By Lynn Tackitt

Syfy has been putting out good programming for quite awhile and is only getting better and better with time. One of their longest running reality shows is Ghost Hunters, going into it's eighth season, with no signs of slowing down. Premiering it's mid-season return on Wednesday, August 24 at 9:00 EST, with new equipment and some new blood added to the team, the season promises to keep you more on the edge of your seat than before.

Amy Bruni, who's been with Ghost Hunters for going on four years and Adam Berry, who won the Ghost Hunters Academy, sat down and spoke with us their experiences, feelings and expectations on the future of the show.

Syfy Conference Call
Ghost Hunters
Adam Berry and Amy Bruni

August 15, 2011
1:00 pm CT

QUESTION: What your experience been like on the team and working with Amy?

ADAM BERRY: Yes. It's a lot more low key, that's for sure. I don't have to worry about anybody trying to stomp all over me or stab me in the back or anything like that - no sabotage.

It's actually a really nice breath of fresh air and Bruni keeps me right on track to where I need to be.

AMY BRUNI: I actually couldn't think of a better person to work with than Adam. It was great. As soon as he showed up it was like instantly we got along. And I kind of knew we would because he started emailing before he ever came out because we knew that he had won Ghost Hunters Academy and would be joining us. And so we started emailing and the first thing he told me was that I was fierce. And so I knew we'd get along after that.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. I was like you're fierce and insane and that's all that needed to be.

QUESTION: Would you mind sharing a humorous moment that you and Amy, Adam or Amy too, that you had together?

ADAM BERRY: She's always teasing me and playing tricks on me without me knowing it because I'm very gullible at times. And so she'll say things to me and I'll believe her immediately. And then she's like no, I'm not being for real of course.

AMY BRUNI: We just did an investigation recently where I stuck all this gaff tape on Adam's back and he investigated all night with this gaff tape on his back.

And when he finally found it he was like how long has that been there and I said it's been at least four hours and it's totally going to be on television.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. Gaff tape.

QUESTION: Has the belief in the paranormal been with you since you were children? And if not, when did it begin for each of you?

AMY BRUNI: Well, for me it was since I was a child. My dad and I used to investigate together when I was like 10 years old. So it's been a long time. I grew up in a house that had seemingly paranormal activity and that's when I got interested in it.

So my dad and I went to the library and we checked out all these books on spiritualism and paranormal investigations and we had this really crappy tape recorder and we'd try to get EVPs and then we'd start going to cemeteries and local historical sites. And it was really kind of a bonding experience.

And then I just kept on doing it and it was one of those things when I was in junior high and high school people made fun of me for it and now it's a lot more out in the open so it's very different. But yes, it's been a lifelong thing for me effectively.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. I would have to agree. When I was a kid I loved things that go bump in the night, anything scary, anything, scary movies, Halloween and all that.

And so I knew something was out there but I didn't have my first ghostly encounter until I was after college. So I had a later start but I always had a drive for it, a passion for it to find out what exactly it is. And it's progressed from there and I can't wait to find out what really lies behind that closet door. What is it?

AMY BRUNI: (That's true).

QUESTION: What do you expect and where do you expect your passion in the paranormal to go in the next 10-15 years?

AMY BRUNI: That's a good one.

ADAM BERRY: Yes.

AMY BRUNI: I know that I never expected it to become something that I could almost make a career of because that's really not why anybody does it. It's not normally a field that you can expect to make a living from.

So I'm really enjoying being able to travel the country and do what I love right now. And I know it's not forever, obviously, but I know that afterwards I'll still be investigating because I did for so many years beforehand. I'm hoping eventually to get into maybe writing a book or just getting into the more educational side of it. And it will always be something that I do in sort of capacity but it's very unpredictable.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. I would have to agree. The thing is, it's always changing. It's an ever changing field because there are new researchers and new techniques and new things happening.

So, oddly, we'll never really know until we're actually 15 years from now saying wow, I can't believe it's gone this far or progressed in this way. And I'm excited just for the future.

QUESTION: What has been your scariest "bump in the night" moment?

AMY BRUNI: Well, I know for me it wasn't a ghost, we were investigating and it was this old jail in New Jersey and I basically was in the tunnels and I found this kind of manhole cover.

And I lifted up the cover and I stood up into this room that we didn't really know existed. It was this old boiler room. And I had stood up in a homeless man's house. He was there, I was there, we looked at each other and I was like I should not be here. And I just went right back down and turned to the camera operator and was like let's not go that way.

ADAM BERRY: (That's odd).

AMY BRUNI: That doesn't happen very often because these locations are usually very, very secure but when you're in a massive complex like that the buildings we're investigating have actually been secured and there is nobody in there.

But this was just some area that was way off the beaten path and they never went in that building. So yes, that was a little scary. I'm more afraid of people than animals.

ADAM BERRY: That's true and I have to say that the moment that Amy and I had was at Benhurst Asylum upstairs. And we thought that crazy animals (were) at the end of the hallway.

That was frightening because we didn't know what it was. Absolutely. And we couldn't even find the animals. Didn't find the animal, didn't find what it was. So who knows? That was a freaky moment and also when we were in Hawaii the whole tsunami thing was absolutely the most terrifying experience.

AMY BRUNI: Of course.

ADAM BERRY: And sometimes it's not ghostly that's freaking us out.

AMY BRUNI: Yes. I'll take ghosts over any of that stuff any day.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. I will too, absolutely.

QUESTION: What do you guys do to celebrate Halloween?

AMY BRUNI: Well, we do the live show.

ADAM BERRY: Yes.

AMY BRUNI: We're very into the month of October. That's kind of like for us the Christmas season for retailers. We are so busy. Every weekend we have something to do and then we have to prepare for the live show.

And it gets so exciting. There is always this buzz about that month for us. And every Halloween we are ghost hunting so it's like we are doing what we love on Halloween night, which is great. So that's how we celebrate.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. It's a month-long celebration. I absolutely love Halloween, I love everything about it. I love the fall, I love the sweatshirts and apple cider - like come on, everything about it.

And I can't think of a better way than being in a dark crazy place with Amy Bruni for six hours on television. Can't think of a better thing to be doing.

QUESTION: Is there anything in your real lives that you find scarier than your investigations?

ADAM BERRY: That's a good question.

AMY BRUNI: What was the question? I'm sorry I missed it.

QUESTION: Is there anything in your real lives that you find scarier than the stuff that you encounter on your investigations?

AMY BRUNI: Geez. Some of our travel was pretty scary. We have had some when we were out at Mackinac Island taking the icebreaker ferry across the lake and then realizing we were stranded there and couldn't take the ferry back.

And we had to fly out on this little four-seat plane and it took like 16 trips to take all of our equipment back and forth. And that kind of stuff is scary. We were driving across the country at that time in the middle of these crazy snow storms and we almost went off the road and had to pull over and stay at a hotel. And that stuff terrifies me. That's the one thing that scares me.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. Actually and to add to that a couple of months later we thought the worst of the winter was over and we were driving up to Maine to do Fort Knox and literally the drive should have taken us two hours and it took us 4-1/2 hours because of the snow storm that happened.

But we had to get there because we had nowhere to stop. We couldn't see anything. Blinding snow - it's terrifying.

AMY BRUNI: It was. We were trying to calm each other down. "We'll be fine. We'll be fine."

ADAM BERRY: Totally fine. And then we get there and we're like yes, now we're fine.

Yes. Some hotels we stay at I'm like "Should we be investigating here?" Like something's crazy.

AMY BRUNI: Some of the buildings we investigate, they're in parts of town that aren't always desirable because they're run down and old and there are a few instances where we have had criminal activity happening very close to us, gunshots, things like that.

ADAM BERRY: Gunshots. Gunfire.

AMY BRUNI: I won't name any place in particular but yes, that has happened.

ADAM BERRY: Yes.

QUESTION: Have you heard the story of Robert the haunted doll and have you done any investigations on that?

AMY BRUNI: I have met Robert the haunted doll. He's in Key West, right, or Florida somewhere? Yes. This is interesting because I know he's on some island and they took him off the island to come to a convention that I went to a few years ago, this is before I was even on the show.

And this doll was creepy. They brought him in and everybody was wearing gloves carrying him in and he was a celebrity. Jay and Grant were there, they were invisible. Everybody wanted to see this doll. And they brought him in and they sat him down onto the display and there were some people trying to broadcast their radio broadcast next to him.

And all their equipment just kept malfunctioning and nothing would work. So they finally moved to the other side of the room and everything worked just fine. And the people kept saying that they were taking pictures of this doll and they weren't turning out. So I would like to have investigated him a little bit more but he was in a big convention setting. But it was really interesting to see him. It's a strange story for sure.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. Definitely a creepy little doll, sailor outfit and all.

AMY BRUNI: He's not little. He's like as big as a kid. It's weird.

ADAM BERRY: It's so weird. I'm looking at pictures right now online. It's really awful.

QUESTION: What's your favorite scary movie and why?

AMY BRUNI: Mine is The Shining, for sure, and I think it's just the creepy factor and the fact that Stephen King's book was inspired by real experiences he had when he stayed at The Stanley.

And so it led to this great movie and Stanley Kubrick directed it and I just love that movie. I can watch it over and over and over again. That would have to be my favorite.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. I would have to say I'm not a fan at all of any kind of slasher films. Sometimes it's too gross for me and I can't deal with it. So anything psychologically thrilling, anything that's messing with your brain that's crazy.

And I also enjoy old Hollywood B movies, scary movies like The House on Haunted Hill, even though it's kind of creepy and you see the string and you see the ghost. But it's hilarious and it's the start of all horror films. I absolutely love that.

QUESTION: When you're in the middle of an investigation, are there any little rituals or personal routines you do to handle your nerves?

AMY BRUNI: I don't personally. I know some people, they like to say a prayer before they go in or they bring something with them that they think is protection to them. And I don't do that. I don't know about Adam but Grant has always said this to me for years.

And it's basically that if you have something that can be taken away so you'll feel weak. If for some reason you forget your religious medal or you forget to say your prayers, are you superstitious about it and suddenly you feel vulnerable? So I just go in and I'm strong and I just assume that nothing is going to be able to hurt me and nothing has.

And I just continue that way. And when things are happening I don't really have any ritual because at that point I'm just probably laughing and swearing like a sailor.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. I think we load up on caffeine, that's for sure. We load up on coffee, five-hour energy drink, candy and then we go. And one of the first things Grant ever told me was exactly what Amy said.

So ever since that day we just go in with our heads held high and our eyes open and ready for anything.

QUESTION: In your opinion, what makes this upcoming season stand above past seasons?

AMY BRUNI: The evidence. I know that we have been using some new, especially full spectrum, cameras and we have just gotten some crazy evidence this season. And I know that even Steve has said that this as far as evidence goes is the best evidence he's seen since he started with Pat.

So I think as the equipment progresses our ability to collect evidence progresses and it has been pretty crazy. And also as we go further people start bringing more locations to us that have consistent and constant paranormal activity. So we're basically really lucky in that way that we get to go to these amazing locations. And I just feel like the activity is really perking up this season.

ADAM BERRY: Hands down, absolutely.

QUESTION: Where do you TAPS in the next few years?

AMY BRUNI: I don't know. I think TAPS will always be around in some form or another. And I think what Jay and Grant have been able to do with, especially the TAPS family groups, is really important to the field and that's because there are so many groups out there.

And they have been able to select groups with a similar mentality as ours. We're able to refer people to them and we're confident in their ability to handle cases because obviously we can't do them all. And so I think that that's just going to grow and grow over the next few years. And so I think that's one of the great byproducts of the show. And hopefully that kind of trend continues.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. Unless people stop ghost hunting I feel like it'll just get bigger and bigger.

AMY BRUNI: Yes. They haven't stopped since 1848.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. Exactly. There are always ghosts.

QUESTION: What is an investigation actually like as far as length is concerned?

AMY BRUNI: It's long. Depending on the time of year, especially the winter months when it gets darker sooner, we get there pretty early. We're usually rolling up anywhere from 1:00-3:00 in the afternoon and we're there until 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning.

And some nights we do two nights or some investigations are so large we'll do two nights but you really can't tell on the show. They usually play it as though we were there for only one night. But it's a very long process because we go in, Jay, Grant and Steve go on the tour, and we unpack the van at that time.

And they come back out and Steve tells us where to put the cameras. We go in, put the cameras and that's the longest part is the cameras and the cabling. So you're looking at least an hour or two of set up. And then as soon as it gets dark we go in there and we start investigating and it just goes on and on and on. And especially larger locations where we can all investigate at once, it's a process but it's a lot of fun.

ADAM BERRY: Yes, absolutely. And of course it continues after that. It's all about going over the evidence and you have days of review to do and it's very, very exciting because every case is like a little Christmas present that you get to open and unwrap very slowly and then you find out.

AMY BRUNI: Very slowly.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. It's like take the ribbon off and then you're like "Ta-da, evidence!" And it's really just a lot of fun.

AMY BRUNI: Yes and each case usually takes a week or two so we're in that area for a week or two between the investigation, the analysis, the researching, all that.

QUESTION: How do you keep yourselves entertained when you're staring at the same wall for hours at a time hoping to see one instance of something paranormal?

AMY BRUNI: It's all about breaks. So we try to spread it out. We try to only do three or four hours of review at a time and take a break, get out, breathe some fresh air, see the sun every once in a while and go back at it.

ADAM BERRY: Right.

AMY BRUNI: So yes, it's definitely a tedious process and I will admit it is the worst part of the process for me. I hate reviewing except when I find something. And when you find something you're like okay, this was worth it. Thank god.

ADAM BERRY: Right. It also goes for the investigation itself because first off, you're in a place where you can't believe you're actually here. Some places we get access that no one gets access to.

You're overwhelmed by that so when going through the evidence you kind of imagine what was happening and you put yourself in that position again when you're listening to the audio or watching the video. And you try to relive it. So you're basically in the investigation, in this world for a week at a time and I think that's what keeps me going.

QUESTION: You must be getting recognized by fans on the street. What is that like?

AMY BRUNI: It's actually not so bad because it wouldn't be bad in the first place but we're seen in night vision so much that half the world or half of our viewers don't realize that I'm a redhead. They think I have blonde hair.

They'll meet me in person and go "When did you dye your hair?" and I'm like I've always had red hair. And so it does happen especially as they see us more and more in color. And all of our fans are really great. They always want to share their stories and their experiences and they feel safe telling us these things.

And so it's always very nice and I have yet to have a fan encounter that was uncomfortable or strange. It usually happens a couple times a day. It's not anything crazy.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. I only get recognized when I'm with Amy. So I don't know what that's like.

QUESTION: How do you deal with skeptics?

AMY BRUNI: Well, honestly sometimes I feel that being a skeptic is healthy, being a healthy skeptic. But then there are some that I think are almost taking it too far.

And it's hard to pinpoint what I'm trying to say but I just think some of them take it too far and they're very extreme in their skepticism and they're not open to anything. A ghost could walk up to them and tap them on the shoulder and they'd still try to think of some sort of alternative explanation for it.

ADAM BERRY: Yes.

AMY BRUNI: So that's a little tough but at the same time, we are not out to prove ourselves. What we do is we collect our evidence, we investigate, we try to help our clients and we show what we find. And then we just kind of leave it up to everybody else to make their call on it.

We say hey, we've got this, we were able to explain this but this we're not quite sure on. So that's what we have and you make your own call on it. So we're not out to prove ourselves or turn skeptics. We just like to keep an open mind about it and entertain the notion that there might be something beyond what we think is there.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. You'll believe it when you see it.

AMY BRUNI: Exactly.

SCIFI VISION: Do you ever fear bringing something home when you go on these locations?

AMY BRUNI: It hasn't happened to me yet and I don't know. I can't speak for Adam but I know I'm not really afraid of it and it hasn't happened. And I know some people say that it can.

Any time something weird happens around me though everybody wants to blame it on me. But I know Jay actually at one point there was reportedly this ghost of a little boy at a mill they investigated and he said hey, I have kids at home so if you want to come visit and play with my son, feel free. So he actually invited this thing home.

And nothing happened, nothing followed him home or anything but it was funny because his wife didn't realize that he had done that. And she saw the episode and was so furious.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. I don't think anything has followed me home yet, knock on wood. And I think if they did it'd just be like investigating. You'd tell them to leave, tell them to get out. They're not welcome or leave me alone. So I think it'd be easy to get rid of.

SCIFI VISION: Did any particular location ever freak you out so that you might call another team member for support?

AMY BRUNI: I know we get really excited and we call each other about investigations.

ADAM BERRY: Yes.

AMY BRUNI: There have been some where afterwards we're just buzzing. You're on at 6:00 in the morning and you're still wide awake because you're so excited about everything that happened.

And we have had a few of those in the last few weeks where just the whole way home we're like "Oh my gosh, I can't believe this happened and this happened." So yes, that's probably the closest thing to it I can think of.

ADAM BERRY: Yes, absolutely.

SCIFI VISION: Now that you are so popular, are you often approached by people to try out some new equipment? Or do you have one person or team that develops your equipment for you?

AMY BRUNI: People do send us things and we do keep an eye on the field because we do investigate a lot outside of the show and talk to and network with a lot of other investigators that are doing some very amazing things.

One of the great things about the show is it has brought in some people who are very qualified and very scientific and able to design these devices beyond what we have ever been able to do. And so we definitely experiment with things like that. We wait to bring them on the show usually until they have produced some kind of evidence for us.

So we don't want to experiment with things on the show necessarily just because we're aware of the fact that when people see us use something they're going to run out and buy it. And so we know paranormal investigation is probably one of the most expensive hobbies you can have. So before we use something on the show we want to make sure that there is a chance for it to actually produce some sort of tangible result.

So we do get sent things on a regular basis. And we're always very thankful for that.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. I'd say at events and things where people come to ghost hunt and be with us, they bring the most creative and almost weird-looking, unique things. And if it works it's good for the entire field. It's good for us, it's good for everyone.

QUESTION: Are there any sites in the new season coming out that stick out more than any of the others?

AMY BRUNI: Hillview Manor - that was a great investigation. And I think that's the second episode when we come back and it was great. And Pearl Harbor obviously, tying that up.

Yes. So there have been quite a few standout investigations. We can't talk about all of them yet but Hillview definitely.

SCIFI VISION: Do you know if they'll be airing in Newfoundland? Do you know if they'll be airing any episodes in that area soon?

AMY BRUNI: I don't know. That would be a question for you guys.

QUESTION: In the episode on Pearl Harbor, can talk a little bit about the flashlight technique and what you thought was happening that night and how to make sense of it?

AMY BRUNI: Yes. Here's the deal with the flashlight technique. It's something we've been experimenting with for quite a long time. And what we have discovered is the deal with the flashlights is when you use a mag light and you basically turn it to where it's almost to a point where it would turn on. So it's very easy to turn on.

And we set that down and what we've noticed is that there is a natural way for them to turn on and off using that technique. And it's that the element inside expands as it cools down, touches, turns the flashlight on as it warms up, it turns back off. Once we discovered that we realized we couldn't use one flashlight any more.

So we started experimenting using multiple flashlights and you'll see in upcoming episodes we'll have four or five going at once as opposed to one. And in that way we can turn, if the answer is yes, turn on the purple flashlight or turn on the black flashlight. And when it starts turning on exactly the flashlight we're asking for then we speculate that we're getting some sort of response from something.

And so that was what we were doing there. I believe we had two or three different flashlights.

Yes. The flashlights went on and off a couple times but beyond that they just kept moving no matter what we did. And then we would set it down and hit the bench and they wouldn't move.

And so I don't know if something was trying to move the flashlight or trying to turn it on and it moved instead. But it did happen a couple times and we couldn't recreate it without touching the flashlight and making it move ourselves. So there is that. But we're really trying to narrow down the results with that.

It for some reason seems to work and really resonate and I don't know why. But we try to make it as controlled as possible. We ask control questions. We try to trick it, try to verify if something is actually interacting with us. And we love doing that and then having an EMF meter there.

We have had sessions where the K2s next to a flashlight going off at the same time or we'll capture EVPs while we're doing the flashlight technique. So it's really interesting stuff for sure.

QUESTION: What kind of response makes you the most excited? Are the flashlights a particularly exciting response?

AMY BRUNI: With the flashlights I get chilled when they are dead on. You have to really see it in person. It's hard sometimes on the show to really see what it's like because the flashlights, we can tell when they're not working, when nothing is using them.

But sometimes we'll have these half an hour, 45-minute interactions with this thing where they are just dead on. I'm saying, we'll pick a specific color will come on.

We'll assign a yes and a no flashlight and a maybe flashlight and we just start having these conversations back and forth. And it's crazy. For it to just turn on every time you ask for it as opposed to just kind of randomly turning on. And when you ask it to turn off it turns right off and turns on and off twice, blink, blink. It's crazy to me.

ADAM BERRY: Yes.

AMY BRUNI: So I don't know why it works so well and I know it's one of our most controversial ghost hunting techniques. But it works for some reason and I stand by it.

QUESTION: Why do you think it's the most controversial?

AMY BRUNI: People watch it and they just don't believe it. And I realize it seems unbelievable, that lights are going on and off on their own. And I've read so many different blogs and people write me, you have a remote control, you have this. And I'm like no we do not. And I wish I could tell you why it works so well but I can't.

And I really just think it's this universal - it's a light. It's so easy and I think that's why it works well because it's simple, it's easy to understand and I think that's part of it.

QUESTION: Why are the investigations better done in the dark and at night rather than during the day?

AMY BRUNI: Adam Berry, bring out that GHA expertise.

ADAM BERRY: There are a lot of things. Obviously ghosts are around at all times. You can investigate during the day. Like I was in Provincetown with a group of my friends and we were investigating during the day last week.

So you can ghost hunt any time but at night there are a lot of different things that will help you. It's quiet, the noise outside, traffic, anything construction - it's quieter, everyone is asleep. Also when you're in the dark your senses are a little more heightened, you're more aware with your ears and your smell and your body.

And it seems like you know, you're just a little more attentive to what's going on around you. Also, it's really spooky and it's a lot of fun in the dark. And it's a lot of fun in the dark. It's more fun to ghost hunt in the dark than it is during the day time. But that's pretty much why we do it, because it's quieter and we're more aware of what's going on.

AMY BRUNI: Plus there are a lot of light anomalies that are more easily seen in the dark including shadow figures strangely enough. So that is a big part of it as well.

QUESTION: Have either of you ever done an investigation in a place that you have lived or where your friends live, where you have actually done personal work?

AMY BRUNI: Yes. I investigated my parents' house for them and I took my sister with me and we actually caught some pretty crazy EVP and it was really interesting. So yes, definitely and actually what I would love to do one day is the house I grew up in that really started this all for me. I would love to go back there with the TAPS team and investigate it for real because back then I was just a kid and I had no idea what I was doing. So now I think it'd be so fun to go back with the team and investigate it.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. I tend to have the belief of don't investigate your own house or where you live just because you're interacting with something that you think might stir up more activity.

And if you want that, that's cool. But I tend to try to keep my work at work. So if something is going on at my house I'll acknowledge it but I will try to not communicate with it. And the only thing I'd have to say like I just found out that there is a mental hospital in Tuscaloosa, Alabama because I'm from Alabama originally.

And they're going to tear it down. But I just found out that my great-great-grandmother went there for two months and died and they don't know why she died. She's buried on the property. They say it's completely haunted, it's crazy. There was a big article on it and I would love to get there before they tear it down just because I didn't know she was there, I had no idea.

And now all these things are happening and I'm just researching this new property. So you never know. That would be the only thing that I would investigate that I would have a family connection to.

QUESTION: How much historical research do you actually do before you leave for a property?

ADAM BERRY: Amy Bruni.

AMY BRUNI: Yes well, I am the team's researcher and what we do is we usually have a general overview of the location before we go. We compile a very high level amount of the history and the activity that's taking place there.

And we go in with that information. Then after we do the investigation I go do more hard core research and go to the local historical society, go to the library, try to verify many of the stories we've been told. And this is the way Jay and Grant like to do things is we do that because we don't want what historical information we already know going in to sway our investigation.

Because many times we'll get evidence that doesn't necessarily correlate with what a client has told us. But then when we go back and do the research we find out something new that they didn't know. So it is very intensive. It's usually a day or two and I use a lot of web sites like Ancestry.com, things like that.

And then I actually go in and interview people and try to get more information on the place.

QUESTION: Of the first three episodes, Hillview Manor sounds the scariest. What was the vibe like in the nursing home?

ADAM BERRY: Oh god.

AMY BRUNI: It is creepy. I mean it really is and the history there is kind of crazy and it was surprisingly complete. Many times when we go into a location like that there is no power, there are walls gone and leaks and I mean there were some leaks and things.

But it was pretty put together still and so we were able to get all our equipment up with no problems. But just the stories there were so awful. Sometimes you go into these places and you know what has happened there already and it's hard not to be sad because you know this is how many people have died there and what they went through.

Yes, it was one of the first investigations where I went off by myself. I went down to the boiler room for like an hour and just sat there by myself and talked to whatever was there. And it was pretty scary.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. It definitely was cold, dark and I think it was the first investigation in a long time that Amy and I put on masks because some hallways were so damp, there was mold and crazy things that we always put ourselves in crazy situations but this was heightened a little bit just because of our surroundings.

AMY BRUNI: Yes, for sure.

QUESTION: Can you talk about the loudest evidence you guys ever recorded at the (Teaview Terrace) site?

AMY BRUNI: I'm trying to remember - that was so long ago but I do know there was some really crazy sound we captured there. And I don't think anybody heard it. And so we don't know what it was or where it came from.

And yes, it was pretty crazy and you'll have to hear it to believe it. It sounded like a dump truck or something. But yes, that location was just really cool just because it was the dark shadows house. And I would like to live there.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. I couldn't honestly believe that one family owned it. It's massive. The scale of it, you can get lost in it if you didn't know which way you were going. And the history behind it was all very exciting.

QUESTION: Speaking of one family home, what was the most interesting thing that happened when you guys investigated that elderly man in the urgent episode?

ADAM BERRY: Well, they got called away, Jay and Grant got called away for the case. So Amy and I - we weren't even involved just because we were still on the island. We were still in Hawaii.

QUESTION: So you weren't part of that investigation, right?

AMY BRUNI: No. We were roughing it in Hawaii while they ran back to Rhode Island for an urgent case.

ADAM BERRY: Yeah right.

AMY BRUNI: Because we had to close things up on our end, like Tango and I had to go do the review and it was just definitely an experience we had never had before. Suddenly by the end of the case we were by ourselves.

ADAM BERRY: Yes.

AMY BRUNI: And so I'm not sure how that plays out but yes, it was interesting.

ADAM BERRY: Yes but when there is a kid involved, when there is a family or a child involved it is priority. So they had to go and we were okay to tie up the loose ends in Hawaii.

AMY BRUNI: Yes, for sure.

QUSETION: You're the longest-running reality show on SyFy and the show has been parodied by a number of TV shows. How does it feel to be a part of what is basically an institution now on television?

AMY BRUNI: It's surreal in that any of us fully realize it because we're just all doing our normal thing. And then every once in a while something comes along like South Park and you're reminded that we are televised every week.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. Amy definitely runs out of the building just like that with arms up.

AMY BRUNI: I'm just like that - very two dimensional, screaming.

ADAM BERRY: Very two dimensional - exactly.

AMY BRUNI: So it's flattering, it's surreal, it's crazy. I'm going on my fourth year now with the team and it doesn't feel like you think it would because I think all of us are just so normal.

And I think we all try to remain very down to earth and just kind of do our thing. But every once in a while we'll meet a fan or something who is so excited and passionate about the show and it really just kind of drives it home. So I think it makes us all very happy and I think we're a very good representation of what we do.

QUESTION: Have you had any unusual fan encounters?

ADAM BERRY: No. I mean not for me personally. I think everyone is very, very nice and especially at events and things where they're investigating and we're all investigating together.

We're working together as a team and I think the coolest thing is you can take eight people that do not know each other at all and you can investigate a haunted location without any prep. I mean you are all passionate about it and you have a drive to do it. And I think for the most part everyone is very, very nice. I haven't had that stalker moment yet, though.

AMY BRUNI: I know I just did Wizard World in Chicago this weekend and met so many great fans. And one of them really stands out. It was this girl and she came up and she just could not speak.

She was so painfully shy and she just kept saying you don't understand how much I admire you and I love that. Especially women are kind of inspired by Kris and me just because we're out there doing what we love. And it's caused them to go out and start teams and I love that. And she came up and she was just so shy and couldn't get a word out.

And almost in tears and I gave her a big hug and she was so nice and then she gave me this letter and I opened it when she left and it started out with Amy, I'm giving you this letter because I know I just met you and I was too shy to say anything. And she just went on and on about how much the show has helped her come to terms with activity that happened in her house and how it's really inspired her.

And I literally almost started crying reading this thing because she was just so sweet. And so those are the ones that really stick out to me. I've had creepy stalker people send me crazy emails and stuff and I've met a few and that's whatever. But I like those kinds of fans. People that I know we've helped in some way.

ADAM BERRY: Yes.

QUESTION: You mentioned that ghost hunting has been around since the 1800s. Why do you think there is still so much interest in the supernatural?

AMY BRUNI: Because things keep happening that no one can explain.

ADAM BERRY: Yes.

AMY BRUNI: It's like regardless of all of the scientific advances we've made, people are still seeing full-bodied apparitions walk by them. People are still having things strangely thrown across the room for no reason.

This stuff is still happening and the amount of reports of this, there is no way that it's not happening. And just because science can't explain it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. And people, once they have these experiences, they want to know what the heck is going on. And science isn't answering it for them in all cases. And I think it will eventually. I think we're not there yet.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. I also feel that there is always an uncertainty about the life hereafter and people always want to know what's happening to their loved ones, what they are going to go through when they pass away.

And people are always looking for hope that there is something beyond what this is. So I think people will always look for answers and solutions.

QUESTION: Do either of you have any interest in other paranormal or supernatural things besides ghosts?

AMY BRUNI: I'm into all of it. I used to produce a paranormal radio show with Jay and Grant actually. And I have a lot of interest in cryptozoology. I love hearing about UFOs.

All that stuff - so I definitely have an interest in a lot of it. And like Tango especially - Tango is obsessed with Coast to Coast AM. He loves UFO stuff. So there is a lot more to us than just ghosts. But I think all of us are into the strange and unusual.

ADAM BERRY: Right. And like Tango I think - he had us convinced for like a week that he had a chip implanted in his shoulder.

AMY BRUNI: He really did.

ADAM BERRY: He was like "I woke up and I just got this thing and I don't know what it is and I don't know how I got it." And I was like "You're crazy," and then for a week we thought he was abducted and then he was of course playing a joke.

AMY BRUNI: Because he had this shoulder pain and so he was complaining about it. And I asked him "How is your shoulder?" We came back from a week break and I said "How is your shoulder?" and he was like "I went to the doctor, they found a piece of metal in my shoulder." I'm like "What?" He's like "They can't explain it. They're freaking out." I'm like "Are you kidding me? You need to call UFO hunters or something."

ADAM BERRY: Yes. Call somebody.

QUESTION: Have seen one of the Paranormal ActivitY movies? I really think that movies like that, you guys are responsible for, I mean in terms of just taking an ordinary Joe or Jane, taking a video camera and recording things throughout the night and trying to see if there is anything paranormal or strange.

AMY BRUNI: I haven't seen them. Adam probably has.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. Well, I saw the first Paranormal ActivitY. I haven't seen the second one and what I like about movies like that is it's very Hollywood. It is Hollywood like everything is blown up to the Nth degree.

The stakes are always extremely, extremely high for the fear factor, for the things. I have got to say I don't necessarily think if you were to just ghost hunt that would happen to you or you'd get thrown against the wall and dragged down the stairs. I like the thrill factor. It's almost like a roller coaster ride that you don't have to get in a roller coaster to experience and you have a good time. And I think for entertainment values it's brilliant.

QUESTION: I've noticed a lot of shows that may be too negative, they provoke the ghosts or they get their anger in an uproar. Do you have any take on this provocation method that's being used in a lot of shows?

AMY BRUNI: Yes. It's not our style but I think one of the things in our field is that we really don't know a whole lot about it. Different teams have different styles and we don't fault them for that.

And for us I really go into a location and I have said this a lot where I kind of feel like I'm a ghost counselor or ghost therapist. My goal is to really kind of relay to them that we know they're there, we've encountered other people like them and that we are there to help them if we can. And that the more they try to communicate with us and talk to us the more we will learn.

So even if it's not now or maybe it's years down the line, we can come back and try to help them if they need it and help them understand. And so that's really how I always try to approach things and I feel like it gets results, it gets - I feel like I would want to hear that if I was in that situation. And so provocation is not something we do.

We do every once in a while like if it's something we know is just very negative, we'll try it out or it's a very extreme method that we wait to do. And I don't ever do it myself but I know Tango does every once in a while. So we'll do some very mild provoking sometimes. We'll make fun of the decor. We're like...

ADAM BERRY: Sure. I mean the thing that Amy has taught me the most is she goes in. I consider her like a ghost therapist. Whereas she opens herself up to saying please talk to me.

There are people like you out there, like you're not the only one. We try to connect with them on an emotional level from their standpoint about what they went through and what they're doing. And occasionally Amy will let me say one or two things that are a tiny bit on the provoking side but nothing crazy because like she said, if you're talking to a child, you don't want to yell at the kid.

The kid is going to run away from you. He's not going to talk to you, he's not going to communicate with you. He's afraid of you. There is no reason for them and we don't know if they're in a position where they're frightened themselves. They're freaked out that these people are talking to them, they don't know where they are and scared. So make it as easy as possible.

QUESTION: Do each of you have a really cool piece of equipment that either you have used or want to use on a ghost investigation?

AMY BRUNI: I would say my favorite thing that it's been out of commission for us for a while because it's getting fixed is our ETC unit. And it's just because it is a laptop computer that has three cameras hooked up to it.

It has a thermal imaging camera, a full spectrum camera and an IR camera, plus it measures EMS fluctuations, it records audio, it records temperature. It does everything and I love that. And so we honestly haven't had it for a few months, which is kind of a bummer. But that's probably one of my favorite things that we've used just because it covers so much in one spot and it's especially useful for like visual anomalies and plus you have the audio and the temperature.

And I keep hoping for that moment where we have something on camera and then we have a strange spike in the EMS field and we get an EVP at the same time. That's the device that's going to do it, you know? So once we get it back it's going to be awesome.

AMY BRUNI: It's a very expensive piece of equipment so that's part of it.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. We should definitely check on that piece of equipment. We need that back ASAP.

QUESTION: What about you, Adam? Would you agree that's the piece to go or are you comfortable with something else?

ADAM BERRY: Honestly I like all kinds of methods. Amy has pretty much hit it right on the nail on the head just because it does so many different things. And it backs up so many if you get three or four things at the same time it just gives you more solid evidence.

And I think that is a wonderful piece of equipment. And I am also enjoying the full spectrum camera that we've been using a lot. We just got some more of those because they're doing so well for us. And I can't wait to go to the next case and keep using it and get that thing fixed and move on.

QUESTION: What is the best prank that you've played on each other?

ADAM BERRY: Amy shared the prank that she did.

AMY BRUNI: Yes, I did do the gaff tape thing to you. I'm trying to think what else I've done to you recently.

ADAM BERRY: Remember the time we were investigating in Derby, Connecticut and Steve was downstairs and we knew he was there, he didn't know that we had entered on the top and we scared the bejesus out of him.

AMY BRUNI: Yes, that was pretty funny because we were going into another part of this opera house we were investigating and we could hear Steve and Tango downstairs as we were crossing through.

And we walked into them and said hey guys, we're going to cross through real quick. But once we heard them we kind of camped out by this old staircase and waited for them to get near it. And then as soon as they were at the bottom of it we just jumped out and screamed and Steve like grabbed his heart and just started blaring.

And he always says he's going to get us back. We are constantly trying to scare each other. And it definitely wakes you up once you get that little adrenaline rush. But I'm trying to think if there was a really good one recently. And it wasn't really a prank, we were investigating in Maryland and – was it Maryland? I feel like it was Maryland.

But anyways, wherever it was, there were huge bugs and Steve was in the TAPS van and Jay was in the van with them. They were looking at the cameras and this huge junebug flies into the van. And when Steve sees something like that all rational thought leaves him.

There is no "It's a bug, I'm going to calmly exit the van." It is "I am going to kill it, I am going to freak out." And so he just starts grabbing at anything, the keyboard, the cameras, something to hit this bug with. And so Jay has to grab him and literally almost put him in a headlock until this bug went away. And we didn't know what was going on and we see this whole van rocking all over the place.

Like "What is going on in there?" and it was all from some little bug and Steve was freaking out.

ADAM BERRY: Yes and I think Jay even took a bug and put it on Steve's shoulder without him knowing it in the van.

Yes and then he looks to his left and sees the bug and then flailing. He turns and he's doing karate and stuff.

AMY BRUNI: Yes. That's pretty funny.

QUESTION: What do you guys do in your down time?

AMY BRUNI: Sleep.

ADAM BERRY: Sleep a lot.

AMY BRUNI: I try to - I go home and I cook a lot because we travel. I live in California so I'm on the road a little bit more than the other guys because we're usually pretty close to New England.

And I'm gone from home about 300 days a year and so I'm in hotel rooms and so as soon as I get home I just want to do something like cook. I cook, I go out and try to do normal things because you just kind of take all that stuff for granted until you're on the road all the time. I do a lot of reading, I like to hike and I go wine tasting, all kinds of stuff.

ADAM BERRY: Yes.

AMY BRUNI: Or I try to catch up with friends and travel around on breaks and go visit friends and stuff.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. Down time, especially when we're on the road, is few and far between. But when we get it. Amy and I love to Yelp like great restaurants nearby or ToDo and we go.

It's funny because people make fun of Yelp but we use it and if enough people are like you have to eat here, so we'll go and try it and we'll have just a nice dinner or we'll all go out as a group and just have a good time and try to blow of some steam before the next intense case.

AMY BRUNI: Yes. We're definitely foodies. We lived it up in New Orleans. We gained 5-10 pounds there and we ate so much food.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. I'm still gaining weight so I haven't gotten the memo to stop eating.

QUESTION: What is the most important lesson you've learned being part of the TAPS team or the hardest challenge you have faced?

ADAM BERRY: That's easy for me. Be a team player. I've learned it from beginning day one GHA if there is some slack to be picked up, pick it up because you're all working together.

You all have something to do. You're not working for yourselves even though you're there having a good time and doing what you love to do. You have somebody who really needs answers, which is the client. So any time you are on any team doing anything it's pick up the slack if you have to and do the best that you can possibly do. Bring your 150% every single time.

AMY BRUNI: Yes. And I think that mine is very similar and it's just kind of realizing that you're on the road with your family and don't be afraid to ask questions and don't be afraid to say if something is wrong or communication has been a skill that I have definitely learned with the team.

And it's just because it is a different dynamic because you are traveling, living with and working with these people year round. And it's not just the TAPS team. We have 11 crew that come with us too. So there are 17-18 of us at a time and communication is key and I think that has been a huge lesson for all of us. And I think it's part of why we all get along so well.

ADAM BERRY: Absolutely.

QUESTION: What do you say to people who are hard core skeptics who explain the paranormal as being just something like a past energy or even time travelers? Have you at any point questioned yourselves that they might be right? If not, how do you convince them?

AMY BRUNI: Honestly, the more I do this the more I don't know what we're encountering and I (am absolutely open) to those ideas. If someone can prove to me that it's some sort of time travel then thank goodness we have an explanation.

I am open to all theories because when I first started doing this I had a very clear cut view of what I thought it was. I thought it was someone died and they didn't follow the light or whatever and then here they are and they're stuck here in limbo. And that's what I thought it was. But the more I do it, the evidence we collect doesn't always point in that direction.

So I think that I'm open to all those ideas. I really do feel like eventually quantum physics is probably going to explain many of the phenomena that we experience. And that's not something I can get into because that's way over my head. But I know people that are theorizing on that a lot and working on it a lot.

ADAM BERRY: Yes. Until there is absolute, absolute proof of exactly what it is, all options are open. And you know, with skeptics believe it when you see it. When it happens you'll know and you can't always explain it.