Loren Coleman

[progressivegamer44]

Seems like one of the few respectable so called "cryptozoologists" out there.

[keninsc]

He's skeptical and he writes for and is an editor for "The Skeptical Inquirer". Trouble is he doesn't actually look for anything. He's a stay at home type.

[Heisenberg III]

been reading him for years,but can't figure yet figure him out.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

He's skeptical and he writes for and is an editor for "The Skeptical Inquirer". Trouble is he doesn't actually look for anything. He's a stay at home type.

To (mis)quote H.P. Lovecraft ... "I can travel the world and beyond from the safety and comfort of my armchair with books and imagination".

[notforgotten]

To (mis)quote H.P. Lovecraft ... "I can travel the world and beyond from the safety and comfort of my armchair with books and imagination".

Or you can believe and quote that which others have learned from possibly misleading books from the safety and comfort of your armchair.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Or you can believe and quote that which others have learned from possibly misleading books from the safety and comfort of your armchair.

Or I could believe everything someone in any assumed position of authority tells me.

[+DieChecker]

Loren Coleman seems to actually tend to agree with logical thought and evidence when presented with it and a good arguement. Yet before there is evidence or an arguement, he seems willing to believe just about anything. His default position is belief until convinced otherwise. Which makes good internet articles and books, but can easily be seen as naivity.

[supervike]

I think I lost all respect for Coleman during that whole Georgia bigfoot in the freezer thing.

He fanned the flames of that thing, then tried to pretend he never really bought into it. Several times he said something like 'this could be the real deal'.

[+DieChecker]

I think I lost all respect for Coleman during that whole Georgia bigfoot in the freezer thing.

He fanned the flames of that thing, then tried to pretend he never really bought into it. Several times he said something like 'this could be the real deal'.

I'd forgotten about that. He was SOLD....

[keninsc]

Hey, a lot of good people got caught up in that whole debacle that Slick Rick pulled back in 2008, including Jeff Meldrum. However, my point is that if you're not sort of out checking on things then its easier to be fooled. The one good thing about that whole affair was that now people are more inclined to check further than to start shouting "AMEN!" long and loud.

While this guy, Coleman, certainly is qualified, he's pretty much sort of semi-retired now. he doesn't do any field work that I know of, he's not really into the Bigfoot thing at all.....or just as a sort curiosity.....like a hobby.

I would edit to add:

That makes him pretty much like me in that regard. And sadly, I'm no expert.

Edited October 14, 2013 by keninsc

[Imaginarynumber1]

I've always liked Loren, though I was a bit shocked that he bought into the Dyer Bigfoot Hoax.

Several of his books are good reads.

[Stardrive]

Hey Ken, have you seen this yet?

Genetics professor investigates the Yeti

For the most part the samples he has tracked down for analysis have turned out to be known species such as humans, bears or apes; however two samples taken towards the end of his quest will "change our understanding of human history," he says.

Link

Bigfoot Files

About the Show

Mark Evans and geneticist Bryan Sykes examine the legend of Bigfoot, using DNA testing to determine if he's a hominid, an ape or just a hoax

Meanwhile Professor Sykes reveals the results of his DNA tests on the Yeti hair samples he's collected. The results are spectacular and unexpected.

Link

[keninsc]

Sounds interesting, but I'll have to try and catch it when I can on the web. I don't get the BBC on my cable.

However, with a TV show in thew works I suspect a lot of hype. I'm hoping for something of substance, but who knows?

[keninsc]

I've always liked Loren, though I was a bit shocked that he bought into the Dyer Bigfoot Hoax.

Several of his books are good reads.

Like I said before, Dyer suckered a lot of people with that first hoax which was why I couldn't believe anyone would give him the time of day when the one last year started out about this time. Then we had to wait, then we had to wait, then the thing with Rick getting his arch enemy to come look at the body, signing nondisclosure agreements and limited to time, in a undisclosed location, driven around for hours blind folded.........give me an effing break.

The first time I can understand it happening, I've been sucked before myself. The difference is, I'm just your usual, run of the mill country boy. I don't have anything to loose by being fooled or being wrong like these guys often do. Yeah, they do get held to a higher standard.

[Night Walker]

He's skeptical and he writes for and is an editor for "The Skeptical Inquirer".

Coleman is not and has never been an editor for The Skeptical Inquirer and I can find no references to him writing any articles for it either. Coleman has been the subject of Skeptical Inquirer articles though (like - Skeptical Inquirer, January, 2000, Benjamin Radford, "The Flawed Guide to Bigfoot," p. 55.)

[keninsc]

This from Wikipedia:

Education[edit]

Coleman studied anthropology and zoology at Southern Illinois University Carbondale,^[2] and psychiatric social work at the Simmons College School of Social Work in Boston. He did further studies in anthropology at Brandeis University and sociology at the University of New Hampshire. Coleman taught at New England universities from 1980 to 2004, also having been a senior researcher at the Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Policy from 1983 to 1996,^{[citation needed]} before retiring from teaching to write, lecture, and consult.

Cryptozoology[edit]

Coleman writes on popular culture, animal mysteries, folklore, and cryptozoology. An editor of the Skeptical Inquirer said, "[a]mong monster hunters, Loren's one of the more reputable, but I'm not convinced that what cryptozoologists seek is actually out there."^[3] He has appeared on television and radio interviews about cryptids. He has written articles and books on cryptozoology and other Fortean topics. He was a publicity consultant on The Mothman Prophecies.^[2]

Coleman has carried out fieldwork throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, regarding sightings, trace evidence, and Native peoples' traditions of Sasquatch/Windigo/Bigfoot. He has written on Yeti and Bigfoot expedition sponsor Tom Slick and appeared on NPR discussing the death of Grover Krantz.^{[citation needed]} Coleman has won awards for this documentary and literary work.^{[citation needed]}

Paraview Press introduced a series of books, "Loren Coleman Presents" in 2004. Coleman wrote introductions to volumes in the series.

[keninsc]

I made a mistake, I have seen a couple of articles in "The Skeptical Inquirer". I assumed he was an editor for them and that was wrong, however he's been used as a source by them on a number of occasions as well.

[Saru]

Loren himself has been reading this thread and has asked us to post the following on his behalf:

Several factual mistakes have been made in the "Loren Coleman" thread that I see on your site. One, about me being an editor at Skeptical Inquirer has already been corrected.

Actually, I appreciate people taking the time to share their thoughts, although, of course, I feel discussing the cryptids is more important.

I shall send along a couple clarifications, nevertheless.

I have conducted fieldwork since 1960, and continue to do so up through the present. While I may not "web brag" about every excursion, I began writing articles in 1969 and books in 1975' specifically, to share my field investigations. It is a typical put down to us "armchair experts," but those who know me understand my woodcraft and chronicling are both significant in my career.

Furthermore, I am hardly retired. The founding and directing of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine, takes plenty of my time. But in the last few months alone, I've traveled to eleven states along the East Coast, as well as California, Utah, Idaho, and Michigan for cryptozoology.

As to the Georgia hoax matter, those who understand what I had to do to get background info to expose the hoax realize I was not a supporter. The major media outlets quoted me, Meldrum, and Moneymaker as saying it all was a hoax before the news conference.

Please post this communication on that thread.

I don't join forums, as I'm too busy with directly communicating with research associates, fans, readers, and eyewitnesses personally and individually.

Our thanks go out to Loren for his time in sending us the information and for addressing some of the comments in this thread.

[supervike]

Not a supporter?

He claims now that it was all part of the 'bait' to lure the Georgia Bigfooters in.

This is what he said:

“I feel, in all honesty, this, indeed, may be the real deal, and I say this carefully after reviewing information that has been shared privately with me. I cannot say more yet. But people will be very surprised.” ~ Loren Coleman

Now, he insinuates that only those 'with a brain' understand his elaborate ruse.

Say nothing of the increase in traffic (and thus revenue) Coleman enjoyed while doing his stakeout.

Sack up man, and say you got duped, like the rest of us. LOTS of people said it was a hoax before it was busted, but a few NAMELY YOU, profited from it.

Edited October 14, 2013 by supervike

[Imaginarynumber1]

Not a supporter?

He claims now that it was all part of the 'bait' to lure the Georgia Bigfooters in.

This is what he said:

“I feel, in all honesty, this, indeed, may be the real deal, and I say this carefully after reviewing information that has been shared privately with me. I cannot say more yet. But people will be very surprised.” ~ Loren Coleman

Now, he insinuates that only those 'with a brain' understand his elaborate ruse.

Say nothing of the increase in traffic (and thus revenue) Coleman enjoyed while doing his stakeout.

Sack up man, and say you got duped, like the rest of us. LOTS of people said it was a hoax before it was busted, but a few NAMELY YOU, profited from it.

I remember being on cryptomundo the day that news broke and Loren was all over it.

He got duped, may as well just fess up.

[+DieChecker]

Very good of him to respond.

[Imaginarynumber1]

Very good of him to respond.

It was nice of him. I still think he's a cool guy and I like his books.

[supervike]

It was nice of him. I still think he's a cool guy and I like his books.

Yep, I don't really bear any ill will towards him, I do have a few of his books as well. It's just that incident, for me anyhow, turned him into less of a reliable source, and more closer to the countless profiteers.

[keninsc]

What reponse? "Ya'll got some stuff wrong." Did he contribute to the discussion?

Yeah, we get some things wrong from time to time but we've enough people here to get it right in the end. And when we get it wrong we pretty much move on and chalk it up to learning. He's probably looking for some better ideas, which is why he reading and not posting. He still hasn't posted just emailed Saru.....only reason it's here is because he posted it.

Edited October 15, 2013 by keninsc

[Imaginarynumber1]

Yep, I don't really bear any ill will towards him, I do have a few of his books as well. It's just that incident, for me anyhow, turned him into less of a reliable source, and more closer to the countless profiteers.

I know what you mean. He was one of the authors responsible for my interest in cryptozoology.

But to claim he knew it was a hoax from the beginning and that he was working from the inside to expose it? Come on, man. This wasn't a CIA black op. You were hornswoggled like a bunch of other people. No shame in that. I wanted it to be true, too.