A Documentary About John Lennon’s Ghost Angered His Estate and Beatles Fans: ‘Tacky, Tasteless, and Exploitative’

In 2006, a pay-per-view séance aimed to contact John Lennon’s ghost. The producers had previously — and unsuccessfully — attempted to make contact with Princess Diana in 2003. This time, they hoped to strike gold with one of the world’s most famous musicians, much to the irritation of those who knew him. While Yoko Ono declined to comment on the special, her longtime spokesperson, Elliot Mintz, railed against it. His opinion fell in line with that of many Beatles fans.

A documentary about John Lennon’s ghost irritated those close to him

In 2006, Paul Sharratt of Starcast Productions planned to bring cameras to various Lennon-related sites in an attempt to make contact with his ghost. 

“People say this is disgusting and I accept that criticism,” Sharratt said, per the LA Times. “But we’re making a serious attempt to do something that many, many millions of people around the world think is possible … Lennon was very interested in the spiritual world.”

Mintz, who had worked as a spokesperson for both Lennon and Ono, was among the many critics of the special, calling it “tacky, tasteless, and exploitative” (per the Wall Street Journal).

“John Lennon was an amazing communicator of heart, mind and spirit,” he said. “He still speaks to those who choose to listen to his recordings. That was the medium he chose to speak with us. A ‘pay-per-view’ séance was never his style … In the end, such a show only benefits the producers. It’s another example of the misuse of John’s affirmation of life as opposed to the preoccupation of his death.”

Sharratt’s response was a request to “Give psychics a chance.” He explained that his production company always knew the special would frustrate Lennon’s estate.

“We took a rough stab that the estate wouldn’t be terribly happy and left it at that,” he said.

Beatles fans wanted to boycott the ‘The Spirit of John Lennon’

According to one psychic on the special, they succeeded in capturing Lennon’s disembodied voice while at New York restaurant La Fortuna. Many Beatles fans missed out on the alleged evidence, though. They planned to boycott the special. 

“John is too busy rolling in his grave to talk to these idiots,” one blogger wrote. 

Sally Stevens, the co-owner of Rockphiles.com, believed the special went against what Lennon would have wanted.

“It’s an outrage,” she said. “[John Lennon] was interested in the spiritual development of humanity, not things that go bump in the night.”

Visitors to John Lennon’s former apartment building have claimed to see his ghost

Though many called the legitimacy of the séance into question, visitors to Lennon’s New York apartment building, The Dakota, have claimed to see his ghost. In the weeks following Lennon’s murder, psychics staying in the building said they saw the Beatle at the foot of their beds. Others have reportedly seen Lennon milling about on the sidewalk outside the building. 

“Numerous reliable witnesses have reported seeing his ghost on the sidewalk in front of The Dakota,” wrote Dennis William Hauck in The National Directory of Haunted Places. “In fact, Lennon’s ghost is probably one of the most active on record.”