OK, this is genius--Ghost Hunters

Anybody watch Ghost Hunters on SyFy? Or any of those other shows where they "investigate" the paranormal?

Apparently lots of people do. And whoever thought of it is a genius. Think about it. You get a bunch of people sneaking around old, spooky-looking buildings. One stops and whispers, "Something brushed past my leg!" Of course, nobody caught anything on film. Then, of course, there's the inevitable moment where somebody sees something and they all chase after it, shaky-cams working full-time, only to find . . . nothing.

Look at it from the producers' point of view. You got a bunch of guys and a couple of cameras and a few gadgets you can get at Radio Shack. You don't have to build a set. You don't need special effects. You just need some people who are willing to wander around in the dark and freak each other out. The budget must be next to nothing. You can make these things for a fraction of the cost of a really shitty movie or TV show.

I both love and hate this phenomenon. Love it, in that it demonstgrates that it really isn't necessary to spend tons of money on effects. People buy this, they believe it, and they get into it, and there is nary an effect. Or, rarely. I think they'll sometimes have a doctored up IR image or something.

I hate it, though, because they market this as a truthful investigation into the paranormal. I know people who swear that, "If it wasn't true they wouldn't show it." Like there's some sort of government agency that verifies this stuff like it's drugs or food or something.

Anyways, just in case you didn't know, it's all bullshit. Look at it this way--if the ghost hunters never found even a hint of a ghost, would you watch it? No. The network and the producers know that. They won't actually find any ghosts, I can tell you. Because there ain't any.

If you dig it, by all means, watch it. Just take it for what it is--fiction posing as non-fiction.