John B. Wells

[HorrorReporter]

....and sadly they stuck him with Steve Quayle....

[morphiaflow]

From what I recall of Wells' show five or six months ago, Quayle seems right up his alley with the Biblical stuff and whatnot. I like Wells' voice, but I don't like his leanings. My bet is if for whatever reason Noory was no longer Coast's host, Wells would be top of the list to replace as his orientation is clearly in line with the far religious right.

[HorrorReporter]

I wonder if Wells' silence on certain issues when his guests talk is agreement? ...or not paying attention? ... I want to know more. The guy seems likable. I like the voice, bumper music.. He makes the show his own. BUT.. the question is, do we like "his own" that he makes it? I want to hear more.. But I fear some things, too

[El Kragen]

So occasional host Wells is getting stuck with Quayle? He must have pissed someone off at HQ.

[Morgus]

Quayle was already on with Noory just  a few weeks ago.
So Wells must have requested Quayle or he requested an expert on a certain subject and the staff suggest him probably.

[Seamus Capone]

He has the right vibe for Friday night Coasts. There's an album rock disc jockey sound to his voice that would make him a perfect fit for *interesting* open lines if the screeners kept the downers off the air. I expect him to play Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd each time I hear him. Maybe he could be the designated Friday (no more than that) host after Noory gets his new alternative health gig. 

Quayle said that he's not a Fundamentalist. I think that he then said that Earth is just 6,000 years old. BTW, people don't "attack" you because you're a Christian, Steve. They would criticize your attitude and your claims if you were a Zoroastrian.

[Scully]

From what I recall of Wells' show five or six months ago, Quayle seems right up his alley with the Biblical stuff and whatnot. I like Wells' voice, but I don't like his leanings. My bet is if for whatever reason Noory was no longer Coast's host, Wells would be top of the list to replace as his orientation is clearly in line with the far religious right.

I'm with you, Morphia.  That last show where Wells' fundamentalist preacher guest was one of the biggest nut cases I've ever heard, and Wells just lapped him up with a spoon and even asked him to stay over into a 3rd hour ruined me on him as a host.  I felt like he showed his true colors loudly and clearly that night, and he gets a great big GONG from me. 

[morphiaflow]

Thanks Scully. Yeah, I've posted about this ad infinitum. What bothers me more than anything about C2C now is its allegiance to the fringe religious and political right. Don't like it, don't want it, don't need it. George is complicit in it, Ian and Knapp weave their way through it, Wells seems to be in lockstep with it, and Art? he would have had NONE of it.

Which probably has as much to do as anything else with why he's not associated with the show anymore.

[Seamus Capone]

Wells surprised me tonight. I had no idea that he shared so many of Quayle's beliefs and ideas. I'm a bit disappointed. I thought that he was more Johnny Fever than Jimmy Swaggart.

[Treading Water]

Wells surprised me tonight. I had no idea that he shared so many of Quayle's beliefs and ideas. I'm a bit disappointed. I thought that he was more Johnny Fever than Jimmy Swaggart.

Sigh, yeah.

I really like his bumper music, and I really, really liiiiiiiiiiike his voice(OK, I'm old, not dead! )

Maybe he really needs a job and he's just playing their game.  Hey, I can hope can't I?

Heavy, deep sigh.

[Theodoric]

Sigh, yeah.

I really like his bumper music, and I really, really liiiiiiiiiiike his voice(OK, I'm old, not dead! )

Maybe he really needs a job and he's just playing their game.  Hey, I can hope can't I?

Heavy, deep sigh.

I hold this similar belief even if its wishful thinking. But I would say his genuine respect and kindness for everyone's beliefs that he encounters on the show, and he does a bit too much of it with guests and therefore comes across as a whole hearted believer in whomever s message it is. Case in point he shows respect even to JC but only until he realizes who exactly JC is that he forms what many of us may call a "spine". Though he still does seem to have a personal sense of spirituality which has been conveyed unfortunately through nut-job guests or callers. Needless to say I still have hope he will shine as a host with the right guest (one he questions accordingly/ less ass-kissing).

[Lovely Bones]

I find the characterizations of Wells on this thread intriguing.  Missed last night with Quayle, which I figure is no great loss, but I'm kind of surprised at the Fundamentalist+Far Right Political label Wells is getting here. 

Fundamentalist I can't speak to, but I remember one night some months ago being surprised by Wells because of some far, far, far left principles he seemed to be espousing. 

Maybe he's as much of a waffler as Noory and shape shifts depending on the guest. 

[Agent : Orange]

I was finished with Wells when he said he was not interested in speaking with atheists.

I'm paraphrasing here, but it was to the same effect.

[rangers1919]

I was looking forward to a non-Noory episode because it might be listenable. I was sadly disappointed. At first when I tuned in the guest was blabbing on and on about giants and the multigovernmental effort to hide giant fossils, and mentioned how the hundreds of museums around the world were all on board because they got paid. I was thinking this was going to be a pretty horrible episode, but once he started talking about religion it was pretty clear to me the only thing he was trying to do was explain away one of the most outrageous parts of the Bible, the existence of giants and the complete lack of evidence supporting their existence. He basically built a whole ridiculous conspiracy theory to justify the lack of giants in the world. I had to turn it off because it was just too stupid for my tastes.

Later I turned on the very beginning on the replay when I couldn't sleep to listen to an economic guest explain economics 101 to the host while he countered with borderline retarded economic philosophies of his own.

C2C hosts (and many callers) learn basic economics beyond the trite free market talking point before you create complex theories about the economy of the entire world, please.

[Il Dottore]

interesting topic. I like Wells' voice, and think there's a chance he's related to a certain other Wells, but I find the preachy-ness a bit irksome.

[morphiaflow]

The thing about Quayle is that his script NEVER CHANGES. He gives the SAME arguments, the SAME conspiracies, EVERY TIME HE'S ON. At least Hoagland and LMH, no matter what else you want to say about them, offer variations on a theme. You can play pretty much ANY Quayle interview going back however many X number of years, and they are THE EFFIN SAME.

Mix in Wells' leanings, and it's unlistenable radio.

On an only marginally related note, as I started writing this post, the "Day After Tomorrow" episode of South Park came on--a quasi parody of a movie loosely based on a book by Art Bell. As GN would say, there are no coincidences. Maybe it was angels....

[Lovely Bones]

The thing about Quayle is that his script NEVER CHANGES.

Kudos to you for even trying to follow Quayle enough to figure out what his script IS.

Me, I get sidetracked banging my head against the wall by his syntactical shenanigans.

Quayle: And the thing of it is, George, that what I had for breakfast was, and this is the incredible thing, because if you look back to the history of breakfast foods, you know George, long before our recent ancestors were eating bacon and eggs, the kind of thing we found with in the earliest days, and I'm sure you know about this from the episodes you've done on the History Channel, which by the way, were testimony to the kind of thing I've been trying to get across to your audience, but before we touch on that, I want everyone to think about how. . . .

Aaargh. 

[Avi]

Quayle: And the thing of it is, George, that what I had for breakfast was, and this is the incredible thing, because if you look back to the history of breakfast foods, you know George, long before our recent ancestors were eating bacon and eggs, the kind of thing we found with in the earliest days, and I'm sure you know about this from the episodes you've done on the History Channel, which by the way, were testimony to the kind of thing I've been trying to get across to your audience, but before we touch on that, I want everyone to think about how. . . .

Ha!

Wells is out, too. The eschatological (or is it scatological?) amen-amen-ing (if I may create a gerund) went on for far too long. Wells and Quayle are two peas in a pod. Blech! There were so far down the end-times rabbit hole, Quayle almost forgot about the 11-foot cannibal giants.

[ZenBlue]

I'm listening to this right now.

John B's is making aural love to my ear hole with that smooth voice of his.

Steven Quayle on the other hand....well, that guy is entertaining. Bat-shit crazy but entertaining.

So far I think it is an alright show. At least compared to some of the crap they have had on as of late.

I'm thinking that this interview might be a "test" for John. Seeing how he handles on of the regulars. Out of all the re-occurring hosts he seems to be the one that comes around the most. Maybe a new Friday night host? Give Noory a rest? I don't know.

[HorrorReporter]

I'd enjoy hearing Wells on some more shows... I would actually think Wells with Dames and open lines would become a classic....throw in the numbers lady and party like it's 2006...

[Gassy Man]

Gotta vote no on Wells . . . doesn't seem like a bad guy but he's too generic "classic rock" DJ in his demeanor . . . can't listen to him for more than few minutes.  Art has a crisp, authoritative delivery that makes his smart comments seem even smarter; Wells sounds more like he's going to read a list of upcoming concerts before interviewing a stripper before introducing a Led Zeppelin song and doing a voiceover for a muffler shop.

[Seamus Capone]

Sigh, yeah.

I really like his bumper music, and I really, really liiiiiiiiiiike his voice(OK, I'm old, not dead! )

Maybe he really needs a job and he's just playing their game.  Hey, I can hope can't I?

Heavy, deep sigh.

I should have said that Wells sounded like Jimmy Swaggart after a nervous breakdown. Swaggart never discussed evil giants with people AFAIK. It seemed like Wells had a hipper vibe in the past, but it was, ultimately, hard to read him from the few times that he hosted Coast. I'm not sure what to think about him at this point.

[Seamus Capone]

I find the characterizations of Wells on this thread intriguing.  Missed last night with Quayle, which I figure is no great loss, but I'm kind of surprised at the Fundamentalist+Far Right Political label Wells is getting here. 

Fundamentalist I can't speak to, but I remember one night some months ago being surprised by Wells because of some far, far, far left principles he seemed to be espousing. 

Maybe he's as much of a waffler as Noory and shape shifts depending on the guest.

You might be right. There's also a chance that his beliefs changed over the years, and we didn't notice it, since he hosts just once in a blue moon's eclipse. It's possible that he has different religious and philsophical views now. FWIW, I thought that he was a free-thinking New Age libertarian when I first heard him.

[Lovely Bones]

FWIW, I thought that he was a free-thinking New Age libertarian when I first heard him.

Well, that's funny! 

Personally, I don't need to agree with the political views of the host if I'm listening for paranormal subjects.  Heck, I don't even need to agree with the political views of the host if I'm listening for political subjects.  I like to listen to well presented ideas that make me think. 

Kinda leaves George out most of the time, though.   

[b_dubb]

quayle is a deal breaker for me.  he's bat shit crazy.  the way he weaves in bigfoot with his far right religious beliefs is just ... well ... amazing.  but bad amazing.  i'm sure he also believes that there are dinosaurs in the jungles eating monkeys because ... well ... the earth is only 10k years old

[Seamus Capone]

Well, that's funny! 

Personally, I don't need to agree with the political views of the host if I'm listening for paranormal subjects.  Heck, I don't even need to agree with the political views of the host if I'm listening for political subjects.  I like to listen to well presented ideas that make me think. 

Kinda leaves George out most of the time, though.   

LOL I was completely serious; that honestly was my first impression of him. I agree with your point about hosts' views. I don't care if they're an atheist or a fundamentalist as long as they don't push their personal views on the audience. Like you, I just want to hear good interviews. A good host won't frame their interviews with their personal views. It's rare to hear hosts whose tone sounds more objective than subjective. I'm talking about the ones who don't let their beliefs color or direct their comments and questions. They let their guests present their cases with no interference, even if the guests' philosophies differ from their own. 

[Scully]

I approached the show tonight with John B. Welles hosting on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 hoping for the best.

First hour guest was a foaming-at-the-mouth type with poor grammar, and he seemed to be exactly what Welles was expecting.  In fact Welles seemed eager to open cans and cans of worms this eve. He was the gung ho anti-authority bad guy I've heard him play before.

Main guest Russ Baker in contrast was the voice of reason for the night. Welles seemed to be salivating for conspiracy theories of any and every kind and repeatedly tried to get Baker to speculate on wild-eyed theories, but eventually realized he had the wrong guest on for what he had been expecting. Baker was doggedly determined that such matters need scientific study instead.

At least twice Baker told callers with bad cases of orrhea to cease and desist.  Welles grumbled about that. Another caller wanted everyone to go to various Google sites to find out what really happened on 9/11, and Baker said that was how all the crazy rumors get started.

There seemed to be a struggle between an intelligent and knowledgeable guest and a drama queen host. Welles reminded me of an articulate, intelligent, and angry version of George, trying to carry out Premiere's agenda if it was the last thing he ever did.

IMHO.

[WOTR]

I've been less than impressed with the bits that I have caught.  After the first half hour I decided to go outside and paint the trim on three basement windows instead of continuing.  Now that I am back in it is still not catching my interest so it is time for an espresso, a book and try to sleep.

I suppose that it would be very hard to put together a radio show that could do justice to this subject on this day.  I almost wonder if they would have been better off doing a "regular" show tonight and doing their tribute / conspiracy show in a week.  It just seems that there is very little to be said on a day of what should be quiet reflection instead of agenda pushing...  I have been unable to listen to any of the coverage today.  It had nothing to do with emotion and everything to do with not wanting politicians, newscasters and talk show hosts to preach at me and try to shove their views down my throat using a tragic event a decade old as a vehicle.

[stevesh]

I agree completely with Scully. I don't understand why some folks here think a lot of Wells. The instances where the guest had to take over the show were embarrassing for Wells.

Wells spends way too much time babbling about himself or some meandering pointless opinion.

I would like to see C2C have many more real journalists like Baker on as guests.

As for the subject matter, I burned out on 9/11 'rememberance' by last Tuesday. I think a show about the unanswered questions about wahat happened that day was entirely appropriate, considering that's the kind iof thing C2C does. I hope no one here wants the show to turn into some mainstream 'news' or partisan political program.

[morphiaflow]

I will be going to sleep tonight listening to Art's 9/11/01 show. Why settle for imitations and pale reflections when you can get the real thing, painful as it may be?