By Pat Dunn

What: "Celebrity Paranormal Project"
Where: VH1 cable channel
When viewed: November 15 and 16, 2006
Episode #3: "The First Warden"
Official site link: http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/celebrity_paranormal/110142/episode_about.jhtml

The third episode of "Celebrity Paranormal Project" sent participants to "The Walls", an abandoned maximum-security prison in the state of Tennessee, said to be haunted by the ghost of John Grisholm, the prison's cruel first warden, who was shot to death with his own pistol by a vengeful prisoner. Crime and ghosts-- you can't go wrong with that for American television!

The team for this episode consisted of:

Mariel Hemingway, actress and author, a believer
Joe Piscopo, comedian, a skeptic
Picabo Street, Olympic medalist skier, a believer
Michael Bergin, actor on "Baywatch," skeptical, but said his daughter has seen a ghost
Tonya Cooley, was on "Real World: Chicago", is admittedly afraid of everything

Built in the 1890s, the huge, fortress-like stone prison was obviously intended to frighten prospective inmates just by its appearance. The team met and gingerly entered The Walls, moving to an office on the administrative level which would be their command center.

The first assignment sent Picabo and Tonya to The Door of Life, a separate cell attached to the main recreation yard. The back-story was that if a fight began among prisoners, one might escape into the cell, assuming guards could shut the door behind him. Warden Grisholm, however, would sometimes lock the Door of Life in the face of the prisoners, preventing any from escaping to safety, then watch them fight to the death. Observers have reported symptoms of nausea and dread in this area.
The ladies set up a thermal camera, and were told blue indicated cold spots. Picabo stayed with the camera, while Tonya was instructed to enter the cell. She did so, but upon hearing a "thud", ran back to Picabo's side and refused Michael's radioed instruction to go back to The Door of Life. Meanwhile, those in the command center see a man-shaped blue figure appear on screen. When it disappeared, the women returned to the command center, scared by noises along the way.

The second assignment sent Mariel and Michael to The Electric Chair, where Warden Grisholm was said to have watched more than a hundred men die. They were instructed to take a digital voice recorder and an envelope. They must go out into the yard, into a low building, through the guardroom for Death Row, and finally end up at a large cell containing the prison's electric chair (or a likely replica, my skeptical side interjects). One of their cameras kept turning off, but the pair eventually arrived without major incident. Joe instructed Michael to sit in the electric chair "in an attempt to get the ghost of Warden Grisholm to speak to him" (apparently Grisholm had a habit of whispering in the ear of a condemned man before throwing the switch). Once a nervous Michael perched on the edge of the seat, the envelope was opened and a card containing the "Lord is my shepherd" pslam was produced and read aloud by Michael, while Mariel used the digital recorder in an attempt to capture an EVP. After the reading is completed, the pair heard noises, but appeared to lose radio communication with Joe. Michael and Mariel decided to end the experiment on their own, and returned to the command center. Mariel admitted to being spooked by the whole set-up. Everyone listened to the digital recorder and heard a whispery breathing "Ahhhh" sound, just at the end of the reading of the prayer. Was it wind? Or a ghost? Was it already on the recorder? Or actually produced following Michael's recitation?

The third assignment sent Michael and Picabo to The Warden's Office, where he died in 1921. It seemed he had a habit of leaving his pistol on the desk between himself and the prisoner during interviews with them. One interview ended abruptly when the prisoner got the gun, and the first shot.
Picabo took the laser thermometer, Michael took EMF meter and another envelope. They went to the third floor and Michael was sent alone into office marked "private" on door. He was not reassured by what he called "bloodstains" on the door to Gisholm's office. An outside shot showed a thunderstorm coming up. Michael was instructed to sit at the desk and take out the contents of the envelope: a list of names of the men executed by Warden Grisholm, along with their crimes. He was told to read the list, and did so. A quick intercut of a cellblock scene (presumably from a "hidden camera") showed a faint mist cloud, rather startling, but probably added later. Nothing happened in the office. Picabo, waiting outisde the office, heard a rumbling noise (thunder, perhaps?), and the communication radio went out again. Picabo and Michael finally left on their own, and managed to scare the others when they opened the door to the command base. Picabo said she heard footsteps, sounds like the moving of furniture, and was brushed up against while waiting for Michael.

The fourth assignment sent Joe and Maiel to Cell 14, in Cell Block C, the scene of a grisly incident in 1918. Prisoners had started a fire in cell 14, hoping guards would unlock the doors and they could make a break for it. Warden Grisholm ordered the cell doors remain locked and allowed the men to burn to death. The next day, he conducted his usual patrol, counting bodies by rapping his nightstick against the bars of each cell door.
Mariel and Joe set off, taking a sack with them. They were directed to go out The Door of Life into the yard, then into Cell Block C, then to cell number fourteen. Mariel was very scared already, and reported smelling smoke in the cell block. Joe was "locked" in cell 14, then Mariel was instructed to go alone up onto the catwalk. She obeyed, but said someone was following her. On the catwalk, Mariel was told to remove the nightstick from the bag and to walk along the block, counting alound and rapping the stick on each cell as she goes. Mariel obeyed, but her fear intensified with each step and rap, and at twenty she didn't want to go on. The others were affected by her reaction, and finally Picabo ended the assignment. Mariel returned to Joe and "released" him; he said nothing happened in the cell. They return to the command center.

The team debated the "heart of the haunting" and soon chose the Electric Chair. The debate over the team member with the "strongest connection to spirits" was longer, as neither Tonya nor Mariel wanted the honor. Picabo was chosen to act as a "conduit to the spirit world," and the computer instructed the whole team to return to The Electric Chair, taking the table, "channeling scroll," book and jailer keys. The team made the trip outside to Death Row and scared themselves while setting up the table. Picabo put a hand on the keys, "the token from the spirit's past", the others placed their hands on the handprints on the scroll, and the ceremony began. Before long, Picabo Street seemed to be answering as Warden Grisholm might, saying "you know who" when asked who he is. Picabo said he knew what he had done, and didn't care. The ceremony ended with the spirit being sent away, and everone is scared as they leave. Picabo's repeated comment "they're everywhere" probably didn't help in this regard.

Picabo said later that Warden Grisholm was laughing at them. Michael said he was weakest ever and called The Walls "not a happy place to be." Joe was not too convinced, but said there was "some activity, uh, paranormal activity" (know something more than you're letting on, Joe?) going on there. Mariel was struck by the level of fear she had felt.

I found Mariel's very real reaction somewhat difficult to watch. I also can't help wondering if a human was behind her on the catwalk. Why else make sure Joe was confined elsewhere, if not to keep him away from the scene of the "action"?