Nefarious Mediocrity (All That's Wrong With Coast On One Show)

[morphiaflow]

So on tonight's episode of Coast to Coast AM, we have radical-fringe-right rhetoric from Pat-"I'm-Not-A-Racist-Just-Because-I-Believe-White-Americans-Are-Superior-To-Everyone" Buchannan (anyone remember the episode where he gave a deep, intellectual, historic defense of his use of the word "wetback"?), followed by the Grandaddy of End Times "Christian" paranoia, the not yet late and definitely not great Hal Lindsey--a man who has been so consistently wrong in his predictions of impending tribulation and rapture, for 40 years running, he deserves his own entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. Seriously, Harold Camping should take lessons from this guy. Camping has only had to wriggle out of inaccurate predictions a handful of times; Lindsey has made a career out of it, and people are still buying (and booking) his bs.

And both of them are coddled and humoured by Mr. Noory--the rhetoric they spill is allowed to pass unchallenged and unquestioned.

If Knapp's absence the other night does indeed turn out to be something more than a technical issue or a case of the sniffles keeping him off the air, and we've heard him for the last time, then even the most ardent optimist will be forced to declare that the very last vestiges of the Coast we knew and love have at last been put down, and the co-opting of what was once an original and unique voice on the radio is complete.

I seriously do hope Art comes back in some form or fashion to give the C2C "franchise" a run for its money, but if he doesn't, I hope SOMEONE does. For the love of all gods that have ever existed and those that haven't, please...deliver us from this nefarious mediocrity.

[stevesh]

I seriously do hope Art comes back in some form or fashion to give the C2C "franchise" a run for its money, but if he doesn't, I hope SOMEONE does. For the love of all gods that have ever existed and those that haven't, please...deliver us from this nefarious mediocrity.

That's the most interesting (and frustrating) thing about this whole C2C mess. We all have guests who we like and dislike, but generally there's enough quality to most of them that someone who would be willing to make the slightest effort to prepare for and actually conduct an interview should be able to run C2C off the air without having to break any new ground. Odd that no one has tried it, though the fact that Premiere owns so much of American radio may have something to do with it.

[morphiaflow]

That, and there's probably a brand loyalty as well. But you know, in the mid 90s, Star Trek was the gold standard of televised science fiction and the 800 pound gorilla in the room, and no one would dare touch it, and whispers about how it had become mediocre and formulaic were dismissed as treason, because who could go against Star Trek? Then along comes the Little Show That Could, Babylon 5, which changed the face of science fiction television forever--including Star Trek itself.

So, someone--Art, or someone--needs to come along and be the Babylon 5 to Coast's Star Trek.

Clumsy analogy, but it works for me.

[Tara]

Then along comes the Little Show That Could, Babylon 5, which changed the face of science fiction television forever--including Star Trek itself.

So, someone--Art, or someone--needs to come along and be the Babylon 5 to Coast's Star Trek.

I was a big fan of Babylon 5.  Wish the creator, Michael Straczynski, would develop a new series.  And just like Gene Rodenberry had his day with Star Trek, and Straczynski came up with a new twist on the sci-fi genre, Art Bell may have had his day in that he will never return in any format.  Like you I would certainly like some new blood arising, seemingly out of nowhere, in paranormal radio. 

[Fractal]

You know what's funny, morphiaflow?  Art interviewed Hal Lindsey back in 1999 and I remember that I heard it when it originally aired.  I downloaded the show and I'm going to listen to it again to compare it to last night's show with Mr. Snore.

At least Art used to question some of this stuff and never took all of it at face value.

[Tara]

You know what's funny, morphiaflow?  Art interviewed Hal Lindsey back in 1999 and I remember that I heard it when it originally aired.  I downloaded the show and I'm going to listen to it again to compare it to last night's show with Mr. Snore.

At least Art used to question some of this stuff and never took all of it at face value.

When you finish listening to Art interviewing Lindsey, let us know about the difference compared to Noory.

[morphiaflow]

I probably have that Lindsey interview. If I don't, let me know where you got it.

I know that Art covered a lot of the same guests and topics. It's HOW he handles them that makes the difference. Art was open to almost everyone and endorsed almost no one. Humoured them, respected them, yes, but also played devils advocate, and called them on bs when needed. Mr. Noory does not. Hence the difference.

[TaoOfLuxLisbon]

So much for George's "we don't do politics" bullshit. He does it as long as he agrees with it.

[M Knight]

That, and there's probably a brand loyalty as well. But you know, in the mid 90s, Star Trek was the gold standard of televised science fiction and the 800 pound gorilla in the room, and no one would dare touch it, and whispers about how it had become mediocre and formulaic were dismissed as treason, because who could go against Star Trek? Then along comes the Little Show That Could, Babylon 5, which changed the face of science fiction television forever--including Star Trek itself.

So, someone--Art, or someone--needs to come along and be the Babylon 5 to Coast's Star Trek.

Clumsy analogy, but it works for me.

Babylon 5 was excellent in many respects.  MUCH more should have been done with the Vorlons and Kosh in particular as the story unfolded. 

Netflix has DS9 streaming now, so I have been enjoying a review of all the best episodes.  DS9 probably has the best 'space war' scenes compared to all of the other Star Trek series.  Great scenes in the final episode as the Dominion began destroying Cardassian cities as the Federation, Romulans and the Klingons surrounded the planet.  

[YNOT]

I probably have that Lindsey interview. If I don't, let me know where you got it.

I know that Art covered a lot of the same guests and topics. It's HOW he handles them that makes the difference. Art was open to almost everyone and endorsed almost no one. Humoured them, respected them, yes, but also played devils advocate, and called them on bs when needed. Mr. Noory does not. Hence the difference.

Morphia,
Here's a link to the 1999 Hal Lindsey show. Hope it works. It's RAR'ed.

http://cgiwsc.enhancedsitebuilder.com/extras/public/blog.cls/download/Coast%20to%20Coast%20AM%20-%2002-09-1999%20-%20Art%20Bell%20-%20Biblical%20Prophecy%20%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%94%20Hal%20Lindsey.rar?accountId=AENDU0IN3FSQ&instanceId=11277&action=getImage&img_id=b8a71985ee2cce9b6d82dcd9bbf59c61&download=true&fn=Coast%20to%20Coast%20AM%20-%2002-09-1999%20-%20Art%20Bell%20-%20Biblical%20Prophecy%20%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%94%20Hal%20Lindsey.rar

[Fractal]

Okay, Tara, I listened to Art's interview of Hal Lindsey from 1999 and then managed to make it through the Big Snore's interview from the other night.

As morphiaflow writes, it was how Art handled the guest that makes all the difference.  Art got a "scathing"--his description, not mine--fax from a listener about Lindsey and read it on the air and asked Lindsey to comment.  Art admitted that he was not a man of faith, although he wished he had faith.  Art asked a lot of difficult questions like Lindsey's stance on various issues and events at the time, so it wasn't a softball interview by any means.  This meant that Lindsey had to answer diplomatically, which he did, and none of his answers would be shocking to anyone who knows the stands taken by fundamentalist Christians.

The Big Snore, on the other hand, used his usual Gomer Pyle-like "shazam!" voice and attitude about everything, admitted he believed everything Lindsey believed, and had the usual pablum-pushing idiots for callers.  It was like listening to one of those fundamentalist Christian radio stations.  The whole atmosphere of the show was completely different from Art's show.

But, I guess that's not news to anyone in these parts.

And YNOT has the link to the show that I listened to so everyone can listen and compare if they want to.  It was from 9 February 1999.

[Scully]

So on tonight's episode of Coast to Coast AM, we have radical-fringe-right rhetoric from Pat-"I'm-Not-A-Racist-Just-Because-I-Believe-White-Americans-Are-Superior-To-Everyone" Buchannan ... followed by the Grandaddy of End Times "Christian" paranoia, the not yet late and definitely not great Hal Lindsey ... And both of them are coddled and humoured by Mr. Noory--the rhetoric they spill is allowed to pass unchallenged and unquestioned.

I listened to most of the show out of some masochistic need to see how much I could take without crying.

This has to be the lowest of the low for Noory, the pure-as-the-driven-snow self-proclaimed Master of Neutrality.  He managed to take on both radical politics and religion, and I think even he was squirming before it was all over ... at least about the Raptured and the Damned. 

[morphiaflow]

actually he plundered the classic guest pool a couple nights in a row, Lindsey, then Von Danniken. After listening to the latter I HAD to go back and listen to Art's much superior interview with him...

[Tara]

Okay, Tara, I listened to Art's interview of Hal Lindsey from 1999 and then managed to make it through the Big Snore's interview from the other night.

As morphiaflow writes, it was how Art handled the guest that makes all the difference.  Art got a "scathing"--his description, not mine--fax from a listener about Lindsey and read it on the air and asked Lindsey to comment.  Art admitted that he was not a man of faith, although he wished he had faith.  Art asked a lot of difficult questions like Lindsey's stance on various issues and events at the time, so it wasn't a softball interview by any means.  This meant that Lindsey had to answer diplomatically, which he did, and none of his answers would be shocking to anyone who knows the stands taken by fundamentalist Christians.

Thanks Fractal:  A "scathing" fax or caller would never get on the air with Noory.  He always likes to "make nice."  Noory has no gonads! 

[Morgus]

A "scathing" fax or caller would never get on the air with Noory.  He always likes to "make nice."  Noory has no gonads!

and Noory will immediately hang up on a caller that managed to get past the screeners like the one calling Hal Lindsay the other night who called him a hoaxer and fraud...
Noory will just label such a caller one of the 'haters' he ignores. 

[morphiaflow]

Do they even offer faxes anymore?