Jason Hawes Speaks Out: The State of the Paranormal Community and Why Integrity Still Matters

Every now and then, you have to put the equipment down and have a real conversation. Not about what went bump in the night, but about what's happening in the community we've all built together — the people, the politics, and the drama that some folks seem determined to drag into a field that deserves better. That's exactly what I sat down to talk about, and I want to share those thoughts here for anyone who missed the live stream.

I've been doing this for a long time. Before Ghost Hunters ever aired, before TAPS became a name people recognized, I was just a guy in Rhode Island who wanted answers — real answers. I built this organization on a simple principle: go in skeptical, look for every rational explanation first, and only when you've exhausted every other possibility do you consider that something unexplained might genuinely be at work. That approach hasn't changed. What has changed, unfortunately, is some of what I'm seeing around me in the broader paranormal community right now.

Let me be straight with you, because that's the only way I know how to be. There's drama circulating right now — some of it aimed in my direction, some of it swirling around others I respect, and some of it just floating out there like a bad smell nobody wants to claim. I'm not going to name names, because this isn't about tearing anyone down. It never has been. But I do think it's important to address what's happening, because silence can look like agreement, and I don't agree with a lot of what I'm seeing. When people use the paranormal as a platform for personal vendettas, when they spread misinformation to build themselves up or tear others down, they're not just hurting individuals — they're hurting the credibility of an entire field of study that a lot of dedicated, serious people have worked incredibly hard to legitimize.

The paranormal community at its best is something genuinely special. I've met some of the most passionate, open-minded, and honestly curious people through this work — homeowners who are terrified and need help, researchers who pour their own money into equipment and travel, and investigators who take their responsibility to the truth seriously. That's the community I fell in love with. That's the community I still believe in. But like any community, it attracts people whose motivations aren't always about the work. Some are chasing clout. Some are chasing conflict. And some, frankly, just enjoy the chaos. My job — the way I see it — is the same as it's always been in an investigation: identify what's real, what's manufactured, and what's just noise.

What I want people to take away from this conversation is simple. Hold the line on integrity. Whether you're investigating a supposedly haunted location or navigating a dispute within the community, the standard should always be evidence over emotion. Ask questions before you make accusations. Verify before you amplify. And remember that the people on the other side of whatever conflict you're in are human beings with real reputations and real lives. I've had my name dragged through the mud before, and I'll probably have it happen again — that comes with being visible in this space. But I will never stop showing up, never stop doing the work, and never stop pushing for a community that holds itself to a higher standard. That's what TAPS was built on, and that's not something I'm willing to compromise.

The paranormal deserves serious investigation, and this community deserves serious people leading it. I'll keep having these conversations as long as they need to be had, because looking away from a problem never made it go away — in an investigation or in life. As always, stay curious, stay skeptical, and stay honest.