Ask Jason Hawes Anything: Paranormal Investigations, TAPS, and the Truth Behind Ghost Hunting
“Most of the time when someone contacts us, they're scared — and they deserve someone who will give them real answers, not just tell them what they want to hear. That's always been the foundation of what we do at TAPS.”
— Jason Hawes
There's nothing I enjoy more than sitting down directly with the people who've followed this work for years and just talking — no filters, no scripts, just honest conversation about what we do and why we do it. I joined JV Johnson for a live Q&A session, and what followed was exactly the kind of raw, open discussion that reminds me why this community means so much to me. If you missed the stream, here's a look at what we covered.
I've been doing this long enough to know that the questions people ask say a lot about where the paranormal field is headed. When JV and I went live, I wasn't sure exactly what direction the conversation would take — that's the beauty of a live format. No agenda, no prepared answers. Just two people who've spent a serious amount of time in this field opening it up to the audience and letting them drive the discussion.
One of the things I always try to make clear, whether I'm on a formal investigation or just hanging out on a live stream like this one, is that my job is not to prove a location is haunted. My job — and the job of anyone doing this responsibly — is to exhaust every possible natural explanation first. I came up through the trades as a plumber. I understand how buildings work, how pipes create sounds, how old wiring behaves, how drafts move through a structure in ways that feel genuinely unsettling if you don't know what you're looking at. That background shapes everything about how I approach an investigation, and it came up more than once during our conversation. People are often surprised to hear that the vast majority of what gets reported as paranormal activity has a completely rational explanation. And I think that's actually a good thing — it means we're doing our jobs.
JV is a great person to share that kind of conversation with because he asks the questions that matter. We talked about the evolution of TAPS since the early days, how the culture around paranormal investigation has shifted with social media, and what it means to maintain credibility in a field that can attract a lot of noise. I shared some thoughts on the responsibility investigators have to the people who reach out for help — because let's be honest, most of the time when someone contacts us, they're scared. They're not looking for a TV moment. They're looking for answers, and they deserve someone who will take that seriously and not just tell them what they want to hear. That's always been the foundation of what we do at TAPS.
We also spent time on some of the cases and experiences that have genuinely challenged my skepticism over the years — the moments where we ruled out every conventional explanation and were still left with something we couldn't immediately account for. I don't overstate those moments. I never have. But I also don't dismiss them, and I think that balance — staying skeptical without becoming cynical — is what keeps this work honest. The live audience brought a great energy to the whole conversation, and the questions ranged from deeply technical to genuinely personal. That's what I love about these sessions. It's a reminder that the people watching aren't just fans of a TV show. They're curious, they're thoughtful, and a lot of them are doing their own investigating out there.
Live sessions like this one with JV are something I want to do more of, because the direct connection with this community is something no produced episode can replicate. If you have questions you didn't get to ask, drop them in the comments — the conversation doesn't have to stop when the stream ends. Stay skeptical, stay curious, and keep looking for the truth.