I blame Art.

[WOTR]

For quite some time I have had this nagging wish to post and question if I am the only one who blames Art for their tolerance of Noory at the beginning?  I understand his reasons, and know that it was likely a part of the contract for the "hand over" of Coast... but when he said of Noory "this is a man who gets it" I believed him.  I felt that with his past and having built Coast for all those years he would not lead us astray and tell us that a complete buffoon "gets" it.  Certainly during one or two meetings he got the vibe that Noory is a fool with no interview skills.  I know he would never be allowed to say "Noory is an asshat who will lead this program down the road to mediocrity", but why tell us that he "gets it?"

Because of Art, I kept giving Noory the benefit of the doubt and forgiving him numerous signs of complete incompetence.  Because of Art, it was months before I realized that I could no longer overlook his flaws and half hearted interviews.  It was months before I realized that Art had sold his audience with the show and sold a small part of integrity by telling the mother of all lies (short of "I did not have sex with that woman") and told us that Noory "gets it."

All it would take to earn my complete forgiveness (and absolution of all sins past and future) is to start the occasional broadcast again...

Is there anybody else who occasionally "blames Art" for their failure to identify Noory as a jackass right from the start?  Anybody else who feels just a little "lied to"?

[Eddie Coyle]

   It shows Art had little to no autonomy. Once he let the show get picked up by a network, it was compromised.

[Morgus]

Art sold the show to the network years ago, that was the problem, it wasn't his to control or be independent anymore.

[KnyeGuy]

Yeah I tend to agree with what you're saying. It's too bad that Art didn't somehow maintain control of the show and maybe just oversee the progress of it if he was going to retire. But then again, maybe he just really didn't give a crap anymore...And actually I can fully understand that too.

[stevesh]

Also, as has been mentioned here before, Noory can be an entirely different guy when he isn't hosting C2C. It could be Art was talking about a different Noory than the one we've come to know and despise.

[PB the Deplorable]

... Certainly during one or two meetings he got the vibe that Noory is a fool with no interview skills...

Apparently the first time they met in person was when George weaseled his way into 'introducing' Art at his Radio Hall of Fame Induction.  Possibly that was also the last time.  George once mentioned contacting him to ask for advice on how to handle JC (some broadcast 'professional', having to ask that!!), and doesn't mind confessing Art won't return hs email.

I think Art sold the show years before he retired and it was handed over to George Noory, so who knows how much influence he had in choosing his replacement.  Seems like it had to be more than zero, though.  Maybe he never listened to Geroge's St Louis show, or even the shows George did filling in on C2C, but listened to and believed the same people at PremRat that now keep Noory in place - i.e., it was just a throwaway comment trying to help smooth the transition.   

The entertainment industry is hugely competitive, it's just assumed everyone is motivated to work hard, do their best, try to improve.  Art must have had no inkling they'd found the one guy that doesn't do any of that. 

Art's punishment is being forever linked to George Noory, having George be the one to introduce him at his induction, and knowing George ruined the show he and Ramona worked so hard to build.  I really wish he would publicly address all this at some point though.

[PB the Deplorable]

Or maybe he was leaving the door open to a return by having a moron replace him.  George sure seemed to be looking over his shoulder for the first few years..

[Frys Girl]

Art's silence is a statement, to me at least. Either he can't speak negatively on the show because of 1. ego and his unwillingness to be linked to a failure or 2. he doesn't want to burn bridges in the radio biz.

[GuerrillaUnReal]

Art has made some pot shots at Noory over the years and it's clear to me that he doesn't care for him much. For me personally, I don't blame Art for Noory. Dude was on the air working six nights a week for close to two decades giving us one of the finest radio shows ever made. As far as I'm concerned Bell can do what he want. If he wants to take his money and run, god bless him. How was he to know the network the show was sold to was going to put auditory jello in his place?

[MV/Liberace!]

Art has made some pot shots at Noory over the years and it's clear to me that he doesn't care for him much.

i don't recall hearing art take any shots at noory.  however, when he speaks of noory, i DO get the feeling he isn't impressed by the man, to put it mildly. 

[Scully]

... I think Art sold the show years before he retired and it was handed over to George Noory, so who knows how much influence he had in choosing his replacement.  Seems like it had to be more than zero, though.  Maybe he never listened to Geroge's St Louis show, or even the shows George did filling in on C2C, but listened to and believed the same people at PremRat that now keep Noory in place - i.e., it was just a throwaway comment trying to help smooth the transition.  ... 

Still ringing in my mind is the Youtube clip of Art talking on HAM radio.  When the issue arose of how much input he had about his successor, Art's answer was, "Not as much as you would think." 

[WOTR]

I recall seeing that clip (I think it was posted here before I registered?)  I suppose that I was just surprised that Art actually volunteered to say those words.  I am not familiar with the "ins and outs" of radio contracts and was hoping that somebody might tell me that the network can demand you read a script.  At least that would explain it... as it stands I am stuck believing that, at least for awhile, George had fooled a man who spent decades learning the craft and pioneering paranormal radio. 

[VtaGeezer]

I forget the figure, but I recall being stunned when I read the value Bell's cash-out of C2C.  I honestly don't think Art loses much sleep over Noory's slow-motion destruction of the show.

[Eddie Coyle]

I forget the figure, but I recall being stunned when I read the value Bell's cash-out of C2C.  I honestly don't think Art loses much sleep over Noory's slow-motion destruction of the show.

   You are absolutely correct...

[adamapple76]

I don't blame Art as much because I think George is incredibly manipulative. What makes me think this? I listen to George circa 2004-2006 and he wasn't terrible. He had a little personality. But something has changed and I think it's intentional.

My theory? It's his ego. George is pandering to the LCD trying to catch up on the largest syndicated show, Rush Limbaugh and to do that he's willing to gut the core of the show.

[11angeleyes11]

I don't blame Art as much because I think George is incredibly manipulative. What makes me think this? I listen to George circa 2004-2006 and he wasn't terrible. He had a little personality. But something has changed and I think it's intentional.

My theory? It's his ego. George is pandering to the LCD trying to catch up on the largest syndicated show, Rush Limbaugh and to do that he's willing to gut the core of the show.

Taking that perspective, it is deliberate.  I think you might be on to something.   It is all about ratings. You know it.  He knows it.  Ask the simpliest questions, you get the wider range of the "Bell" curve listening. 

For those, who don't know, the majority of the Coast audience know the IQ of people can be diagramed on a bell curve.  In some circles, the IQ is the intelligence quotient, and in others ignorant questioning.  I will let the reader discern the proper application of my sentence.

It is like driving your 1999 Chevette with 500,000 miles until you are running on the rims and the rubber was left on the interstate at the last exit where Ian Punnett got off.

[Vatar]

It is like driving your 1999 Chevette with 500,000 miles until you are running on the rims and the rubber was left on the interstate at the last exit where Ian Punnett got off.

Bloody brilliant.

[BobGrau]

It is like driving your 1999 Chevette with 500,000 miles until you are running on the rims and the rubber was left on the interstate at the last exit where Ian Punnett got off.

please spare a little rubber for george knapp.

[adamapple76]

Knapp and Punnett are the only reasons I listen anymore. I'm tired of this show being a constant infomercial. I am convinced, for example, the alternative health people pay for their time on the show. Notice how Tumeric and MyHeartBook have completely disappeared? Just like PX90 and most supplements on the show. Now we are getting alternative treatments. I wonder if George can be busted for payola?

[VtaGeezer]

I don't blame Art as much because I think George is incredibly manipulative. What makes me think this? I listen to George circa 2004-2006 and he wasn't terrible. He had a little personality. But something has changed and I think it's intentional.

My theory? It's his ego. George is pandering to the LCD trying to catch up on the largest syndicated show, Rush Limbaugh and to do that he's willing to gut the core of the show.

Late night radio audience is a small fraction of Limbagh's audience; only about 20%.  Noory and C2C is in a different universe from daytime radio and unless humans become nocturnal, that will never change.  Noory tries to inflate it, but the ratings are not secret. Affiliate numbers aren't ratings.