Paranormal Investigator Brian Harnois knows when to follow ghosts and when to run, on the Sci-Fi Channel shows Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International. StarWars.com chats with Harnois about phantom hunting, finding ectoplasm, and whether or not Obi-Wan Kenobi made a decent ghost.
How did you become interested in the paranormal?
I got into the paranormal when I was about 11 years old. I was sleeping over my friend Josh Gravel's house one night. As anyone knows, when parents tell kids to go to sleep they never do. Josh had bunk beds in his room and I was on the top bunk and he was in the bottom bunk. It was about midnight and we were joking around like kids do. All of a sudden a full body apparition walked through one wall of his room, walked right in front of us and through the opposite wall. I couldn't believe what I saw. Needless to say we didn't sleep in that room that night. But after that experience I was hooked. I started reading everything I could about ghosts. I went to all the libraries and did all the research I could. Then I started to do little cemetery hunts when I was 15 or 16, and the rest is history.
How did you start your career as a Paranormal Investigator?
I was about 15 years old and I started going cemetery hopping (which should never be done alone). I was basically reading books and cemeteries for a good five years until I joined a paranormal group in 1999.
What does a Paranormal Investigator do?
A paranormal investigator's job is not clearly defined because everyone in the paranormal does there job different. Basically, what we do is get to a location, set up any equipment that we have, turn all the lights out, and investigate. The best way to investigate is to go into a room that you think might have paranormal activity. Bring an EMF detector, digital thermometer, digital camera, and audio recorder, and sit in the room using all the equipment until you are satisfied with the outcome.
I was the Tech Manager/Evidence Analyst on Ghost Hunters International. I took care of all the equipment as well as set up, and was in charge of the Tech Department which included everyone on the show. So basically when it came to anything to do with the equipment I was in charge.
Describe the show Ghost Hunters International to someone who has never seen it.
The show is based around six paranormal investigators, (Rob Demerest, Barry Fitzgerald, Donna Lacroix, Shannon Sylvia, Andy Andrews, and myself), who go to locations overseas to hunt for ghosts. We go to locations, learn the history of the place during a tour, we set up equipment, and investigate all night. After the investigation is over, we go back and review all the evidence and reveal what we find to the client.
What's the scariest experience you've had on the show?
I would have to say that the most frightened I have ever been was in Eastern State Penitentiary. It was the now infamous "Dude, Run!" moment that has become the catch phrase of the series. I was walking with Dave Hobbes (camera operator) down Cell Block 4. He wanted to take some personal pictures of the prison and I didn't want him to go alone. At one point he takes a picture and a huge black shadow comes out of one cell door and passes in front of us and goes into another cell door. I yell and we high-tailed it out of there.
How do you know if you're seeing a ghost?
It's very hard to actually see a ghost. I have only seen 4 or 5 in my whole career. The most you will ever see are shadows or objects moving on their own. The best thing to do as a paranormal investigator when you see one is first not to panic and run. Use any equipment you have to study and document it. The only thing I have never seen is ectoplasm. Ectoplasm is supposedly the goo left behind by a ghost, but I am still not a believer in that.
Any tips for budding Paranormal Investigators?
The best tip I can give them is never go it alone. No matter how safe you feel about going by yourself, there are always hidden and unsuspecting dangers that can befall you. If you want to go on investigations, there are plenty of local groups in your area that you can join up with. Or better yet, just start your own.
Considering your ghost hunting background, and your Star Wars fandom, what's your take on the whole Obi-Wan is a ghost theory from the original trilogy?
I think the Obi-Wan ghost makes perfect sense. Considering there are ghosts in our world, how come there can't be ghosts in the Star Wars world -- especially when someone is very strong in the ways of the Force? As we all know now, Qui-Gon Jinn was the first one to actually come back from the great beyond to communicate with Yoda, and he taught Obi-Wan how to communicate with him. So having a ghost in that universe actually makes more sense than in this world considering we don't know how ghosts manifest themselves here.
Is the appearance of Obi-Wan, Anakin and Yoda as ghosts at the end of Return of the Jedi make sense, or does that contradict what you know about ghosts?
I don't think it contradicts ghosts in our world much at all. The only thing that is different is that they use the Force to manifest and we don't know how ghosts manifest in our world.
Which character do you identify with the most in the entire Star Wars saga?
Even though I am a huge fan of Darth Vader, I would have to say that I most identify with Chewbacca. He was always the one to protect Han Solo, put the Millennium Falcon back in working order, and he was never in charge -- always second in command. On the Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International shows I felt the same way. I was always looking out for everyone, taking care of the equipment and never in a leadership role. [laughs]
Where did your nickname Darth Wheezy come from?
I got the nickname Wheezy from working on the show Ghost Hunters. But I am very much into the dark side on the Star Wars universe, and what better name to go by than Darth? I have been using that name on all the things I do now in the Star Wars realm. I am also a member of the New England Garrison and an honorary member of a few more garrisons around the country. I originally joined up way back in 2001 when I had a fully-detailed suit of Boba Fett armor. I don't have that armor (unfortunately) anymore, but this is where the funny story comes into play. I was at DragonCon some years ago, and ran into a bunch of the 501st Legion. They said that they had a running bet that the Brian Harnois that is on the NEG roster was the same Brian Harnois that is on the show Ghost Hunters. Well, as you know, they won the bet, and I have become very good friends with a lot of the members of the 501st and have been to a few conventions and charity events with them. I hope someday soon to be able to get a Darth Vader suit or stormtrooper armor so I can get back to doing things with them as a member of the 501st and not just Ghost Hunters.
Find out what Harnois is up to on his Myspace profile here.
Be sure to check out Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International on the Sci-Fi Channel.
