Paranormal State

I first got exposed to the paranormal in a trailer I rented in Crescent Valley, Nevada. The rumor was a woman had shot herself in my trailer. There would be cold gusts of air in 90 degree temperatures. At night you could hear someone pacing up and down my long hallway. I know something or someone was there, and even my skeptic brother concurred. The house I am in now had another brother who died return to his room. He passed from complications of Alzheimer's, and I think he didn't realize he was dead. He used to get up and pace when in the throe's of his illness. I could hear him every night after he passed, and I got goosebumps whenever I heard him. One day he knocked a hiking pack frame from the top of my closed closet. It could not tip over, or fall by itself. It would have been impossible. It startled me enough to get angry, and I yelled to him that he was dead, and to go towards the light. I was screaming this over and over. The next night, there was no pacing, and it's been quiet ever since. Although I don't know for sure that the is a LIGHT, there must be something like that.

The first show I saw on TV was Paranormal State, hosted by Ryan Buell. He supposedly had experiences at a tender age, and started PRS (Paranormal Research Society) while attending Penn State. Ar first in the early episodes he came across a caring guy. By the time the show left the air, he came across as a skeptic who didn't believe a word his clients said. Kind of goes against his principles, since as a kid his parents didn't believe him. The episode where he took his team to West Virginia State Penitentiary was almost comical. He had been there 6 months earlier and was chased out by activity. He never informed his team of what happened, and at one point they were giggling, and he got mad! He said, "would you go into a clients house and giggle and make fun?" The funny thing is he started being so cynical to his clients, coming across as not believing or even really caring. The last 15 minutes of this episode he summons the courage to go back up into the Warden's Tower by himself. He starts screaming that he's not afraid of no ghosts. They have a camera on his face close-up, and his eyes are darting and opened so wide. He IS afraid! It is one episode I recommend. One of the few that are an hour-long.

Digging a little deeper into the man, I guess he is struggling with his sexuality. Which is fine. One of his team is named Eilfie, a pagan whose name truly fits her. An elf-like creature, she is afraid of ghosts. And I think Ryan and she had something going on besides looking for ghosts. I also think his testes finally dropped during the run on TV. On the later shows, his introduction, "Hello, my name is Ryan Buell" he has got to be purposely lowering his voice. Comical.

To show how his caring has waned, they used to start what he called "Dead Time" at 3 am. This is the anti-hour, supposedly when evil is at it's best. I've seen later shows where sometimes it's barely getting dark and they start dead time. And the length of time they actually have dead time has gotten shorter and shorter. Couple that with his cynicism, they rarely get any "proof." I liken the paranormal with life. If someone's an ass, who wants to talk to them? I feel it's the same with the dead. They know he's an ass who won't be around long, so who would want to give him evidence of their existence? I love all my brothers and sisters, and I don't care about your sexual preferences, and meaning no disrespect I call his show "Parahomo State." He really doesn't seem to care about PEOPLE anymore. He has an attitude that is just plan crappy. I wouldn't want him to investigate a haunted outhouse. He let it all go to his head, and has become a pompous ass. People called on him for help, and he comes across as needing proof. I'm sure maybe PRS got burned a couple times, but on some of the episodes these people really wanted and needed help, and I don't think he cares. In closing, if you want to get a laugh, watch the reruns of the show. It runs on Biography Channel during the week at 6pm Eastern Time. I think it's good they are not doing new shows, because I'm sure Ryan had become quite demanding. The other folks you'll see are Sergey the tech guy from the Ukraine, Katrina who started as an intern with Heather, and Michelle the medium/psychic who calls herself a psychic vampire. She's pretty entertaining. Chip Coffey has also done shows, and I've heard rumors he and Ryan have done a little fabricating themselves. Rating: Earlier episodes 3 1/2 stars, later ones 1 out of 5. But good for a chuckle.

Next week: The Ghost Hunters, the group started by 2 average Joes who work for Roto-Rooter during the day.