Digital Social Hour - Episode 29: Seasons of Paranormal: Ghosts, Curses, and Legends | Jay Wasley DSH #1322

Release Date: April 13, 2025
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: Jay Wasley

Introduction and New Season Excitement

In this engaging episode of Digital Social Hour, host Sean Kelly welcomes returning guest Jay Wasley, a seasoned paranormal investigator with over 15 years of experience. The conversation kicks off with Jay expressing his excitement for the upcoming season of his paranormal investigation show. Reflecting on his extensive career, Jay shares, "It's been 15 years now, and it just gets crazier... every episode, there's at least one or two things that just still are blowing my mind" (00:33-01:02). Jay highlights the continuous evolution of their investigations, emphasizing the fresh and uncharted experiences that keep both him and his audience intrigued.

Advanced Evidence Collection Techniques

Delving into the technical aspects of paranormal investigations, Jay discusses the sophisticated equipment his team employs to capture undeniable evidence of the supernatural. He emphasizes the use of Polaroid cameras during seances, stating, "We like using Polaroids because it's right... you can actually show it... there's no time to, like, do anything with it. It's literally right there" (01:32-02:10). Jay explains that these cameras provide instant, tangible proof, making their findings more credible, especially for skeptics.

Expanding on their methodology, Jay details the variety of cameras used to detect spirits beyond the visible light spectrum. "We use cameras that are designed to see ultraviolet light and infrared light... to capture things that we can't see with our regular eyes" (02:14-02:38). Additionally, thermal cameras help them identify heat signatures associated with paranormal entities: "We've had human forms appear, but it's mapped as cold... people get chills and feel like cold air is suddenly moving in" (02:54-04:05).

Emotional and Physical Impact of Investigations

Jay candidly discusses the emotional toll that constant paranormal investigations take on him and his team. "After an investigation, you're pumped. Like, you're also terrified... trying to process what you just experienced... It messes with your mind." (04:05-04:39). He reveals how experiences in haunted locations can lead to restless nights and heightened anxiety, sharing, "You're trying to figure out what just happened. It messes with your mind, you know." (04:05-04:39).

To maintain balance and protect their energy, Jay emphasizes the importance of grounding activities such as spending time in nature and playing music: "I try to just keep myself balanced and grounded. I like nature, play music, doing things that just kind of bring positive energy to me." (04:50-06:11).

Jay's Background: From Music to Paranormal Investigation

Jay's journey from music to paranormal investigations is both fascinating and inspiring. He recounts his early years: "Music was my first love. When I was a kid, I played music... I made these, you know, crappy little music videos for my middle school bands and high school bands." (06:25-07:03). This passion for music naturally led him to filmmaking, which eventually paved the way for his entry into the world of ghost hunting. Initially starting as a sound mixer, Jay's role evolved, allowing him to delve deeper into paranormal investigations.

Notable Findings: EVP and Voice Analysis

One of the episode's highlights is Jay's encounter with Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) during an investigation at Johnny Cash's house in Jamaica. Jay explains, "We got this EVP where you hear Zach say, 'Do you like Johnny Cash's music,' and it sounded just like Johnny Cash himself" (07:08-08:43). Demonstrating his technical prowess, Jay performed a waveform analysis to compare the EVP with Johnny Cash's actual voice, revealing an uncanny match: "It was amazingly like, wow, spot on." (08:44-08:56).

Communication with Spirits: Conversations and Theories

Jay delves into deeper interactions with spirits, describing instances where meaningful conversations have occurred. In Charleston, South Carolina, his team communicated a deceased woman who recited a phrase she used before her death, proving the intelligence behind some spirit communications: "It's an intelligent spirit and it can communicate with us." (09:02-09:46).

Further exploring the nature of these interactions, Jay shares a fascinating encounter where spirits seemed to converse with each other: "We've even picked up conversations between spirits... like they're here. They see us. And then you hear another voice be like, 'No, they don't.' (09:54-10:23). These experiences have led Jay to contemplate theories such as non-linear time and multiple dimensions, pondering whether ghosts might perceive our reality differently: "What we call time periods... everything that’s happening is happening at the same time." (15:16-15:48).

Investigative Process: House Calls and Client Interactions

Jay discusses their "house calls" segment, where they visit homes reportedly experiencing hauntings to provide evidence and perform cleansings. He highlights the importance of following up with families to ensure their peace of mind post-investigation: "We do follow up with every family... the majority of the people are actually feeling better and that we were able to help them." (12:05-12:25).

When asked if he would move out of his own haunted house, Jay confidently responds, "No, because I'm sure my house is haunted." (12:28-12:43). He humorously mentions artifacts in his home, such as a piece of a mummy's wrappings and a cross-stitch that witnessed a brutal murder, reinforcing his deep entanglement with the paranormal world.

Theories on Energy, Stone Tape, and Curses

Exploring theoretical frameworks, Jay introduces the Stone Tape Theory, which posits that physical objects can store energy from past events: "There's a whole thing called the Stone Tape Theory where... organic surfaces... have a memory and they can store that energy." (13:40-14:23). He cites Japanese scientific experiments demonstrating how positive and negative energy can affect water crystal formation, drawing parallels to hauntings: "That's more what, 70, 80 water... what is that doing to us." (14:19-14:35).

Jay also discusses the psychological impact of believing in curses: "Even if there's nothing on a magical, spiritual level... just knowing that you're like, 'I'm cursed,' you're gonna go around thinking that, and then naturally bad things are gonna start happening." (18:58-19:08). This ties back to the initial conversation on how mental states can manifest reality.

Global Investigations: Exploring Worldwide Haunts

The episode takes listeners on a global journey as Jay recounts investigations in various countries:

• Poltergeist House: Investigated the original location of the 1980s Poltergeist movies, uncovering significant paranormal activity that led to a two-hour special: "We got absolutely insane evidence... so we went into even more and ended up becoming a two-hour special." (20:22-21:35).

• Paris Catacombs: An unforgettable experience where the team almost lost access to the historic tunnels, only to be guided unexpectedly by a fan: "It was like something out of a movie... We went and we just passed through that." (27:03-29:47).

• Romania’s Dracula's Castle: Explored ancient structures and the energy emanating from historic grave sites, including encounters with secret societies like the Hellfire Club: "They would do rituals... sacrifice pigs and have like, weird sex party orgies." (34:39-35:46).

• Netherworld Special: Detailed their attempted exploration of 300 miles of underground tunnels beneath Paris, leading to surreal and intense moments: "We were walking in a plague pit." (28:26-30:25).

Jay expresses a keen interest in continuing such explorations, mentioning potential future investigations like Easter Island: "We can get communication and find out... who were the people that really were doing this." (35:46-37:03).

Challenges in Filming and Access

Throughout their investigations, Jay and his team face numerous challenges, from denied access to locations wary of associating with hauntings to unexpected disruptions during filming. For instance, during their Paris Catacombs investigation, they encountered a rave that forced them to abandon plans: "They were like, hurry, hurry, hurry before anyone sees us." (28:26-29:06). Additionally, securing permissions with establishments like casinos in Vegas proved difficult due to negative stigma and internal security measures: "A lot of casinos have their own security, their own police force... they cover it up." (25:38-26:08).

Jay recounts the emotional strain of investigating particularly dark locations, such as the demon house in Gary, Indiana, where multiple team members experienced misfortunes: "Everyone that we brought in to house... he calls us, 'I just slipped on ice and smacked my head.' (39:22-40:14). These experiences underscore the personal risks involved in their line of work.

Conclusion: New Season Highlights and Upcoming Episodes

As the episode wraps up, Jay teases highlights from the new season slated to premiere on April 16th at 10 PM on Discovery Channel. He emphasizes the groundbreaking evidence and intense investigations that viewers can expect: "It's a wild one, and I'm excited for everyone to finally be able to see it." (42:42-42:50).

Sean Kelly thanks Jay for his insightful contributions and encourages listeners to tune into the new season for unparalleled paranormal explorations. The episode concludes with a sense of anticipation for the thrilling stories and revelations that lie ahead.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• "It's been 15 years now, and it just gets crazier... every episode, there's at least one or two things that just still are blowing my mind." — Jay Wasley (00:33-01:02)

• "We like using Polaroids because it's right... you can actually show it... there's no time to, like, do anything with it. It's literally right there." — Jay Wasley (01:32-02:10)

• "We've had human forms appear, but it's mapped as cold... people get chills and feel like cold air is suddenly moving in." — Jay Wasley (02:54-04:05)

• "Even if there's nothing on a magical, spiritual level... just knowing that you're like, 'I'm cursed,' you're gonna go around thinking that, and then naturally bad things are gonna start happening." — Jay Wasley (18:58-19:08)

• "We got absolutely insane evidence... so we went into even more and ended up becoming a two-hour special." — Jay Wasley (20:22-21:35)

• "We were walking in a plague pit." — Jay Wasley (28:26-30:25)

• "Everything that's happening is happening at the same time." — Jay Wasley (15:16-15:48)

This comprehensive summary captures the essence of Episode 29 of Digital Social Hour, highlighting Jay Wasley's deep dive into the paranormal, the technical and emotional facets of ghost hunting, and the intriguing global investigations that lie ahead in the new season. Whether you're a skeptic or a believer, this episode offers a riveting exploration of ghosts, curses, and legends that challenges conventional thinking and invites listeners to ponder the mysteries beyond our reality.