Thank You Erich… and Giorgio
Hollywood P.O.V. By Dan Harary
January 2026
In spring 2007, I was killing some time at an LA mall, while waiting for a friend to arrive before going to see a movie at the theater there. While I was milling about the mall, I walked into a bookstore, just to browse. During this time, I happened upon an aisle that was marked: “Paranormal Books.” Having never heard of that phrase before, I walked in and looked around.
Shortly thereafter, my life changed forever.
During my “aisle browse,” I saw books about UFOs, Aliens, Crop Circles, Big Foot, the Pyramids of Egypt, Easter Island, Cryptids, Unexplained Architectural sites around the world, etc. I also saw books written by Richard Dolan, Travis Walton, Stanton Friedman and Kathleen Marden, Debra Kauble, Zacharia Sitchen, and others.
And, of course, I saw, for the very first time, “Chariots of the Gods,” by Erich von Daniken.
I bought at least a dozen books that day, raced home to read them, and in so doing, learned about MUFON for the very first time. I joined the local Southern California Chapter of MUFON (spring 2007) and began attending their monthly meetings.
At the very first MUFON meeting I’d ever attended, Giorgio Tsoukalos was giving a 90-minute lecture. This was two years BEFORE he launched his hit TV series “Ancient Aliens.” He was not yet famous – but he already had his signature, wild hairdo.
His talk blew my mind.
Giorgio presented to us (maybe 40 people in the room, tops) what his mentor, Erich van Daniken, had conceived of as “Ancient Astronaut Theory.” Giorgio spoke about UFO and ET drawings in ancient cave art and carved into ancient stone petroglyphs; about UFO references in the Bible and UFOs depicted in Renaissance artworks; about the Pyramids in Egypt, Central and South America; about the MOAI on Easter Island and the crop circles so prominent in the UK; about the Betty & Barney Hill and Travis Walton ET abduction cases; and about UFO/ET events in Roswell, Pascagula, Kingman, Arizona, and elsewhere.
Basically, “UFOlogy’s Greatest Hits.”
I sat mesmerized by Giorgio’s lecture – in fact, a few tears dripped down my checks. At that time I was 51, and had never, ever, heard ANY of this information from my parents, my teachers, my Rabbi, my relatives or my friends. The premise that Aliens from antiquity were the reason why so many of these global phenomena existed in the first place was an utterly life-altering moment in my life.
After Giorgio’s talk was over, I walked up to him, shook his hand, and said, “Giorgio, my name is Dan. You just LITERALLY changed my entire view of the world!”
To which he replied, “That’s cool, thanks man. You’re one of us now!”
Since THAT NIGHT, and until right now as I write this in January 2026, I have been consumed with soaking up more information about what I believe is the truth behind the explanation of “how did mankind get here?” Giorgio, by discussing just some highlights he’d learned from HIS mentor, Eric van Daniken, became a conduit into my new life’s role.
I was destined to become a UFOlogist.
Between 2007 and now, I’ve: attended countless MUFON meetings and UFO conferences; watched hundreds of UFO/ET related documentaries on TV; wrote a book called “After They Came” about benevolent aliens who arrive on Earth to save mankind; befriended Steve Bassett and created The Hollywood Disclosure Alliance, became the Director of Media Relations for Contact in the Desert, which led to me creating and publishing The WOW! Signal News Service.
I owe all of my “UFO” accomplishments of the past few years to that one lecture by Giorgio Tsoukalos – a 90 minute talk I attended, nearly 20 years ago.
My book, “After They Came,” was published on March 2, 2023, and the next day, I had the honor of meeting Erich von Daniken in person at the ALIEN CON event in Pasadena. (At that event, I had a booth to promote my then brand-new book – during that event, I also met Nick Pope, David Childress, Paul Hynek, Ron James, and my late, dear friend Earl Grey Anderson. There, I was also reunited with Giorgio – although I’d spoken to him a number of times during the interim years. I handed him a copy of “After They Came,” and I thanked him for all he’s done to advance the Disclosure movement. His reply simply was, “Dan, don’t tell anyone! But it’s all just smoke and mirrors!”)
When I met Erich at that ALIEN CON, I handed him a copy of my book. He looked at it and said, “After They Came? I don’t know about this one,” to which I replied, “Erich! It just came out yesterday!” He chuckled. I got my photo taken with him, and he then handed my book to his assistant. (I’d given him a signed copy, thanking him for being an inspiration.)
I never heard back from Erich nor his assistant as to whether or not he ever read my book. But I’d like to think he did. And, if so, I really hope he enjoyed it.
Erich von Daniken was the first person on the planet to open the eyes of millions of his fellow human beings that, not only, are we NOT ALONE, but that our “friends from the skies” have been visiting Earth for tens of – perhaps hundreds of thousands of - years.
He believed, as do I, that “they” have been guiding the direction of humanity’s evolution, all along the way.
Given that many (including my buddy Steve Bassett) strongly believe that this year of 2026 is going to be THE YEAR OF DISCLOSURE, I feel a bit sad.
Erich von Däniken, the Grandfather of Ancient Astronaut Theory, didn’t get to live long enough to see the real-life DISCLOSURE DAY.
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Dan Harary is the Chairman of The Hollywood Disclosure Alliance
and Author of the Sci-Fi Novel AFTER THEY CAME
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