Okay, full disclosure: I am a big fan of Coyote Peterson’s work.
Is he clickbait-y? Yes. But I'd argue that his clickbait-y-ness is his strength. He has, for the most part, used clickbait for good rather than evil.
Hear me out! You click on a Coyote Peterson video to see some guy get stung by a hornet. The next thing you know you’re learning about conservation efforts and growing an appreciation and respect for wildlife. AND you still ACTUALLY get to see him get stung by a hornet!
Everybody wins!
This approach is certainly not for every viewer, but it's a clever and effective way of getting the message across and I can respect that. The hyperbole and showmanship are there to get eyeballs on something a lot more important. Overall, he promotes respect and appreciation for wildlife of all kinds, and I can get behind that 100%.
When it comes to clickbait, he walks the line, keeping his content engaging without sacrificing credibility or education.
Then, this happened…
Oh boy…
Now, to be absolutely crystal clear: Coyote Peterson was NOT crafting a hoax here. He literally states in the video (at the 10:16 mark) that the “discovery” is a “what-if” scenario. In fact, ironically, the whole video leads up to the argument that IF Sasquatch were real, the events depicted in the video would have already happened for real. He asks the audience to consider why no one has found remains of such a large animal in these locations yet.
Frankly, it's a very good argument against the existence of Sasquatch.
Sure, the title and description of the video are 100% clickbait (much more so than usual). But at least they are connected to the video, which contains a clear disclaimer, and presents a fictional narrative that is used to challenge the idea that such a large animal could go unnoticed.
But before the video was released, there was an Instagram post…
This post lacks any kind of disclaimer. It simply presents us with images of the “skull” in the mud, accompanied by what reads as a paranoia-induced rant, with such statements like, "I’m sure these pics will be taken down… as will probably the video by government or state park officials."
Uh... okay...
THIS is what prompted the media buzz that landed us where we are now.
Needless to say, there was a sizable and justified reaction from the online educational content creator community. Many educators condemned Coyote’s actions, and the disapproval and disappointment is evident in the video's comment section.
By the time the video was actually released, revealing the whole thing to be fictional, the damage had already been done. Too many people, having seen the Instagram post first, simply missed (or maybe ignored) the disclaimer on the video and went on claiming/believing that Coyote Peterson was actually claiming to have found a Bigfoot skull.
Personally, I don’t believe that Coyote Peterson was seriously trying to mislead anyone. Knowing how these kinds of productions work, I can understand how, perhaps, maybe, someone could possibly make a mistake like this. After working with an idea for so Long, it’s easy to forget how that idea may be interpreted by an audience. What seems like an obviously absurd bit to the creator may come off quite differently to the viewer.
BUT…
Online educators have a unique responsibility.
While Coyote’s audience is fairly diverse, I think it’s fair to say that many of his viewers are children who trust and look to him for educational content about their favorite animals. To them, he may be their primary authority on animals and wildlife, someone they can trust. Many may view him the same way people in my generation viewed Jeff Corwin or Steve Irwin.
It's one thing when some YouTuber pulls off a prank. It's something else when a trusted educator misleads their audience.
It doesn’t help that, within the fictional narrative of the skull, Coyote implied that he would be “taking the skull,” which would mean potentially committing a handful of crimes involving the transportation of wildlife specimens.
Not cool. Especially for someone who is a role model to so many kids and young people.
The skull, of course, was not a Bigfoot skull. It wasn’t even a gorilla skull. It was a replica gorilla skull. So the hypothetical crimes discussion is more about the look rather than any actual repercussions.
If you still have any doubts, @FossilLocator on Twitter pointed out the clear similarities between Coyote's "Bigfoot" skull and a replica gorilla skull available for purchase online.
Looking at the pics, it’s not the Bone Clones gorilla skull. But it’s very close to this one on Ali Express spotted by @offshoreoddity , although it has this weird bone on the side of the skull https://t.co/VJFymxQeee https://t.co/wga5GMX33J pic.twitter.com/wmXg2Xu7TF
— Fossil Locator (@FossilLocator) July 8, 2022
To be completely honest, this was difficult to write. As a videographer with an interest in educational content, I look up to Coyote Peterson. I found his channel when I was in college, and I have many fond memories of binging his videos while cramming for exams. We have something in common, believe it or not—a background not in science, but in filmmaking. As a budding filmmaker with a passion for non-fiction and documentary, I looked to him as proof that someone like me could try their hand at educational content, too.
I still respect and admire Coyote Peterson’s other work. But this Bigfoot post was, in my opinion, a big misstep. I hope he and his team address it directly and quickly.
Everyone makes mistakes. Some mistakes are bigger than others. Sometimes, after a mistake has been made, it’s what we do to correct it and make things right that matters the most.
Safe travels,
—Sean
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