How The Internet Created Its Own Viral Monster | Monstrum

A grainy 2007 video from Fresno, California, sparked an internet phenomenon—the Fresno Nightcrawlers. From cryptid lore to viral fame, this video explores how a 20-second clip turned into a legend, inspiring countless theories, debates, and even adorable merchandise.

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Written and Hosted by: Dr. Emily Zarka
Director: David Schulte
Executive Producer: Amanda Fox
Executive Producer: Dr. Emily Zarka
Producer: Thomas Fernandes
Editor/Animator: Ben Harrison
Illustrator: Samuel Allan
Executive in Charge (PBS): Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming (PBS): Gabrielle Ewing
Additional Footage: Shutterstock
Music: APM Music

Descriptive Audio & Captions provided by The Described and Captioned Media Program

Produced by Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios.

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Bibliography

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Galan, Fernanda. “Cryptid fans are in love with this ‘funky little dude.’ What is the Fresno Nightcrawler?” Fresno Bee, 15 Oct. 2024.

Hanks, Michele. “Haunted Objects: English Paranormal Investigation and the Material Mediation of Doubt.” Nova Religio 22, no. 4 (2019): 60–74.

Hemmerlein, Sandi. “Reptile Men, Winged Demons and More: Discover 10 Legendary SoCal ‘Monsters.’” PBS SoCal, 28 Oct. 2022.

Holmes, Helen. The Materiality of Nothing: Exploring Our Everyday Relationships with Objects Absent and Present, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023.

Puglia, David J. “The (Mostly) Unseen World of Cryptids: Legendary Monsters in North America.” Humanities (Basel) 13, no. 1 (2023), pp. 1-15.

“Strange creature reported in Carmel area.” The Highland County Press, 19 Dec. 2014.