In this episode of The Malliard Report, Jim Malliard sits down with renowned paranormal researcher, lecturer, and writer John E.L. Tenney — the mind behind WeirdLectures.com and Realm of the Weird. Known for his unique blend of humor, philosophy, and grounded skepticism, Tenney has spent more than twenty-five years investigating hauntings, UFO phenomena, conspiracy history, and the cultural myths that bind them all together.
What unfolds is not just another talk about ghosts and UFOs, but a deeply human conversation about why we search. Tenney shares how his early work studying political conspiracies and secret societies eventually led him to the paranormal — a field he describes as “massively immense questions about the human experience.” Together, he and Jim explore the parallels between folklore, psychology, and belief systems, and how cultural narratives shape what we call “paranormal.”
Throughout the episode, Tenney emphasizes his open-source approach to research: empowering people to think for themselves, question reality, and seek meaning without ego or fear. He also reflects on his experience in television, including his brief and principled departure from Paranormal State: The New Class, offering an honest look at integrity versus entertainment in the paranormal media world.
From ghost hunting methods to the psychology behind “haunted” experiences, this episode blends sharp insight with wit and warmth — a reminder that The Malliard Report continues to be “where the paranormal meets Pennsylvania grit.”
00:00 – Introduction and technical glitches; John jokes about phone conspiracies and how weirdness tends to follow him.
05:00 – Upcoming event at Crown Point Jail and his philosophy on ghost hunts as learning opportunities rather than thrill-seeking.
10:00 – Why he believes “the whole planet is haunted” and how history itself is a map of collective energy.
15:00 – Discussion about WeirdLectures.com, his podcast Realm of the Weird, and the humor behind his viral paranormal cartoons.
20:00 – From JFK to the Illuminati: how conspiracy research led Tenney into the paranormal.
25:00 – The creation of “secret societies” as social experiments in belief and belonging.
30:00 – Memes, media, and meaning-making in the paranormal community.
35:00 – Television experiences, integrity, and why Tenney refuses to compromise truth for fame.
40:00 – The philosophical question: if ghosts exist, why would they ever come back here?
45:00 – On research ethics, mental health, and why over half of “hauntings” may be psychological or environmental.
50:00 – Folklore as a living science — how myths evolve into “modern hauntings.”
55:00 – UFOs, Bigfoot, and the search for meaning between the physical and metaphysical.
60:00 – The Internet age of belief, new communication barriers, and Tenney’s call for open dialogue.
1:05:00 – Closing reflection: “Ideas change. When people are right or wrong, that’s when ideas stagnate.”
“If haunting is a real thing, the whole planet is haunted.”
“When people are right and people are wrong, that’s when ideas stagnate.”
“If you die and become a ghost, why would you come back here? You’ve got a whole new world to explore.”
“Television isn’t research—it’s advertising. If you want to find truth, do it yourself.”
“We’re not going to solve this mystery alone. It’ll take all of us thinking together.”
