Kriti Mehrotra
As a documentary series living up to its title in every way conceivable, Netflix’s ‘Investigation Aliens’ can only be described as equal parts baffling, intriguing, as well as mind-blowing. That’s because it follows legendary reporter George Knapp as he travels the globe to investigate reports of various unidentified anomalous phenomena in the hopes of figuring out the why behind it all. Therefore, of course, this original production gives us a clear insight into not just his professional skill sets but also how he has managed to hone them over the years to be the best.
George Knapp Worked Hard to Earn the Title of Journalist
Although born in Woodbury, New Jersey, on April 18, 1952, George actually grew up around Stockton, California, in a relatively comfortable, happy, loving, and stable household. It was here that he also developed an interest in journalism at a young age, resulting in him pursuing a Bachelor’s in Communications from the University of West Georgia upon graduating high school. As if that’s not enough, he then earned a Master’s in the same field, too, ultimately completing his studies at the University of the Pacific in the mid-1970s to kickstart his career.
The truth is George spent the initial few years of his professional life at his alma mater, teaching both debate and forensics, before soon finding himself at the University of California-Berkeley. However, when the opportunity arose for him to relocate to Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1979, he grabbed it with both hands, even if it meant making ends meet by serving as a cab driver for a few months. Thankfully, everything soon turned around for him as he managed to land an internship at KLVX-TV Channel 10, from where he quickly rose the ranks to evolve into a reporter at KLAS-TV in 1981.
George Knapp Never Went Looking for UFO Stories, They Found Him
While George has held a myriad of positions at KLAS over the past 4+ decades he has served there, most of his work has actually revolved around the paranormal world, particularly UFOs. Nevertheless, this wasn’t always the case — in fact, at first, he primarily reported on topics such as government corruption, international affairs, organized crime, and other daily matters. It was actually only in the late 1980s that he found his calling as an extraterrestrial reporting specialist after aviator and UFO claimant John Lear walked into the building with a file full of documents.
According to George’s accounts, John went to his boss and vehemently asserted he had the story of a lifetime for him — about the government’s cover-up of UFOs — yet the latter refused. Therefore, as John was walking away, the ambitious reporter stopped him in his tracks, asked to look at the information, as well as confirmed if he would be willing to go on air with his claims. Little did he know his subsequent interview with the pilot on his self-produced KLAS show ‘On the Record’ would blow up to such an extent he started getting calls and mails from other alleged witnesses worldwide, driving him to seriously look deeper into the matter.
After all, George realized there had to be something in all these strange assertions owing to some eerie similarities they all shared, even if they allegedly happened years and worlds apart. What has always made him stand out from his colleagues as well as ufologists is that he unwaveringly, unbiasedly investigates debunking conspiracies and claims of hoaxes, too. Thus, it comes as no surprise he is not only an award-winning journalist but has also earned the honor of often being referred to as “one of the most prominent news anchors in the Las Vegas area.”
George Knapp is a Man of Many Hats
While George has unfortunately even faced more than his fair share of ridicule regarding his beliefs and specialty over the years, it hasn’t deterred him from any of his complex investigations. In fact, as an anchor, chief investigative reporter, and commentator at the CBS affiliate KLAS-TV, he continues to look into every claim that comes to light in the hopes of finally finding some answers. Whether it be the secretive Area 51, international assertions of UFO plus USO sightings, alleged extraterrestrial contact, or the possibility of these supposed aliens being time-traveling humans from the future, he is exploring every avenue even today.
George genuinely believes that bringing proof of alien existence, if truly out there, is essential for our society as it would help us better understand the world and its many possible dangers. This is partly why he returned to the field of journalism/KLAS in 2005 after walking away from it all in 1991 to serve at a public relations firm by the name of Altamira Communications. And now, he is also a proud author, co-host of the ‘Weaponized’ podcast alongside paranormal/unexplained investigative filmmaker Jeremy Corbell, host of a radio show called ‘Coast to Coast’ AM, as well as a weekly columnist for a local Las Vegas newspaper.
As for George’s personal standing, from what we can tell, this former employee of the now-defunct National Institute of Discovery Science (NIDS) is a happily married man. He actually prefers to keep his private life well away from the limelight owing to safety concerns, yet we do know he tied the knot with the love of his life, longtime girlfriend Anne “The Viking” Fechner, on August 5, 2010. They promised one another forever in a cozy, intimate ceremony in Kauai, Hawaii, following which they returned to settle down in Las Vegas for good, which is where they still happily remain.
It’s also imperative to note that George, whose most recent book titled ‘Skinwalkers at the Pentagon’ with co-authors Colm Kelleher and James Lacatski was published in 2023, is a cat dad, a massive sports enthusiast, and an unwavering music fan too. In fact, whenever he is not working or spending quality time with loved ones, it appears as if he likes the experience of live shows – Blink 182, Angels & Airwaves, and John Fogerty, he has seen them all live in the past few years alone.
Read More: Kevin Randle: Where is the Ufologist Now?
