Art Bell>>retire>>nope

Devastated · Post by **Devastated** » 05-10-2005 06:20 AM

I wish Art Bell many happy retirements. He's already had several.

Nemo · Post by **Nemo** » 05-10-2005 10:34 AM

I figure Art's got two more retirements left in em. Sure wish George would announce one sometime before the 2012 he keeps saying his contract is good for. That is depressing.

Harmoniman · Post by **Harmoniman** » 05-10-2005 06:04 PM

Devastated wrote: I wish Art Bell many happy retirements. He's already had several.

that is so sweet,Dev.Many happy retirements in many happy lifetimes ! just Spiffy !!

Fred_Vobbe · Post by **Fred_Vobbe** » 05-10-2005 07:21 PM

I hope Art doesn't retire. He's entertaining.

And besides that, Ramona doesn't need to trip over him in the house. She's got cats for that.

arwen · Post by **arwen** » 05-11-2005 07:43 AM

tiffany wrote:

The Art I remember that I used to sit on the edge of my seat is gone.

It is not the same and will never be again. The enthusiasm that he used to have I do not hear any longer. He has too many other things he wants to do. The shows with excitement in his voice are gone.

He is different.

The Art I used to get excited over is gone.

I feel the same way, Tiffany and have since right before his last retirement.

Anyone who listens to his old shows will notice the difference.

I don't know what the reason is. Maybe he just lost interest or maybe that he has the answers to the questions he was searching for now that he didn't have before.

The Art of old, would not have called his audience names and probably would have encouraged questioning anything and everything, including the government. Remember those snitch open lines from everything to Area 51 or government officials?
Now anyone doing that is a nut of some degree.

Aperson · Post by **Aperson** » 05-13-2005 12:52 AM

I thought Art was doing pretty well for a while after he came back again for weekends - with a stream of interesting guests and shows - if not with the same level of intensity and enthusiasm as in the classic era.

For the last several months though I have definitely noticed a change as many have. In general he is not as lighthearted as he once was, and the show simply isn't as fun anymore. I'm sure it has something to with the fact that it is no longer "The Art Bell Show". As was mentioned before, Art no longer gets the old standby guests that made the show what it was (with the unfortunate exception of Major BS Artist Ed Dames). Think about it. When is the last time Art talked to Richard Hoagland on the air? Even though I think the man is a nut it's just not the same without Art and Richard having one of their trademark exchanges from time to time. I don't listen to George at all. I don't care who is on, I just can't listen to him.

Although I tend to agree with Art that the US government did not plot 9/11, I do believe that certain people within the government have benefited from the aftermath, both personally and politically, in a very unethical - even conspiratorial way. I was surprised as many were by his raging overreaction to anyone who would even ask questions about the true nature of the attacks. I always thought that coast was a place where ANY fringe ideas could be voiced and looked at from all sides. I guess I was wrong about that.

Whether or no Art stays or goes again or just becomes a special guest host popping in from time to time I don't think he will ever be able to fully recapture what made the show great in its heyday. This doesn't mean I'll never listen again, but like Art I no longer have the same enthusiasm for the show.

"He was the dream weaver, but now he's reborn.... The dream is over... And so dear friends we'll just have to carry on..."

Devastated · Post by **Devastated** » 05-13-2005 06:08 AM

Well, he certainly can't threaten us with "retirement" any more. Every time he does, he doesn't. He just sort of gets "hammier" and more AM shadowy when he "comes back."

Shirleypal · Post by **Shirleypal** » 05-13-2005 12:20 PM

Art sees what has happened to his "Baby" guess I wouldn't be so lighthearted either, having said that he is still the best out there bar none. You can hear it in his voice everytime a caller mentions the other guy.

Devastated · Post by **Devastated** » 05-14-2005 06:04 AM

Excuse me, unless he was forced to retire, it is not his baby.

DesertOfTheSea · Post by **DesertOfTheSea** » 06-22-2005 09:50 PM

I would rather hear Art every night but if he does decide to retire again or cut his time in half then I can deal with that. It's his choice and he is getting older. Hell if I were in Art's position I would like to spend time with Ramona fishing somewhere. Might as well use his time to do it now since he really couldn't do it over the last 10-15 years.

Chas

Gotrox · Post by **Gotrox** » 06-24-2005 09:34 AM

What really surprises me is that there isnt a younger Art Bell out there

Sure there is-----maybe we should press for someone to replace George in 2012----now would be the time to start looking, and maybe training someone young with fire and intense interest, who would do 1 weekend show, and leave us art for sunday.
" Now announcing----the Host to Host contest!!!!! Host Coast to Coast for a night, send a tape of your material to -----------".

Shirleypal · Post by **Shirleypal** » 06-24-2005 10:11 AM

Gotrox wrote: Sure there is-----maybe we should press for someone to replace George in 2012----now would be the time to start looking, and maybe training someone young with fire and intense interest, who would do 1 weekend show, and leave us art for sunday.
" Now announcing----the Host to Host contest!!!!! Host Coast to Coast for a night, send a tape of your material to -----------".

Better to get someone to replace George, leave Art's weekends alone, don't have enough of him as it is. I turned 62 in January, guess they should kick anyone off Fantastic Forum that is over 30.
BTW some are just not trainable, if you don't the know Coast subjects do something else.

cns · Post by **cns** » 06-27-2005 05:23 AM

Shirleypal wrote: snipped. . .I turned 62 in January, guess they should kick anyone off Fantastic Forum that is over 30.
. . .

Gee, sweetie there would be very few of us left if they did that.
I don't know who I would want for an alternate host. Classic shows are a good option. I have adjusted to George now. But I will take Art any way, time or however he wants to talk. I wonder if he has considered going to shortwave, and then having the show streamed on the internet like Whitley does. He could do his shows from anywhere the land yacht happened to be. And he could do whatever he chose. I would subscribe to something like that.
But maybe his contract won't allow for that.
Bennies-my friend calls them the golden thread that keeps us attached to lackluster jobs! I am a victim of the bennie syndrome myself.

sventvkg · Post by **sventvkg** » 06-28-2005 01:04 AM

I'm sorry but Ian is HORRIBLE and Unlistenable to me...Barb Simpson is only slightly more tolerable. Hilly Rose or George are the only people I can stand besides Art. I'm so bummed out about Art toning down his schedule..I do not watch TV and Coast to Coast is my main and really only entertainment vice..It's not the same without Art and I live for his weekend shows...

I do agree that we need a young maverick Art with passion to take over the show...Where is he?

cherry wrote: Ian Punnett has the qualifications I need for Coast.

However, Ian does not connect with his callers.
He argues with them, then cuts them off the air,
then rips them to pieces -- one after another in
an evening. At one point, he usually quits taking
calls because of his frustration.

His callers do not have the opportunity to respond,
because he hangs up on them.

This turns me off, so I switch the radio to classical
music for the rest of the evening. I'd rather skip Coast
than listen to a host mistreat others.

On the other hand, Gentleman George listens carefully
and respond to their needs. He asks compassionate
questions.

Lord Moon · Post by **Lord Moon** » 06-28-2005 01:13 AM

Maybe Coast to Coast could give him a link to his RV, and he could call in with a report every so often, or give a commentary... while he was traveling around in his RV....

Sometimes it's good to get free of a gig, and sit around and do nothing for a while.....then you can experience the futility of doing nothing in it's totality....doing nothing or just bumming around in your RV isn't all that it's cracked up to be....because the no.1 one thing that keeps people going when they get older is feeling needed...... so as long as Art feels needed......that's where his audience comes in....

Fantastic Forum the Original Art Bell's Midnight in the Desert and Coast to Coast AM Forum

Art Bell>>retire>>nope

The alternative could be...