Conferences

Cable Producers & CZ Headhunting

Be forewarned that currently a certain cable program is looking for a cryptozoologist to hold up to ridicule on their show. They are stepping up their attempts to find someone for a cryptozoology attack episode. I was approached by them before the Bates Symposium. They wanted to supposedly interview me about the history of cryptozoology. However, I knew their technique is one in which they use clips of experts on the subjects they wish to ridicule, then with vigor and in nasty interjects, brutally make fun of the individual and the subject. They wanted me to sign a long release [...]

Keeping Your Sense of Humor

Chris Thompson really got the Bates Cryptozoology Symposium: “It is impossible to describe in a short column the strangeness of the discursive space that this event produced, or to begin to tap the wide range of themes that it covered — from the relationship between animality and humanity to the social psychology of witnessing (ghosts, aliens, cryptids). What was fascinating, and refreshing in relation to every other conceivable academic conference, was that the discussions and debates, however lively, always hovered at the edge of humor and never lost sight of the monstrosity of this artistic and epistemological undertaking.” Check out [...]

Barnum and Bates

Mark Baard’s article, "America Goes Cryptozoology Crazy," in Wired News certainly was reflected in the Bates Conference and during the month of October. Cryptomundo’s launch, the Texas Bigfoot Conference, Duel Masters’ Bounty Offer and present photo prizes, Weird Travels’ Nessie and Champ program, the Dover Demon Boston television programming, and the Bates Cryptozoology Symposium all occurred in a concentration that fed into each other and the media’s growing national fascination with cryptozoology. One of the positive benefits of the Bates College intellectual gathering was some open sharing between artists outside the mainstream and outside cryptozoology. Their energy, thoughts, and insights [...]

Yeti at Bates

Yeti at Home at Bates This weekend’s Bates College Cryptozoology Symposium will bring together artists and cryptozoologists, for the first time, as far as I know, in a credible academic setting. It is the kickoff to the June-October 2006 exhibition, and will have a good schedule of talks on cryptozoology, art, science, creativity, and more. One change in the talks is a cancellation of Rachel Berwick for personal family matters, to be replaced by June O’Neill, discussing The Great New England Sea Serpent. The weekend should be informative and fun. I am also happy to announce that the Museum has [...]