BellGab/bellchan Archive

Hugs and kisses to you, HAL 9000.  I appreciate your warm welcome.  Even though I don't know you at all, I proudly wear your derision and insults as a badge of honor. 

I would like to download the shows from Demonoid.  Who do I contact to get an invitation code?

I've followed this thread closely since it was first posted to CoastGab.  It has been entertaining to read the posts as we all speculate about Art Bell, what happened to his relationship with C2C AM and Premiere Radio, and what the future holds. 

As a loyal listener to C2C since 1997, I like to think I've learned just a bit about Mr. Bell.  The following is pure speculation, like everything written in this thread.  However, having had experience with personal loss, I suspect I may be closer to the truth than not.  If I am wrong, so be it.  I do hope the future proves me wrong.

Art Bell will not return to any form of broadcasting. 

It is my personal belief that any desire Art Bell possessed to broadcast using any form of radio communication exclusive of the HAM bands, slowly left him after the death of his wife, Ramona Bell.  This desire decreased to the point that, at the end of 2010, Art used the excuse of being fed up with stupid callers and hate emails to make his final exit from broadcasting.  The loss of desire to broadcast was a slow train coming, but it finally arrived during the past couple of months. 

My personal experience is that when one undergoes great personal tragedy such as the sudden, unexpected death of a spouse or a parent, the grieving process sometimes results in the loss of interest in a facet of one's life that existed while the lost loved one was alive.  For Art, this loss was broadcasting and his creation, Coast-to-Coast AM.

Art and Alan Corbeth built Chancellor Broadcasting.  Art and Ramona built C2C and Dreamland.  If one looks back on the history of the program, one will discover that Ramona Bell, though she worked behind-the-scenes, was a driving force propelling C2C into the place it forever occupies in the history of radio in the United States.  Ramona was a lively, vivacious and fiery personality, as fiercely competitive and questing as her husband was.  She knew Art like no other, and nurtured his talent and his need to reach people via radio.

The real change in Art occurred with Ramona's death, not after his second retirement in 2003.  A great light went out of his life, a light that in many ways guided him in his career.  After Ramona's passing and his subsequent marriage to Airyn and the birth of Asia, it is my speculation that Art's focus and desire began to change.  Art stated publically on the air in 2006, after Ramona's death, that he had no desire to ever do a five-night a week radio show again.  I attribute the loss of that desire in great part to Ramona's previously mentioned death, and the fact that Art passed the age of 60 in 2005. 

The death of Ramona and advancing age, along with a brand new life, brought about the end of Art's broadcasting career.  It is my opinion that, if Ramona was still with us, Art would still be on the air in some way, even if it was only a weekend show, like one done by a radio personality such as Kim Komando.    Also remember that, not long after Ramona died, Art sold KNYE.  Too much of Ramona was tied up in that venture and holding on to it was holding on to the past.  It was an anchor preventing Art from fully moving into his new life.  I also believe Art moved back to the Philippines because there were too many memories in the Pahrump house, memories that hindered Art moving past grieving for Ramona.  It would not surprise me in the least to find Art's house in Pahrump up for sale, or already sold.

Another key indicator of this sea change in Art's perspective, mentioned previously in this thread, is the responses to inquiries made of Brad Steiger, Karen Jackson and Whitley Strieber.  Art has, by his choice, had virtually no contact with any of these people for a very long time.  Why?  Because they represent what WAS, not what IS.  They are a part of the history of C2C AM, and a part of that history was and is Ramona Bell.  Often, when one suffers such a traumatic loss, separating yourself from the friends made during the time of life when your loved one was beside you is critical in the grieving process.  Many times these relationships don't survive the grieving.

Why has Art decided to move on?  My wife put is very succinctly the other day - Art is done grieving Ramona.  He has a completely new life situation.  C2C and radio in general didn't survive the grieving. 

Terrestrial radio simply doesn't fit in Art's new life.  Also, Art will be 66 in June with no desire to return to the extremely grueling schedule of a five-night per week radio show.  He is a multimillionaire who has a new family.  He has a chance to, in his eyes, make up for all the stupid mistakes made in previous marriages that produced children.  He has a desire to protect Airyn and Asia from all the garbage he and Ramona and Art Bell IV (his son) went through for many years because of the high personal cost of doing C2C AM.  Art doesn't need to work, so he spends his time doting on his wife and baby daughter, traveling around the Pacific Basin at will and pursuing his HAM Radio hobby to his heart's content.  That's all he wants now. 

I say 'good for him.'  He has earned the rewards of a life of hard work, and is now content with simply enjoying those rewards.   

It is also my personal belief that Art will not return to the United States at any time in the future.  His life is in the Philippines now, with Airyn and Asia and Airyn's family.  He will remain an American expatriate living on an immigrant visa.  America, especially Pahrump and the High Desert of the American Southwest hold too much of his former life, which he cannot return to and has no desire to do so.

As I said before, I hope I am wrong, but I think not. 

All good things come to an end.  It wasn't the ending we wanted or even envisioned for Art's broadcasting career, but it's the end.  There's nothing we can do but accept it and move on in our own way as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.

Sincerely,

WestBorder

I personally believe we've heard from Art...via his Hamcams message.  Does anyone remember when Art 'retired' for the umpteenth time on 07/01/2007?  He announced it at the beginning of the show, let the few callers he talked to that night make their statements, and then 'faded into retirement,' as Art put it.  He obviously didn't want the 'Great Outpouring' that took place from October 23, 2002 when he announced he was retiring, until December 31, 2002, when he signed off.  My guess is it was uncomfortable, difficult and in the end, too much.  Perhaps we got the Hamcams message because Art wanted to avoid all of that, which would occur in a toned-down way if he posted a farewell on the Fantastic Forum. 

My sense is we've heard from Art for the last time.  He is a private citizen again for the first time since 1985, when he started West Coast AM at KDWN in Las Vegas.   

Favorite Lunatic Guest:  David Icke.

Hi Starr.  Good to see you here!  Good to know I already have friends in the new location. 

Quote from: ArtBellFan on December 24, 2010, 03:33:50 PM
Welcome Westborder, glad to see you finally made it here.

I agree we may never hear from Art again but hey you know Art always mysterious and reassuring, when you least expect it something may just happen.

73 as Art would say.

Shirley

You may be right, Shirley.  What did Andy Dufresne say in "Shawshank Redemption?"  "Hope is a good thing...maybe the best of things."

Your friend,

TRN

Greetings All!

I have been a fan of Art Bell since 1997.  It is a pleasure finding this forum and I hope to get to know all of you better as time goes by.  This venue seems to be a 'living' forum as opposed to others.  Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
WestBorder

Hi all.  New to CoastGab, but intimately familiar with C2C and all the current happenings.

This is lifted from some information I looked up:

The '30' in Ham radio 'code' means "The End."  Here is the full definition:  The number 30 means "The End. No more." It also means "good night."

Methinks Art has called it a day regarding his affiliation with C2C and Premier.  We will ever hear from him again?  I'm not holding my breath.

Someone else posted here that it makes sense that no one at the network will say anything about this, due to the fact that an official statement of Art's departure could cause the show to suffer a ratings hit.  I agree with this as it is logical for C2C to protect and maintain the status quo and downplay Art's departure as much as they possibly can in their self-interest.  There are still enough Art Bell fans who listen to the show who could cause C2C some serious problems, especially if they stop listening via local affiliates and turn their attention to other overnight shows.