There are misspelled names in Ryan’s book. One of them was the client’s first name from the pilot episode, “The Sixth Sense.”

The Paranormal Research Society’s client in the pilot episode “The Sixth Sense,” is Shelley Seighman. Her first name should be correctly spelled as S-h-e-l-l-e-y, but in Ryan’s book it is repeatedly misspelled as Shelly.  In the TV episode, her name misspelled in one on-screen caption, but later spelled correctly in another on-screen caption. In addition, the last name of friends of the deceased Timothy Shirey, Mike and Lori Dropik, is misspelled.

First published: 23 September 2010

Written by: Ernie Marsh

ANOTHER NAME MISSPELLED
The Dropik’s last name is repeatedly misspelled as “Dopik” in Ryan’s book in the same chapter. Mike and Lori Dropik are mentioned as friends of Timothy Shirey. The Dropik’s name is not misspelled in “The Sixth Sense” TV episode of Paranormal State. The page example shown below is a graphical representation I made which looks similar to the printed book. I used a yellow highlight to emphasis the name.

Now look at how Shelley’s name is spelled In the TV show. At first her name is spelled incorrectly, then in a second screen caption which appears seconds later– her name is spelled correctly.

page 14 paragraph 1

page 14 footnote

page 20 paragraph 5

INCORRECT SPELLING
Screenshot 1, from Paranormal State (TV show)
“The Sixth Sense”

Appears at approximately 3 minutes 26 seconds.


   Screen caption introduces Shelley with her
first name misspelled.

CORRECT SPELLING OF SHELLEY’S NAME
Screenshot 2, from Paranormal State (TV show)
“The Sixth Sense”

Appears at approximately 3 minutes 43 seconds.


This screen caption appears seconds after the one above and has Shelley’s name spelled correctly.

Interesting that at about 17 seconds after Shelley’s name is misspelled in the TV show, there’s another screen caption with her name spelled correctly, as S-h-e-l-l-e-y.

CLIENT’S NAME MISSPELLED IN RYAN’S BOOK
Shelley Seighman was the client in the pilot episode of Paranormal State, “The Sixth Sense.” Her first name is Shelley, spelled correctly as S-h-e-l-l-e-y. In Ryan’s book, however, her name is misspelled (if I recall, 20 times) in the second chapter, titled Paranormal Pilot. The page examples shown below are graphical representations I made which look very close to the printed book. I used a yellow highlight to emphasize her name.

The Dropik’s name is spelled correctly, as seen on the plaque on the wall behind Ryan.


CORRECT SPELLING EX. 1
Screenshot 3, from Paranormal State (TV show)

“The Sixth Sense”

Approx. 10 minutes 11 seconds.

CORRECT SPELLING EX. 2
Screenshot 4, from Paranormal State (TV show)
“The Sixth Sense”

Appears at approximately 10 minutes 02 seconds.


Mike and Lori’s last name is spelled correctly for a second time in the TV episode.

For comparison, Dropik is spelled correctly on the TV show, Paranormal State, “The Sixth Sense” episode.

Ryan earned a journalism degree from Penn State University, and is credited as a Consulting Producer for the “The Sixth Sense.” If permission had to be given to use (last) names, I don’t see how Ryan’s book should contain misspelled names since a written record should exist to check for the correct spelling of first and last names.

This brings up the question of who all reviewed the book before publication. Did a member of the Paranormal Research Society read it and check it for accuracy? Did someone from HarperCollins Publishers check the book for accuracy? What about Ryan’s lawyer, Richard Thompson?  Since a client’s name was misspelled, along with the last name of someone else appearing in a Paranormal State TV episode, this seems to be an example of poor fact/spell-checking. There is also the possibility that the misspelled names in the book could have been intentionally devised, but I won’t go into details now.

Ryan is credited as being a Consulting Producer. Shouldn’t he have known how to correctly spell the names of those involved with PRS cases?

“Consulting Producer” title
Screenshot 3, from Paranormal State (TV show)

“The Sixth Sense”

Approx. 21 minutes 03 seconds.

Note: This site is not owned by, or affiliated with Penn State, the Paranormal Research Society, A&E Television Networks, Go Go Luckey Productions, or Four Seasons Productions International, nor is it maintained or endorsed by them. Copyright © 2008-2012 Ernie Marsh.