Wanna Come Over?

Zak Bagan's latest Instagram post titled Wanna Come Over? is really creepy. . . 

GAC at Nopeming Sanitorium

I watched another Ghost Adventures episode, this time about the abandoned TB sanatorium. However, before I even start typing about this episode, can I just say what a ripoff the new (new to me) opening is of American Horror Story? I miss the old opening . . . AND Nick.

Okay, enough bitching.

This episode from Season 10 opens in the grey, misty autumnal woods of Duluth, Michigan where the GAC team are traveling to an abandoned TB hospital called Nopeming, which is built on Chippewa Indian land. One of my favorite things about the episode is the elderly couple -- Margaret and Mike -- who once worked at Nopeming. In the '60s, Mike worked in the boiler room and also wheeled bodies to the morgue. He said he was worried about dead bodies breathing some "TBs" in his face. He also mentioned he was called in by "Doc" to help cut ribs in order to "pull a lung". What I don't understand is why they'd want to "pull a lung"? Wouldn't that kill a person?

The team also brought in a guy who was arrested (and grounded by his parents) for trespassing at Nopeming and had him tell everyone at home why trespassing is a bad idea (12:29 in the video below). It was like a PSA, but as soon as he was done telling us why we shouldn't push past "no trespassing" signs, Zak wanted to hear about what he had witnessed while visiting. Apparently he saw a dark figure on one of the ledges.

The creepiest feature of Nopeming is its "death tunnel", which was used to wheel corpses to the incinerator. The tunnel is now blocked off by furniture the management have wedged in both ends in order to deter trespassers from entering. The guys bust their butts trying to pull out a couch as Zak watches and insists he would "assist the boys in moving the couch, but someone has to operate the camera." Uh huh. Once they get inside, they realize the structure of the tunnel is collapsing, so not everyone goes in. Billy Tulley volunteers to be the one to walk through. When he's halfway in, the light on his camera goes out, but not before his it catches a black shadow figure.

The episode has some good light anomalies, doors slamming on their own, and EVPs. At one point Zak and Billy are touched by unseen hands. However, one of the most satisfying moments is when Zak freaks out, but later finds out he was ensnared by wires hanging from the ceiling and not being abducted by ghosts. Zak eats a piece of humble pie and allows us to see the whole thing (35:29 in the video below). It goes without saying that the whole debacle was DEBUNKED. On a side note,  I noticed Zak is wearing his gas mask now, which is probably better for his lungs.

Nopeming has apparently never been officially investigated before. Lucky for us, GAC decided to pay it a visit.

Back to GAC

After taking a long hiatus, I am back on the GAC train.  I haven't seen much from the shows that aired before or after Nick left, but after playing a little catch up, I can see some possibilities as to why he may have decided to quit the show.

Zak has always been a big show off and that's partially why his fans love him. However, in a show I recently watched from Season 9 about the ghost town of Bannack, MT, he was acting like a prima donna, bossing Nick and Aaron around and snapping at them like a cranky schoolmarm (15:48 into the video below). In an interview with a man whose family originally lived in Bannack, Zak practically poses for the camera in a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses and black shirt with German crosses on it. If you click on the video below and go to the 8:45 mark, you can see what I'm referring to. As Zak is interviewing the guy, he starts to walk away from him, taking up most of the screen space. He may as well have done his best "Blue Steel".

In another show I watched recently, he nearly forces Nick to return to a house that was making him physically ill. This was the Oman house from Season 9 and one of the scariest Ghost Adventures episodes I've ever seen. The house's owner, David Oman (pretty interesting name, no?), wrote a film based on his experiences living in the house called The House at the End of the Drive.  The film is loosely based on the real events of August 9, 1969 when Sharon Tate and six others were murdered by the Manson family. Oman's house is right up the street from where the murders took place. He believes the houses' location, along with the fact that the house sits atop a geomagnetic anomaly and that it's also on top of a Native American burial ground are contributing to the strange things taking place at his residence. The most disturbing thing about the episode, however, is Oman. He seems weirdly comfortable living in a house that has such bad energy and almost seems like he gets a kick out of it.

Okay, getting back to Nick - it's the only episode I've ever seen in which all three guys leave a lockdown. They get physically ill, especially Nick, who is scratched by something unseen and experiences severe stomach pains. Right after he leaves the house, visibly upset, Zak presses him to go back inside, right back to the bedroom where he was scratched (See 34:42 in the video below). Being the nice guy he is, Nick complies with the ridiculous request. It was at this point I wanted to kick Zak's Ed Hardy-embellished butt. And from the looks of it, Nick did, too.

I love Zak as much as any GAC fan and will continue to watch Ghost Adventures, however, I think he needs a big fat slice of humble pie. Preferably shoved in his face by Nick.

Zak's Bagans: Deep Soul or Douche Bag?

I've been reading Dark World by Zak Bagans. All I can say is Ho Hum. The book is basically a guide for would-be ghost hunters. A lot of the chapters are devoted to all the things we Ghost Adventures fans are already literate in. For example: EVPs, the equipment GAC use, residual hauntings vs. intelligent hauntings, blah blah blah.

zzzzzzzzzz. . .


There is one chapter in the book that really held my attention and it's the one that's actually about Zak. The chapter recollects Zak's childhood, his vulnerabilities, and why he turned to ghost hunting. Fascinating stuff and what I really wanted more of out of this book. I thought the book would be more like a bio than a how-to guide. Oh well, I can respect that Zak keeps his privacy fairly maintained, but I wouldn't be so disappointed if I didn't find him so interesting.

Who is this brawny, uber metro-sexual, ghost-hunting ruffian (love that word)? Is he a drama queen, a deep soul, or just a douche bag?  I do hope to find out.

GAC is Back!

Just as I was bemoaning not having any new Ghost Adventures, Season 5 has begun. Makes me wanna pull on my Ed Hardy jeans and yell, "The portal 'a hell!" all up and down my street. The first show aired on the Travel Channel last Friday. Where have I been? Or more appropriately, where has my DVR been?

Anyway, the opening episode takes place at Ashmore Estates in Central Illinois. The place was built in 1916 and is said to be haunted by former residents. While I haven't seen it yet, I will be sure to tape it this Friday - that and the new episode, which takes place at one of GAC's first lockdowns,  the historic Mizpah Hotel in Tonopah, NV where a "lady in red" is said to wander the halls.

I'll post some recaps when I watch the shows. And Zak fashion reviews, of course. (It looks like Zak is still wearing his new glasses.)

Zak Bagans Releases a Book

Who knew? I just found out that Zak Bagans wrote a book (in conjunction with Kelly Crigger), which was released last week. It's called Dark World: Into the Shadows with the Lead Investigator of Ghost Adventures.

Yeah, it's going on my Amazon wishlist. I still love that ghost-heckling meathead.

The book will be displayed at the front of Barnes and Noble until Halloween. You can read a review of the book here.

OK, I just read the review. Now it looks like I'm going to have to run out and buy the damned thing.

Zak Bagans Now Wearing Glasses

I miss Ghost Adventures. I find it odd that they aren't running any new episodes at this time of year. Granted The Travel Channel gave us a nice, long season this last go round, but I almost wish they had broken it up and given us some now.

I have little interest in Zak B's latest show Paranormal Challenge, but I went to the website anyway and discovered that in all the screen shots, Zak is wearing big, black-framed glasses. I think I may have to tune in just to see the hot GAC geekery!

Ed Hardy goes Ed Nerdy
Update:
New Ghost Adventures on Friday nights at 9pm E/P

A Kinder, Gentler GAC

Has anyone noticed how much Zak Bagans has toned down his act when confronting the other side?  Instead of a spray-tanned bit bull, he's now an orange pussy cat. The guys, who were hilarious to begin with, seem to have clearly caught on to the fact that they are entertainers.  I think they may take their show on the road as some sort of ghost busting, comedy team.

This past episode of Ghost Adventures that took place in Newcastle, PA at Hill View Manor (a former retirement home where hundreds of people died), was a perfect example of what I'm talking about. It starts with Zak sporting a pair of shades, petting a darling, sandy-colored puppy in a field outside the building.

Zak and the cute owner of the place, named Candy (she had eyebrows that would make Divine jealous), flirted it up as she gave him a tour of the place. She said she had her butt pinched by a ghost and kind of liked it. Meanwhile, Aaron tripped over a pipe repeatedly, much to the mockery of Zak. Zak's expression as Aaron trips a second time was one of pure douche-baggery.

Candy O, those eyebrows!

When they got down to the basement, Zak exclaimed that it made him want to curl up with a sleeping bag and "listen to some Kenny G."  Really? Not Nine Inch Nails or Ministry, Zak?

We also got to see Zak play piano on an out-of-tune piano. And they had fun with a shot of a wheel chair flying down a staircase repeatedly, which channeled The Changeling.

My favorite line of the episode? When they got to a place in the building where an angry lunch lady worked, Aaron backed it up and said, "Now I'm sitting on the mashed potatoes."

Another funny Aaronism occurred when he asked if the spirit of Jim liked the food in the cafeteria: "Did you guys ever have anything that blew your mind that you loved so much? Did you like the spaghetti and meatballs she made? I heard it's pretty gooood."

When they get to the roof where two suicides took place, Zak claimed they weren't up there to "get a sun tan." No tan needed, Zak. I promise.

Around the building sits a big golf course, built over human remains. This can mean only one thing: The Ghost Adventures Invitational golf game!  All the guys sported polo shirts. Zak wore an orange one that matched his face. They raced around in golf carts and hit balls all over the place, even making fun of themselves when Zak debunked that Nick hit a ball 450 yards by using their high-definition cameras.

Nick's mysterious 450-yard-hit

My favorite part of the whole golf diversion was the droopy caddy who stood off to the side and held the scores like he'd rather be sucking on a tail pipe.  Zak won the game. Big surprise there. Later, Aaron said, "Just to let you know, I lost on purpose just so Zak looked good on film. That's what I do." This is why we love you, Aaron.

During their lock down, there were a lot of whispery EVPs I didn't really get. The guys used their spirit box, which didn't reveal anything I thought that impressive, despite the fact that Nick and Zak were losing it over stringing some sentences together that was supposed to mean something about something. Whatever. Yawn.
The one EVP that really creeped me out was the one I can't remember, of course. It was clear as day and very human-sounding.

There was footage of an orb in a hallway that looked credible. We also got lots of shots of Zak's meaty forearms with goosebumps and hair standing on end.

When Zak believed he communicated with a guy named Jim, he addressed him in a much different way than the old, pit bull Zak would have. Instead of saying, "Hey Jim, you motherfucker, come out and git us!" he said:

"Sir, I think you talked to me and emotionally that kind of hit me a little bit. . . I want to say thank you for communicating with us. I guess it's just the interaction."

Awwww Zak, you big pussy.

Later, he and Nick get a ghost speaking to them in their spirit box that Zak called "a smart ass." Payback is a bitch, isn't it, Zak?
*smooch*