John B. Wells

[VtaGeezer]

Last night Wells' opening hour again demonstrated his intent to take the Saturday program deep into fringe right territory; C2C will soon mean Crank-to-Crank.  His second motivation is to make it about him and his own views.  His vapid "niether left or right" comment was pure BS.  The transformation to Beck Lite is underway.

[Nebraska888]

I have been perhaps on of the few on here who will defend Wells. I like him. Not always the things he says .. he is a bit sloppy on the questioning and bouncing back and forth sometimes.. but he admits he does that ...

I think we should all take a pause for a moment and realize this: Art Bell WAS COAST TO COAST AM. He made it.. he was the best at it. And I listen to the FineArtStream lots while I turn in for the night on my iphone.. But for everyone who laments Art's days gone by, we need to realize what Coast to Coast is right now.

I think something is going on behind the scenes. I think Wells will bring controversy to the show, arguments, anger, and maybe times issues that most deem 'conspiracy.' And lots of Art Bell fans will get angry. But I also say this: lots of Noory fans will end up getting angry at Wells, too.

So if we admit Art is done.. should we not hope for a change from the Noory direction?

I think yes. I'm going to hold final judgement on Wells for now. I want to see where he takes the show. His music and his voice are perfect for the night. Now we'll just see how his style evolves to fit the mood..

I agree.  You expressed my exact sentiments.

[rkowna]

The first show I listened to I thought it was Art with a voice synthesizer.  The second show I thought maybe it was Knapp.  There are some distinct differences that leads me to believe he is real.  Going back to the Art era the show was about an unbiased host letting guests, sometimes some real bizarre guests, get their story out absent the bias and judgment of the host.  There is no way in hell Art would be os arrogant as to take ever possible opportunity to espouse his own beliefs, and how they related or differed to those of the guest.  This is grating, and contradicts the very foundation of what Coast was founded on, and what made it great radio. 

I think everyone deserves a chance, but thee is no way in hell that after listening to two shows I should be able to develop a complete profile of the host, and only a half ass understanding of the guest, because the host makes sure his beliefs are promininently espoused while the guest is second banana.  I disagree philosophically with a lot of guests, but I believe that getting the perspective of others helps me grow as a person.  The Krauss interview became a train wreck because this ass clown had to make his beliefs known regardless of what the guest was doing. 

Do the people that runthe show see how far it has drifted from when it was an iconic part of Americana?  If I have one piece of advice for this clown it is shut the hell up about himself and let the story tell itself.  IS that too much to ask?  Art made a good living doing just that.  Maybe keeping this in mind may make this nonsense tolerable. 

[HAL 9000]

A Noble Lie: Oklahoma City (1995)

DVDRip

A few nights ago, Wells had on a couple of guys discussing the Oklahoma City bombing and Timothy James McVeigh. They were hawking their movie A Noble Lie: Oklahoma City (1995).

Instead of buying it for $19.95, you can download the DVD version here for FREE:


http://www.rapidshare.com/files/2114791956/A.Noble.Lie-Oklahoma.City.1995.720x480.DVDRip.avi




   

[Sardondi]

I agree.  You expressed my exact sentiments.

I greatly prefer Wells to Noory.

[Lovely Bones]

I greatly prefer Wells to Noory.

But isn't that a little like saying, "I greatly prefer eating dirt to eating vomit"?

[Lovely Bones]

Last night Wells signed off calling Noory the "captain" of the c2cam "ship" and calling Ian Punnett the "ship's chaplain" 
What position does Wells and Knapp hold on this ship? 
And how about Tommy, is he the cabin boy? 

If Wells insists on assigning positions, let him make Knapp Poet Laureate. That man can craft language, not just use it.

Not that any ship actually has a poet laureate. 

Tommy swabs the deck as far as I can tell. 

[11angeleyes11]

Any nominations for the seaside wench?  Every good ship has someone who goes starboard for port fun and recreation.   Aye captain?

[Morgus]

Any nominations for the seaside wench?

Linda Moulton Howe, perhaps? 

[WOTR]

I was beginning to think that I could give Wells more of a chance... perhaps I am being overly harsh.
http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/episode/2012/01/21/january-21-2012/
Tonight, the CBC program Quirks and Quarks interviewed Lawrence Krauss (yes, the same physicist that was on C2C.)  The link to download or listen to the show is above.  Now, it is only a 10 minute segment on an interesting show.  They began talking to Dr. Michael Travisano about allowing multi-cellular life evolve from single cells in his lab and moved to an outstanding interview with Lorna O'Brien about a unique filter feeding animal found in the Burgess Shale (I am going to try to hike there this summer).  They made a stop with Dr. Britt Heidinger who talked about how telomeres on DNA may hold the key to ageing and longevity and I missed the interview with Dr. Scott Boback on how pythons know to stop squeezing before Dr. Krauss appears.

Now, to be fair, Bob McDonald has been interviewing physicists, biologists, zoologists and astronomers for as far back as I can remember.  However, if you take the time to listen to his interview, the differences between C2C's interview and Q&Q is striking.  For anybody who is complaining like me about the abilities of C2C's interviews to hold a conversation with scientists a stop to Q&Q might be good.  The above guest list and topic list that was hit on this hour might provide a clue as to the subject matter that Q&Q covers and the type of guests they attract.  I doubt that R.C. Hoagland has ever made an appearance as their science adviser. 

I wish I could say that Wells is the answer to Noory.  I was ready to give him the benefit of the doubt... but then I heard an interview with the same guest he had and realized that he has miles to go before he gets to the point of being an excellent host.  He is closer than Norry, but needs a good deal more practice... I just don't know that I have the patience to keep listening while he improves.  One host has stopped maturing as an interviewer at a low grade level and I worry that Wells may stagnate at the Junior High levels...

[Scully]

I greatly prefer Wells to Noory.

But isn't that a little like saying, "I greatly prefer eating dirt to eating vomit"?

Perfect analogy, LB!!! 


As for me, if push comes to shove, I actually prefer Noory to Wells. I hate to think what that says about my eating habits. 

[slipstream]

Last night Wells' opening hour again demonstrated his intent to take the Saturday program deep into fringe right territory; C2C will soon mean Crank-to-Crank.

Cranks have long been a part of Coast to Coast AM, nothing new.

[astroguy]

I just started listening to January 21's episode on free energy crap.  Wells started the second hour, introducing the topic, with a quote from the young-Earth creationist "think" tank, the Institute for Creation Research (though he was coy by just saying, "that's from icr.org").  That combined with the Quayle interview ...

... my mind's made up about this guy.

[VtaGeezer]

Cranks have long been a part of Coast to Coast AM, nothing new.

Bell generally avoided overtly political cranks, and had no use for 9/11 conspiracy nuts. When he was still doing weekends, he expressed disappointment that Noory gave Alex Jones a platform on C2C. Even GN does segments on fringe politics only infrequently.

Wells, otoh, with only four programs under his belt since becoming a permanent C2C host, has gone far right fringe on three shows if not all four; regaling us with four solid hours of a ranting "Obama is the antiChrist" Steven Quayle, challenging a respected physicist/author with fundie ideology, and the two jerks who infer OK City Bombing was an inside govt job.  I refer to him as "Beck Lite" Wells.

[Ben Shockley]

...C2C will soon mean Crank-to-Crank...

Cranks have long been a part of Coast to Coast AM, nothing new.

But generally only on the guest end of the phone; the host ideally should show some semblance of "objectivity."  One might argue that one of Noory's faults is trying too much "objectivity," to the point of drooling, fawning credulity.  Wells is a truly-believing, aggressive agenda-pusher (a/k/a "crank") himself.

Wells...has gone far right...regaling us with four solid hours of a ranting "Obama is the antiChrist" Steven Quayle ...

A/k/a "Crank ON Crank."

[HorrorReporter]

Oh no ..... The oath keepers...... I may rethink some things..

[VtaGeezer]

Oh no ..... The oath keepers...... I may rethink some things..

Like I said..."Beck Lite" Wells.   I won't be surprised when Glenn shows up as a guest. 

[adamapple76]

Like I said..."Beck Lite" Wells.   I won't be surprised when Glenn shows up as a guest.

You have noticed how GN references Beck often as a personal friend. It will happen, with the right leanings that the show has put on us. I think Premiere Radio is behind these changes.

Consider this. This show used to be about all things alternative. How has it taken them almost 45 days to do a show on the fact SETI started up again? Or even mention it?

[HorrorReporter]

While the OathKeepers is going to ignite mayhem here .. the first guest tonight (1-28-12) is interesting: Jeffrey Smith, Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology

We are what we eat. So what are we

[VtaGeezer]

While the OathKeepers is going to ignite mayhem here ...

I'm looking forward to reading the comments about Wells and his right wing guests/pals.  I once looked at the Oathkeepers website and recall that they permit only dues-paying members to even see their forum, let alone post there.  I will most definitely not be listening to them; I don't need the aggravation.

[Nebraska888]

I'm listening as I type this....it is 1:11.....about the Oath Keepers......and, I will listen to the second guest.  I am promising myself that I will refrain from "judgment" until the program is over tonight.  I initially liked Wells....but, if his subject matter doesn't change.....well, UGH!

[astroguy]

Also forgot to mention - I can't stand his, "Come up to the bridge and speak to us bruthuh!" EVERY FRIGGIN' TIME a caller comes on.

[valdez]

     Another Monsantos(Jeffery Smith)/NDAA(Stewart Rhodes) show?  Didn't we do this yesterday?  I don't think George ever mentioned that Bill Gates is a Monsantos fan.  Thank you, Wells, for letting that slip by.  I dig the constitution, and people who stand for it, but these "oath keepers" I'm not too sure about.  Not a bad job by Wells tonight.

[mikemcc]

I prefer this host to GN as well, though the point made earlier about this not saying a whole lot is quite valid. I'm still on the fence with Wells, for many of the same reasons others have mentioned. I note with interest that some folks like his voice, and I suppose I can understand that. However, for me, his voice is a problem. I, like many others, listen to C2C at night, in bed, as I am falling asleep. When I try to listen, his voice is so low that in order to hear him, I have to turn the volume up quite a bit. But if his guest has a higher, more tenor voice -- and they all do -- then the guest's voice is an uncomfortable blare. This is bothersome to me, and it sometimes wakes up my wife who has no real interest in C2C. There have been a few times I have had to listen to the show without actually being able to hear Wells, just the guest's response to his questions. That makes for kind of an interesting listening experience!

One other thing that I don't much like is his nearly constant response to things his guests say: "Interesting." Surely a well-paid host of a nationally syndicated radio show should be able to come up with slightly more sophisticated responses. If something is so interesting, one would think it might lead to some sort of intellectual engagement, rather than a simple throw-away remark that means pretty much nothing.

[Lovely Bones]

One other thing that I don't much like is his nearly constant response to things his guests say: "Interesting." Surely a well-paid host of a nationally syndicated radio show should be able to come up with slightly more sophisticated responses. If something is so interesting, one would think it might lead to some sort of intellectual engagement, rather than a simple throw-away remark that means pretty much nothing.

But Mike, this is the "new and improved" Coast, where we have Noory responding with things like "Good point" (when the guest hasn't made a point); "That's true" (when the guest is answering a question Georgie asked and which Georgie couldn't possibly answer); the condescending "Good for you!" when the guest mentions some achievement; and the ubiquitous "Somethin's happenin'" when Georgie has nothing else to say.

[VtaGeezer]

Also forgot to mention - I can't stand his, "Come up to the bridge and speak to us bruthuh!" EVERY FRIGGIN' TIME a caller comes on.

His latter-day "jive talk" is contrived and about 40 years past its shelf life.  Perhaps too many hours making audition tapes to be a top-40 DJ?  I'm still astounded that a network put this walking cliche in a popular national slot.  And that's exclusive of his radical right agenda.

[gs2offroad]

Did anyone else notice that 7 minutes into the show JBW flubbed on the pronunciation of "Nevada"
Got a chuckle out if that.  Out in the high desert, the silence was deafening.

[Lovely Bones]

Did anyone else notice that 7 minutes into the show JBW flubbed on the pronunciation of "Nevada"
Got a chuckle out if that.  Out in the high desert, the silence was deafening.

Out here on the God-forsaken east coast, Ne-vah-dah doesn't grate, but Ne-vaaah (like a sheep or goat bleating)- dah sounds foreign.  At least to my ears.  So go easy on Wells. 

OTOH, when westerners (and national TV anchors) say Lan-cast-er, Pennsylvania instead of Lank-aster, PA, there's reason for a deafening silence.  LOL. 

[gs2offroad]

Point taken, same thing happens with broadcasters who say "OR-RAY-GONE" vs. "OR-UH-GUN"

Actually, I think JBW improved a little this week.  Still a long ways to go though.

[Morgus]

Wells has his 'mothership' where he designated Noory as the ship's captain, and Ian Punnett as the ship's chaplain.
What position does Wells have on this ship? Is he first officer or first mate or what? 
They must have a brig on that ship too...