The show Finding Bigfoot and its various spinoffs has introduced us to some of the weirdest
creatures in existence.
Of course, we're referring to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, who we'll
now call the B-FRO, a group dedicated to, well, finding Bigfoot.
[Bigfoot call]
The B-FRO's quest to find a single, solitary Sasquatch has continued season after season,
and for many obvious reasons, the B-FRO boys and their reality show has come under scrutiny.
So, what's really going on with those strange Squatch hunters?
The truth isn't out there
Bigfoot's a pretty well-known cultural touchstone nowadays, but the elusive creature wasn't
always a household name.
Bigfoot's popularity came about because of the Patterson Film, which supposedly shows
a legitimate Bigfoot walking through the forest.
While the filmmakers never came forward to admit that the sighting was a hoax, there's
an overwhelming amount of evidence to suggest that it was faked, including the reported
purchase of a modified gorilla costume by Patterson.
That, and a guy claiming that he was the giant in the Bigfoot costume came forward in 1999.
"Bob says it was hard work.
He spent time perfecting the now infamous arm-swingin' big-steppin' Bigfoot walk."
Countless scientists have called baloney on the whole thing.
And let's not forget the fact that, if the tape were the real deal, Roger Patterson managed
to conveniently find a Bigfoot on his very first try.
Which the B-FRO bros and other hunters have apparently been unable to do for all the years
since.
Even still, none of that has stopped the B-FRO from believing that the most questionable
Bigfoot video in history is absolutely real.
And speaking of fake bigfoots…
Harry and the Hendersons
After the Patterson Film, Bigfoot quickly entered the world of pop culture, since he
wasn't really welcome in the world of science — which required annoying things like "evidence"
and "proof."
Bigfoot, now a celebrity, made appearances in 1970's Bigfoot, in 1972's The Legend of
Boggy Creek, and then made dozens more appearances until he finally appeared in the most legendary
Sasquatch film of all time: 1987's Harry and the Hendersons.
[Laughing squatch.]
Because the filmmakers wanted to portray the film's friendly Squatch in the most scientifically
accurate way possible, which apparently included eating chips and watching sitcoms, they hired
Cliff Crook, who'd already made a name for himself in the illustrious world of hunting
Bigfeets.
As a founding member of the B-FRO, Crook claims to have actually encountered a Sasquatch when
he was 16, setting off a lifelong obsession.
He also once claimed that he spotted some even more unusual stuff in the Patterson film.
"By stretching the limits of photocopier technology, Bigfoot's nether region revealed
a secret."
So, who could possibly be better for the job?
Ultimately, Harry's appearance was based on Crook's description of his own, personal close
encounter of the Squatchy kind.
So, next time you sit down for an afternoon with Harry and the Hendersons, just know that
it's practically a documentary.
So, what exactly happened to Cliff Crook after his brush with Hollywood?
Trust no one
Even though Crook dedicated his life to pursuing the magical, mysterious Sasquatch, his very
own group, the B-FRO, ousted him when the other head of the organization, Matt Moneymaker,
didn't want to deal with Crook's obvious hoaxery.
There's no room for lies in the hunt for Bigfoot, so when Crook started showing off an alleged
Squatch photo he took, Moneymaker revealed that it wasn't a Squatch at all.
Instead, it was a small sculpture made by Crook.
He explained:
"He has sculpted entire bigfoot statues of various shapes and sizes.
He didn't sell those statues, rather he took photos of them and tried to pass them
off as authentic photos."
Crook responded by calling the B-FRO the "Big Fake Research Organization", and saying that
Moneymaker was, quote, "envious" and "deranged."
The real question, however, is whether or not Bigfoot, that gentle giant, would approve
of all of this Bigfoot community in-fighting.
We think not.
Squatch you in court
When you dig into it, the fighting between Squatchers rivals anything you'd see on Real
Housewives, and just as ugly.
Despite calling Crook a liar, B-FRO co-founder Moneymaker hasn't come out looking so clean
himself.
In 2012, Florida resident and filmmaker John Johnsen sued Moneymaker and the website Cryptomundo
for defamation after Moneymaker published an unflattering, and allegedly inaccurate
account of a Squatch expedition.
Ultimately, it was Johnsen's goal to sue for ownership of the website itself.
To make things even stranger, Moneymaker himself filed suit against Cryptomundo in 2007 when
the website published some of his own Bigfoot video without his approval — presumably
it was sandwiched between their story about a woman kidnapped by elves, and their investigation
about the government's complex bigfoot conspiracies.
All lawsuits were eventually resolved.
But why can't the Squatchin' community just get along?
At this point, we can pretty much just assume that this is all interference run by Bigfoot
himself, that crafty beast.
Who has time to hunt for weird forest giants when you're all tied up in court?
"Justice will prevail."
Squatch citation
Camping in a National Park is usually okay.
Charging campers to come with you on a Squatch expedition into a National Forest is not.
B-FRO organizer Matt Pruitt learned this the hard way.
During a 2012 Squatch trip at the Buffalo Reserve campground in Arkansas, Pruitt and
32 fellow campers were confronted by park rangers, who took issue with the fact that
Pruitt and the B-FRO were taking payments of up to $300 for their guided trips into
their park.
Though Pruitt claims to have scoured the National Parks website to verify that his trip was
A-OK, running a business from inside the park without a special permit simply wasn't allowed.
But the National Parks are forgiving.
Ultimately, they served Pruitt a citation and a fine, but he and his fellow Squatchers
were allowed to stay and continue Squatching.
Pruitt took full responsibility, paid the fine, and absolved the B-FRO of any wrongdoing,
in a very rare instance of one Squatcher not throwing another one under the bus.
Seriously, guys, work it out.
The B-FRO dislikes the show
When the B-FR O signed up to film a reality series with Animal Planet, they were expecting
a legitimate exploration of all things Squatch, terrible CGI aside.
Instead, they've repeatedly come out against the show's deceptive editing on their own
forums, starting as early as 2011.
Moneymaker cited two instances in particular.
During one, the team observed an unusual heat spot in a field, which turned out to be a
horse… except Animal Planet's edit of the show decided to cut away and replace dialogue
in order to make it seem like the team had just missed finding the Sasquatch, yet again.
In another instance, the team was faced with a stranger stalking them through the woods,
which they vocally acknowledged was not a stealthy Squatch, but just your everyday,
average creep.
"Whatever I saw was big, it looked all to God like it was walkin' on two legs."
Again, Animal Planet edited the show to make it seem like Moneymaker thought he was chasing
a monster.
The B-FRO members aren't there to sell commercial airtime, but instead lend legitimacy to the
science of Sasquatching.
But despite their disagreements with Animal Planet, and threats to quit, the B-FRO forges
on.
Nine seasons without a Squatch is some pretty hardcore dedication.
Bigfoot himself would be proud.
"So let's all help keep Bigfoot possibly alive for future generations to enjoy, unless
he doesn't exist.
The End!"
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