Johor Hominid Photos: Hoax!
Posted by: Loren Coleman on August 4th, 2006
Well, optimism springs eternal. As those who have read about the drawings, the photographs, and more, you have realized my early efforts to learn more were frustrated, but we all pushed on. From wishing Vincent Chow well, going to write the foreword to his projected book, to growing skepticism, it has been quite a journey. Hoping against hope, members of the hominology community wanted the purported but unseen photographs of the Johor Hominid to be a valid form of evidence. There appears now to have been an obvious reason for why those promoting the hidden pictures did not wish to have the "photographs" more closely examined (and I am not talking about Vincent Chow and Sean Ang, but the "Guardians"). It seems the photographs are a thinly diguised hoax.
Please remember…the hoax is about the photographs…not about the sightings, not about some footprints, not about the 1970s’ reports and tracks found, not about the lore from the area…in general, the photographs have little to do with the overall “Malaysian Bigfoot” melodrama, although “they” had become the story. The Malaysian Orang Dalam story is unsolved.
But here’s the story on the hoax part of this. Cryptomundo reader Lorenzo Rossi, founder of the Italian website Criptozoo.com, has posted the apparent source of the Johor Hominid photos, which I have learned was first discovered by Cryptomundo reader Jean-Luc Drevillon, a French hominologist. As I don’t read Italian or French, I can only surmise that the photos were found in either a book or a magazine.
Lorenzo posted the photos to his online forum this morning. Many Cryptomundo readers are posting this url in the comments section of my previous post regarding the photos. That is how I was alerted to this situation.
Presently, the Johor Hominid website is "down for maintenance." Is this because of the revelation of the photos, or merely a coincidence? I’m sure we will see shortly.
(Thanks to Craig Woolheater for posting this for me while I dealt with an individual hardware routing problem at my end, now solved.)
Here’s the face drawn by Vincent Chow from the photograph. Below is the photograph posted by Lorenzo Rossi. Lorenzo apparently drew a red box in, marking the sections of the photo that were used to make the following sketches posted on the Johor Hominid site.
Above is the hand drawn by Vincent Chow from the photograph. Below is the sketch drawn by Cryptomundo reader Paul Goodall to tie Vincent’s two sketches together.
Click image for full-size version
Below is the sketch of the eyes made by Sean Ang, followed by the photo released by Vincent Chow of the eyes. Below that is the photo posted by Lorenzo Rossi. A French cryptozoologist, Jean-Luc Drevillon drew a red box in, marking the section of the photo that was posted on the Johor Hominid site.
For a complete rundown on all the August 4th breaking news on the “Johor Hominid” hoax discovery, please also see:
More Johor Fallout: Peter Loh Reacts.
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.
As has been asked here previously, this whole episode (while immensely disappointing) makes me seriously wonder what will happen when the much-hoped-for clear, well-focused, well-lit pictures or video of an actual animal appear? I’ve always leaned toward the viewpoint that if they (the images) were good enough, that they would be sufficient. But there are just too many tools available now to the average person to create convincing fakes/hoaxes. Consequently, as much as I don’t like the thought, I truly believe only a body will do. (And no, I’m in no way saying that these latest fake photos were any good at all. They’re not.) Am I being cynical or can anyone out there visualize a scenario where pictures/videos would be sufficiently credible anymore to convince the public?
Well I had doubts when all we could see were drawings of the photos..that was bad science..And when you finaly found the source of the drawings that clinched it….National Geo, Discovery Channel specials on the origins of man etc…same type of high tech art…glad that is done now back to some real research.
Harpo:
Sure, if CREDIBLE pictures/videos were presented, then I think the public would still be open. However, these pictures are without question simple shots of people in costumes. I do not think this case is “proof” of whether or not the public will accept anything.
I’ll get on it, Craig.
And while I’m here, let me ask how that man thought we would believe he got this close to them? Unless he was like…making a Johor Hominid in the Mist video…lol!
I’m not sure how much anyone wants translated, but, what I got from a few posts is that a few people were explaining its likeness to the TV show and book.
If you want actual posts done let me know.
I’m amazed at how close the sketch by Paul Goodall is compared to the actual photo. Impressive work Paul. Considering he only had a head and arm to go by for his drawing.
While I agree the BFRO shouldn’t be a “punching bag”, any reference to Loh’s johorhominid website has disappeared from their home page without explanation. Deja Vu…
There’s a picture of the full body there… But yes, I agree; he is a wonderful artist.
muzmuz…you have it right…before my posting, I immediately pegged it for the opening of 2001: a space odyssey…you just beat me to the punch…by the way, the one on the top is about to use “tools” (a stone) for the first time…
Dark-Obsessor: When Paul made is full body sketch, the only released sketches at the time were the head, and the arm. Paul put them together in his full body sketch, and I think the resemblance to the actual photo, which he had not seen, is pretty darn good.
🙂
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS at least it is over and for Chow And ANG your Career’s are over. Even if you got HOAXED or was part of it it is still over. Wal-Mart probably needs some guys to go out and round up the shopping carts. You know when we all saw the pic’s of the eyes just from that little tid-bit we all said FAKE and you guys say all the pic’s and could not tell. I might find it hard to believe that you 2 were not in on the hoax.
Loki and muzmuz: The similarities to the ape-creatures in 2001 was noted weeks ago on the Johor Hominid site by me, when the first sketch was released. LeCope and I then showed Sean Ang various images from the film, as well as several from various “Walking with Humans”/”Walking with Dinosaurs”-type shows.
Malaysia…truely asia…!
This whole thing is nothing more but a traveling circus.
Like many who posted before with me this whole experience had the texture of Hoax. Now we learn yes it is a fabrication. Chow and Ang via their web site called some posters ramblings and demands for the pics and abuse uncalled for well where are they now? As expected the site is down and they seem to be dodging the burden of being exposed. I can’t believe after viewing the original source that they truly believed in the veracity of any of it. Chow and Ang must have been a party to the hoax and should feel the professional repercussions from it along with any and all of the abuse on-line posters can dish out.
You can shut down your site Chow and Ang but I guarantee if you ever pop your heads out of the jungle again there will be an army of Cryptophytes to verbally pummel you for this episode… and you deserve every bit of it!
planettom: Sorry…I wasn’t sure. I agree, then. :-p
Oh, I fully admit to being one of the many demanding pictures and going against their “be patient” ideas.
Thank God this is over. Can we move on now?
MIKE ARAGON, ill take your word on this situation i looked at the photos again and i agree some look real especially the female ape humanoid her breasts do look real. I just dont anymore about this ugly situation. Its a judgment call to the pictures but mike your opinion is worth considering.
crypto_randz, have you read all of the posts today regarding these photos? Loren posted the information regarding the book that these photos came from. The book was a companion to the DVD of the French documentary that these hominids were created for.
There is no doubt as to the source of the photos.
truly disapointing…..
Wow! The denizens of The Planet of the Apes have crash landed in Johor! And someone took photos! This stinks. I’ve been waiting since the beginning for the photos to be released and they give me special effects? The top photo looked like something from a cheesy werewolf movie and the bottom just looked like a dirty neanderthal rendering. They should be censured by the scientific community. This is unforgivable in my opinion. It’s one thing for some doofus to pull a hoax, but someone with a genuine scientific background? It would be the wise thing to do to just ignore any further “news” about the subject from these people. Their shameless trickery completely negates ANY credibility they might have once had.
Just a brief outline of the backstory for those that don’t understand my part in this…
Apparently a misdirected message to Loren at Cryptomundo went to our technical headquarters in California. Neither Loren nor I saw that one until it was discovered in the “editor” email box many hours later.
At 3 am my time, I was asleep. I barely had enough time to assess the situation when I got up and saw the internet chatter about the what-seemed-like an Italian discovery. I sent an email to Loren before I rushed out the door to work. I saw the comments and found the photos at approximately 6:30 am my time.
I then called Loren on the way to work, in case he had not seen my email, so he could make some comments on Cryptomundo about the hoax. Loren had not seen them yet, as his internet service was down and in the midst of being repaired.
Loren and I talked, he suggested some of what he wanted to say, but mentioned he would write the blog more in-depth when the internet problem was fxed. I typed and partially composed a post for Loren and added the photos as soon as I could upon arriving at my job. Loren soon got back online, and modified the post with his commentary.
Soon, the other photos came in, were found, and were posted quickly.
Now, I am just arriving home, nearly 14 hours later.
It has been quite a day for all of us at Cryptomundo.
Why am I not surprised?
The P/G film of “Patty” is our truest and best treasure ever.
It is indeed a sad state…
In my opinion, Vincent & Sean were not hoaxed as well, but were part of it.
Self worth and greed can make men do some pretty silly things.
Wow. I’m shocked. I never saw this coming… *note the obvious sarcasm*
I think I called Mr. Chow out as a hoaxer fairly early on. Still all the drama has been somewhat interesting yet frustrating at the same time. No matter how much I knew either
A. There were no photos or
B. The photos were hoaxes,
I wanted to believe (Just like Fox Mulder).
I’ve never seen anything so fake in my life. To the people who are studying for the existence of bigfoot creatures (such as myself): PLease take the time to look at known similar animals so you know what real animals look like. That was LOL awful. Just WOW.
It’s simple, of course it was a hoax. Otherwise it would of been reported by CNN, or the BBC. Sleazy? Yep. True? Absolutely