How Bigfoot Can Help Us Heal From a Contentious Election
Posted by: Craig Woolheater on November 18th, 2016
Ranae Holland is host of ‘Finding Bigfoot’ on Animal Planet
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Ranae Holland grew up in South Dakota reading about the legend of Bigfoot with her father. She was fascinated at the idea of an ape-like creature hiding in the mountains of America. That passion led her to be a host on Animal Planet’s TV show Finding Bigfoot.
But Ranae is unique in the world of Bigfoot searchers, she doesn’t believe the animal is real. Holland has a background as a field biologist and believes there is no proof of Sasquatch. She plays the role of the skeptical scientist on the show.
“I love Bigfoot stories. I am curious so even though I don’t believe it’s real I love the idea of it,” says Holland.
Holland says her favorite part of hosting the show is the connection that she can make with the people who claim to have seen Bigfoot. But these are delicate conversations for her. She doesn’t want to dismiss the person’s experience but needs stay true to her scientific knowledge. She says she is just trying to understand what happened to them.
“They had this experience and then here I come strolling in and because I have some type of degree or something, or because I’m on a TV show, I get to tell you what happened to you,” says Holland. “Absolutely not.”
Ranae wants to be an example of how people who fundamentally disagree on facts, like the existence of a hairy mountain dweller, can show empathy and compassion to one another. She says the lack of these types of conversations is why we’ve become so polarized and has set the stage for the vitriol that has run rampant through our culture.
Is anybody thinking of our contentious presidential election yet?
Ranae Holland has. Finding Bigfoot began filming in 2010, Ranae has traveled a lot through rural America since then and she says it was a real wake up call. She was able to see the anger and feelings of being marginalized outside major cities.
“I’m a lesbian environmental activist so I am very Seattle urban archipelago liberal bubble and I would come home on a hiatus and everybody’s all, ‘No problem, Hillary’s got this in the bag.’ And I was talking to my friends, ‘You guys, have you left the city limits? Have you talked to any of your folks back in Montana?’ says Holland.
Co-founder of Cryptomundo in 2005.
I have appeared in or contributed to the following TV programs, documentaries and films:
OLN's Mysterious Encounters: "Caddo Critter", Southern Fried Bigfoot, Travel Channel's Weird Travels: "Bigfoot", History Channel's MonsterQuest: "Swamp Stalker", The Wild Man of the Navidad, Destination America's Monsters and Mysteries in America: Texas Terror - Lake Worth Monster, Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot: Return to Boggy Creek and Beast of the Bayou.
