Live Q&A with Jason Hawes and JV Johnson: Paranormal Investigation Secrets, Fan Questions, and Behind-the-Scenes Stories

Some of the best conversations happen when you just sit down, open the floor, and let the questions fly. That's exactly what JV Johnson and I did in our latest live session — no script, no agenda, just two guys who've spent decades chasing things that go bump in the night, talking honestly with the people who've been with us every step of the way. If you missed the live stream, here's everything we covered.

There's something I've always believed: the paranormal community grows stronger when investigators are transparent. Too many people in this field hide behind edited footage and carefully crafted narratives. JV and I have never been interested in that. When we went live, the goal was simple — show up, be real, and answer whatever came our way. And the questions you all brought were genuinely some of the best we've fielded in a long time.

A lot of what came up centered on methodology — specifically, how I approach an investigation before I ever consider a paranormal explanation. I've said it a thousand times and I'll say it again: my first job at any location is to debunk. I walk in looking for drafts that could move a curtain, electrical interference that could affect equipment, infrasound frequencies that can make people feel uneasy or even cause visual disturbances. The history of this field is littered with 'hauntings' that turned out to be carbon monoxide leaks, faulty wiring, or simple suggestion. If I can find a rational explanation, that's not a failure — that's the job done right. The people living in those homes deserve answers, not entertainment.

JV and I also got into some of the behind-the-scenes realities of paranormal investigation that fans don't always see. The hours are brutal. You're working in the dark, often in cramped or structurally questionable buildings, running on cold coffee and adrenaline. The equipment — EVP recorders, thermal imaging cameras, EMF detectors — is only as good as the person interpreting the data. That's something I feel strongly about. A spike on an EMF meter means nothing without context. You have to rule out every possible source before you even begin to treat it as potentially anomalous. JV and I have had plenty of moments over the years where something seemed incredible in the moment, and then we went back, reviewed everything carefully, and found the mundane explanation hiding in plain sight. That process of review is where real investigation happens.

What I appreciated most about the live Q&A was hearing directly from people who are doing their own investigations, running their own groups, trying to figure out how to approach this responsibly. My advice is always the same: document everything, question everything, and never fall in love with your own evidence. The moment you start wanting something to be paranormal more than you want the truth, you've stopped being an investigator. TAPS was built on the idea that we serve the people who reach out to us, and that means giving them honest answers even when those answers aren't the dramatic ones. JV and I have walked away from locations and told homeowners there was nothing there. That's not a fun conversation, but it's the right one.

Live sessions like this one are a reminder of why I've never lost my passion for this work — it's the community, the honest questions, and the shared commitment to figuring out what's real. JV and I will keep showing up, keep answering, and keep investigating with the same skeptic-first approach that started all of this. Stay curious, stay grounded, and we'll see you in the next one.