Perhaps it is the residual effect of a near death experience. That, and living in Springdale, UT, being a groundskeeper at a cemetery for 15 years. Then, moving to Rexburg, ID, with his LDS librarian wife.
Borderline Personality Disorder crazy blonde chick...probably sounded like a lot of fun. And every crazy idea she had, probably was more and more believable. It probably didn't even sound so bad, after all, Tammy was going to die someday, anyway.
Now, Chad is on the cover of every newspaper, nightly news, and this has probably even increased his book sales. Everyone knows who he is now...