Shocking Revelation: “Finding Bigfoot” Producers Edited In Wood Knocks And Screams
Posted by: Loren Coleman on June 1st, 2011
I tend to have some sympathy for Matt Moneymaker regarding what is beginning to come out about the Animal Planet reality television program, “Finding Bigfoot.” Post-production by cable companies, production teams, and editors often go into areas of which those being taped for a program have little control.
As Moneymaker stated on Cryptomundo earlier today, in his growing frustration with people’s question who are totally unaware of how little direct say he had in the content of the program, he wrote: “Do you think the 4 researchers edited the show? Do you think we didn’t measure the track casts when we were being taped? Do you think Cliff didn’t state those measurements on camera when we were being taped, just because you didn’t see it? Are you assuming that because you didn’t see it in the show that it didn’t happen? Do you think we asked them to exclude the measuring of the track casts from the show? Are you assuming that the researchers have final say as to what the producers include and what they don’t include in an episode?….We don’t have copies of any of the relevant sounds recorded during any of the episodes. The only item of evidence we’ve had control over were the track casts from Georgia, and that’s because Cliff shipped them out of GA before they could spirited away from us. As for the recordings … It’s not our material, and they certainly don’t want to release anything from the show before the episodes are released….The producers decided who would stay and who would go. It was their gig. They couldn’t film a bunch of people spread out in the woods at night. Not enough NV scopes for that.”
Now, it is coming out, the program producers went far beyond the usual editing, and actually “recreated” events not recorded.
Matt Moneymaker has just admitted to the inner circle at the BFRO that Animal Planet “inserted…simulations” for the wood knocks and the howl. The show has lost credibility in (re)creating evidence without labeling this “evidence” as not actual field recordings. Below is Moneymaker’s statement from the BFRO board.
This is a quote from Matt being posted with his permission:
We heard both the scream and knocks in the field, but they didn’t get a good recording of either so they inserted their own simulations during editing, apparently. We didn’t know what they were going to do in that regard. They wouldn’t tell us whether they actually recorded the sounds we heard, and they wouldn’t let us see the finished episodes either … as if they thought we’d complain to the network about their casual Hollywood approach to what we consider evidence.
This latest clarifies that this program was more a docudrama in some parts than a documentary.
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
Now that’s highly unfortunate. One step forward, two steps back…………… 🙁
This type of thing should almost be expected from Matt Moneymaker. The man is a lying crook who will do/say just about anything to make a dime. I recently watched an old episode of Penn and Tellers BS!…. classic Moneymaker. The only reason the majority of the members of the BFRO are still there is simply to have access to FLATS.
Oh, for crying out loud!!!
All this news is a real let down.
In light of most if not all crypto and paranormal investigation shows being co-opted by the terrible “reality TV” aesthetic, it seems we may never get a show for us grown-ups which celebrates intelligence and due diligence and eschews the breathless hyper-exaggerated manipulation of ADD afflicted producers. And don’t tell me there’s no audience for a crypto/paranormal show done right, because we’ve been begging for one for years.
Makes you wonder if the “Footprints” were inserted too.
And so, “Let the buyer beware” when it comes to getting backing from networks. Remember that folks…they may fund expeditions, but read the fine print ’cause if you don’t, even if you come up with hard evidence, it could get whisked away out from under you because of contracts.
For example, see said Alaskan USO footage…
Sadly, the best bet is still individual research groups…it’s the poorer way to do things, but at least you can protect the integrity of the expedition.
Called it… The “evidence” from the show was too convenient and “made for TV”. Matt, who considers himself an expert on Bigfoot, and the show have completely lost all credibility now. Short of them finding and thoroughly documenting and/or capturing a bigfoot, nothing he says or the show features can be taken seriously.
Matt, you are no better than the douche who froze a bigfoot suit and claimed to have a carcass.
It’s starting to seem that everything about Animal Planet sucks, except the occasional animal.
Maybe this went down exactly like Matt claims, that does not seem abnormal to me. On the other hand he has to take control. I mean, he is a lawyer, he can pour over those contracts. He can negotiate priorities into the agreement — right?
I missed the show and after hearing this, for sure I won’t be tuning in. If they pretend evidence is real when its a simulation then whats the point of watching a show when any “evidence” will be suspect as manipulated for ratings.
Strange bedfellows! When education meets entertainment a lack of authenticity ensures integrity dies!!! The scientist is thrown out of bed! …and science is done a disservice.
Culpability? Obviously the producers without any qualms (or any rule book) have relished creating an entertainment for the masses that represents the triumph of style over substance.
Their bottom line as always is to attract high viewing figures, and in that endeavour are well aware of the average viewers short attention span.
Insertions that are fictional can also be defined as unauthentic or bogus and it’s painful for us Cryptomundians to behold because we are forever surrounded by a sea of ‘unauthentic’ hoaxes and bogus material as it stands!
No wonder there is a collective groan! ….We would all no doubt like the bar to be raised!
PS: Science is also done a disservice when the programme editing is biased towards entertainment.
It is now conceivable that the thermal image shown on the program as coming from “Georgia of Georgia” was an inserted re-enactment, as well as the noises we hear in some segments. If the thermal read was real, I would have expected the “Finding Bigfoot” team to have been shown huddled around a television monitor at the end of the episode, trying to analyze it.
In some ways, we should not be surprised, but we should not, henceforth, call “Finding Bigfoot” a documentary television depiction presenting real evidence for Bigfoot. Despite the high critical acclaim that Michael Moore received for his movie Roger & Me, it should be recalled that it was denied submission for an Academy Award as a documentary for it exaggerated the social impact of GM’s closing of the plant and depicted the actual events of Flint’s troubles out of chronological order. If a production company inserts, for dramatic effect, sounds and wood knocks that viewers are encouraged to assume were made by Bigfoot, and actually did insert a thermal read of what is taken to be a cryptid, “Finding Bigfoot” has drifted from documentary, to reality television’s form of a docudrama. Re-creations not properly labeled as such become viewer manipulations.
I taught for 23 semesters a credit course at a four-year university in documentary film, and even by the standards of most documentary filmmakers, “Finding Bigfoot” is turning out to have been produced under a cloud, ethically, through no fault of Cliff Barackman’s, the BFRO’s or Matt Moneymaker’s, I hastened to add.
Loren Coleman
Thank you Loren, for clearing all that up. I suspected discovery had a reality tv formula they were trying to do, but I wasn’t sure HOW much alteration they did in the editing process. WOW, just, wow, it blows my mind to think they change that much.
Matt, this is what I’m talking about when I say you should offer up a simple apology. Heck, I’ll waive my usual fees and write it for you: “As you probably know, the people in front of the television camera often do not have control over what airs. In this episode, the final product was not exactly what I had hoped it would be. In working with the producers, directors, and crew of “Finding Bigfoot,” however, I am confident in their decisions and level of professionalism. If the first episode failed to live up to your expectations, I apologize, and urge you to watch the next episodes before you form your opinions about the success of the show. Thank you for your interest and support for the ongoing work of documenting the existence of Bigfoot.” Or something like that, that’s all I’m doing for free.
Yeah was never really on board with this show, any crypto show on animal planet thus far has been just awful I mean animal X and lost tapes, I think I could make a better show. I know that people used to complain about MQ getting stale but it was by far the best format for a cryptoshow to date.
Matt,
The real problem for you in all of this isn’t so much the argument about who knocked on wood first. You had to have known that the wood knock (sorry) on you going into this show was that you are an arrogant self-righteous blowhard that takes his last name too seriously. You had to know that was the rap on you going into this, and now you come off completely validating everyone who said that was who you are. I mean even if you are that, wouldn’t it have been smart to go into this show with a humble selfless attitude if for no other reason to change the perception of you?
Loren, you should do a show. One would think that if anyone were to do one, you’d do it well and the right way. Bring on a skeptic, a professional tracker, a primate expert, etc….basically not just a group of people from within the same bigfoot enthusiast group. When you find something, don’t just assume you have proof…do what you do regularly here, by doing your due diligence to debunk what you find and only accept it as possible proof when all other logical explanations are ruled out.
Just sayin….would be nice to finally have someone do this field of research right.
While I thank you Kahil, I won’t get a show and I’m not sure I want one. I am too old for the audience they are appealing to and rather too skeptically open-minded, as well. I would not agree to lots of things they would want me to say, and yet I know I would not be in control of the content.
I think, considering what they had to work with, Matt, Bobo, and Cliff did the best they could in a situation that went very, very badly because of the post-production that occurred.
I’ve been on television programs since 1969, talking Bigfoot, consulting for programs, and being interviewed. Most of my fieldwork in the Midwest, South, and West took place before most of the researchers were born. My books were written after I’d been in the field for 15 years. I am too subtle and calm for a television series. Television loves personalities like Matt Moneymaker, Pat Spain, and Josh Gates. That’s okay. I do interviews, still get out in the field, sometimes write about what I’m doing, and think about how I can best impact the field, longterm, with the museum and my blog and book writings.
There are reasons all of us are in this, with passion. I don’t begrudge anyone their roles, as long as they are doing the work and not hoaxing evidence (which I do not feel Matt, Bobo and Cliff were, but, which we all now do understand that the programming folks were, for dramatic editing effects).
This may take time. Among the good points there are several different punks to smack down here:
PUNK: Vegas_Bound responds: June 1st, 2011 at 10:49 pm
“This type of thing should almost be expected from Matt Moneymaker. The man is a lying crook who will do/say just about anything to make a dime. I recently watched an old episode of Penn and Tellers BS!…. classic Moneymaker. The only reason the majority of the members of the BFRO are still there is simply to have access to FLATS.”
Read what was written, you dumb redneck. I didn’t produce the show. I didn’t make decisions about how it should be done. I’m a lying crook? Why exactly? Be a little bit more specific, Goober, so I can humiliate you. You’re probably one of the clowns who is banned from our expeditions.
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Good guy: Gridbug responds: June 1st, 2011 at 11:05 pm
“In light of most if not all crypto and paranormal investigation shows being co-opted by the terrible “reality TV” aesthetic, it seems we may never get a show for us grown-ups which celebrates intelligence and due diligence and eschews the breathless hyper-exaggerated manipulation of ADD afflicted producers. And don’t tell me there’s no audience for a crypto/paranormal show done right, because we’ve been begging for one for years.”
MM: Good points, but don’t lose hope. This series will go on for a while and we’ll have more freedom to do things properly. There’s an audience for it, and at least part of that audience wants to hear and see authentic evidence. Probably most of the audience only cares about being entertained. The researchers in this case happened to be the types that want to see and hear authentic evidence. That’s all we want to put out there for the public too. And that’s why we know it will get better, because we know exactly what we want.
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Good guy: # springheeledjack responds: June 2nd, 2011 at 12:00 am
And so, “Let the buyer beware” when it comes to getting backing from networks. Remember that folks…they may fund expeditions, but read the fine print ’cause if you don’t, even if you come up with hard evidence, it could get whisked away out from under you because of contracts.
For example, see said Alaskan USO footage…
Sadly, the best bet is still individual research groups…it’s the poorer way to do things, but at least you can protect the integrity of the expedition.
MM: Yes, it could seem that way, but it’s not as bleak as all that. If the show goes on and becomes popular then things will change. The problems will be addressed. There were more problems toward the beginning which were addressed and fixed as the episodes were being produced, so we do know it’s possible to improve the situation. The production company didn’t understand (or didn’t believe) that some people wanted something more than mere entertainment. It’s a really hard concept for them to understand and digest, but we’re helping them with that. It would be difficult for you to imagine how different their mindset is than ours, and it’s a wonder that we were able to work together at all.
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Douche Bag: Kahil responds: June 2nd, 2011 at 12:25 am
“Called it… The “evidence” from the show was too convenient and “made for TV”. Matt, who considers himself an expert on Bigfoot, and the show have completely lost all credibility now. Short of them finding and thoroughly documenting and/or capturing a bigfoot, nothing he says or the show features can be taken seriously.
Matt, you are no better than the douche who froze a bigfoot suit and claimed to have a carcass.”
MM: Listen to me you dork … Don’t paint with such a wide brush. I’ve said exactly what was real and what was not real. The tracks and the evidence we analyzed were all totally real. There were some sound insertions at points where they didn’t get a good recording. Make no mistake, Kahil, you dummy … EVERYTHING I say will be taken very seriously, and even more seriously as each day passes. You will hang on my every word.
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Good guy: Spinach Village responds: June 2nd, 2011 at 1:05 am
“It’s starting to seem that everything about Animal Planet sucks, except the occasional animal.
Maybe this went down exactly like Matt claims, that does not seem abnormal to me. On the other hand he has to take control. I mean, he is a lawyer, he can pour over those contracts. He can negotiate priorities into the agreement — right?”
MM: Mr. Spinach. Good point, but it’s not all that bleak. These were the first few episodes of what will be a long series. It’s probably the most challenging subject of all to shoot. Even on Deadliest Catch the production is more predictable … everything happens on the boats.
In time the show will change so that you’ll hear exactly what we heard in the field. Your criticisms actually help in that regard, because it demonstrates what we’ve been saying for months now: Plenty of people really, really want to hear the real thing. The production company (same one that makes Destination Truth) thinks people just want to be entertained … We don’t like that attitude, and we could scream at them until we’re blue in the face … but it doesn’t make a dent. To them we are the ones who are disconnected from reality. We are, afterall, bigfoot researchers. Again, don’t lose hope. This series came into being because of me, and it will get better because of me too. You may have noticed over the years, I improve things I’m involved with. This will be no different. We had to do the night investigations their way for the first few episodes, but they’ll have to do them our way from now on …
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Bonehead: NWesterner responds: June 2nd, 2011 at 4:48 am
“I missed the show and after hearing this, for sure I won’t be tuning in. If they pretend evidence is real when its a simulation then whats the point of watching a show when any “evidence” will be suspect as manipulated for ratings.”
MM: At what point did anyone say we were pretending some evidence was real when it was just a simulation? Didn’t you understand that we really heard those things when we were there, and they were really recorded ??? Did you miss that part? Did you not understand that sounds were added because the actual ones we heard and reacted to were not recorded with enough clarity? Don’t throw in your two cents when you can’t follow a conversation … and especially if you haven’t seen the show. Just sit down and shut up.
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Good man: dermal_ridges_are_proof responds: June 2nd, 2011 at 5:42 am
“Strange bedfellows! When education meets entertainment a lack of authenticity ensures integrity dies!!! The scientist is thrown out of bed! …and science is done a disservice.
Culpability? Obviously the producers without any qualms (or any rule book) have relished creating an entertainment for the masses that represents the triumph of style over substance.
Their bottom line as always is to attract high viewing figures, and in that endeavour are well aware of the average viewers short attention span.
Insertions that are fictional can also be defined as unauthentic or bogus and it’s painful for us Cryptomundians to behold because we are forever surrounded by a sea of ‘unauthentic’ hoaxes and bogus material as it stands!
No wonder there is a collective groan! ….We would all no doubt like the bar to be raised!”
MM: It’s refreshing to see that not everyone commenting on this matter is an utter bonehead. dermal_ridges_are_proof seems to understand it correctly, and understands where blame is to be placed. You’re saying the same things we were telling the producers all along. Try to appreciate being in that position and knowing your only two options were to either walk away (and then never have another shot at making a quality series) … or deal with it until you can change things. Also consider the reality that most people watching the show, indeed, don’t care whether something is an authentic recording of a bigfoot. They might wonder about it, but they don’t care. The researchers involved care though. We want to obtain and transmit only the real thing, but our hands are tied on the transmitting part. We certainly didn’t pretend anything though. What the editors decided to do later was out of our sight and beyond our control.
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Intelligent: # Redrose999 responds: June 2nd, 2011 at 8:50 am
“Thank you Loren, for clearing all that up. I suspected discovery had a reality tv formula they were trying to do, but I wasn’t sure HOW much alteration they did in the editing process. WOW, just, wow, it blows my mind to think they change that much.”
MM: Redrose … Actually, I cleared that up … Loren merely publicized what I cleared up … and then I still had to clear up what he publicized …
Don’t assume what happened was the intention of Discovery or Animal Planet. They hand over authority and discretion to the production company, and they don’t get involved til the very end (and at the very beginning). The things you are so disappointed about are not a priority for the production company, but network doesn’t decide how real or fake a series will be … especially not in the first few episodes. Is it worth it for us to stay engaged and improve things. Yes, I think it is.
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Extra big douche bag: ETxArtist responds: June 2nd, 2011 at 10:10 am
“Matt, this is what I’m talking about when I say you should offer up a simple apology. Heck, I’ll waive my usual fees and write it for you: “As you probably know, the people in front of the television camera often do not have control over what airs. In this episode, the final product was not exactly what I had hoped it would be. In working with the producers, directors, and crew of “Finding Bigfoot,” however, I am confident in their decisions and level of professionalism. If the first episode failed to live up to your expectations, I apologize, and urge you to watch the next episodes before you form your opinions about the success of the show. Thank you for your interest and support for the ongoing work of documenting the existence of Bigfoot.” Or something like that, that’s all I’m doing for free.”
MM: Again, there’s nothing to apologize for. I fought the good fight, and did everything I could … You don’t live up to MY expectations so you can take a hike.
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Envious: # Justin31p responds: June 2nd, 2011 at 10:18 am
“Matt,
The real problem for you in all of this isn’t so much the argument about who knocked on wood first. You had to have known that the wood knock (sorry) on you going into this show was that you are an arrogant self-righteous blowhard that takes his last name too seriously. You had to know that was the rap on you going into this, and now you come off completely validating everyone who said that was who you are. I mean even if you are that, wouldn’t it have been smart to go into this show with a humble selfless attitude if for no other reason to change the perception of you?”
MM: But ya’ see … only worthless weenies like you get offended when I point out who is all talk and who really makes things happen … only those people will get offended. If you pretend that you are more than you are, and you pretend that you know better than me about what I do … then I’ll call you out as a bullshitter and you will be offended. There’s a reason I have the largest, oldest, most respected research group in the biz. It wouldn’t be that way if what you say it true. Nor would I have gotten a TV series if what you say is true. I will intentionally offend some people to keep them away from our excellent organization and our expeditions, because it is bad apples that tend to disintegrate a big volunteer organization like ours. That’s why every other start-up rival bigfoot research group has fizzled and disappeared … and all while we have continued to grow stronger and bigger. Is that because I’m the wrong guy for it? You are both jealous and clueless. We have an awesome group partly because I’m so good at spotting the bad people and making sure they don’t get in. You, for example, won’t get in … and I’ll continue to prove that I know what I’m doing better than anyone. Keep watching the ratings rise on the series, as I improve the evidence collecting part of it. You watch me slam dimwits like you, and watch how your betters understand that I do that for a reason.
Good points Loren and Matt wow! you laid the smack down on some of these people! In the end, I think everyone may have some good points and I would like to see less logical fallacies and ad homs.
Loren I have a youtube channel and I have some other ones as well. I think you should come on youtube with your own channel and videos.
You are not too old to do it and would get many views I would think even subscribers and a chance to become a youtube partner and make money if your channel becomes popular and videos.
Just a thought.
Keep up the good work guys.
Peace.
I knew it was to good to be true about the show.
I leave everyone here with some advice from U.S. Army Chaplain and intellectual Pastor Joe Freas who is into cryptozoology:
“To this day I ask myself the same question every now and again, “Why is everybody so angry with one another?” I think I will probably go to my grave asking myself this question. I have also never met a single individual who could answer me this simple riddle.
Life is too short for hatred and not liking how a person may dress or how they speak or walk. Yet, this will occur everyday for as long as you or I exist, and long after we too are gone. In order to learn to better ourselves & prepare for our and the world’s future, we should do the following;
* LISTEN to each other
* THINK more often
* SAY and BELIEVE more encouraging thoughts
* BELIEVE
* LOVE
* Have PEACE
* And above all, have HOPE
In the end, before you may happen along to an argument, remember and ask yourself, how important is this to anger me just to prove a point that people really don’t care about, or will care about in five, ten or twenty years. Is getting upset over what somebody else believes really worth it? Is it? This is something that you will have to ask yourself if you wish to get along with your life.”
Thank you Matt for taking the time to explain things more. And I do think it is worth staying engaged with the show and that you can in time improve and perfect things in time.
Ummm, yeah I don’t want to join your stupid group. Thanks for proving 100% beyond a resonable doubt that you are an egotistical self-centered blowhard (its not even debatable). Yes, you will begin to get ratings, the same way Omorosa got ratings for the Apprentice. People will want to tune in to see that guy they hate say some more outlandish things. Very soon it will turn into the Matt Moneymaker program and bigfoot finding will take a back seat. I wonder if all the members over at the BFRO know that the only reason it has survived is because of the greatness of Matt Moneymaker, as he has proclaimed on here?
Matt it’s funny how you say how smart you are and call most everyone else an idiot. Yet you are the one alienating the one section of your fan base (possibly the only one) that would have taken you seriously.
Or should I say potential fan base cause I doubt you have much of one now.
And to the other part of your rant where you go on and on about how great you and your group is, I think you need to take a birds eye view of it. Yes you have a nice site that has a good database of sightings and locations. You have a large group of squachers that go out and look for bigfoot sometimes even getting some decent recordings or thermal images, but nothing more than what we see on the internet anyway. And I guess you think your group is special because when Fox news needs a bigfoot quote to make fun of or Bob Saget wants to make a mockumentary they come to you for it. I know you are proud of that, but maybe you shouldn’t be.
The bottom line with the Moneymaker situation is that he’s making HIMSELF look like a first-class a-hole. No one is slandering him or making false accusations about him (except for curtailing some of his more boastful “did it first” claims) because he’s painting a very clear picture of himself with no help from anyone else. It isn’t sketchy editing or comments being taken out of context, it’s his own sad arrogance getting in the way of his humility. I meant it when I drew a parallel between Moneymaker and Biscardi, they are in fact two sides of the same coin… that is, when they’re not the same side of the same coin. When one partakes in over the top “bear witness to my greatness and tremble in my presence” hysterics, it’s almost always to mask their own inadequacies and is a compensatory affliction due to low self esteem or other character deficiencies. Is Moneymaker driven in his profession of choice? Undoubtedly. But in his fevered struggle to prove himself “the best of the best of the best” in his field, he’s actually accomplishing the exact opposite, as evidenced by the startling amount of ill will he’s generated in such a short span of time. At this stage in the game, Matt Moneymaker’s worst enemy is Matt Moneymaker, and all the name calling and deflective arguing in the world can’t and won’t change that. As his reputation continues to plummet into irrelevancy, so too will his “hit” show suffer, and -perhaps saddest of all- cryptozoology itself will lose even more credibility in the eyes of the general public. Can Moneymaker salvage this situation? Judging from his behaviour in the wake of these legitimate criticisms against his attitude and behaviour, probably not. It’s as if he thinks that the crypto community owes him a debt of gratitude and that if we don’t celebrate his total awesomeness, then we’re the ones who are the fools. With that, I wish him luck.
Matt,
Being on a reality show (ABC’s Wife Swap) I understand your frustration with the production staff and not being able to see the finished product. You really have nothing to explain to anybody. I use my show as an example. ABC taped over two and half weeks of my family and the other family. The finished product was just 45 minutes long. When we did the monster hunt, a certain person told the production crew that there was panthers in the area. The crew got scared and I was not allowed to conduct my research the way I wanted to. I understood the risks being on the show and I had hoped to cast cryptozoology in a good light. Bobo even warned me about being on a reality show. But when the show came on, there was only maybe five minutes of monster hunting, the rest is that hip hop crap. I’m not trying to toot my horn. I just trying to say that I understand your frustration and for what it’s worth, I enjoyed your show. I look forward to seeing the other episodes. Please don’t let the comments get to you, you have come too far, to let this get to you. You have kept the bigfoot hunting faith, like Loren, for over twenty years. Matt, keep doing what your doing. I wish you the best with the new show.
Wow… too much coffee today, Matt?
Deep breaths, deep cleansing breaths…
Wow, I make a brief comment and this a-hole Moneymaker tells me to shut up about it. Yea I didn’t see the show but now that I know a guy like this is the star, I’m glad I did. Sorry buddy, but I’ll still chip in with my comments whether you like it or not. Raging and ranting about everyone who is questioning the dubious methods being exposed on this show won’t stop these legit concerns. You need to let a PR guy do the talking dude.
Hahahahaha…wow… Now he’s claiming that I and others will listen to an follow the gospel of Moneymaker. Listen Matt, put out or get out. If the best you’ve got is a self proclamation of expertise and faked evidence on a reality TV show…then drop a pair and get out of the game. When someone in any field gets a platform for their views on tv and then they go and fake evidence, you contaminate the entire field with your deceptions and lies.
Again you turn right to the name calling and proclamations of your own superiority. I care nothing for what you have to say about anything. You are not an accredited professional. You are a self proclaimed expert with a superiority complex who cannot take criticism humbly. You’re gonna need thicker skin if you are going to be on TV….let alone being a so called expert on a cryptid. Put up or shut up.
Look Matt, come on little fella, stop being a bully…you wouldn’t like it if you were bullied…trust me.
Someone suggested that your partner Bobo may have left those footprints that were found. I wear a size 14 so I imagine he is about the same if he is over 6′ 6″.
I’m not saying you put him up to it, but it seems possible with your producers recreating evidence that they had him make footprints to go along with the pictures your witness took.
If the wood knocks were recreated, the howl was recreate, the thermal hit was recreated, then it is likely the footprints were recreated as well, since it was one of the same recreating producers who actually found them and told Cliff where to look.
If that’s the case, then this show is total piece of crap. You really should apologize to the folks on here you offended. They may in fact have exposed to you how these TV producers are making you come off like a con man.
WOW!!!! ok everyone I think we need to all take a step back and put our egos aside as well as our emotions and look at the subject matter of the show objectively and forget for a moment Mat’s involvement. what do we know? at some point footprints were found but we don’t have the measurements .disappointing? sure it is . who is to blame? why does there have to be blame?it seems to me there is more than one complaint here the first being the attitude Mat has brought to the situation but also the way he is promoting himself.can he come acrosss a bit strong and self promoting ?absolutely but why do we think that is? you COULD say it’s because he is arrogant, self centered and egotistical, but I think you would mostly be wrong. the way I see it he has been the head of an organization that rarely gets a fair shake in the media or even with the common man. he is constantly beset by critics demanding he prove what nobody has been able to prove and as you all know the skeptics hold us to a rediculous standard, how can any of us that has not walked in his shoes come down on him like this over an episode of a show where it is obvious to anyone looking at it with an objective eye that he had little control over what was seen or cut from the show and it seems even the way evidence was collected was tainted by the production staff. I know Mat sounds angry and I think he has good cause to be. angry at the producers of the show for putting him in the position of having to choose between getting this subject which he is very passionate about out to the public in a much less than satisfactory manner or backing away from it and losing the chance. also he has every right to be frustrated upset and even hurt by some of the things that have been said here, it seems to me that if any of you had been wronged by the media and saw your own evidence faked or mishandled you should be able to approach this group of people and expect understanding not ridicule. certainly we must hold each other accountable for things we do and say that may harm our field but never must we tear each other apart when the media tris to subvert evidence or misrepresent us to the public.I am not defending everything Mat has said that is not my place nor do I agree with everything he has said but for me he is an important person in cryptozoology and he has my respect for the work he has done and I hope will continue to do, so do you all.Loren I want to thank you personally here for being a voice of reason and fairness on this site, it is a pleasure being able to see how a real skeptic and scientist can be fair and still maintain his composure among such vitriol, I am proud to be a member here and look forward to learning much more from you all I only hope that we can get back to asking more important questions about the real subjects of our search and let Mat get back to doing the same I think we will all be better for it.
I’ve watched the show 3 times now, and it did seem odd to me that when Matt was gearing up to do a howl, he stops when we hear a very loud growl/howl -then Ranae says: did you really hear something?” It just seems like she would have to be deaf NOT to hear what we did…but if it was faint(er) then maybe she coulda missed it…but Matt DID stop and appeared to have been startled by whatever he heard…we now know that- that was embellished or replaced by the producers. I’ve been in several TV and film productions and am very familiar with the saying “We’ll fix it in post”.
This can mean re-dubbing a line that was poorly recorded or pronounced. Once I lay’d in an entire Harmonica solo for an actor who was faking it for a scene. So I do not fault the BFRO guys at all for this.
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I need to see a full season of this show before I make any conclusions on the production’s contribution (or lack there of) to Bigfoot related TV programming. Sadly, the programming bar from the last four decades is pretty low. I hope others commit to the entire season as well before rendering final opinions.
Meanwhile…the community needs to stay focused on the task at hand and not get sidetracked by finger pointing, name calling, and accusations. Until a specimen, dead or alive, is delivered to the mail room of a network news outlet, every piece of secondary evidence presented to support the existence of an “unclassified” hominid will be subjected to this same petty nonsense over and over again.
Regarding Loren Colemans reply to Kahil:-
Loren ! Buck the trend! … ‘distinguished’ needs to make a comeback!
Don’t things come around ‘full circle’ anyway?
You Tube would be the ideal vehicle, and you would be in complete control; honing each offering to your personal satisfaction.
I mean this in a nice way …..I’m willing to bet you’d turn viral in no time!
PS: …to many you are cryptozoology’s ‘Obi wan kenobi’ so it would be great if you would reconsider using this super modern means to reach all four corners of the globe!
just thoughts really…
sorry i haven’t read all the comments but the problem is that this is, once again, NOT investigation but ENTERTAINMENT … regardless of what people might want to believe, shows like this (UFO Hunters is another sad example) do not ever have any intention of serious investigation or presentation of past evidence … they are simply created, filmed, edited, and shown with the hope that they will generate money for the tv network/chan/producers/advertisers/etc …
i stopped watching these kinds of things after seeing the first ones … tv is entertainment, even tv news is entertainment … tv news doesn’t investigate or present the ‘facts’ either … they talk about ‘personalities’, why you shouldn’t like this person so that despite what the facts might say, you think the person is wrong because you don’t like their personality rather than examining the facts and deciding that way, the logical way … (until that person might be ‘rehabilitated’ and taken back into the good graces of the news media … see Elliot Spitzer for an example … reviled by CNN during the hooker scandal, now he is an admired and exhaulted ‘expert’ on their network)
sorry i’m getting ‘rambly’ — having worked for 15 years as a newspaper reporter years ago, i get pretty disgusted where all of this has ended up … these shows that pass themselves off as investigative programming are no more ‘investigative’ than Jerry Springer or his ilk …
Guys….Lets not forget the real issue here….LETS FIND BIGFOOT!!!!
This is only a ‘shocking revelation’ to the dim and the gullible. Anyone of average intelligence watching could easily get a sense of the kind of nonsense that goes into making this type of programme for a U.S. spectatorship. Unfortunately, t.v. producers (rightly or wrongly) do not give that spectatorship much (if any) credit, and treat them precisely as dim and gullible… hence the standard of programming you have in the U.S..
If any of you are shocked by this fact then you have my sympathies.
I just recently met the Finding Bigfoot cast at one of their town hall meetings. I really enjoyed hearing their stories as well as those from the crowd. The cast was super nice to everybody and stayed way after the filming talking and hanging out with everyone. Personally, I enjoyed meeting them.
Im a paranormal investigator and recently signed off for a popular tv show to use some of our evidence. When it aired, there was no mention of us. In the show our evidence was said to have been captured by someone else and even the story behind it was changed and completely made up. Made to be more dramatic I guess. All these type shows are more about RATINGS, and less about the truth. I still enjoy watching them, but when it comes to the evidence, I take it with a grain of salt. I think most people have enough common sense to know how the media operates. I have met a few though that will believe anything.
I heard Les Stroud is in talks with I believe NatGeo for a show where he goes out by himself to bigfoot hotspots for undetermined amount of time to look for bigfoot. He would not allow habadachery and tomfoolery like these clowns do. If anyone can find bigfeet its POWERFUL LES STROUD. whooooooooooooooooooooooooooo thats my bigfoot call