Art Bell

[Chronaut]

I see no reason to think of limits.

That's the voice of wisdom right there ;

The best form of advertising is the kind that money can't buy (well, unless you happen to be Donald Trump):  make the news.  Nothing establishes a deeper sense of importance, and thereby expands an audience, faster than making news.  Shake things up.  Blow things up, figuratively speaking.  Break a story so monumental and controversial that the mainstream news will be forced to talk about it.

What that story may be is enormously fun to think about, so I'll leave the best part up to you and your compadres.  But here are some thoughts pointing in the right general direction:

- A probing interview with an already-controversial figure who speaks to the deepest concerns of this audience:  Edward Snowden or Julian Assange perhaps.  Anybody who scares the shit out of our government, who will speak big hard scary truths.

- Somebody new and extremely controversial:  tens of thousands of people have worked on secret government projects, from levitating surveillance platforms to the on-going and terrifying PSYOPS programs in this country and around the world.  Somebody out there in the know wants to talk about it.  We need to find them, and break some new and freaky information.

- Big things that we can't control or anticipate will happen; they just don't happen that frequently.  But when it happens, we know that you'll be on it.  Whatever it is, own it:  a rapid series of in-depth interviews with the key players with opposing points of view.  Become the source - then the news will have to draw upon you, and that's great advertising.

- Do something crazy.  Like interviewing some hellspawn leader of ISIS who speaks discernible English.  Imagine the power of the opportunity to expose the evil and ignorance of those people on live radio - you could deal their global recruitment efforts a lethal blow over the course of a single 3-hour interview.  Or see if you and George Knapp or Nick Cook can blow up some phones at the Pentagon and find somebody who can get you into Area 51.  Nick got into Air Force Plant No. 4 â€" one of Lockheed’s Skunk Works facilities (astride at least a couple of “minders,” sure, but who else has made it inside and lived to talk about it?).  Or at least get someone on the air who can credibly attest to having been inside the Nevada Test and Training Range, and see what you can squeeze out of them.  Let’s get General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on the hook, I mean line.

You see what I’m getting at, even if my impromptu samples are rubbish.  Make an earthquake in the news.  It’s going to happen anyway, because you’re in position to capture The Next Mindbomb.  But nobody said you can’t help things along ;

[jazmunda]

hooray...looks like DP for tonite!

[nika01]

There is a reason to think of limits. How much time do you want to devote to this show? There are other things in life besides a radio show.

[chefist]

Oh cool! Looking forward to that.

[Uncle Duke]

I'm not particularly a fan of Paulides, but I'm glad he will finally be interviewed by someone who is both a critical thinker and consummate radio professional.  George Noory is neither.  George Knapp, although a respectable journalist, is known for playing softball with paranormal guests. Sadly Knapp outdoes himself in that regard with his good friend Paulides.  The way Knapp gushed about his close friendship with Paulides last week brings conflict of interest into question, and led to a show that tended more towards cheerleading than objective interview.

I'm hoping Art and Redacted see tonight's show for what it is, an opportunity to "get the word out" about Art to the large number of C2C fans who will probably be tuning in to MITD for the first time just to hear Coast darling Paulides interviewed again.  I'm not talking about ambushing the guest, but rather just Art being Art and not letting Paulides get by with his backhanded inferences and omissons of fact/logic to support tenuous cases.  Want to pick up a good number of current C2C listeners who only know of Art through the odd mention of his name by callers or George?  Give them an interview that will start them wondering, "Why didn't George raise that question?", or "If that suppostion isn't supportable in this case, what's that say about other cases?".  Show the C2C types an effective interview can only be conducted with critical thinking, preparation, and without bias.

With almost 14 hours before show time, I hope Art and Redacted take the time to go back and read at least some of the many questions raised about Paulides here on Bellgab by very bright people in the areas of law enforcement, mental health, search and rescue, medicine, etc.  There are at least a few posts pointing out errors, if not out right misrepresentation of facts, from 'gabbers who were actually involved in some of Paulides' cases.  The post I remember most it that from a search and rescue professional who told of Paulides being totally discredited and nearly laughed off the stage after giving his pitch at a national search and rescue symposium.   

I'm looking forward to tonight's show more so than any MITD to date.

[wr250]

paulides was on wth knapp a week ago, paranormal central last night , and howard hughes last night as well. i think ill probably skip this one for now due to paulides overload.

[Juan]

Quitter

[wr250]

Quitter

yea, verily

[ziznak]

yea, verily

really?  now I'm scarred I'm about to hear the same show w knapp which I myself just listened to a day or so ago.  Both Knapp and Art ask the same "what would I ask" questions... unless Paulides has a new set of stories for each interview he does aren't we kinda doomed to hear repeats?  I'll still listen I just hope I hear something new... the Knapp show was supposed to be about particularly "urban" disappearances so... I dunno.

but

IN ART WE TRUST (for better or worse til death do we Art)

[FightTheFuture]

Can`t wait for the broadcast tonight. I`m a huge fan of Paulides. I think the guy has done amazing work, if not for any other reason than shedding light on the number of odd disappearances in our national parks. I had absolutely no clue so many people had gone missing.

[wr250]

really?  now I'm scarred I'm about to hear the same show w knapp which I myself just listened to a day or so ago.  Both Knapp and Art ask the same "what would I ask" questions... unless Paulides has a new set of stories for each interview he does aren't we kinda doomed to hear repeats?  I'll still listen I just hope I hear something new... the Knapp show was supposed to be about particularly "urban" disappearances so... I dunno.

but

IN ART WE TRUST (for better or worse til death do we Art)

the knapp show was urban disappearances.  so was the paranormal central and hughes interviews.

[Mastodonkey]

Paulides will make a fine guest. I'm gonna try to catch it live tonight. It's been too long..

[FightTheFuture]

Paulides will make a fine guest. I'm gonna try to catch it live tonight. It's been too long..

Just take a little shot of NyQuil right now and jump in your rack. We`ll wake ya up before the broadcast starts.

[Skunk Ape]

I've been holding out in listening to Paulides on c2c and Howard Hughes just because I knew it was a matter of time before art got him. Glad I did.

[ge30542]

Doing my small part to promote Art's return.
When I post right-wing hate speech on Yahoo news stories, I include "Art Bell is back. Midnight In The Desert is free & live M-F on The Dark Matter Digital Network".
(kidding about hate speech).
cue Dancing Queen!

[PB the Deplorable]

I think it would be a mistake to not listen to MITD because the guest had just been on a few other recent shows we may have listened to. 

No matter how much we may like other hosts, Art is in a class of his own.  He won't allow the guest to duck certain questions the way the others will.  And he has a way of teasing out interesting - if not astonishing - comments from the guests in ways that other hosts just don't (can't). 

I've only heard Paulides interviewed a couple of times (the first 2 with Knapp), and all I heard were softball questions designed for him to come on and tell a few stories - and there's nothing wrong with that.  I imagine his other interviews were about the same - this one will have that too, but he'd better be ready for a little more skepticism.

[nika01]

I would not buy a used car from Paulides

[Mastodonkey]

Just a bit of general criticism regarding c2c hosts and Art, I just in general hate how every guest seems to have the same show over and over again. I think George Knapp honestly does the best job in this regard, I think because he actually reads a lot of his guests books and is super familiar with them.. which maybe because he only hosts a couple shows a month.. and has more time to do that sort of thing. But I think a greater emphasis should be put on not just winging it and either hoping most of the listeners are new and unfamiliar with past show/guests or your usual audience doesn't care and will just listen to the same show over and over again.

This is Paulides first time with Art so I'm not really referencing him or tonight's show. The Graham show Art did was a great example, It wouldn't hurt to maybe even listen to some past shows done with said guest and try to think of some new questions/points/topics to bring up. It just seems like certain guests are filled to the brim with knowledge yet they never get to bring out the full range of it.

[imagine]

Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours.

Richard Bach

[starrmtn001]

Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours.

Richard Bach

I LOVE "Illusions!"

[Uncle Duke]

Just a bit of general criticism regarding c2c hosts and Art, I just in general hate how every guest seems to have the same show over and over again. I think George Knapp honestly does the best job in this regard, I think because he actually reads a lot of his guests books and is super familiar with them.. which maybe because he only hosts a couple shows a month.. and has more time to do that sort of thing. But I think a greater emphasis should be put on not just winging it and either hoping most of the listeners are new and unfamiliar with past show/guests or your usual audience doesn't care and will just listen to the same show over and over again.

This is Paulides first time with Art so I'm not really referencing him or tonight's show. The Graham show Art did was a great example, It wouldn't hurt to maybe even listen to some past shows done with said guest and try to think of some new questions/points/topics to bring up. It just seems like certain guests are filled to the brim with knowledge yet they never get to bring out the full range of it.

I get your intent, but I'm not sure it's going to do much good.  The majority of the guests on the paranormal talk radio circuit are always going to shift the discussion back to their pre-programmed answers regardless of the questions so they can promote their latest book/DVD/conference appearance/podcast.  Guys like Hoagland and Strieber are masters at this, they remind me of politicians in a political debate.  About the only way to get them off their stride is to outright challenge their bullshit, the stuff they've been saying for so long most listeners take it for a given.  Not many hosts are willing to do that, the guest pool is shallow enough as it is.

[aldousburbank]

I get your intent, but I'm not sure it's going to do much good.  The majority of the guests on the paranormal talk radio circuit are always going to shift the discussion back to their pre-programmed answers regardless of the questions so they can promote their latest book/DVD/conference appearance/podcast.  Guys like Hoagland and Strieber are masters at this, they remind me of politicians in a political debate.  About the only way to get them off their stride is to outright challenge their bullshit, the stuff they've been saying for so long most listeners take it for a given.  Not many hosts are willing to do that, the guest pool is shallow enough as it is.

The Paranormalization!

[Uncle Duke]

The Paranormalization!

Wish I'd thought of that

[CornyCrow]

Great, gives one more confidence George/IHeart isn't going to interfere with/blacklist guests who appear on both shows.  Hope Art and Redacted know about this so they can start releasing guest listings for at least a week at a time vice announcing guests only on the day of their appearance on MITD.

I kind of feel that Art and Noory had a little tete-a-tete regarding the issues they have had in the past and have come to an understanding of how things should be in the future.  I think maybe Noory (or Tommy) has called off the dogs.  If Art is going to prepublish his guest list, something has sure changed. 

This all has seemed to have happened after Art called Noory to express his hopes for a speedy recovery for Tommy. 

We should remember that Noory plugged Art's show right at that time, too.  It's even at a competing time slot, so that must mean something.  It's a very good gesture. 

[ziznak]

damn right pb... Arts gonna put the sleeper on him!

[malliard]

if you believe the numbers, Art had 10 and now George has 3 million listeners, there is lot of listeners of paranormal talk radio, who are known but arent listening currently, so hopefully they all come back

[Chronaut]

if you believe the numbers, Art had 10 and now George has 3 million listeners, there is lot of listeners of paranormal talk radio, who are known but arent listening currently, so hopefully they all come back

I think it's inevitable with Art back in the Captain's chair.  It took a long time to build an audience of 10 million, but with the new technology and real freedom to shape the show as he sees fit, I can see him far surpassing that reach.

[nooryisawesome]

if you believe the numbers, Art had 10 and now George has 3 million listeners, there is lot of listeners of paranormal talk radio, who are known but arent listening currently, so hopefully they all come back

I remember when I researched this I saw as high a 15 million for Art from some reputable sources.

[ge30542]

Does anyone have any knowledge of, or has Art given any indication of the "numbers"?
How many listeners or subscriptions? Is there any publication which may offer insight?
Just wondering.

[starrmtn001]

the guest pool is shallow enough as it is.

There's a pool for the guests??? :