Craigslist Bigfoot Prankster Interviewed

Craigslist ad goes viral; although no one took it seriously

This last September (2012) a Craigslist ad went viral and was picked up by MSNBC news. It was later determined to be a prank, but not before it was reported on MSNBC.com (see below).

Add Bigfoot research to the recession-proof industries. A website called All over Albany has alerted the Internet to a job opening on Craigslist that — for a primate-lover with an open mind and a (preferably) four-wheel-drive vehicle — could be the opportunity of a lifetime.
The Craigslist post, which seeks a research assistant, explains:

"Not for profit organization, located in Whitehall, NY is a high-energy, team-oriented research entity that is involved in the tracking, documenting, and study of cryptozoological creatures, with a deep interest in the study and search of bipedal primitive apes. We seek an experienced researcher with a deep understanding of cryptozoology, primatology, with a good background with scientific research and interest in great apes."

Some of the research assistant's responsibilities will be to "investigate, document and interview individuals with reported Bigfoot sitings (sic)," and an appropriate candidate must be prepared for "occasional travel to remote areas of Adirondacks including spending several nights in the wilderness, checking motion cameras, collecting hair and dung samples for laboratory analysis amongst other related activities."

Duties and Functions:

• Develop actionable tracking program in designated geographic area.
• Investigate, document and interview individuals with reported Bigfoot sitings.
• Occasional travel to remote areas of Adirondacks including spending several nights in the wilderness, checking motion cameras, collecting hair and dung samples for laboratory analysis amongst other related activites.
• Must have own transportation, four-wheel drive a plus.

** Serious Inquiries only **
Compensation: based on experience, this is a grant funded position and is expected to last 6 months with the possibility of renewal.

SRC: MSNBC.com

Today (10.23.2012), a Florida weekly paper, Broward Palm Beach New Times interviewed the prankster to determine how he got the verbage for the compelling ad.

When asked about how he came up with such clever phrasing and job duties to include the ad, Reeves explained that he had watched a Bigfoot special earlier in the week on the History Channel and remembered the lingo dropped by various cryptozoologists. Adding in the fact that the position was grant-funded and would likely only last six months was a stroke of genius.

But the Internet has a way of revealing dirty little secrets, and one commenter was quick to point out that Reeves' ad wasn't all that original after all. And New Times wasn't the first news outlet to go bananas over the prospect.

As documented in this MSNBC article and this All Over Albany article, somebody hit an upstate New York Craigslist board with the same posting. As far as we can tell, neither of these outlets bothered contacting the poster to determine the veracity of the post.

"I took it from somebody else and added some stuff to it," Reeves said when contacted on Monday.

The original ad isn't up on the New York Craigslist site anymore, as far as we can tell, so it's tough to figure out whether Reeves did in fact tweak and modify the ad as needed. He did at least change the locations to mention a few rural areas near the panhandle.

SRC: New Times