Happy Birthday, Scott T. Norman
Posted by: Loren Coleman on March 15th, 2008
It seems most appropriate that as I find myself trying to unravel the tales and sightings of a decidedly unique series of sightings of a seemingly “American dinosaur species,” a living one at that, my thoughts would turn to the late dino hunter, Scott Thomas Norman.
Scott would have been 44 years old today, March 15, 2008. He was a good and decent person. As we use to say in the Midwest, Scott was “good people.”
Sometimes he found himself surrounded by ridicule mongers and worse. He calmly plowed ahead, nevertheless, turning the other cheek.
These screen captures are from the outrageous “Penn & Teller” treatment of Scott on their “Cryptozoology” episode. At least, these photos, this way, in silence, do Scott some justice.
I pray someday someone will take all the YouTube P&T “Cryptozoology” segments, edit out P&T’s swearing and ridicule-filled side comments, and just post Scott’s interviews as “stand-alones.” Now that would be a worthy tribute, and something those in his family would enjoy. It also would go to the core of what he was trying to say, and without the surrounding side comments, Scott’s remarks make must sense. I, however, refuse to publish the links to Penn & Teller profanity-filled videos here, the way they are now.
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.
Penn & Teller are sensationalists, I don’t even bother watching their you-tube stuff for the very reason you’ve stated Loren, but I might just to listen to Mr. Normans views.
It’s sad that when people with such a schmaltzy, (there’s a new word for ya), stage persona interview people honestly searching for the cryptid or unknown, turn their endeavors into a cheap sideshow attraction.
I know that countless people have brought this up already, but there seems to be something actually built into a huge number of magicians / illusionists that gives them a hang-up about THESE subjects, and turns them into all-out crusaders against them. I’m sure there are plenty of others who aren’t that way about it, but those are the ones you don’t seem to hear from. The odd thing is that, even though Penn and Teller are comedians in the first place, being part of this “magicians vs. the paranormal” bandwagon (which has become such a cliche) almost makes THEM a target for jokes.
Penn and Teller have fallen off. Cryptozoology is serious, while their magic is fake.