Art Bell

[Emergency Bacon]

This is madness. This was the show, by the way, that came on just after the kerfluffle with Bateman, for those keeping the record.

Interesting wording. I thought the nomenclature around here was Heather's Meltdown.

[GuerrillaUnReal]

Heather inexplicably misses the show tonight. Keith re-runs arguably her worst episode since her first episode meltdown. No one seems to even be paying attention or care anymore.

[Coffeeman]

She's keeping the seat warm and hydrated for Art's return. Kitten needs a night off once in awhile.

[Value Of Pi]

She's keeping the seat warm and hydrated for Art's return. Kitten needs a night off once in awhile.

Change is in the wind, methinks. I cannot see Art doing the Gabcast unless he had something to announce. Just going over the same ground that's been talked about here endlessly would not accomplish a whole lot -- and the show, as it is, is an untenable situation.

IMO, he would want to take great pains not to repeat the mistake he made in December of a rash, poorly communicated decision. I think he really regrets it. He would want to think his next decision through a bit better and communicate it directly to his core audience verbally. The Gabcast is an ideal vehicle.

The last thing he said regarding his plans was very iffy, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been working up to something much more solid regarding going back on air or otherwise changing the hosting situation. I would guess he'll throw his plan out there on Thursday and see what feedback he gets.

[BellBoy]

Change is in the wind, methinks. I cannot see Art doing the Gabcast unless he had something to announce. Just going over the same ground that's been talked about here endlessly would not accomplish a whole lot -- and the show, as it is, is an untenable situation.

IMO, he would want to take great pains not to repeat the mistake he made in December of a rash, poorly communicated decision. I think he really regrets it. He would want to think his next decision through a bit better and communicate it directly to his core audience verbally. The Gabcast is an ideal vehicle.

The last thing he said regarding his plans was very iffy, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been working up to something much more solid regarding going back on air or otherwise changing the hosting situation. I would guess he'll throw his plan out there on Thursday and see what feedback he gets.

My guess is that he'll, instead, stay true to form and we'll get more of this...

[Auslandia]

Change is in the wind, methinks. I cannot see Art doing the Gabcast unless he had something to announce. Just going over the same ground that's been talked about here endlessly would not accomplish a whole lot -- and the show, as it is, is an untenable situation.

IMO, he would want to take great pains not to repeat the mistake he made in December of a rash, poorly communicated decision. I think he really regrets it. He would want to think his next decision through a bit better and communicate it directly to his core audience verbally. The Gabcast is an ideal vehicle.

The last thing he said regarding his plans was very iffy, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been working up to something much more solid regarding going back on air or otherwise changing the hosting situation. I would guess he'll throw his plan out there on Thursday and see what feedback he gets.

I'm not sure Gabcast would be the platform from which Art announces his comeback since very few would hear it.

[PB the Deplorable]

Art will confess his role in L'affaire Fidget, and detail the international conspiracy he set in motion.

[paladin1991]

   Like I said, if Art won't tend to his "vaguely lovables" I can keep stirring it up. Nobody said anything about Art "going off script", in the way I explained above. *Nobody* did, because it was unprofessional... just like his continuing refusal to address the situational elements at play, in my situation.
   We did get plenty of further unnecessary degradation of my character though! Yea!
:

Art, you can handle it, just apologize.

Assbag.

[Auslandia]

   Well, I gave Art a day to come back and interact with his "vaguely lovables"... I guess he had greener pastures. He had a 24 hour "fidget free" window, and he missed it. We gotta do something to keep this thread going... there are diaper dollars on the line. If Art won't keep this thread hopping, I'll try. I can talk "Art Bell" all day long. I'm talking about Art Bell here in the Art Bell thread, if anyone has questions about fidgets, they go here: http://bellgab.com/index.php/topic,1643.msg701118.html#new
   Now, I know I have some detractors around here, and a few (perhaps several) supporters. I'm going to make it my job, this campaign season... to pull in these "detractors", and shove some kool-aid down their pie holes. I know, I know... you're not thirsty... but don't let that keep you from enjoying a fine sweetened beverage. You don't want me to pour it down the drain do you?
   You see, Art can't deal with me professionally, because he started out unprofessional. He did not follow the "script", to use a figure of speech. When (on my second call in 1997) I told him I sent him his 5 free fidgets... I also specifically told him to only put a picture of the simplest one, the one with the comic book on his website. What did our "boy genius" do? He put up all five. On the show you can hear my reaction, it was a moment.
   As a result, my job got a lot harder, not even counting the forthcoming legal quagmire which was unprecedented for ridiculousness. I had a comic book for the basic one, the one I was ready to prepare, the one that was simple to make... and with which I had the most experience. As an inventor / designer / manufacturer I all of a sudden had people wanting all five, this one... or that one. A total boondoggle. A product launch nightmare was born. Everything would have been different if Art had done the one reasonable (and reasoned) thing I asked... "only put a picture of the simplest one, the one with the comic book, on your website".
   I was hardly ready (and in hindsight not even ready) to roll out one model, let alone five.
   Way to follow instructions Art, bonehead move, nothing personal, we all make mistakes.
   Bring your apology Art, start there, and work your way up to "I should have kept in contact, I should have looked at your purportedly explanatory documentation, it was wrong of me to blacklist you... and walk away"... I don't know... be creative.
   Then maybe we can put this behind us, and get to making you your ten million dollars by giving "time travelers" free "time machines".

^^^See that Art, it's called "a window of opportunity" you could just face facts right now and get this all handled before the public sentiment goes against you... even more.

I'm just getting caught up on all this  and I'm not sure what in the sweet Christ the point of talking about it is?

[SredniVashtar]

I like no musicals at all. Music grates against my soul like a power sander. I have only ever listened to two songs, an aria by Bach which was played over and over by my parents in an attempt to brainwash me as a child, and the soundtrack to "Saturday Night Fever" which I loved against my better judgment. Music is a distraction.

"The man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not mov'd with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils."

[Coffeeman]

Between this:

Change is in the wind, methinks. I cannot see Art doing the Gabcast unless he had something to announce. Just going over the same ground that's been talked about here endlessly would not accomplish a whole lot -- and the show, as it is, is an untenable situation.

IMO, he would want to take great pains not to repeat the mistake he made in December of a rash, poorly communicated decision. I think he really regrets it. He would want to think his next decision through a bit better and communicate it directly to his core audience verbally. The Gabcast is an ideal vehicle.

The last thing he said regarding his plans was very iffy, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been working up to something much more solid regarding going back on air or otherwise changing the hosting situation. I would guess he'll throw his plan out there on Thursday and see what feedback he gets.

and this:

I'm not sure Gabcast would be the platform from which Art announces his comeback since very few would hear it.

The way Keith did his droll PSAs and Heather's meltdown and comments I get the impression the woman is being strung along. I personally don't think Art is going to return to radio in any substantive form. And Auslandia makes a good point, the GabCast is ultra-niche, a discussion about a forum dedicated to one guy. That's some some laser-focused methodology to announcing his return.

Nah, I think if he makes legitimate announcement it'll be him making a exit from all of it, saying "buh bye!" to the few people who'll still give him the time. If it's some BS session about why he came back to the community for the umpteenth time, or about his stalker...or whatever other merry-go-round AB can spin up, then I really do stop having empathy for Heather for sticking with this.

[Coffeeman]

I'm just getting caught up on all this  and I'm not sure what in the sweet Christ the point of talking about it is?

Consider the source...MF's been the main source of fuel for this thread for the last two weeks.

[SredniVashtar]

The way Keith did his droll PSAs and Heather's meltdown and comments I get the impression the woman is being strung along. I personally don't think Art is going to return to radio in any substantive form. And Auslandia makes a good point, the GabCast is ultra-niche, a discussion about a forum dedicated to one guy. That's some some laser-focused methodology to announcing his return.

Nah, I think if he makes legitimate announcement it'll be him making a exit from all of it, saying "buh bye!" to the few people who'll still give him the time. If it's some BS session about why he came back to the community for the umpteenth time, or about his stalker...or whatever other merry-go-round AB can spin up, then I really do stop having empathy for Heather for sticking with this.

I would guess the main focus right now is on subscriber numbers and making the thing pay its own way. Have there been many subscribers who have not been on BellGab, either as members or lurkers? I'd doubt that. In one sense, it seems very niche, but this is probably his major portal for support right now, and if he has something to communicate he knows it is going straight to his fan base, however vestigial that might be these days.

I don't see much point in coming on to announce that is quitting again. For good! Really for good this time!! Seriously!!! I can only assume that he has come back on here to keep the interest going in the network, and in particular the idea that he is planning to make these unannounced appearances from time to time. Anything else would be pointless.

[whoozit]

I would guess the main focus right now is on subscriber numbers and making the thing pay its own way. Have there been many subscribers who have not been on BellGab, either as members or lurkers? I'd doubt that. In one sense, it seems very niche, but this is probably his major portal for support right now, and if he has something to communicate he knows it is going straight to his fan base, however vestigial that might be these days.

I don't see much point in coming on to announce that is quitting again. For good! Really for good this time!! Seriously!!! I can only assume that he has come back on here to keep the interest going in the network, and in particular the idea that he is planning to make these unannounced appearances from time to time. Anything else would be pointless.

So you really don't care if he answers the list of questions that so many have gotten so excited about?

[SredniVashtar]

So you really don't care if he answers the list of questions that so many have gotten so excited about?

It would depend on whether he was asked any of them, to start with, and how he intends to answer them if he is asked. I don't expect the answers he will give to be all that interesting, but I'd hope that the way he answered them would be more revealing. 

[BellBoy]

So you really don't care if he answers the list of questions that so many have gotten so excited about?

The whole matter has become essentially moot. Answered questions or none, the show is dead in the water. Heather's Chris Carter Nooryfest interview (and last night's no-show) proved that. At this point Art, Keith and Heather are, collectively, just pissing up a rope.

[ACE of CLUBS]

I'm not sure Gabcast would be the platform from which Art announces his comeback since very few would hear it.

Or, since very few would care .....

Paranormal is old and stale ....
Art Bell is old and stale ....
Guests are old and stale ....

We (collectively) are the wizened, writhing remnant of the once interesting decade of paranormal.
We are members of a paranormal 'cargo cult' ..... waiting for another landing of 'Art'

[ItsOver]

I would guess the main focus right now is on subscriber numbers and making the thing pay its own way. Have there been many subscribers who have not been on BellGab, either as members or lurkers? I'd doubt that. In one sense, it seems very niche, but this is probably his major portal for support right now, and if he has something to communicate he knows it is going straight to his fan base, however vestigial that might be these days.

I don't see much point in coming on to announce that is quitting again. For good! Really for good this time!! Seriously!!! I can only assume that he has come back on here to keep the interest going in the network, and in particular the idea that he is planning to make these unannounced appearances from time to time. Anything else would be pointless.

According to Mr. Bell, there are still "thousands" of subscribers so I'm translating that to mean several thousand.  I'm thinking most are folks who either forgot they subscribed or are still hanging on for The Great One to return.  When it becomes painfully obvious to even the most optimistic this likely isn't going to happen, subscriptions will probably start dropping dramatically.  Unless, The Great One, "keeps hope alive!"

[Richard Groyper]

I'd be suprised if Art announced anything of note. I think he'll do what he has done since he left--Float the possibility of his return...

[Richard Groyper]

Interesting wording. I thought the nomenclature around here was Heather's Meltdown.

Heather tried to lay a pile of shit at bateman's feet, then tried to step back and watch. The thing is; it didn't work. She sounded foolish trying to pretend she's the only person in the world criticized. Ha! Okay, Heather, sure you are. Lulz

[ItsOver]

I'd be suprised if Art announced anything of note. I think he'll do what he has done since he left--Float the possibility of his return...

Yep.  Keep it up for Heather, so to speak.

[albrecht]

According to Mr. Bell, there are still "thousands" of subscribers so I'm translating that to mean several thousand.  I'm thinking most are folks who either forgot they subscribed or are still hanging on for The Great One to return.  When it becomes painfully obvious to even the most optimistic this likely isn't going to happen, subscriptions will probably start dropping dramatically.  Unless, The Great One, "keeps hope alive!"

Keith/Art should've gone with the ghost  billing model and have signups for an even smaller amount of money and then bill it as "services" or some such. Like those old long-distance fraud operators or hacker skimmers used to do. Most people notice some random, small 'service' charge on their CC or phone bill but, en masse, it can add up to a lot of profits.

[Richard Groyper]

Keith/Art should've gone with the ghost  billing model and have signups for an even smaller amount of money and then bill it as "services" or some such. Like those old long-distance fraud operators or hacker skimmers used to do. Most people notice some random, small 'service' charge on their CC or phone bill but, en masse, it can add up to a lot of profits.

Bait-and-switch wasn't enough already?

[ItsOver]

Keith/Art should've gone with the ghost  billing model and have signups for an even smaller amount of money and then bill it as "services" or some such. Like those old long-distance fraud operators or hacker skimmers used to do. Most people notice some random, small 'service' charge on their CC or phone bill but, en masse, it can add up to a lot of profits.

Ha!  Going from a Radio Hall of Fame broadcaster, the one most BellGabbers had patiently been waiting for, to an unknown with no apparent qualifications other than being a fan, didn't set well with me at all.  Maybe short-term, with Mr. Bell making it known it was only temporary, would have been OK but this stringing things along doesn't work for me. 

[GravitySucks]

I would guess the main focus right now is on subscriber numbers and making the thing pay its own way. Have there been many subscribers who have not been on BellGab, either as members or lurkers? I'd doubt that. In one sense, it seems very niche, but this is probably his major portal for support right now, and if he has something to communicate he knows it is going straight to his fan base, however vestigial that might be these days.

I don't see much point in coming on to announce that is quitting again. For good! Really for good this time!! Seriously!!! I can only assume that he has come back on here to keep the interest going in the network, and in particular the idea that he is planning to make these unannounced appearances from time to time. Anything else would be pointless.

In September, there were something like 11,000 subscribers.  BellGab has a TOTAL of 3959 members, many of which are inactive.

So yes, there are a lot of people that subscribed that didn't have anything to do with BellGab. 

There are quite a few Facebook fan groups.

We may be some of his most rabid fans, but we are only a small percentage of his fan base.

[SredniVashtar]

If sending you the words "let's hump" with you responding less than ten minutes later with "7 p.m., my place" constitutes begging, then a beggar I am. The sad fact is that you are a filthy slut. And I love you for it.

Despite having one shoulder higher than the other I am the consummate sack artist. I've never been one for the kinky stuff, though, and this whole 'let's re-enact the Hunchback of Notre Dame' thing gets a bit old after a while. Even if you are natural casting as Esmeralda, with those shoulder-length ringlets of yours. And 'doing it' while dangling from a church spire is not my idea of safe sex.

People were asking for corroboration that the police reports existed and weren't made up. They were corroborated by the fact that they were released by the Sheriff's department directly. Seems completely cut and dry to me.

It's a report, tout court. It doesn't substantiate anything about the 'stalker' herself. If anything, it confirms that there is nothing in it, as they had a look round, found nothing, and buggered off home. I think we can almost conclusively say, based on that report, that the identity of the stalker is a Mr Jack Shit of Nowhereville.

I don't think it was ever rescinded. It's my understanding that Rushdie gets a Christmas card from the Iranian theocracy each year reiterating that they still intend to kill him. That said, look, if you're concerned about your security in his situation, you disappear as best you can and maintain as low a profile as is possible. Rushdie did not. He continued writing and doing the lecture circuit, and does to this day. I don't blame him for that, but he's taking risks, the same as Art took a risk playing in the snow. It's just what humans do.

As far as I know, it can't be rescinded, as the guy that took it out died years ago. I meant that whatever he did he'd be in the firing line, so you can't knock him for continuing to write, since it's not being a writer that puts him in danger - it's too late for that. I think that you're really arguing against yourself here: Rushdie carried on with his life as best he could, given the circumstances. When you compare the potential dangers, Rushdie faced a much more serious and genuine threat (a guy was killed making a bomb designed to assassinate Rushdie, for example), and people take steps to neutralise stalkers and other genuine threats to their safety. They don't run off and claim that they are unable to work because of it. If he was running the Art Bell Taco Stand, would he use a similar excuse?

I never liked Fiddler on the Roof, so that idea is dead.

This is why you are still toiling in the sci-fi salt mines with your current opus 'Mutant Fruit Flies From Venus', while I am typing this poolside surrounded by several specimens of blond beauty, of either sex, with a hermaphrodite midget thrown in for variety. Not to boast, but I have something called 'vision'. Falkie's 'If I were a rich man' number would bring the house down. I think we'd stage this just when he realised his mother had died and he had all her credit cards at his disposal.

I think we need to think science fiction. Dr. Falkie, a mad scientist who has been rejected by the scientific community at large (but not Hoagland) has constructed a time machine of rather poor quality out of the magnets from a pile of broken box fans. He uses to the time machine to visit his friend and financier George Noory in the past, but encounters mystery and intrigue when he notices that George looked older in the past than he does in the present. After smoking a joint and deliberating on it over a bag of potato chips, Falkie embarks on a quest to find out why only to discover that George is an alien sent from the future to dumb down the human race and prepare us for conquest. Then Falkie screws the whole thing up and we get conquered. I smell blockbuster.

I shall compromise with a Star Wars remake, starring Falkie as the Death Star. Another point in its favour is that we can get Kathy in as Chewbacca without having to spend extra money on a costume. I am thinking of writing you in as 'Hand Solo', the filthy masturbator.

I'll remind you that our Driving Miss Daisy remake did $24 on a budget of $16. It was pure genius on my part for having the car inexplicably explode at the end of the film killing the occupants. The batman cameo was equally bad ass and you know it. So stop thinking commercially and let me do what I do best; direct movies. Like Orson Welles, I feel like I'm being boiled alive by the studio system. There's too much producing going on around here.

I guess you could call the Batman cameo 'innovative', but remember that Jessica Tandy's utility belt fell off while she was climbing a wall, and all it contained was a pair of surgical stockings and her false teeth. I wouldn't try to be too much like Orson Welles. It's only bean counters like me that keep you on the straight and narrow. If I hadn't talked you out of that porno version of 'On Golden Pond', you'd have wound up doing shitty wine commercials and sofa surfing chez Falkie.

[ziznak]

its sad... now I read posts from Art all skeptical

[SredniVashtar]

In September, there were something like 11,000 subscribers.  BellGab has a TOTAL of 3959 members, many of which are inactive.

So yes, there are a lot of people that subscribed that didn't have anything to do with BellGab. 

There are quite a few Facebook fan groups.

We may be some of his most rabid fans, but we are only a small percentage of his fan base.

I think many of us are just rabid.

You might well be right, but I did say that I was talking about lurkers as well as members. I was reading this site for years before I thought about posting, and I am sure many people did the same, so you can't simply go on the size of the membership. I find it hard to believe that a lot, if not most, of the FB people don't come on here and see what's going on, even if they haven't actually signed up.

[creepygreenlight]

Point taken, but Cruz ain't Bachman.
People see Trump as a bright shiny thing that draws their attention. I hope Cruz continues to victory.

Trump never had a chance to win Iowa because the corn-eating baboons will only vote for Jesus-loving ethanol panderers.
Coming in close 2nd was a pretty amazing accomplishment considering what was expected.

Hearing the media spin this as "game over" for Trump is so fucking laughable... they are desperate.

[GravitySucks]

I think many of us are just rabid.

You might well be right, but I did say that I was talking about lurkers as well as members. I was reading this site for years before I thought about posting, and I am sure many people did the same, so you can't simply go on the size of the membership. I find it hard to believe that a lot, if not most, of the FB people don't come on here and see what's going on, even if they haven't actually signed up.

Yeah, I never understood the whole concept of lurking.

But you are probably right. I am sure that once BellGab is mentioned in one of the FB groups, curiosity gets the best of them.