Paranormal State Exposed

Paranormal State Exposed

By

Kirby Robinson

&

Lisa Maliga

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 by Kirby Robinson & Lisa Maliga

A revised, updated and expanded edition

Dedication:

The fact that Buddha always advocated reason over blind acceptance indicates that his doctrine is founded on truth not fiction. The more we analyze a superstition or a falsity, the weaker becomes our belief in it, whereas the more we investigate truth, the stronger our belief becomes. The Dalai Lama

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

2 Timothy, Chapter 4 verse 7

Praise for our previous book: Paranormal Reality: Investigating Paranormal State

To his credit, Robinson offered all those involved with the show the opportunity to tell their side of it. Most declined. The book covers all 5 seasons and Robinson suggests the reader watch DVDs of the show. And that is a very good suggestion. By using the book as a guide, the viewer will not miss anything that Robinson points out. Whether or not the reader will enjoy this book depends on his, or her, interest in the television series Paranormal State. Fans of the show will no doubt find this book invaluable and eye-opening.

Janice Oberding, Author and Paradacity Radio Show Host

If you're a fan of paranormal shows on television, any of them, or a fan of critical thinking, you too will enjoy the expert critical analysis the authors bring to bear on the show Paranormal State. This book will blow you away…The authors do a masterful job of breaking the television show Paranormal State down show by show, segment by segment, scene by scene, revealing that which almost everybody misses consciously. Amazing.

Steve H., Claranormal

Table of Contents:

Introduction

Chapter 1 – Let's Get Started

Chapter 2 – Season 1

Chapter 3 – Season 2

Chapter 4 – Season 3

Chapter 5 – Season 4

Chapter 6 – Season 5

Chapter 7 – Your Words Come Back to Haunt You

Chapter 8 – Para-Celebrities Respond

Chapter 9 – A Response to Our Detractors

Chapter 10 - Conclusion

About the Authors

Acknowledgements:

Shannon Sylvia, Kelli and Riley Ryan, Ron Tebo, Aanica, John Tenney, Paranormal State Illustrated, and Mark Johnson of the North Jersey Paranormal Research. Thank you to those confidential sources including but not limited to the following: clients, Paranormal State para-celebrities, and former PRS members.

Introduction:

Are you insane? Do you really want to write another book about Paranormal State? Wasn't it bad enough the first time, with all the lies, innuendos and misinformation spread about you? Wasn't once enough?

Answer: It is our job to reveal the truth. If people attempt to discourage us, it means that we are onto something. The truth doesn't cause us any suffering, but it does to those who trust a group of frauds. So let's go back to the beginning and share with the readers how it all began.

Joining MySpace in early 2008, we hosted a quickly growing and very active page, the main attraction being our blog called Shedding Some Light. We dealt with any paranormal topic, oftentimes from a Christian slant. We received lots of emails asking for information and help. We heard from a few whistle blowers concerning fakery in the paranormal field. One of the concerns was a show by the name of Paranormal State. So we started to dig around and take a closer look at the few episodes that had aired.

After wearing out a couple of VCR's due to excessive rewinding of the tapes [in order to match up the information we received], we determined that the show was heavily fictionalizing things.

In September 2008 we launched the Eye on the Paranormal and posted break-downs of each episode. There was no plan that someone would actually have the courage to come forward and publicly admit that everything was staged.

Kelli Ryan, a client of PRS featured in season 2 [you'll read her complete story later] felt used after experiencing the deceptions and distortions that Ryan, PRS, the producers, Chip Coffey and Michelle Belanger took part in. She reached out to a well known para-celebrity for help after both the network and PRS blew her off. That para-celebrity chose not to get involved and handed her off to a PRS insider to see if they could help, but couldn't. [This person had been in communication with us prior to all this]. However, it resulted in the para-celebrity giving her our MySpace email address. And like the old saying goes, the rest is history.

We interviewed her many times, exchanged emails and even hour-long phone calls. Kelli's story didn't change. We even fed back details she said in a false way and each time Kelli corrected them, bringing it back to what she had really said.

We went public with it and asked PRS for a response to engage in a civil discussion. What did we get? Nothing but ridicule and personal attacks. A para-celebrity featured on the show even leaked Kelli's home address on the internet. People began to show up at her home, threatening her and her husband so the local police had to be called several times. A couple of men showed up in the middle of the night, threatening Kelli and Riley with physical harm. Those two men wanted to harm the couple because of what Kelli was claiming occurred on [The Messenger episode] she was featured in. The thugs told Kelli and Riley to stop talking about Ryan, PRS and the para-celebrities.

All this over a cable TV show! Sad, huh?

At this point we felt the story was over. We did our part and moved on. But the emails kept pouring in, the rumors kept circulating and we kept being contacted by production people, former and current PRS members, clients, and even guest paranormal teams. They told us the same story: it was faked, the evidence was fake, and the team mocked the clients. There were even issues raised about some of the clergy who were in on the deceptions.

On February 17, 2011 Paranormal Reality: Investigating Paranormal State made its debut on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. What we went through was nothing like what we went through with the Kelli Ryan case. There were personal attacks, not only on our character but even Kirby's macular degeneration, speech impediment, and sexuality was attacked. They resorted to nonsensical rumors as they said that only Lisa Maliga wrote the book and that she was Kirby Robinson pretending to be her and vice versa. They tried to trace our IPS to hack our systems [we use proxy servers]. No matter what, we got the truth out. We again asked for a response, a discussion of our investigation, and some type of civilized communication. There was no response. Only silence. The silence of guilt or denial?

We were done with PRS. We had other things to look at such as charges against Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal, and all the so-called demon hunter groups that were popping up everywhere. Last October we got an email from an on-set production person about everything that went on during the filming of season 5. We took a close look at the one and only episode [outside of the pilot] for Paranormal State: The New Class. Frankly, we did our best to steer clear of a having to write a second book. But we couldn't avoid it because we knew the truth had to be told.

And that is what we do here--we share the truth. Read no further if you're looking for gossip as you won't find any here.

Let's also clarify that we have no vendetta against para-reality TV shows. We believe there are some good and some not so good ones out there.

Ghost Hunters and all their spin offs aren't our cup of tea but they really make no claims to help people get rid of ghosts, so we have no issues.

Ghost Adventures -- again it's not our preferred show, but they don't claim to help anyone. They just go out and do ghost hunting.

The Dead Files is a great paranormal show and we like the two leads. Amy Allan might be a little new age-y for us but you won't find any deceptions like you will with Paranormal State.

The Exorcist Files featuring Adam Blai might have been the best para-reality show of all time. Sadly, it was a victim of bad public relations. Watch the pilot and see for yourself. There are no attempts to deceive the clients or the viewers.

We ask the reader to ignore all the mudslinging that has been launched our way. Read the book with an open mind. Don't be preprogrammed to expect a smoking gun or what some call a CSI Moment. Read, pay close attention, and watch the evidence accumulate. Then make up your own mind.

Clothing Changes and Editing: The Key to Exposing the Lies

The blind followers made much of the fact that we spent way too much time pointing out clothing changes in every episode. The consensus was that clothing changes meant nothing other than a little sloppy editing. In other words, it failed to convince them that Ryan and the PRS team intentionally or unintentionally were misleading them.

One of the allegations our critics accused us of is not being able to satisfactorily produce a smoking gun/CSI Moment. This is an invalid argument. In order to do so, we would need unrestricted access to the raw footage. Only then could we analyze if creative editing was done to remove strings from door knobs or windows. We would need to see all footage shot from all the cameras, in all the rooms where people stood, flickering lights, banging on walls, shuffling feet, etc. If we had such access, then we could do further analysis. In real life crime cases, crimes aren't often solved by just one piece of evidence but with accumulation of evidence that washes away reasonable doubt.

Other A&E shows like Hoarders, Intervention and The First 48 are docudramas that manage to follow their intended timelines.

Paranormal State is filled with misdeeds and shady conduct. Those viewers who fail to pay close attention to the details either refuse to acknowledge them or can't see them. By applying logic to watching the show you will see the fakery. They never intended to tell the truth but simply present a fictionalized story from start to finish.

Here is an episode from season 1 minus every detail except for the clothing changes to prove our point.

Season 1, Episode 6 – Pet Cemetery

At the case briefing, Ryan wears a black t-shirt. As we've seen, this meeting occurs prior to arriving at the scene of the case. Using logic, we presume we won't see it again.

This is now Day 1 and when Ryan arrives at the home he has on a medium blue button front shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and black dress slacks. So we should logically expect that all the scenes occurring on Day 1 will show that Ryan is wearing this shirt.

When Ryan interviews Sybil, the current homeowner, he is still wearing the dressier looking blue shirt/black slacks outfit. But in the next scene he's interviewing Gail, a former homeowner; he's wearing the same black t-shirt and black jeans worn at the case briefing. This means those scenes were not shot in the correct order of a documentary.

Also on Day 1 Ryan interviews a couple, [Erik and Rhoda] that lived in the home back in the 1980s. Now we see that Ryan is wearing a grey t-shirt and black jeans.

On Night 1 psychic/medium Chip Coffey arrives at the home wearing jeans and a long sleeved black sweatshirt. Ryan is back to wearing his medium blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

It's interesting to note that when Ryan and Chip are back in the woods looking for clues, we see that Ryan is suddenly wearing latex gloves.

An on-set source has revealed to us that the dog's body was buried on the property for the show.

Day 2 – 12:31 PM. Ryan is doing his director's log. He wears the same black t-shirt that was worn at the team briefing.

Eilfie, the occult specialist, is seen in the library wearing the same green shirt she wore at the case briefing.

Chip meets with Sybil, the client, and he's wearing a grey long sleeved sweatshirt [or heavy t-shirt] with a thin black and white horizontal stripe across the chest.

Ryan is back in his black t-shirt.

At 6:29 PM Lorraine Warren is seen wearing a long navy dress with short sleeves. Ryan is wearing his original black t-shirt.

8:02 PM and we're introduced to Fern, the neighbor. Suddenly we see Lorraine's wearing a slate blue blouse, white short sleeved sweater and long white skirt. Ryan has on his Night 1 grey t-shirt. And for a few seconds we see Chip, who has just appeared from nowhere, standing next to Lorraine. He's wearing a forest green, navy blue and burgundy tri-colored shirt. So it appears that this interview occurred on Night 1. And it's important to note that Fern is also mentioning someone named Margaret. After that one shot of Chip he disappears. Apparently, he's there long enough to get the information he needs: that of the correct name to use when doing his psychic walkthrough.

During Dead Time, we see that Ryan's back in his black t-shirt and Chip's seen in his grey shirt with that black and white stripe. Chip says: I think there's something in the woods.

So, they dash off into the woods, holding their trusty flashlights. But wait, Ryan's not wearing the same outfit! He's back in his dressier blue shirt. Suddenly, we see he's also wearing latex gloves.

When they meet with PRS at the fire pit, everyone's in the same clothing as the first day. Notice Eilfie has on her green shirt. And Ryan's not wearing his latex gloves. But watch as he puts them on. This was shot out of order as he clearly wore them as he and Chip were heading towards the fire pit.

Now look at Dr. Ryan Buell wearing a white surgical face mask. Then we're shown the headless corpse of a dog.

Ryan rushes back upstairs to tell Lorraine about his discovery. She wears the navy dress that she had on during her Night 1 performance. But does Ryan wear his blue dress shirt that he had on when he was at the fire pit? Nope, he's casual again – it's the black t-shirt. No sign of a surgical mask and/or latex gloves, either.

We're back at the fire pit where the dog corpse is being reburied. And yes, Ryan's got his blue shirt back on again.

During the nighttime medal burying ceremony we see that Lorraine wears her white skirt and sweater with the blue blouse ensemble. Ryan is casual in his grey t-shirt.

When they return inside the house after the ceremony we see that Chip is wearing his tri-colored shirt.

Using visual cues like clothing changes shows that this episode was not shot in order. Walkthroughs weren't done as we are told, and Dead Times are not when we are informed. Most obvious of all, the questions have been answered long before the team even investigates a case.

The arguments made by the pro Paranormal State people don't hold up to the harsh light of logic. This is why such importance in pointing out clothing changes is made in almost every episode. It's not done as a style commentary, but to spell out how this show is faked, scripted and staged.

Often the strongest supporters of the show stated that all these clothing changes were merely Ryan changing his shirts and nothing more. That statement is laughable and it shows how people are so easily manipulated by television. Anyone with even a modicum of interest in scientific study should use analytical thinking. Ryan isn't switching shirts randomly as he would have no reason to change back into a dirty shirt!

Now, if you're still skeptical, let us break it down in a different fashion, showing you scenes of the episode grouped together with a focus on the three different shirts that Ryan wears. By doing this you'll see that the scenes were shot out of order. Scenes shot out of order mean this is not a real life documentary but a scripted reality TV show.

A] Black T-shirt

Case briefing before the start of case prior to Day 1 [prelude]

Day 1 talking to a former homeowner

Day 1 director's log for the end of Day 1

Day 2 meeting with Sybil, the current homeowner [client]

Day 2 [Night] Lorraine Warren is brought in

Day 2 [Night] Dead Time

Day 2 [Night] Lorraine is informed that Ryan's team and Chip find dog's grave

Day 2 [Night] final director's log

B] Grey T-shirt

Day 1 Ryan meets with previous homeowners [the couple]

Day 2 Ryan, Lorraine and Chip meet the neighbor

Day 2 [Night] Ryan and team bury medals in ground

C] Medium blue button front shirt

Day 1 meeting with client and tour of the home

Day 1 discussing case

Day 1 client interview

Day 1 [Night] walkthrough with Chip

Day 1 [Night] finding tombstone

Day 2 [Night] finds grave of dog

Day 2 [Night] reburies the dog

Scenes that should have taken place on different nights actually occur at the same time. A prime example is finding the headstone. Going by the show's timeline, it was the night of Day 1, and finding the grave is supposedly the night of Day 2, plus reburying the dog's body.

Knowing this we can discredit the Dead Time and Chip's channeling of the dead dog's spirit.

You can carry this further to reinforce our evidence by looking at the supporting cast's clothing [including Chip's].

You can do this with most of episodes from seasons 1 through 4. By the time we reach season 5, they started to pay closer attention to this detail after they knew of our book's forthcoming publication.

Para-Celebrities Responsibility in Questionable Actions

In our first edition we gave Chip Coffey and other psychics on the show a pass. We felt that they might, in some ways, be victims of the show's dishonesty. After all, Chip repeatedly states that he was never told anything prior to his walkthroughs.

As to the para-celebrities that appeared on the show, some also were seen on other shows produced by the same production company, namely: Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal and Paranormal State: The New Class. Those shows also have their own credibility issues.

In the first edition we separated Chip Coffey from the other para-celebrities. That was an error on our part. Yes, he was featured on seasons 1 through 3 and in two episodes on the fourth season. He left the show, claiming he had personal and professional reasons. He was a popular guest on it but that is all he was: a guest a contract player as he was never given any production credit. He was replaced by Michelle Belanger who was made an official team member.

Coffey, along with the others, state they were never given any information prior to their walkthroughs. As you will read through the pages of the book, we present evidence that can be interpreted to show otherwise. We have already seen two examples of how, if you follow the wardrobe changes, scenes weren't shot in chronological order.

Chip Coffey, Michelle Belanger, CJ Sellers, the Parry-Normals, Mark and Debby Constantino, Dr. Athena Drewes, Kim Russo and John Oliver were hired to play a role in the production. These psychics had no real control. However, if they witnessed things being faked, staged, reshot, etc., what should they do? If they have any integrity they refrain from taking part in such trickery and walk away. Don't they have a moral responsibility to the clients, the public, and to the legitimacy of their craft?

How many have done this during all five seasons of the show's existence? By the time you read up through the season 4 section in our book, you'll discover only one of the episodes Chip appeared in could we say that something was really happening. And he oversold a lot of the details, making it appear far worse than what it was. He returned to the series for Paranormal State: The New Class and was going to be the go-to psychic if that show had been picked up.

Our New Position on the Para-Clergy

When it comes to clergy featured on the show, our views have also changed. This is due to recent developments concerning Father Jim Anziano who was seen during the final season and his unbecoming conduct has come to light.

Only three ordained men of God were featured on the show.

Father Andrew Calder was only seen on two episodes of the show: Devil in Syracuse and I Am Six. You may recall from our first book that we found little to be critical about in his appearance in the Devil in Syracuse episode. But with the I Am Six episode, we have major issues. Is it possible that Father Calder walked away from the show? Did he want to distance himself from the deceptions that were taking place? It's quite feasible.

Father Jim [his last name was never revealed on the credits] was seen in three episodes during season 5. You will find we have much to say about them and his conduct. Of major concern is both his credibility and if he had the spiritual authority to be doing what he was asked to do.

Father Bob Bailey was featured as the go-to priest in seasons 3 and 4, with only one appearance in the last season. Ryan has referred to Father Bob as the spiritual adviser to the PRS. In a recent conversation [via email] with Father Bob, he wrote about the standard discussion points for any criticism directed at Paranormal State.

1 Bad editing.

2 Envy towards Ryan.

3 The team had no control over the show.

We now have to ask how much did Father Bob know about what was going on? Did he take part in any of the deceptions? Yes, he did perform his priestly duties, but if he knew something was not legitimate, he should have left the show a lot sooner than he did. When he did leave it had to do with a personal dispute. As of 2012 he has returned to the position of being the spiritual advisor to PRS.

A Brief History of Reality TV

If you have a TV you are aware of the omnipresent reality show. Flick through the channels and you'll encounter scenes of sweaty people in rustic locations discussing alliances, or overweight people attempting to utilize dormant muscles. You'll stumble upon competitive cooks, models, singers, dancers, brides, and business mavens. It's available 24/7 on our TV channels, even for those without cable or satellite. You can find it on Netflix, YouTube, Hulu and many other websites. Endless hours are needed to fill these broadcasts. So they use low cost programming. What's the most attractive and cost effective type of entertainment? Reality TV.

Reality shows aren't new. Take a look at the history of radio and TV shows in America and you'll find they date back to 1948. In that year, creator and producer Allen Funt brought us the funny hidden camera show, Candid Camera. Long before there was COPS on the Fox Network, the American public tuned into a radio show that covered the daily activities of the Culver City Police Department. Game shows have always been a favorite staple for viewing whether it was The $64,000 Question [which underwent a New York Grand Jury investigation and congressional hearings to determine that the show was rigged] to Wheel of Fortune. Viewers might like their nightly dramas but they also have a desire to peek behind the curtains of their neighbors. In 1972, the ground breaking PBS show An American Family gave them such a view.

In the early 1990's