George Knapp is an American television journalist based in Las Vegas. He has served as chief investigative reporter for the I-Team at KLAS-TV since 1995 and previously worked there as a general assignment reporter and anchor from 1981 to 1991.
Knapp first reported on UFO claims in interviews with John Lear in 1987 and Bob Lazar in 1989. Those segments introduced the public to Area 51 and S-4 allegations that have continued to shape discussions of government UAP programs.
- Hired by KLAS-TV in 1981 as general assignment reporter after moving to Las Vegas in 1979.
- Left KLAS-TV in 1991 for public relations work at Altamira Communications; returned in 1995 as I-Team chief reporter.
- Aired first on-camera interviews with Bob Lazar in May 1989 on KLAS-TV.
- Hosts Coast to Coast AM on the third and fourth Sundays of each month since 2007.
- Co-hosts the Weaponized podcast with Jeremy Corbell.
- United StatesBorn in New Jersey, raised in California, based in Nevada
- KLAS-TVChief investigative reporter since 1995
- Coast to Coast AMWeekend host since 2007
- University of the PacificM.A. in communications; taught debate and forensics
- University of West GeorgiaB.A. in communications
- Weaponized podcastCo-host with Jeremy Corbell
Background
George Knapp was born in Woodbury, New Jersey, and grew up in Northern California. He graduated from Franklin High School in Stockton, where he served as senior class president. He earned a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of West Georgia and a master's degree from the University of the Pacific.
Before entering television, Knapp taught debate and forensics at the University of the Pacific and coached the debate team at the University of California, Berkeley. He also taught speech at California Polytechnic University. These academic roles preceded his move into broadcasting.
Knapp relocated to Las Vegas in 1979. He worked briefly as a taxi driver and then as a part-time production assistant and intern at KLVX-TV Channel 10. In 1981, KLAS-TV hired him as a general assignment reporter and news anchor.
At KLAS-TV he covered local stories including organized crime and government corruption. In 1987 he began interviewing John Lear about alleged government possession of alien craft and bodies. Those reports marked his first sustained coverage of UFO-related claims.
In May 1989 Knapp conducted on-camera interviews with a man using the name Dennis, later identified as Bob Lazar. Lazar stated he had worked at a facility called S-4 near Papoose Lake on nine extraterrestrial craft that used gravity propulsion and an unknown element as fuel. The segments aired on KLAS-TV and drew national attention to Area 51.
Knapp left KLAS-TV in 1991 for a public relations position at Altamira Communications. He returned in 1995 as chief investigative reporter for the station's I-Team unit. In that role he has produced long-form reports on non-UFO topics such as water rights and election issues.
Knapp has continued UFO coverage alongside mainstream investigative work. He co-authored the book Hunt for the Skinwalker about reported phenomena at a Utah ranch. He has also reported on government programs including AAWSAP and maintained contacts with figures involved in those efforts.
His reporting on Area 51 and Lazar received a United Press International award for individual achievement in 1990. Knapp has received multiple Peabody Awards, DuPont-Columbia Awards, Edward R. Murrow Awards, and regional Emmys primarily for non-UFO stories.
Knapp began hosting Coast to Coast AM on weekend nights in 2007. He later co-created the Weaponized podcast with Jeremy Corbell, which features interviews and discussions on UAP topics. He has appeared in documentaries and testified before Congress on UAP-related matters.
Where They Are Now
As of October 2026, George Knapp remains chief investigative reporter for the I-Team at KLAS-TV in Las Vegas. He continues to produce reports on local and national issues and hosts Mystery Wire segments.
He hosts Coast to Coast AM on the third and fourth Sundays of each month and co-hosts the Weaponized podcast. Recent activity includes interviews on government UAP programs and ongoing investigative work.
Last updated 25 October 2026