Art Bell is back, again.

Art Bell is back, hosting Coast-to-Coast AM (again, again, and again)

Has ANYONE kept track of how many times he has ‘retired’ or ‘left’ the Coast-to-Coast AM radio show? It would be interesting to know the ‘exact’ number.

Even as my busy little fingers tap on the keyboard to write this, I am listening to Coast-to-Coast AM, with Art Bell w6obb, hosting. I listened last night also.

This, his first weekend back, Art Bell is doing an adequate job. His voice is in top form (if nothing else is). And, lordee, lordee, I have to admit, I am glad to hear him.

Does this somewhat minor event in the scheme of world happenings mean that ‘Art can have it all’? It would seem so. Art Bell SEEMS to have it all, except the ability to be his own person, have his own identity, and possess the normal, innate capability to take care of himself. In other words, it is obvious by now that this grown, 61 year old man, ‘needs a mommy’.

These all too public revelations of a personal and private void have been a sad, sad situation that we have all watched, (some on a much closer basis than others) so to speak. About as much fun as witnessing a bloody car wreck on the corner.

Of interest to me was what was NOT being said on this weekend’s edition of Coast-to-Coast AM! There are no more ‘personal statements’ ie “I’m so in love,” “I’m so happy,” “the people here are so great,” “Ramona is watching over me,” “I was so alone”, etc.

I wonder if Premier Radio and his close friend, Craig Kitchen, sat him down and read him the riot act, gave the jerk some basic rules to follow on air, in the hopes of saving face and career. It would be my guess.

In fact, there was NO mention this weekend by Art of Ramona, or Pahrump NV, or HAM radio that I noted. Though I didn’t listen closely the last hour of the program. Except in reference to his current effort to stop smoking when he said, “at home I was a chain smoker.” Does that mean he does not feel at home in Manila? Of course it does.

He also went through the routine again of only being allowed to smoke in the bathrooms in the new digs in Manila in a proud, bragging sort of way. Is Airyn Bell his wife or his mother (my guess), or his keeper? If I had spent as much money on my condo as Art Bell has, I’d damn well smoke anywhere I chose. He also mentioned the high cost of American ciggies there. What, he is no longer in control of his money (was he ever?), and can’t afford to buy a pack of ciggies now? (He must have dropped a bundle in past months.)

He also spoke of Typhoon Glenda in a nervous manner. Hey Art! There are no Typhoons in Nevada!

There was also no mention of his ‘good friend and brother-in-law’ Carl Richardson kb5fjx. The man that instigated this new marriage; got a free trip to Manila, and his own marriage paid for, out of it. Art has been mentioning him when on air.

Also of note is that Art no longer states that his calls are NOT pre-screened by a third party (as is every call to the other hosts on the show), something he used to take pride in. Proof of this is that of the 4-6 callers in the first hour of last night’s show; all were male, and there was NO mention of mail order (or email order) child brides. Were these calls shills?

Tonight, after the first hour of the show, there were 6 – 8 callers, all male. If this is not a set-up, then that ought to tell everyone something...

His guest on last night’s show was ‘iffy’ to say the least, certainly not a ‘name’ for his first night back. Art handled the guy as deftly as he usually does; he obviously has not lost his ‘host’ skills.

One can’t help but wonder how much of Art’s ‘status’ has gone down the drain, and how many ‘name’ guests will no longer be promoting their books and cd’s on Coast-to-Coast AM until Art either gets his act together, or perhaps they are so ‘turned off’ by his recent actions that they will never return.

Personally, for me, I know that a lot of the Art Bell mystique, flushed right down the toilet when he left the desert, the night, and stopped, pretending at least, to walk the talk. (I wonder what Art does for his own water well, solar collectors, food storage, and other ‘emergency equipment’ on the 19th floor of a condominium?) Though, in reality, I never did buy it, but it was a fun part of the show’s fantasy for many years.

Art Bell should just give up, he has made his bed, and he is obviously sleeping in it with his foreign almost child bride! Retire and let George Noory take over Coast-to-Coast AM fully (he does an admirable job).

Even if he returns to the desert with his new bride when she can get a visa, (There are many of us that believe he will do just that. We should get a ‘pool’ going; everyone picking a date.) it will not work. Art Bell has lost most people’s respect, on every level.