It's not the same 'baggage' sir. Heyerdahl would never have allowed a publicist to label him anything that he wasn't. I hopefully suspect that Hancock wouldn't either. I agree with you about generating interest in the public to force the rather jaundiced eye of academia upon subjects that otherwise would go un-noticed. I assure you that most field Archaeologists have passion for their work or they wouldn't be out there doing it. I will also consider the opinion/conclusions of a professional over that of an amature. We may all agree that what looks and sounds like a duck is a duck but if I wish to know what sort or how old or what sex I will ask an ornithologist not a journalist.
In Anthropology my oldest professor would always tell his classes, “I am a Anthropologist not because of a degree on paper but because sky colleagues consider me an Anthropologist.”
He was in school in the 1940’s before the word was as common. I suspect his explanation fits many experience d professionals as formal training is not always a guarantee of competence. Computer software disciplines often are like this with theoretical and standardized training is soon obsolete but many SW engineers hold psychology, math, business, science degrees, etc.