Art Bell

[onan]

bleh, if art comes back... great. If he doesnt, well, lots of memories. Mining GN shows for insight is like drinking mud and hoping it's chocolate.

[11angeleyes11]

More sighs!!!!

You know what this thread calls for?  I have ordered more storable popcorn from e-foods direct.  It is going to be a long winter.  The drama continues!

[MV/Liberace!]

Thanks ! , oh and also was wondering , this site is it related to the Art Bell shout cast station that seems to bair the same name ?

yup, this site and that stream are both run by the same dude.


welcome to the forums.

[MV/Liberace!]

i don't know if this angle has been examined yet, but here goes...


there is no way art is coming back.  i don't think anybody would have him.  hear me out.


first off, whatever relationship art once had with premiere radio appears now to have disintegrated.  for clues as to whether or not this is true, go back and read this thread again.


second, i can assure you art no longer has what it takes to build a distribution channel of his own as he did in the early 90s.  not going to happen.  it was intensely difficult work when he did it, and even more so today because the radio business is so consolidated and locked up. 


the charred relationship with premiere and the difficulty in forging ahead solo on the distribution side leave one option:  finding a new network to carry art bell.


but who would have art?  if you were the head of a network, would you put your eggs in his basket?  i hate to say it, but i certainly would NOT hire art if i were in a position of accountability.  art might have drawn a lot of water at premiere, and specifically within the c2c production machine, but outside of premiere and c2c, he's probably seen by executives as a volatile former radio host who abandoned his show multiple times for multiple reasons. 


as a network head, are you going to invest the man hours required to sell art's new show to advertisers?  are you going to risk the dollars required to promote a show hosted by art bell?  October 13, 1998... retirement.  April 1, 2000... retirement.  October 23, 2002... retirement.  July 1, 2007... retirement.  November 1, 2010... de facto retirement.  you mean to tell me you would invest in this man? 


i love art as a host.  i love what he did in radio.  along with rush, i think he's the most talented radio personality of our time.  however, he's a risk from the business end of things.  while we're all sitting around hoping some network picks art up, we're forgetting to see things from the perspective of the suit who writes the checks at XYZ network.  i think the notion of signing art would be irresponsible on the part of any executive who answers to a board of directors. 


none of this matters at all, though, if art doesn't WANT to join another network... and i see no evidence to suggest he does.  sooo... in the UNLIKELY event art wants another swing at bat, i think his chances of being allowed back in are slim to none.

[RealCool Daddio]

...
first off, whatever relationship art once had with premiere radio appears now to have disintegrated.  for clues as to whether or not this is true, go back and read this thread again.
...
the charred relationship with premiere and the difficulty in forging ahead solo on the distribution side leave one option:  finding a new network to carry art bell.
...
October 13, 1998... retirement.  April 1, 2000... retirement.  October 23, 2002... retirement.  July 1, 2007... retirement.  November 1, 2010... de facto retirement.  you mean to tell me you would invest in this man? 
...
slim to none.

Probably the best post ever on this thread, Mike, nicely done.  I hadn't really put the pieces together, but with this last post of yours, I have come to the realization that Art Bell is - an unprofessional, spoiled prima donna!  His endless retirements/unretirements have no doubt caused all kinds of problems at the network, dicked around with the lives of many, many resplacement hosts (here's a regular national Saturday gig Ian, start saving for the kid's education. Whoops - changed my mind again!), caused endless grief for the producers, etc.

It even sound like the hosts are in damage control for Art with the network - George Knapp saying that they are trying to keep a door open, George N. writing him a lengthy e-mail (by the way, ignoring e-mails form co-workers, even if you hate them?  Childish and unprofessional!).  I wonder if George's e-mail was of the sort you might write to a co-worker who is about to burn his last bridge?  "Art, please reconsider your hasty actions.  Take a few weeks off to settle down, blow off some steam...If you quit again, there will be no recourse, etc., etc."

As shocking as it is to digest, imagine if (gulp) George has been the good guy, and Art is acting like a dick?  After all, George, Ian and George K have all answered questions about Art's departure.  The only one not manning up is Art.



He's still my all time favourite radio host, though 

[bmd88]

As shocking as it is to digest, imagine if (gulp) George has been the good guy, and Art is acting like a dick?  After all, George, Ian and George K have all answered questions about Art's departure.  The only one not manning up is Art.

The fact that he isn't giving his listners - the people who got him where he is - any feedback has been a very dick thing to do.  However, if you think about it, I doubt Art wouldn't respond to George at all unless he (Noory) did something that royally pissed him off like nothing has before.  I'd really like to know what that was.

[b_dubb]

you know Art has damn near every cancer causing influence in this photo: cigarettes, strong electrical current from nearby equipment, fluorescent light.  he seems relatively healthy considering

[anagrammy]

You know the radio silence bit is not exactly new in the Art Bell stream of retirements.  His first one in 1998 was over a "family matter he will not reveal," and that was his son's sexual molestation at the Pahrump High School.  He wasn't exactly warm and fuzzy with his audience about his farewell then, either.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/1999/May-28-Fri-1999/news/bell1.html

What Art said is that the situation would take his full attention, so boom, that's it.  No memory lane, thanks for the years, no fanfare at all. That's Art!  He is a prima donna for the very reason this thread is still running: 

There is no one like Art!

There is a change coming in talk shows, fueled by changing demographics (according to the experts).  Wingnuts are losing ground (Glenn Beck down 50%) and nobody's loving the black/white "we are saying Obama is a socialist five hours a day from now on."  According to experts- people are sick of it and especially young people.  Read here where the wind is blowing. (Link to full article below)

“You don't see many trade ads saying ‘We need the next Rush Limbaughâ€"we need a right-wing hard ass’” adds Bloomquist. “What they say is, ‘we need somebody who can talk about a variety of topics, somebody that can connect with people who can do humorous topics, somebody who can have some fun on the air.’ It's the circle of life, the wheel turned and in the process of turning pinned this format in the corner of all conservative talk all the time and I think there's a sense of fatigue there.”

Be Different. Be Better. Be Yourself. These are good rules for media as well as for life. The cookie-cutter predictability of hyper-partisan talk radio talking points is provoking a backlash. They are failing to skate to where the puck is going: the millennial generation rejects hyper-partisanship in favor of news they can useâ€"independent, intelligent analysis that plays offense from the center, punching left and right with a sense of humor. Playing to the lowest common denominator doesn’t always pay. The American people will reward people who respect their intelligenceâ€"recognizing that the news doesn’t need to taste like medicine or Kool-Aid."

http://tinyurl.com/4dmpp69

They are describing Art Bell--that's what people want.  If Art's reasons are not personal, but with Clear Channel/Premiere, then we have hope.  If it's a family matter, a diagnosis, some other personal problem, we will read about it in the news before we hear it from Art.  That's how he rolls.

Anagrammy

[Max_TO]

Now I don't know much about HAM radio but is it possible that one of the forum members on here just might have a HAM radio and might be able to get Art on the blower to see what he has to say ?

Is there any computer software out there that will allow a person to listen to various HAM stations to see if we might be able to pick up Art and see if he is saying anything his departure from Coast ?

Long shots but got to ask any who

[ourobouros2k2]

Unfortunately, covering that distance by HF ham radio would require a kilowatt amplifier, a very tall tower, beam antennas, and favorable DX conditions. Always possible to work long distance with less, but the band must be open and solar conditions favorable for long distance dxing. There are some really cool HF recievers online (one of which is Art's older personal rig that he donated and can be found here:  http://www.smeter.net/pahrump/audio.php ).

There are many SSB freqs. for use with phone (voice) operation on the HF amateur bands, so it would be like a needle in a haystack even if conditions were perfect and you had the best gear.
regards,
Andy

[DoYouThinkItWasAngels]

I think one of the major problems for Art was the time zone difference.  Coast to Coast really is a nighttime show. In the Philippines he is forced to do it in the daytime, in an artificially darkened room.  It's just not the same for him or us.  Yet he doesn't seem to want to move back to United States.

[The General]

I think one of the major problems for Art was the time zone difference.  Coast to Coast really is a nighttime show. In the Philippines he is forced to do it in the daytime, in an artificially darkened room.  It's just not the same for him or us.  Yet he doesn't seem to want to move back to United States.

I have a suspicion it's more Airyn and not Art that doesn't want to leave the Philippines.

[Max_TO]

As per Arts last broadcast , ghost ghost I believe ? Was there any indication that it would be his last show , or that he was in some way upset ? If I remember correctly , did he not state that there was a philippin exorcists that he was going to approach with the hopes of doing a show with him ?

I , like many of you , can't see why Art would just stop doing his bit for coast . I don't think we can blame George , as much as we don't like George  . George has been the same for as long as I can remember and it never seemed to effect Art , so why would it now ?

If we look to Art's JPEG , the wind no longer blows .... What are we to take from the line " in the end it was without direction " what are we to take from that ?

As far as I can tell Art was the one who set his own direction , no ?

There is something very not right with all of this and for Art not to make some kind of statement is is very strange indeed .

I can't help but think that there is much more to all of this then Art being upset with coast .

I just hope that we get some kind of closure with all of this because I am sorry but we are entitled to that at the very least . Let's not forget it was the " fans support " that has allowed Art to be where he is today .

If it is a health issue then I can understand the silence , and would expect that . But if it's some other matter then I do sure hope that we can all get some answers .

As for Art not replying to George's email that leads me even more so to think that this just might be a health issue mixed with a touch of depression .

Let's hope for the best and let's hope that we do get some info as to what's going on .

[minnehan]

   I don't think Art "owes" us anything at all.  Just because we carry on this message-base shrine to him doesn't make us entitled to anything.  Art's gift to us was his show... be happy for what we got, and don't be unhappy for what we are no longer getting.

   I dream and hope Art will be back someday, and I truly feel he will be back somehow someway... but does he "owe" us, his loyal fans anything?  No.

[MV/Liberace!]

hey, maxto.  interesting post.  welcome to the forums.

[b_dubb]

As for Art not replying to George's email that leads me even more so to think that this just might be a health issue mixed with a touch of depression .

either that or Art has added george's email address to his spam filters list of blocked emails

[Fly By Night]

In reading the posts in this thread it seems there are really two questions.

1) Does Art want to come back

2) if he does will anyone even want him.

As for #2, Micheal gives a very reasonable argument to why no one in radio would want to roll the dice with him.

As for #1, I really think Art has no idea what he wants. Even if he had some shut up clause from C2C, which I doubt, he could still launch a website or go on another show as a guest. The guy is a master at making us want to believe some fun, but BS, subjects such as Art's parts and Mel's hole. He's great at interviewing and is not afraid to call out inconstancy with guest's stories. He makes us interested in cats and the fact his early 20's wife likes baked potatoes. All in all he seems stable on the radio.

With that said sometimes I wonder if the guy is lost in the woods. From the early days where he hitch hiked around the County, to his days in Asia, to divorcing his first wife and leaving her with two kids, to divorcing his second wife and immediately getting married to Romona, to on and off retirements, to giving up on his goofy Pizza Punch, to leaving a damn picture of him with a seal on his hamcam for two months. The guy is GREAT on the radio, but  all over the place in his personal life.

In answering question 1, I say there is no wrong answer because even Art has no idea the answer to it. He requested his password at the FF, but then never posted. He puts up a cryptic message on his Hamcam, but never follows up. My guess is he goes back and forth daily to whether he would like to be on the radio again, or send out a email to the FF. He knows we want to hear from him. He knows he has a talent. He just may not know what to do. If nothing else I do wish he would come back one more time and apologize to me for Snoory and send me a check to cover the money I wasted on streamlink.

I'm sure this article is somewhere on this website, but just in case this gives us another view of Art. I post this not as a criticism of Art, but rather an exercise to help some people on here understand Art, and his history of walking away from things.

http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/lost_in_space-38428459.html

[bmd88]

The guy is GREAT on the radio, but  all over the place in his personal life.

I agree 100%, however I have a feeling that Noory's the cause of this schism.

[fabucat]

I agree 100%, however I have a feeling that Noory's the cause of this schism.

I agree!

[MV/Liberace!]

If nothing else I do wish he would come back one more time and apologize to me for Snoory and send me a check to cover the money I wasted on streamlink.

hahaha

[anagrammy]

Hmmmmm.  I read the article about Art being a quitter.  Having money means you never have to stick with anything if you get a wild impulse to do something else.  OK- I have some wild speculating percolating in the back of my head:

What happened on or around Ghost-to-Ghost?  I am looking for the "post hoc, ergo propter hoc," Latin for "after this, therefore, because of this."  And yes, I know it is a logical fallacy, but bear with me.  We can't assume it's Noory because Noory didn't do anything unusual.  He wasn't more incompetent than usual around that time.  The Ghost-to-Ghost show was uneventful, albeit the screening was not in the spirit of playful Halloween.  So it had to be something between Art and the station and the work conditions and agreements they were asking him to sign OR it could be his failure to complete his contract for 2010 had a PENALTY CLAUSE?

Now that would piss him off bigtime, like it would any of us. 

OR

What if it is nothing to do with the station at all--what if it's personal.  There is one highly likely scenario that no one is talking about.  Art is not a wonderful husband--he is a leaver.  Imagine being 20 years old and trying to find something to talk to Art Bell about that he would be interested in hearing.  I mean ART BELL, who is a walking dictionary of American cultural literacy trying to talk to a early 20 year old Filipina woman?  I'm sorry, but when you get old what you've got is your mind.  Every man I know Art's age (but one) has problems in the southern region.

I have been married as many times as Art and I'm his age.  Old dogs do not change their spots.  If Art regrets marrying Aryen and now feels stuck, of COURSE he would plunge into depression and be difficult to work with.  And if he decided divorce was the answer, there would be complete silence, which is exactly what we have.

Art would know that his credibility would suffer terribly after all the stuff he said when he ran off with her so soon after Ramona's death.  Art did it because he doesn't handle depression well-- SO HE RAN FROM IT.  This is truly how he rolls.  And awkward would be the nicest word for people's reaction if he abandoned yet another family.

Great radio host, terrible family man.  Can the leopard change his spots? 

Anagrammy

[b_dubb]

I'm sorry, but when you get old what you've got is your mind.  Every man I know Art's age (but one) has problems in the southern region.

ouch. so you think Art's plumbing might be busted?  well he was a smoker.  that won't help. 

i don't see how a relationship with a women that's 40 years younger than you can really work unless you spend little time with her.  in this senario, the younger wife is basically a maid with benefits

but in the case of one wife ... Ramona ... i believe Art was widowed.  so he's not entirely a LEAVER. 

[Max_TO]

I think his wife comes from a VERY submissive back ground culturally and if there is a problem in the relationship it would be Art who was having the problem , not his young bride . Having said that I do not believe thats the case as his daughter means the world to him and I think his total love for her keeps him young and entertained .

As for his " plumbing " , let's not forget he did just have a daughter so I don't think the plumbing is having to many issues

If we look back to the claim that George wrote Art an email a few months ago where would that put us ? Perhaps just after his oct show ? Nov.  the latest ? Why would touchy feely George write Art a letter ? It would have to be in response to some action taken by Art or some privet announcement by Art . There had to have been some move on Art's part shortly after the ghost to ghost show that caused George to write the letter .

It's just all to strange as Art has always made some type of statement to his fans regarding his time off from coast so why not this time ? 

[FortRock]

Notes:

TO THE GENERAL: Airyn has a right to be insecure, what with the inethical conduct of the Feds and the INS especially. Also she's potientially afraid of the Art Bell Fanbase, concerned that she'd be blamed for causing Art to leave for Manila in the first place. I've heard some nasty rumors out of Pahrump (a right-wing nutjob community if there ever was one) of how the people there treated her when the INS thing got started. Also I've heard Art checked out the Pahrump Schools, and found a nasty reputation for allowing bullying to kids from Foreign-Bride couplings! This new data-set of potiential information is why I've softened my position about Art returning to Pahrump!

TO THE GROUP: I think the problem we have here is that Art, when he returns, will be forming a semi-new network of stations! He's limited to how he talks to the fanbase. Also in the past all he's had to do is throw the switch so to speak and return to Coast! Now it's going to be all new! Anagrammy is right that Art more fits into where Talk Radio is, and is headed these days, so getting station support will not be the problem! The more both Art Bell and Alan Corbeth are silent, and not commenting, the more I know a major announcement will be coming before Summer!

[Fly By Night]

Every man I know Art's age (but one) has problems in the southern region.

HAHAHA...that's hitting below the belt both figuratively and literally anagrammy.

Are you saying Art's part is broken?

[anagrammy]

Well, why does one of the most articulate and culturally intelligent people on the planet marry someone 40 years younger?

1) They need the nubile body if there is any chance to get things going again (grief kills desire and feels permanent)

2) They screwed up their kids and now feel absolutely terrible with an empty life (Ramona kept him busy/involved with the career they shared).  When you get older, regret becomes a daily spectre.  Buddhism helped me but Art needed a whole lot of churning --new life, new wife, new location-- to keep him busy enough not to just off himself.

3) He wants another chance, a do-over in the kid department.  No older woman wants to start a family, so a younger complaint already-on-hand Filipina is just the ticket out of depression hell.  And being a new father in your sixties sucks --it's hard at any age-- so props to Art for that.  He obviously adores his little daughter and I'm happy that he has the comfort of those big eyes and that winning princess smile.

4) If the marriage is no good, he cannot leave Asia and keep his soul together.  He tried to move them all to Pahrump and for a number of reasons, it didn't work.  Art is not tactful and the immigration people are the American gestapo, I kid you not.  They will slap you down and the word "fair" is not in their vocabulary.

So, it ends up a pac-man game with Clear Channel and he had to make a choice.  My thoughts are like Fort Rock-- Art will not live in a radio vacuum when he has what the younger demographic (especially) want.  He will do something creative and come back part time in some form or other.

OT-- What's the deal with the Paranormal Video TV show that George is blathering about?  Anybody know?

Anagrammy

[Max_TO]

Gee all this speculation is kinda fun in a twisted way lol

Well , if we are to look for reasons as to why Art moved back to the USA with his new wife I would say the number one reason for that was so his child could be born in the USA , there buy becoming a US citizen .

Art is a big boy and if we have learned anything about Art over the years is that NO ONE will make Art do anything that he doesn't want to do .

For us to make the claim that Art is no unhappy in his marriage is a bit unfair to him and the choice that he made and never have any of us ever herd Art speak anything but great happiness expressed towards his new life and family .

As mentioned before buy myself and a few other posters , Art will not take any wrong doing towards him self . He loves revenge , no matter the cost . So , if Art was done wrong , in his eyes , by coast then he will do something to get even . However , if this is a health issue then we may never hear anything until after it is to late , as that's the kind of person Art is , not wanting sympathy from anyone .

The longer this goes on with no response from Art the greater I fear that this just may be a health issue , God I hope it's not the case .

Can anyone testify to the fact as to weather or not Art was written , or told , a new list of must do's from coast to coast with regards to how he must act or conduct him self  with future shows , or was that speculation ?

[Max_TO]

You know there is one possibility that we have all over looked ...
Maybe , just maybe , Michael "Mad Man" Marcum , has returned in his time mechean and has offered to wisk Art off in time .

[MV/Liberace!]

TO THE GROUP: I think the problem we have here is that Art, when he returns, will be forming a semi-new network of stations! He's limited to how he talks to the fanbase. Also in the past all he's had to do is throw the switch so to speak and return to Coast! Now it's going to be all new! Anagrammy is right that Art more fits into where Talk Radio is, and is headed these days, so getting station support will not be the problem! The more both Art Bell and Alan Corbeth are silent, and not commenting, the more I know a major announcement will be coming before Summer!

i really do WANT to believe you're right, but i think i'm going to stick with my previously articulated suspicions:
http://www.coastgab.com/index.php/topic,2136.msg33570.html#msg33570

[MV/Liberace!]

Probably the best post ever on this thread, Mike, nicely done. 

oh, and thank you.  almost forgot.