Gasland Director Changes His Story On Air

Josh Fox is the creator of the film Gasland and the person behind the celebrity bus tours of small Pennsylvania towns supposedly harmed by fracking. Ever since the release of Fracknation, a film critical of anti-fracking efforts in general and Fox in particular, Fox has avoided responding to criticism by claiming he has not seen Fracknation. [Full disclosure: I donated $25 to the film’s production.]

But this week something unexpected happened when a public radio station in Aspen asked Fox directly about a scene in the film. First Fox became agitated and attacked the film, then he changed his story about his involvement in a land lease (to another lie it turns out), then he admitted he knew the scene in question. Finally, Fox begged the interviewer to go “off the record.”

Phelim McAleer who directed Fracknation put together this video clip showing the relevant scene in the film juxtaposed with Fox’s radio interview:

When the interviewer refuses to go off the record, Fox spends the next five minutes complaining that Fracknation is not journalism and should not be taken seriously. Of course he offers no specifics. Asked near the end of the interview if he is willing to answer questions about Gasland via email, Fox suggests he does not have time and once again asks for the interview to be ended so he can talk off the record.

As to Fox’s claim about being a part of lease negotiations and having “dropped out” prior to signing, the Northern Wayne Property Owners Alliance states that Fox was never part of their lease negotiations.