain amount of PTSD. Whether it was “something” in the prison or just the natural cumulative effects of stressors I felt what I thought was the tell-tale signs of “something” bad beginning to happen. You also don’t see me yelling at Chad to “turn the cameras off!” I became even more disturbed when I realized that although I was outside of the prison I was actually still inside the prison walls, this of course added another level of feeling like I was trapped. Once outside you don’t see me trying to call friends and family. There was no safety contingent for something like this happening and the next day there was a long discussion about whether or not I even wanted to continue filming the show until some kind of safety measures were established. When I got home I did visit a doctor and my EKG showed no changes so there had not been any heart incident.

Top 10 Best Worst Hate Mail

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Anyone who knows me knows I love hearing ideas. I love constructing and exchanging ideas with everyone since I honestly believe it is only together that we will advance as a global family. I do find it fascinating how much time and energy people put into hating things. I don’t hate anything. I don’t have the time to hate and would much rather find where we agree and communicate from that point forward. Unfortunately, some people love to hate. Here is a collection of recent “Hate Mail” I’ve received since the first airing of Ghost Stalkers. I haven’t censored the language so I apologize if your find it inappropriate. Enjoy them I do! Note: I am not offended by any of these emails; I actually really enjoy them haha!

Hate Mail10. Subject: Ghost Stalkers
Mr. John ELTenney I just watched the new episode of ghost stalker and whanted to know why u think u should be on a tv show!? I have been a ghost invetigator for 4 years & have been a fan of paranormal shows for more than 10 years & have seen ghosts since I was 3. How come u think u deserve to be on a show I have never heard of u. I think you are fake.

9. Subject: ur show
Dear asshole staker
get fucking real your show is a fake your evidence is fake ad your scammin people just to make $$$ get a life your show sucks you suck and your show is fake.

8. Subject: piece of shit show
John fake ghost lieri have watched a ton of paranormal and ghost shows and yours is the worst i’veever seen you sound like a robot & the other guy screams like a fucking pussy grow some balls and try and do a real ghost hunter ill take you to some places and youll see shit that will make your pirce of shit show look like a godamn vacation cruise. I couldnt watch more than the first 10 minutes of your show becauee of all the screaming and crying fuckin shut up what a waste of fuckin life.

7. Subject: FAKERS
JOHN
YOUR SHOW IS THE WROST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ANYBODY CAN GETA SHOW THIS DAYS AND OBS YOU GOT ONE BECUASE YOU FAKE ALL GHOSTS!!!!!!!!!!!!I HAVE MET SO MANY PEOPLE LIKE ZAK AND JASON AND THEY ARE THE REALDEAL YOU JUST A FAKE COPYCAT!!!!!!GET A JOB AND STOP BEING A COPYER!!!!!FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE! I USED TO LIKE CHAD FROM SUPERNATRAL BUT IF HE IS FRIENDS WITH YOU NO WAY NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!FAKE FAKE FAKE!!!!

6. Subject: You don’t know anything
Mr. Tenney as a person who has had multiple neard death experiences i died 6 times before i was 12! and as a person who communicates on a day today basis with spirits and ghosts i find your show repulsive and sickening anyone who knows anything about ghosts and spirits know that they are stuck in this world and need help moving on to the afterlife or heaven or hell and as a paranormal researcher we know our job is to help these poor lost souls but you and your pussy friend do nothing but scream and cry and do nothing to help these poor ghosts it is offensive to everyone who knows anything about paranormal research and how ghosts and angels work next time try making a show without being so uniformed and try to do some research like a real paranormal researcher.

5. Subject: None
I recently saw a article onine about you dying and what you experienced which sounds like hell. In the Bible we learn that only bad people go to hell so you must be a bad person. I don’t know why a bad person would be put on televison accept for a way to trick people into liking badness and evil. I refuse to watch your show because I think it tricks good caring God loving people into liking someone like you is obviously bad since you went to hell. I will pray for you and hope you will one day redeem your souls.

4. Subject: Ghost stalkers
This show sux! I like GA and Zach Nick Aaron who know what they are talking about.
Portholes are not a real thing. terrible show I will not watch it.

3. Subject: actors and fakes
Chad is an actor. I saw him in this cheesy movie on the Sy-Fy channel called “Rise of the Zombies. ” Ridiculous that anyone thinks he is a paranormal researcher i have no idea who the other guy is probably another actor.

2. Subject: little girls with scared vaginas
why in the world would anyone want to watch two pussys scream for an hour.  bitches you’re a couple of little girls act like men not 2 scared vaginas.

1. Subject: destination show
you and that chad guy need to fucking die again

 

Ghost Stalkers: Episode Three – Old Taylor Hospital : Notes and Thoughts

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Hey everybody welcome to another “What you didn’t see on the episode”
Old Taylor -Ghost Stalkers

Ready? Begin.

  • The daylight investigation was actually pretty crazy and it’s weird that it didn’t make the final cut into this episode. An earlier cut, that I saw, did have part of our daytime investigation but in the final cut it is gone. When Chad and I were upstairs in the hospital’s attic something threw a tin can at us. As we entered the room you can see the can on the floor and as Chad and I walk by it something hurls the can at us. I was surreal but awesome. Maybe someday it will be a web-clip or extra content.
  • David getting shocked by sitting too close to the Tesla coil. While we were setting up the experiment in the day David moved too close and got a little “zap”. Everyone had a good laugh.
  • A small part of the hospital has been used as a “haunted house” for Halloween, so there were some decorations in part of the main-floor rooms. We tried to stay out of those rooms because like most Halloween attractions the decor is pretty dumb looking.
  • Securing the location. Because the location has a lot of doors everyone on the crew checked and rechecked to make sure there was only one way in or out. It literally took us hours.
  • Bathroom breaks. Old Taylor does not have running water so during both Chad and my night investigation we “held it” the only bathroom available was in the RV.
  • Everyone’s concern that I might get really “zapped” trying to touch the Tesla coil. I talked to David about it before he left for the night and we talked about the possibility that I might get shocked but we took precautions to make sure I wouldn’t. Also you don’t see me, during the episode, tell the camera “Kids don’t try this at home” which I said multiple times. Also I did get shocked a couple times. HA!

Now let’s get to the meat and potatoes of this episode…

The walking figure.

Honestly, I don’t know what it is.

  • I took the footage to our head of photography for the show and had him check it out. I wanted fresh, skeptical eyes to see it. Our head of photography has worked on hundreds of paranormal reality shows and after seeing this footage and running it through all kinds of image processing software eventually told me, “This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen working on a paranormal show”
  • The building was sealed off and “sweeped” by the crew before they left, we do this at every location to make sure no one is in the building. Since Chad and I are alone when we investigate it is a safety measure we take to make sure there isn’t anyone who might hurt us when we’re alone in the building.
  • I saw the figure I saw it in real time. Although it’s often mind-numbing to stare at the check-in camera monitor all night long it’s necessary and in this case was worth it. I honestly didn’t even know if I saw what I saw. By that I mean the camera is a live feed I have no way to go back and look at it until the morning. So I saw the figure and then I was like, “what did I just see?” It wasn’t until the morning after Chad was done that I could go retrieve the camera and check for what I thought I saw.
  • The figure is soundless. The check-in camera has a microphone on it and although the hospital is loud and echo-filled when the figure walks through the hallway it does not make any sounds associated with movement or walking.
  • It’s walking around in total darkness. People forget that everything you see on the show is illuminated by IR lights, which cast no visable light and therefore everything you see is happening in total darkness. The figure is walking around in total darkness. I can tell you one of the things that gets edited out of every episode, of not only our show but most paranormal shows, is all of the stumbling, tripping and walking into stuff that goes on when you are in the dark. The figure we catch almost looks like it’s assuredly walking around yet it is doing so in complete blackness.
  • Naked? This is just my perspective but the figure, to me, looks naked.

Once again, I don’t know what it is but it’s awesome.

Have any other questions about the show? Let me know and I’ll answer them if I can! email

john@weirdlectures.com

Don’t forget to check out all the Ghost Stalkers content

at the Destination America site CLICK HERE

Also visit the Destination America Facebook page! CLICK HERE

Ghost Stalkers: Episode Two – Springfield Hospital : Notes and Thoughts

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What you didn’t see, or might have missed, on the episode.

  • Again, Chad and I always do a daytime investigation of the location. Some of this was seen as we discovered the steam tunnels. Finding an entrance to the steam tunnels took awhile but once inside we found multiple ways in and out. You can see this in the episode by the fact that we discovered the tunnels as a covered hole in the ground, which thankfully became noticeable because the city had recently mowed the lawn, and we leave through an access door.
  • Cemetery Daytime investigation. When Chad and I visited the cemetery, where the unclaimed bodies had been moved to, we sat and did an EVP session and paid our respects. Only a brief moment of this was shown.
  • The crew freaking out. Although Chad and I investigate and are completely alone at night during the day there is a small camera crew helping set up cameras and doing “B-Roll” which includes time-lapse shots, shots of the location and helping with witness interviews. It was at Springfield that many of the crew, highly skeptical of paranormal phenomena, started freaking out and getting scared from strange happenings around the location.
  • Bathroom breaks. Springfield does not have running water but there is a porta-toilet on sight. It was gross.
  • My overly long, but interesting, narration about ions. In this episode you only get brief snippets of my overly long monologue about positive and negative ions. What you don’t hear is when I discuss how human physiology is affected by Negative ions, they reduce stress, lower blood pressure etc. while Positive ions, caused by “dirty” EMF fields, can cause headaches, nausea, etc. Someone experiencing these contrary conditions might feel as though they are experiencing something supernatural.
  • There is a larger monologue about water-filled places, not just the Bermuda Triangle, which have reported anomalistic phenomena. You only heard the Bermuda Triangle part.
  • Chad and I opening the Starr building. During the first day on site Chad and I had to literally pry boards off the door of the Starr building to get inside. It took forever.
  • Bats. When I was in the steam tunnels at night I went down a tunnel exploring and crawled into a portion that was inhabited by hundred of bats. That portion of the tunnel was so small I had to crawl backwards about 50 feet to get out. BATS!
  • The immensity of the location. This location was huge and the buildings were enormous. between all of the buildings, tunnels etc. It was really easy to get lost…especially at night in the dark.
  • Black Mold, Asbestos and Lead Paint. Chad and I carried around little face masks with us because the buildings were filled with toxicity. We chose to investigate most of the time without masks so that we could be understood when we talked to the camera.
  • I almost fell through a 2nd story floor. One of the buildings had a very sketchy floor, no one has been in the location in so long that no one knew about this. During my night investigation I realized I was standing on a 2nd story wood floor that was crumbling beneath my feet. I left before I plunged through it.

Other things you might not have known

  • The city had prepared to renovate the W building, where we experienced most of the activity. It wasn’t too difficult to seal the building again air leaks and drafts due to the fact that some prep work had already been done by the city since the building was filled with asbestos and mold.
  • Sykesville, the city that Springfield is located near, has legends of a bigfoot-like monster. Chad and I discussed this but none of it made it to the episode.
  • The Police. At least once on each night the local police showed up to check on whoever was in the RV.
  • The moving image caught by the check-in camera after Chad leaves the room was discovered the next day. My bad, I admit I missed it when it happened. Although I narrate as it happens, in the episode, Chad was the one who caught it while reviewing the video; this is why he shows it to me at the end of the episode. The image is really weird in the fact that not only does it block light from the laser grid but it also seems to reflect or create light. If you go back and watch the footage it looks like part of “it” shines or reflects light. hmmm.

 

Have any other questions about the show? Let me know and I’ll answer them if I can! email john@weirdlectures.com

Don’t forget to check out all the Ghost Stalkers content

at the Destination America site CLICK HERE

Also visit the Destination America Facebook page!CLICK HERE

Ghost Stalkers: Episode One – Whispers Estate : Notes and Thoughts

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I am a great advocate of people having as much information as possible. With that said here are some notes and thoughts about the first episode of Ghost Stalkers. I’ll be posting a piece like this of every episode.

What you didn’t see on the episode.

  • Chad and I always do a daytime investigation. None of this was shown. We spent a significant amount of time in the house during the day and seemed to have some interaction with friendly energies.
  • Most of the night investigations. Chad and I are in the house all night. What you see on TV is only the most interesting parts of the night investigations.
  • Chad and I trying to duplicate my scratch. In the morning after my investigation Chad and I experimented to see how we could duplicate my scratches.
  • The moving of the cameras. Some of the cameras Chad and I use during our investigations stay in a specific locations but since we are in the location alone we sometimes move cameras around if we think there are better areas to film. Also, we have to move cameras to swap out batteries. There is a table inside every location with extra batteries and extra cameras just in case something breaks or ceases to work.
  • Chad and I both, yet at separate times, after our individual investigations visited the church down the street. Both Chad and I independent of each other walked down the street and tried to unwind at the church on the opposite corner of the street from the location.
  • Bathroom breaks. Obviously we have to go to the bathroom sometimes. Thankfully Whispers has working indoor toilets. Thankfully editors edited that out.
  • Sleepiness in the RV. I drink a lot of coffee to stay awake out in the RV. Investigating keeps you awake, sitting in an RV alone all night can be crazily tiring.
  • When doing the narration for the show I did a lengthy monologue about the folkloric nature of human-animal hybrids and therianthropy while I discussed what the half-man/half-goat entity might be. This long narrative about pre-Christian animal totems, and ancient tales of distant belief systems was edited down to what you heard in the episode which was only, “In some cultures a goatman can represent demons or even the devil himself” The full narration includes many different aspects of what creatures might be and how they have been represented throughout the world dating back to the earliest of human times. None of that made it into the episode.
  • Hugs. Before Chad or I go into any location for our individual investigations we hug each other. We always hug when we finish the investigation too.

Other things you might not have known

When I first met Gwen, the estates caretaker, she told me that sometimes one or more of the energies in the location will not interact unless they are provoked to do so. Everyone that knows me knows I am not a fan of provoking but after hours of being in the house and nothing happening I took Gwen’s advice. On the show you do not see the hours of investigation I did while not provoking but Gwen was right, and you see that on the show.

Whispers Estate holds tours of its location and so there are “spooky” items all over the house. Plastic skulls, Ouija board, etc. We brought nothing into the house to “set dress” it, everything you see was put there by the owners.

Have any other questions about the show? Let me know and I’ll answer them if I can! email john@weirdlectures.com

Don’t forget to check out all the Ghost Stalkers content
at the Destination America site CLICK HERE

Also visit the Destination America Facebook page! CLICK HERE

Inside forever. A quick trip into infinity.

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Where to begin?

Now that the first episode of Ghost Stalkers has premiered I have been contacted by a dizzying amount of people about the the nature of my near-death experience. This is something that I knew I would have to confront once the show was on but it is honestly is a daunting task.

Please understand that some of the words I use and the descriptions of my experience will fail to accurately explain what I remember. The memories I have of the event do not have words or descriptions which is part of why the experience was so horrific. Also, if I stray away and meander about while trying to explain the occurrence please remember that for decades my family choose not to speak about this event.

My mother and father, obviously, do not like to talk about when they almost lost their son. To this day it is something they would rather not think about. As an example, when I say my family doesn’t talk about it I mean; my 14 year-old nephew just learned about it a few weeks before the show premiered. Knowing he would see the show my sister and I discussed the experience so that he would not be frightened about it and so that he could revel in the fact that although his uncle died, he still has his uncle.

The meat and potatoes of the experience itself, the biological component, is secondary and plays little part in what I experienced when I died so let’s get right to what people want – the experience itself.

I could simply write, “Awareness inside of nothing …forever” and I would be fine with that description but you, the reader probably would not be satisfied.

A “traditional” NDE is usually talked about as “bright lights, a white tunnel, relatives who have passed away beckoning you into the light, warmth, happiness and eternal love”. My was very much the opposite of that.

—

At some point I became aware that I was aware.

It was dark, I felt blind, I tried to reach my hand up in front of my eyes and realized I didn’t have a hand, or an arm or eyes. I tried to scream but found I had no mouth. Indeed I was only awareness without physical form. My body no longer existed I was only a mind.

I was there forever. As strange as that sounds it’s true. There was no time where I was and therefore I was there forever, trapped in infinity, unable to scream, move, and also unable to be unaware of my awareness. I couldn’t shut it out because I was it. There was only me, my mind, alone inside of infinity.

Although aware that I could not scream I still tried, I tried for millions of years to scream and when it didn’t work, I tried for a million more, knowing that it would never work.

I wanted to cry, but again there can be no tears when your have no body to produce them.

I knew who I had been but at some point realized this was now who I was.
No one, nothing in the middle of nothing, forever.

I wanted anything, hope, happiness, sadness, pain, something that would let me feel because I knew if I could feel something it would mean that there was something other than nothing. Fear became a friend because it was something, still though it was fear.

Every now and then the fear would return. It was the only thing I knew. Since time doesn’t exist when the fear returned it returned constantly and forever and I would try screaming again, and again and again and again.

At some point, after forever an idea became me. The idea was, “stay nothing forever or become everything.”

I knew from being inside the nothing for infinity I had to choose “everything”

and I opened my eyes.

There it was, everything.

People, smells, sights, sounds, happiness, pain, fear, life. And it was beautiful.

 

The day I died was the most horrific part of my life, and it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me.

HuffPo and Hauntings and Me

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Recently I was asked by the Huffington Post to create a list which people could use to tell if their house was haunted. I of course told them, then such list that could not be made and instead wrote them a brief little letter they could use in lieu of such a list. The Huffington Post article is located here Haunted House Myths Confirmed And Debunked – The Huffington Post  | By Carly Ledbetter, and my original response is found below.

P.S. I liked the Huffinton Post piece but I thought my original response should be out there. Thanks!
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Re: How to tell if your house is haunted

Over the last 27 years, I have been asked by thousands of people how they could tell if their homes were “haunted.” My response is always tempered by the fact that, although anecdotal, people’s stories sometimes have similar characteristics, but each experience is unique.

The reality is that there are no “hard and fast” rules. It is actually quite a long and laborious process in researching and investigating what is thought to be a “haunted” location, and due to the transient qualities of the phenomena, real investigation is far more difficult than what most people believe it to be.

I jokingly tell people that if they need four really good signs, without doing any research, to know if their houses are haunted, here are four inarguable occurrences that something weird is going on.

1.Your furniture is constantly rearranging itself.

2.Your pets have started to speak multiple languages.

3.Your collection of antique dolls all have glowing red eyes.

4.Your bed doesn’t need a box spring or frame because it hovers three feet off the floor.

Of course, none of these events are actually happening in people’s homes, but that doesn’t mean something weird isn’t happening in some places. The experiences jokingly mentioned above are what people believe probably happen when they have a “ghost” in their home.

The truer nature of hauntings is that they are far more subtle and vary greatly. Sometimes the experience is as simple as smelling the perfume of a loved one who has passed away, or the feeling of a tap on your shoulder when no one is there. People believe that a death or tragic occurrence in a home means their house is haunted, but not even this has been a reliable indicator that strange manifestations must take place. Most homes have seen death or tragedy in some way and, indeed, they do not have what people call “hauntings.”

I have documented that most residents of homes that are believed to be haunted report strange sounds more commonly during the fall and spring seasons, and this is usually due to the temperature changes taking place inside and outside of the home, causing wood, steel, and other materials to shrink and expand.

Reports of frightening experiences taking place in a home are also mostly based around confining and dark locations such as attics, basements/crawl spaces, and closets. This again can be attributed to our own human psychological fear of dark and constrictive spaces.

A quick look back through my files over the last 27 years shows that close to 98% of the cases I’ve investigated have had normal, if not readily noticeable, explanations. Thankfully, we live in a world filled with experiences as yet still unexplained by the accepted scientific community, and there is room enough to speculate, theorize, and even still be a little jumpy when something goes bump in the night.

Ghost Stalkers : A Tenney Perspective

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During paranormal investigations, I have seen people put a ball in the center of the floor and ask “spirits” to “Roll the ball.”

Last year the ball began to roll.

Over the last 27 years, I’ve been involved with innumerable projects—some succeeding, some failing—but they are always learning experiences. True to form, the biggest of my failures were my greatest learning experiences and therefore not failures at all. Early in 2014, I was contacted to be a part of a new paranormal television show. My history working in television has been a tumultuous one, which—on many occasions—has broken my heart. All I’ve ever wanted to do in my studies of paranormal/anomalistic phenomena is make people think more deeply and honestly about, what seems to be, this currently shared reality and what may lie beyond it. I agreed somewhat grudgingly at first to be involved with this new project because I felt it was time people tried to help elevate the public discourse regarding paranormal phenomena. I found that the more I stood for honesty and forthrightness, the more the doors popped open. This has rarely been the case over the last 27 years. Sensationalism and hyperbole are usually the name of the game when it comes to television, especially television and “ghosts.” Of course, I understand that television is entertainment; you have to make a show people will enjoy and engage with, etc. etc., but this was a true opportunity to take a baby step in what I feel is the right direction for paranormal television. The show has spooky moments, scary visuals, and building, driving music that raises the pulse of the viewer, but it is mostly a show about the investigators. This is a side of paranormal television rarely seen. My co-star Chad Lindberg and I allow everyone to see who we are and what we feel, and in every instance to share in our terror and joy. During the filming of the show, there are some very exciting and mind-boggling happenings that are captured on video. As an almost 30 year veteran in paranormal research, I couldn’t be happier and more excited to share those moments with the world. But there is something more amazing than “ghosts caught on tape” in these episodes. Viewers will see personal transformations: the growth of two people both spiritually and psychologically. Because Chad and I choose to investigate isolated from all outside human interference, we are forced not only to deal with any alleged inhuman/post-human entities; we are forced to confront ourselves. Ideas and beliefs, hopes and fears stripped away and evolved in front of a camera.

I know that people will criticise the “evidence,” that people will rip apart every word spoken to find some “flaw” in the show—that is what our culture has become. I’m fine with it. Anyone who knows me knows that I am the first in the room to call “bullshit” when it comes to shakey, poorly-lit video and tenuous experimentation procedures.  Don’t think for a moment I don’t want to hear the critics and the complaints; on the contrary, I beg to hear them. I have been on a 27+ year journey and I need to know what the machine I am inside of looks like. Viewers can see, with a clearer perspective, what I am too close to see. I need YOU to be my eyes and ears because together can we create and construct new ideas that individually may never come to pass.

A few words to the different aspects of our community:

To the believers: Enjoy the ride. At this point it’s probably the closest thing to actual investigations and non-tomfoolery you will ever see or have ever seen on TV, and I wait with bated breath to hear if you loved, liked, or hated it.

To the skeptics: Enjoy the ride. At this point it’s probably the closest thing to actual investigations and non-tomfoolery you will ever see or have ever seen on TV, and I wait with bated breath to hear if you loved, liked, or hated it.

To everyone else: Enjoy the ride.

We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with hate, jealousy, intolerance, and a seemingly endless supply of negativity. I see nothing wrong with good people telling good stories that will make you laugh, scream, and then hold the hand of the person next to you and say, “Wow, what a ride.”

And the ball continues to roll.

john e.l. tenneyThanks for everything you do.
John

Michigan’s 10 Most Haunted Cities for 2013

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ROYAL OAK, Mich. — Citizens who are easily scared or who are fascinated by the paranormal may be wondering where they can find — or hide from — the cities in Michigan where they’re most likely to encounter ghosts and paranormal phenomena. To help the communities enjoy their Halloween season, paranormal researcher John E.L. Tenney has once again identified Michigan’s Top 10 most haunted cities.

After losing the top spot on the list, four years ago, Detroit is back at number one.

“The top ten cities include places for believers and skeptics, living or otherwise,” says John E.L. Tenney, Tenney is a well-known veteran paranormal researcher, the founder of WeirdLectures.com, national lecturer and author. Tenney’s organization collects and compiles e-mails, news stories, letters, and historical documents to create the list. “People are not only interested in paranormal phenomena allegedly occurring in their community,” he says, “but they use those experiences to connect with neighbors and other residents and share in a new kind of oral history.” The real excitement in these haunted cities, Tenney says, comes from exploring them in person and absorbing their essence.

All the cities on Tenney’s list have incredible histories to share. Self-guided walking tours are a fun, relaxing, and healthy way to see these communities. Every year, some citizens worry needlessly about the list, which has become a “rite” of the Halloween season. But not to fear, Tenney says. “The only thing some residents are really afraid of is if this list will have an effect on the marketability and value of the homes in their community. The reality of the situation is that researchers and scientists would pay anything to get their hands on a truly haunted house.”

For more information, visit WeirdLectures.com.

The 2013 Top 10 Haunted Michigan Cities (2012 rankings in parentheses)

1. Detroit (4)*
2. Kalamazoo (3)
3. Jackson (1)
4. Mount Clemens (9)
5. Ann Arbor (8)
6. Flint (5)
7. Battle Creek (7)
8. Lansing (-)
9. Traverse City (6)
10. Grand Rapids (2)

*The five most commonly reported locations within Detroit:
5. The Whitney
4. Indian Village
3. Corktown
2. Historic Fort Wayne
1. Detroit Public Library