My deep, dark secret is... I am a big fan of those paranormal, ghost hunting shows, or as my loving husband refers to them, "that ghost shit."
It's true. I have a very eclectic sense of spirituality due to some of the things I've experienced first hand over the years and I am fascinated by ghost stories. I've even done some ghost hunting myself. It seems like the flood gates have opened over the last couple of years with all sorts of paranormal investigation shows and I've seen them all.
"Ghost Hunters" (the first and still the best), "Ghost Hunters International" (the not so great spin-off), "My Ghost Story", "Celebrity Ghost Stories", "Ghost Adventures" (lame), "Extreme Paranormal" (extremely lame), "Ghost Lab" (a couple of very hot bearish brothers who have their own mobile lab with lots of gadgets) and there's even one on Animal Planet about hauntings involving pets.
Some are better than others, but my all time favorite is the A&E show, Paranormal State, about a group of Penn State students that investigate the paranormal. What I like most about this one is the very cute lead investigator, Ryan Buell. Buell claims to have had some very disturbing ghostly encounters as a child that motivated him to delve deeper and help others who are being pestered by the dead.
After four successful seasons on A&E (with another season coming up), Ryan Buell has written a memoir in which he has come out as bisexual. As a devout Catholic, Buell has wrestled with his sexuality for some time, telling Entertainment Weekly, “I’ve decided to share my sexuality and struggle over faith in hopes that others will no longer feel as though they are alone or that they can’t be religious.”
I have to say, I'm not surprised at all by this revelation. Paranormal State has always had a very gay vibe to it, mostly due to the psychics they use in their investigations. Chip Coffey (Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal) and Michelle Belanger are two out and proud sensitives that know their way around a grave yard. In one episode, Belanger challenges the ghost of an abusive husband, shouting, "Come on, wife beater! I'm not afraid of you!" You gotta love a lesbian that doesn't take any shit, especially from a ghost.
Say what you want about this genre of "reality" programing, but any time someone comes out and admits publicly that he or she has struggled and continues to struggle with questions of faith and sexuality, somewhere there's a kid out there who feels just a little less alone.
I know this is very old but this popped up just now in my google searches. Yes, paranormal shows are the best and I cried when Paranormal State went off the air here. Michelle Belanger is a great inspiration to me and yes, her challenging abusive spirits is awesome and entertaining. However, I will offer a correction; she's bisexual. (Posted on coming out day this year via her FB) Also, would rather male pronouns but will use female ones to make things easier for others. (The other part of her post on FB) Overall, one awesome person who just rocks my world.
ReplyDeleteSorry if this seems strange.