Been absent since mitd very first came out..

[Robert]

The whole "Let's carry on with the Art Bell tradition" idea, e.g. the same bumpers, guests, topics, and keeping the original name of the show and even the theme music was a bad idea from the start, and totally unnecessary. 

They should have killed MITD outright, and started something new without all the baggage.  I think Heather would have had a better reception and outcome that way, and, like you said, maybe some other hosts could have been tried out alongside.  Art was the show - there was no practical way it would ever just carry on like nothing had happened.

But when should they have made that decision?  Had they known on day 1 that Art wasn't resuming, that would've presented a different picture from the environment they were actually working in.  Every day it looked like he might be coming back soon, it didn't make sense to change the name.  And since the previous night it was MITD, why not this night too?  Then after a while of carrying on like that, what additional reason is there to change?

A lot of things in the world are similarly legacy-determined.

[zeebo]

But when should they have made that decision?  Had they known on day 1 that Art wasn't resuming, that would've presented a different picture from the environment they were actually working in.  Every day it looked like he might be coming back soon, it didn't make sense to change the name.  And since the previous night it was MITD, why not this night too?  Then after a while of carrying on like that, what additional reason is there to change?

A lot of things in the world are similarly legacy-determined.

True you have a point.  But, imho if he really was undecided - even after proclaiming he was 'hanging it up for the last time' - all they had to do was put the show on indefinite hiatus.  Freeze-dry it for awhile.  People would have understood given the circumstances I think.  Much better than forcing it to continue like some kind of zombie show that had lost it's core being.  All this is water under the bridge of course. 

[BobGrau]

But when should they have made that decision? ...

Before the Blitz, when all this was planned.

[73s]

Much better than forcing it to continue like some kind of zombie show that had lost it's core being.  All this is water under the bridge of course.

And yet here we are still talking about it.  Art posting pics laying in a hospital bed. The zombie show churning on with a once lively BG thread now a complete ghost town. Art's thread now a political thread. Many interesting and witty posters no longer on BG. Is it just me or is the thrill kinda gone folks?

[ItsOver]

...Is it just me or is the thrill kinda gone folks?

Go back a page on this thread.

http://bellgab.com/index.php/topic,9949.msg853786.html#msg853786

No, it's not just you. 

[73s]

Go back a page on this thread.

http://bellgab.com/index.php/topic,9949.msg853786.html#msg853786

No, it's not just you. 

Yeah, was kind of keeping that theme alive

[zeebo]

And yet here we are still talking about it.  Art posting pics laying in a hospital bed. The zombie show churning on with a once lively BG thread now a complete ghost town. Art's thread now a political thread. Many interesting and witty posters no longer on BG. Is it just me or is the thrill kinda gone folks?

I think Art said in a post somewhere that it wasn't ever about him, but about ideas.  My hope is that bg will somehow survive in some form (maybe with a name change), coalescing around the kind of unconventional topics that piqued our collective interest in the first place. 

Curiosity about the unknown is still cool.  Ok so alot of us are jaded in this modern age of internet debunking of everything.  But I think if even some small percentage of what Art covered has a kernel of truth then it's still a fascinating and fun enterprise to carry on such explorations.

[ItsOver]

I think Art said in a post somewhere that it wasn't ever about him, but about ideas.  My hope is that bg will somehow survive in some form (maybe with a name change), coalescing around the kind of unconventional topics that piqued our collective interest in the first place. 

Curiosity about the unknown is still cool.  Ok so alot of us are jaded in this modern age of internet debunking of everything.  But I think if even some small percentage of what Art covered has a kernel of truth then it's still a fascinating and fun enterprise to carry on such explorations.

You romantic squirrel, you.   

[zeebo]

You romantic squirrel, you.   

haha yeah I know, dare to dream and all.