Cryptomundo » Kiwi Bigfoot Guy: Gender Bender Vendor?

Kiwi Bigfoot Guy: Gender Bender Vendor?

Posted by: Loren Coleman on May 24th, 2009

Some people just don’t know when to quit.

Remember the fellow who felt no one would read his New Zealand sarcastic writings about people at the Ohio Bigfoot conference? You know, the guy that acted like he had not talked about real people? The person that sent along a weak “apology“? Well, he’s back.

On May 24, 2009, over in New Zealand, Leigh “That Guy” Hart (above) penned another column. Maybe he wanted more humorous attention in North America, but what he has done has continued to show himself to be not funny.

In the midst of Hart’s newest article, below is a middle that should have been excluded. But it is there, and I have extracted it for some commentary. Read that portion here, unedited, for your own reactions, and then I’ll have a few things to say.

Here goes, just in from across the Pacific, in the New Zealand Herald (4:00AM Sunday May 24, 2009):

As usual there has been a lot of mail through the box this week, most of it seems to have come from the Bigfoot community. They have been sending me hate mail by the sackload and abusing me in blogs so actively that I have had to install some more RAM in my computer to read it all.

This, of course, is a direct result of my recent article about the Bigfoot conference. The feedback has come from all over the world, which is not surprising as Bigfoot is clearly a global phenomenon, but most of it seems to come from an outspoken woman by the name of Loren Coleman.

I don’t think I met her at the conference, but if I had I am sure I would remember her. She seems to run a Bigfoot-related site that keeps all the other Bigfoot sites supplied with enough information about me and my article to ensure it doesn’t die a natural death.

Personally, I am not sure whether Bigfoot exists, but if he does the only way researchers like Loren are going to find him is if Bigfoot walks into an internet cafe and logs into one of their half-arsed chatrooms. The fact is, Bigfoot probably has better things to do with his time.

For the record, there are some serious researchers who actually venture into the field looking for clues and are doing reputable research.

I met some of these people while I was at the Ohio conference and they will feature positively in the TV show later in the year. I don’t want to make the mistake again of tarring everybody with the same brush. I don’t want to dwell on this any longer other than to say that I believe I overstepped the mark and offended some individuals. I have apologised on-line and in person to them, and I meant it. I don’t owe women like Loren anything, and I hope she and her fellow “Blogfooters” enjoy the “lighthearted doco” later in the year. Let’s move on.

~ Leigh Hart, May 24, 2009.

OMG! LOL!

Where to begin?

I suppose if Leigh Hart was even half-serious about his research for his forthcoming “mockumentary“ about Bigfooters, he would know that I am a male.

Perhaps it is different in New Zealand, but in North America, “Lauren” is the general female spelling, and “Loren” is the masculine form of a name, which means “laurel-crowned.” A few women may be named “Loren,” but that is extremely rare.

It would seem, if you were going to mention someone in a column, you might want to check beforehand. Anyone that does the slightest amount of googling of “Loren Coleman” and “Bigfoot,” quickly discovers my gender.

Even if Leigh Hart tries a quick save now and says he merely wanted to attempt to pull my chain, getting my gender incorrect is a rather weak joke.

What becomes rapidly evident, from what Leigh Hart has written, is that he really doesn’t know me or even tried to look. What he does demonstrate is that he is trying to make his theme about a “them” vs “us” schism.

Following in the footsteps of people like the late Erik Beckjord, Hart (above) tries the old technique of creating some kind of division between authors (bloggers, writers, chroniclers) and fieldworkers (expedition folks, campers, weekend trekkers, field investigators). Of course, Hart fails to understand that I have been and am both. Leigh Hart doesn’t realize that by the time he was born (July 20, 1970), I’d already been doing fieldwork for over ten years ~ and had traveled extensively throughout “swamp ape” country in the American Midwest and South ~ as well as already having written national magazine articles on my field research.

Having done investigations, since March 1960, in forests, bottomlands, swamps, libraries, and fields in every state (but Alaska) in the USA, throughout Canada and in selected spots in Mexico, well, these details are in my bio here and elsewhere, for Hart to easily read. Most of the well-known Bigfoot authors and bloggers have completed anywhere from a few years to several decades of fieldwork in their younger and older days.

But then Hart would have had to do some background research before he decided to take me on in his column. Hey, I did read of and checked on him before I wrote about his hoaxing. That seemed the logical and respectful thing to do. Hart would have learned that I don’t hang out in “chatrooms,” never have, and that the books, articles, and blogs I’ve written are not “chatrooms.” But that guy Hart does not seem to be distracted by the real facts about people. He’d rather go forward with making fun.

Frankly, I am tired of thoughtless ridicule producers like Leigh Hart coming along and reinforcing their pre-conception of a split between “field folks” and “bloggers” in Bigfoot studies. It’s more in their minds than in any kind of reality, and that’s the more dangerous underlying theme here.

Leigh Hart writes: “I don’t owe women like Loren anything.”

It’s all about pitting “blogfooters” against “Bigfooters,” isn’t it, to guys like him, for that gets him off the hook when he can’t take responsibility for his nasty personalized remarks against named individuals. He’s doing it again. He just can’t help himself, I suppose.

For starters, Hart could get his facts straight, as to knowing who is “Loren Coleman.” But then, that’s all part of his wannabe-Borat-type gag, isn’t it?

For the record, one of the most frequently reproduced images of me all over the Internet is below. If Leigh Hart asks, tell him I am the one with the blue shirt. I take it that he probably already knows that.

Loren Coleman Bigfoot

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 24th, 2009 at 12:15 am and is filed under Bigfoot, Breaking News, Conspiracies, CryptoZoo News, Cryptomundo Exclusive, Cryptotourism, Hoaxes, Media Appearances, Men in Cryptozoology, Pop Culture, Public Forum, Sasquatch. You can follow responses via our RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is not allowed.

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28 Responses to “Kiwi Bigfoot Guy: Gender Bender Vendor?”

Alligator responds: May 24th, 2009 at 12:27 am
“Leigh” is listed as one of those names that could be masculine or feminine. In fact, I knew a young woman once with that name. So maybe we could all get confused about Mr/Ms. Harts’ gender because of his/her first name? (Just kidding)

It does seems rather obvious that his constant referencing of you as a “female” is some kind of payback for the articles you posted here about his hoaxing of the Bigfoot Conference. Evidently it got Leigh some unwanted mail and lots of it.

I don’t have a dog in the fight but it is a rather amusing spectacle. Its starting to get up there with the Georgia rubber suit.
Alligator responds: May 24th, 2009 at 12:30 am
Holy Smokes! I just did a double-take of Hart’s picture. Put a mole on the the cheek and a lollipop in his mouth and you have a dead ringer for Telly Savalas as “Kojak.”
Andrew Minnesota responds: May 24th, 2009 at 12:59 am
It seems he can dish it but can’t take it. You would think that a national newspaper would try and get someone with SOME journalistic skills, a little writing ability and a smidge of wit. Even if he was trying to take a crack at your name you are right about the spelling, but I’m pretty sure Leigh tends to be a girl’s name…just saying.

Plus he fascinates on Bigfoot rape, and that’s just weird.
Jack Lee responds: May 24th, 2009 at 4:31 am
IMO, the era of “Silly People” needs to end. I lost my patience with them a few years back when Sacha Baron Coen wrote to me on a social networking site, asking me to “help him trap and kill” people of my own ethnic group. I was not amused and have grown very sour concerning these “pranks” and “amusements”. Mr. Bald Guy needs to get a clue, and then, a life.
coelacanth1938 responds: May 24th, 2009 at 5:06 am
I think that rubber Bigfoot suit is funnier than this guy (and twice as classy).
kittenz responds: May 24th, 2009 at 6:28 am
I work with two female Leighs, a male Lee, a male Lynn, and I know a female Lauren Coleman.

Leigh Hart says

but most of it seems to come from an outspoken woman by the name of Loren Coleman.

I don’t think I met her at the conference, but if I had I am sure I would remember her. She seems to run a Bigfoot-related site that keeps all the other Bigfoot sites supplied with enough information about me and my article to ensure it doesn’t die a natural death.

That’s obviously bait to draw you into further exchanges, Loren. Anyone who’s seen any of your bigfoot blogs or books or your bios knows that you’re male. Hart’s just angling for a response, because all of the many thousands of people around the world who are fans (or even foes) of Cryptomundo, or of you, and everyone who googles “bigfoot” , will eventually hit on his site. How many hits, and how much business, has that site done because of the Bigfoot Conference “lampoon”?

I don’t for a second believe that Hart did intended his original article for his small, select audience of New Zealanders. He had to have known what a big rock he was throwing into the bigfoot pond. He said it himself; he’s getting mail by the gig. His clumsy little satire succeeded in getting massive exposure worldwide. And “accidentally” referring to you as a woman is in the same vein: he wants to draw you into an angry exchange that will generate even more traffic to his site.

He may be full of it, but he’s “crazy like a fox” as the saying goes.
Cryptidwolf responds: May 24th, 2009 at 6:49 am
O.K. I had to read the ORIGINAL article as I couldn’t believe that guy made such a glaring mistake. Is he paying the papers to print his articles?
MrInspector responds: May 24th, 2009 at 8:40 am
I thought the beard was a dead give away! Some women can get away with baldness, Sigourney Weaver, Sinead O’connor, etc.. this Leigh Hart chick, not so much.
MountDesertIslander responds: May 24th, 2009 at 8:56 am
I watched video blog 2. “Life has been good to me… and not all the rewards have been financial.”

LOL seriously? Leigh, you live in a college dorm suite that has been decorated by an alcoholic. (and not the Al Coholic from Staten Island.)

Nothing says success like a pillow fight with your cousins. Plus Leigh, that’s the smallest in ground swimming pool I have ever seen. You must be rolling in swag to maintain that lifestyle.

But seriously, the best thing about these “cutting edge” comics is that they always make a mistake. Soon, he will attack someone with real power over him and find himself unemployed. Then his only option will be cleaning swimming pools far larger than the dunk tank in his yard.
Harold responds: May 24th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Loren, this guy is what I call an “auto-troll” - he makes ridiculous statements in an effort to get attention and generate more site traffic (and advertisement traffic) for himself. Unfortunately, you’re sending lots of traffic his way. I for one don’t plan on going to visit his site.

If this guy were print-only, I would have to wonder why he even bothers to travel at all. He could write just as fact-based an account of any event without even bothering to go. But I guess he hates beautiful, amazing New Zealand so much that he wants to get out any chance he can…and if, as you pointed out, the New Zealand government is willing to subsidize his travels, I’m sure he’s not about to pass up free money. (I guess they see it as worth their investment to get him the hell out of the country for any length of time.)

Maybe some good will come of this. Maybe this two-bit putz will actually be sending some traffic your way. Still, he’s trying to bait you (and others) into giving him undeserved attention. Don’t take the bait!
wavrnr10 responds: May 24th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Well I will not degrade myself to the gender stupidity of Ms. Hart……but I will comment on his dry “British” style of comedy that died out everywhere except in New Zealand and some back alley’s of cult ridden England….I mean, everybody has watched Monty Python at one time or another and found something funny about it. His tactics at best are feeble attempts to get “a rise” out of people so he can exploit the event into new material for his lackluster career. If everyone would ignore him, he would go back to what he done before……..which was what? I never heard of this twit until his little stunt. Not anything worth mentioning anyway. But then again I had never heard of Baghdad Bob until the Iraqis defeated us in Desert Storm….ok I will end my sarcasm now.
Viergacht responds: May 24th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Seriously, is this guy missing a chromosome or what?
Desert Dave responds: May 24th, 2009 at 11:31 am
It is more than telling of a network that would give venue to such a “journalist” failing to exhibit even a modicum of research ability. This guy could nt pass doc vid 101 at a local community college.
kittenz responds: May 24th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
wavrnr10,

It borders on blasphemy to even mention this guy in the same breath as Monty Python
cryptidsrus responds: May 24th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Ouch. That was “cold.”

Ultimately, the way this gentleman expresses himself says more about him than anything he could say about you. For what is worth, sorry about this.

He wants to ridicule, fine. That’s the way he is.

The hunt for proof of whether Ole Hairy exists or not goes on.
That is the important thing. Let’s keep out eyes on the main goal, and not worry about these distractions or sidebar items.
The only permanently negative thing that comes out this is that it serves to futher add discredit to a legitimate, honorable discipline that already has undergone much unnecessary ridicule.

But again, like I said, let’s keep our eyes on the finish line.
maeko responds: May 24th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
perhaps hart needs a tissue for his issue! he sounds like a mysogynist and an arse. sadly, both are incurable conditions. there is no known treatment.

where i come, from leigh is the typical feminine and lee the masuline. maybe he’s having some difficulty from childhood.
Mark Wallbank responds: May 25th, 2009 at 4:04 am
Hi Loren,
Dont try to take it too personally. Bottom line, that Leigh chick is an egotistical idiot. I bet she was the disruptive child at her school that was always in detention, looking for any attention she could get, good or bad, because of her lack of attention from her parents. Its sad really. I blame the parents. (hA! Yes, I do know that Leigh is a guy

Ive been to-ing and fro-ing with him via Facebook and I get the impression he just doesnt really care about anyone but himself. Im betting the big wigs at TVNZ and those that are dishing out the big money to him to put together this series dont know about all the crap thats going on behind the scenes.
Im sure they wouldnt be happy to know whats going on. A formal complaint to TVNZ and the broadcasting standards Authority might put him in his place.

Dont believe everything you read, there are a few of us good Kiwis out there!
Paul78 responds: May 25th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Being British I will ignore the comments that associate him with the often successful dry intelligent British humour of Monty Python and Sacha Baron Cohen lol and say Loren he has a defemated your character publicly and you should email his editor noting this and ask for a retraction and a printed apology.
kittenz responds: May 25th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Well now wait a minute. Calling Loren a woman is not exactly defaming his character. It’s an insult only in the sense that Hart is implying that Loren is so unimportant that he is a sort of “unknown” in the cryptozoological world and that he (Hart) can’t be bothered to even get the gender correct in his little tirade.
Paul78 responds: May 25th, 2009 at 10:13 am
It’s not just about gender he has competely misrepresented Loren in everyway and printed it publicly and the editor needs to know to be honest that this guy has printed a lie.
Loren Coleman responds: May 25th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Let me state this once again, in a different way, since I think so much focus is remaining on the “wrong gender” mistake, conscious insult, and/or wrong-headed comment of Leigh Hart’s.

What I find more significant is Leigh Hart’s “tarring everybody with the same brush” again by his attack on me and characterization of me simplistically, as a “blogfooter.” By viewing researchers into two camps, one being the “field researchers” whom Hart says he praises here, despite how he talked about them earlier, is Leigh Hart’s try to split up people into stereotyped factions.

Most Bigfoot writers and bloggers have done fieldwork, of course, and field researchers go on to be authors and bloggers.

But Hart’s world is one of simple designs and idiotic remarks based on his own realities that shift based upon what mental constructs suit his largest video, column, and rationalizations.
PhotoExpert responds: May 25th, 2009 at 11:13 am
I always try to put things in perspective. I am lukewarm on this Leigh Hart situation. Now that former cop, Georgia Bigfoot hoaxer, oh, I wanted a piece of that redneck. He was baiting. He was malicious. He was a total moron. Everything he did was to create havoc. Most of the time, his intentions were with malice. Although sometimes, his stupidity was unintentional and ended up being malicious, although unintentional. He was someone I could go after with pleasure.

But this guy Leigh Hart, seems to pale in comparison to the Georgia boy. If you ever played poker, I was all in on the Georgia boy. But I can’t even ante up on this nonstory.

If we take this guy at face value, he claims to be a comedian. I use the word claim, because personally, I do not find him at all humorous. I go for more highbrow humor. And his humor is more childish and immature. He’s just not that funny in my opinion. A big fail!

If his intended comedy is directed to those who enjoy sarcasm, there are many other comedians and documentary people that do a better job of tongue-in-cheek type of documentaries. He is not in their league.

So let’s say his attempts at comedy are a huge failure. The majority of the people do not like him. And then he attempts to explain himself and offer an apology. Well, his apology certainly could have been much better. It lacked some sincerity. But at least he half heartedly attempted to apologize, which is more than I can say for the Georgia boy.

His attempted apology missed the mark and he did identify people at the conference in a not so flattering manner. It was clear who he was talking about. And then he denied he really identified anyone. So he is not totally forthcoming and truthful with his half hearted attempt at an apology.

Let’s summarize: He is a not so funny mockumentary guy. He realized he offended some people and at least tried a half hearted apology and attempted to move on. This is evident by his own words when he states that some will not let this story die a natural death.

I believe his was not prepared with the fallout that took place after his attempt at comedy. It appears to me, that he just wants this to go away and be water under the bridge. But when someone does what he has done, offended people and gave an insufficient apology that was not totally earnest, well….

Of course he had some attention over this. He had some unexpected popularity in the way of negative attention. He site got plenty of hits. He even admits he had to upgrade his memory. So is that a good or bad thing.

Well, he is certainly hearing about his failed attempted comedy. But he is also reaping the benefits of publicity. There is no such thing as bad publicity. There is just publicity.

By intentionally confusing Loren’s name as a female name might be intentional or unintentional, I can not judge what the man is thinking. But I can judge his lack of investigation on the matter. Loren is well known worldwide. And Loren, you mentioned how you were known with your books and postings and actual work in the field for decades, but you left one thing out. You left out your numerous appearances on television and in new stories as an expert in the field. I will add that to the list of credits since you failed to mention it. Your name is readily recognizable in the BigFoot community as well as in the worldwide cryptozoological community.

I would equate Leigh Hart to a person who is watching a golf match for the first time. He attends the match and sees Tiger Woods in knickers, a funny hat and eyeing up an eight foot putt. He makes notes. He then is amazed by the golfers as they approach the ball before teeing off. He writes down, “They look funny, have anxiety before hitting the ball and when making putts, take an eternity for such a short putt.”

He basically does not understand the game and the intensity behind the players and the game. What he thinks are observations or harmless comments, are considered offensive to the golf community. But what is clear, is that he does not have a deep or as deep of an understanding of the game by the fans and the people involved. What he considers harmless comments are considered offensive to most. I believe this is what happened here. Since he is not a golfer and will never play golf or probably attend a match again, he is not too concerned. But then the fallout comes from the golf community and the PGA. So he writes a halfhearted apology to be done with it. He is moving on to soccer or another sport. Just as he is moving on from Bigfoot and on to other areas of so called comedy. But the criticism keeps coming in. It helps with publicity but necessarily with his popularity.

I think this is what happened here. Did he intentionally or unintentionally genderbend your name? I do not know because I can not read into the heart of Hart. But he certainly does not attack and antagonize the community with the same venom as the Georgia boys. Not even close! I would not give him a pass but I certainly would not hold the same level of animosity towards him as the Georgia boys.

And for those reasons and the analogy above, I can only get lukewarm on slings and arrows directed at the heart of Hart. Now the Georgia boys, load up my quill!
stranger responds: May 25th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Hey! We need this Hart guy.

We put him out in the woods.

Open his mouth.

And in no time at all, that mouth will have a (Big)foot caught in it!!!
HOOSIERHUNTER responds: May 25th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
You can only hope he ends up unable to escape from a very lonely Bigfoot. It would be poetic justice.
Lightfoot responds: May 26th, 2009 at 8:23 am
wavrnr10 wrote:

“”Well I will not degrade myself to the gender stupidity of Ms. Hart……but I will comment on his dry “British” style of comedy that died out everywhere except in New Zealand and some back alley’s of cult ridden England….”"

Hmmmmmm, dry ‘British style’ humour is very much alive and well and there is nothing wrong with it. It’s very very popular still in a lot of places. Of course, you have to ‘get it’ to find it funny.

This guy Hart is obviously on the wind up and knows full well Loren isn’t a woman. At least he isn’t being really nasty…….unlike a certain couple of hillbillys from Georgia not so long ago.
raisinsofwrath responds: May 26th, 2009 at 9:18 am
By attacking others he has exposed himself for the charlatan he is. If I were trying to do what he is attempting I’d certainly at the very least identify the top people in the field including the foremost authority/researcher/author (Loren).

This guy is thoroughly unprofessional and can’t even be bothered to research before opening his mouth. He certainly has shown what a tool he is and IMO isn’t worth wasting space on Cryptomundo.

He obviously does need more RAM and maybe an internet connection. Even a library card would suffice.
kittenz responds: May 26th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Not all hillbillies are like the Georgia boys. I wear the nickname of hillbilly with pride!
Rjnorth responds: May 27th, 2009 at 12:02 am
Sorry about that prat Leigh Hart. Most of we Kiwis keep our minds open and our mouths shut, he seems to do the opposite.

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