Jeff Holland - Feral Humans 1997

[Sidsel Roine]

Hi everyone,

I'm a new poster, and I actually stumbled upon this site because I was trying to dig up an ancient show from I believe 1997. I *think* the guest's name was Jeff Holland from Berea, Kentucky. I only remember his location because Art kept mangling the pronunciation of the town lol.  It was a fascinating show about Feral Humans, really vintage C2C stuff. I remember the show so much because a friend used the term "Feral Human" as an online handle for years after that show.

Again, I'm almost certain it was a show from 1997, 1998 at the latest.

Great topics to read around here. I'll stick around.

[Morgus]

No Jeff Holland or similar named guest is listed on the Art Bell commemorative website archive cdrom under the guests list.
The list covers the program dates from Sep 1996 thru Oct 2001.

[Sidsel Roine]

I'm sure that's his name. I've found a couple of ancient websites from the late 90s, and found a couple of scraps:

http://creepsnewsroom.tripod.com/glossary.txt

The entry on that page for Art Bell:

Art Bell - nationally syndicated talk show host, who deals with unusual
and paranormal topics. JSH was a guest for the full three hours of his
show in 1997, discussing Feral Humans in Kentucky. Mr.Bell is also the
subject of a 1996 song by Cheeseburger & Fries, "The Ballad of Art Bell".

(JSH=Jeffery Scott Holland)

[Sidsel Roine]

http://web.archive.org/web/19980114074908/http://www.artbell.com/guests.html

I hopped in the Wayback Machine and managed to pull this snapshot of a previous guest list on the Art Bell website from Early 1998.

[pabigfoot]

   That definitely was a great show, off the usual ufo/paranormal scheme, and could definitely be revisited by Ian or GK.

[FeralKentuckian]

Sidsel, you are correct, Jeff Holland of Berea, Kentucky, was, indeed, a guest of Art Bell's.  The show date was (Monday) August 18, 1997.
Mr. Holland was on the show, but mysteriously has been removed from the list of previous guests.  That's revisionist history for you.
I am looking for a copy of this show. If anyone finds it, please let me know.  TIA!

[FeralKentuckian]

(copy of post from John Titor BBS, 2001)

Posted by Craig Cuthbert on 02-02-2001 03:23 PM


50% of the world lives on $2.00 a day and a good portion of those not even that
(general One-Worlder figure per Jimmy Carter on NPR the other day). Many of these people think the whole notion of a western world is a big myth. People living in tribes in parts of Africa, South America, and Western China would laugh if you were to tell them there are cities with more than a million people in them - they have  automatic vehicles for transport - some even fly -, they communicate  electronically, wash and cook using machines etc. That's RIGHT HERE ON THIS PLANET. Should we go tell them about us? This concept right away illustrates some illusions about our (Western Worlders') presence in the world.  John can you say more regarding this phenomenon and how future societies (might)  handle the new frontiers of technology in our world?
About 4 or 5 years ago Art Bell had on a guest involved in researching feral humans. He told of a remote Venezuelan tribe that refused to believe there was a  city such as Caracas. HE described how the senior tribesman tried to relate to the notion that there was such a type of civilization anywhere near them.
A couple of years before that I had some adventures here in the US. I began  traveling around the country staying at Youth Hostels and working where I could. I  found myself riding freight trains in the Pacific Northwest and had a last minute rider in my car. He threw his stuff in, climbed aboard and we had quite a few hours of conversation. He was a migrant worker who was starting the Apple Orchard season. (A not uncommon occupation for unskilled labor both foreign and domestic in the  Northwest -though most non-immigrant workers will head out on the fishing boats for good/hard-earned money). HE told me about leaving his little village in Oaxaca many years ago. When he left, he was convinced that the jungle surrounding his village just continued on forever and was really surprised when he found other landscapes- cities-cultures. HE spent quite a few years listening to talk radio shows on his little walkmans, working and travelling. I was really surprised about how much he knew of history, politics,  science and even overseas cultures.  I also have to say that, what I saw of Freight Train Riders, during this period represented a fairly evolved subculture, and one not very involved in what we would consider the NORMAL world.
PBS ran the Jazz series a few weeks ago. When Louis Armstrong finally made the leap out of New Orleans and Kansas City to travel to New York to play with "King"  Oliver's band he was FOB (fresh off the boat), in a way. Dressed funny, and gawking at all the huge buildings of which was convinced were all Universities - huge  Towers of Learning.  My father grew up in a little! town in the hills of western Pennsylvania. His parents were not the most educated tools in the shed. He has told me since that often when he was little he wondered whether all the stories about places like  France, Germany etc. were just made up tales that got passed around on the radio and in print. Of course that could have been just him <g>.  Just some examples, to me at least, about how little we know of the world ... of  which we think we know so much.

[albrecht]

1997-08-18 was the date of a great show that featured a guy from Kentucky regarding Feral Humans. However, even in the great archive torrent, only the first hour exists which is open lines. Art, and some callers, mention Mr.Fidget and how he is able to get on the air so often. And he mentions the upcoming guest about "feral humans." And he discusses again the controversy regarding the Heaven's Gate suicides and Hale-Boop. But the rest of the show with the feral human guest is missing. I cannot track it down anywhere. Anyone have it? Mr.Fidget, maybe you have a copy, since you were mentioned on the show?

[FeralKentuckian]

This is still online (written by Jeff Holland):

Spring 1990, Red River Gorge near Slade, Kentucky
"The author encountered, face to face in the wilderness near Cloudsplitter Rock, an audlt (thirties) caucasian male walking in the woods naked but covered with mud, leaves, and vines, which were matted into his hair and beard as well, giving him an almost absurd "Swamp Thing" appearance. He walked with a hunched, apelike gait. He spotted me moments after I spotted him, and we stared at each other for what at the time felt like an eternity; finally he turned and fled. His eyes seemed to show some intelligence but he was still extremely animal-like and seemingly unable to speak. I made no effort to follow him."
Jeff continues: "I have collected similar stories from locals in Slade about old 'Mountain Men' and hippies who have lost their minds living deep in the mountains and revert to an animal-like state. This experience was the impetus for my ongoing research into this phenomenon."
____________
unusualkentucky.tripod.com/feral.html

[albrecht]

This is still online (written by Jeff Holland):

Spring 1990, Red River Gorge near Slade, Kentucky
"The author encountered, face to face in the wilderness near Cloudsplitter Rock, an audlt (thirties) caucasian male walking in the woods naked but covered with mud, leaves, and vines, which were matted into his hair and beard as well, giving him an almost absurd "Swamp Thing" appearance. He walked with a hunched, apelike gait. He spotted me moments after I spotted him, and we stared at each other for what at the time felt like an eternity; finally he turned and fled. His eyes seemed to show some intelligence but he was still extremely animal-like and seemingly unable to speak. I made no effort to follow him."
Jeff continues: "I have collected similar stories from locals in Slade about old 'Mountain Men' and hippies who have lost their minds living deep in the mountains and revert to an animal-like state. This experience was the impetus for my ongoing research into this phenomenon."
____________
unusualkentucky.tripod.com/feral.html

I hope Art has him on again. He could expand the topic to include other Kentucky weirdness but the feral people stuff is interesting.

[albrecht]

Art is having Jeff Holland on MITD tonight (Nov 18th!!!!) Awesome.