These days, even casual listening to WBAI is a learning experience. The problem is that much of what they want you to believe has more in common with supermarket tabloid headlines than with the real world. Yet, to some of the people who assault your ears and routinely make light of your intelligence with this stuff, homeless guardian angels actually do traipse into The Stonewall and escort customers to their next destination—no, these are not pick-ups, their's is a mission more in line with that of the Sliwa group, only more heavenly (like Null's shampoo). 'Twas the former Cathy Davis ("Catherine" is now her preferred monicker) who outed these straight-but-compatico out-of-work harpists on BAI's air. She is better known for her cosmic vibrations and that tiny bottle of amazing tap water with a cure in every drop, although I don't think that's what landed her a show on Gary Null's internet stream.
Catherine the Grate is a favorite of the Lord of the Lies, Berthold Reimers (whose own whoppers tend to be in the income column), but she has plenty of company, including Blosdale, Haskins, Brady, Null, Fulani, Goodman, and that dreadful it-doesn't-get-better-than-this woman with Gwen Scott Velcro'ed© to her knee. I recall Geoff Brady talking about reptilians roaming our streets, cleverly disguised as humans, and people having their auras stolen. They all make some rather astounding claims in the course of their pitch, so, when I saw the following post by Tank Hankerous on the fast-dying BlueBoard, I thought it might be interesting to solicit more. I hope you will share what you have heard lately...
Catherine the Grate is a favorite of the Lord of the Lies, Berthold Reimers (whose own whoppers tend to be in the income column), but she has plenty of company, including Blosdale, Haskins, Brady, Null, Fulani, Goodman, and that dreadful it-doesn't-get-better-than-this woman with Gwen Scott Velcro'ed© to her knee. I recall Geoff Brady talking about reptilians roaming our streets, cleverly disguised as humans, and people having their auras stolen. They all make some rather astounding claims in the course of their pitch, so, when I saw the following post by Tank Hankerous on the fast-dying BlueBoard, I thought it might be interesting to solicit more. I hope you will share what you have heard lately...
One of my favorites lately is the ex Wall Street crackpot telling you how unhappy money is making you and how you should get rid of it. Yet, he has plenty of items and services to sell you. How the hell am I supposed to pay this guy if I got rid of my money already?
ReplyDeleteOK, the before mentioned lasers and 9/11 thing was a hoot, too.
You know what all this crap really is? Conspiratoria for the limousine liberals. They want to be like the rightists who are into Alex Jones, David Icke, revisionist history, etc. This is just their form. Well, guess what, it costs lots of money to be part of this dark realm.
What ever happened to good old honest cults, like the Moonies, Hare Krishnas, etc?
SDL
Isn't the Wall Street guy's commercial conducted by Catherine the Grate?
DeleteI also like the claims made by the author of that gimmick book on post slavery trauma. I'm talking about the one that had the Statue of Liberty lady originally being a black woman with chains around her wrists. A park ranger told her that the U.S. Government wouldn't allow that, so the chains were dropped to her feet, or something like that. Haskins swallows that one, of course, adding that the statue was meant to represent the Emancipation.
As I recall, the book she carries has the Fourth of July written on it, so slavery was abolished several decades earlier than previously thought. Isn't that interesting?
I think BAI aired a talk by or with David Icke a few years back—I don't know if it was about the reptilian Rothchilds Snow White's Communist affiliations, or Kate Smith's black lovechild.
This is from May I believe. Monique Guild and Blosdale were on. Guild is a futurist and a business consultant. She has a strong science background because her dad was a doctor. So she explained that you need to make changes to your atoms and molecules to change your life. Fortuitously, Monique can help us change those molecules/atoms – and all she needs to hear is your voice! Seriously! You just say hello and she starts to talk about how you change your life. Kind of like psychic friends network for companies. Oh she also let it slip she’s working with a fortune 500 company and got them started on an invention – storing information on the sun! So that company is running with the idea…………..I’m sure their rocket ship full of hard drives is getting ready to launch to the sun as I type this. There was much more but I literally scribbled these two gems while I was on the train – it was so crazy. The do seem to love “science” throw in molecule to sound smart!
ReplyDeleteThe worst part was how it was sold. As my confusion is about who is listening to this station and buying this junk – Blosdale tells the listeners even if they have good jobs or are retired, it’s a great gift for grandkids/friends and even for chronically unemployed, stay-at-home moms, retired people. It’s really for everyone! But hurry! Normally it’s thousands to get to talk to this lady – but for a short time you can talk to her for $250.
I'm also the person who was disgusted by the Brady interview with the Sandy Hook denier. That creep was shocked that none of the parents would talk to him or "prove" to him that their children were dead. Guess he was hoping for some autopsy photos. But hearing these shows/ads makes me not only not want to donate but want it off the air.
I was driving home on Wednesday and I had WBAI on, it was a professional production about Saturday Night Live, I was so confused. Clear sound, some interesting information -oops turns out I was on WNYC! I put it on BAI, they had on a blosdale guy hawking some nutritional product that sounded way too close one of Null's offerings. He was referred to as "Doctor" but who knows? But the stuff was awesome - it cures depression, libido issues, - it increases energy, memory, health. The guy must have listed 15 health things. All in a special powder all for BAI listeners! Awesome! This was the commercial for the add-on toothpaste with the eco-friendly bamboo toothpaste. And is the "toothpaste" in a powder form? I was too uninterested to listen carefully....
I'll add my name to avoid being one of the anonymous comments
Connie
Figures submitted by the station indicate that quite a number of people have the colossal gullibility required to to access Monique's extraordinary powers. WBAI—and the Pacifica stations, in general—used to attract intelligent listeners. That, of course, was back in the days when they aired intelligent programs.
DeleteI'm just waiting for Null to come up with something that will cure ignorance. It does exist, it's what we used to dispense over the air for a very modest subscription fee.
@Connie
DeleteThat last part was for Boku Superfood. What is really funny about that is that about 20 years ago there was a failed sugar water juice line called Boku. I Think McCain released it. They had comedian Richard Lewis do the ads. Their tagline was to the effect that it was a juice for adults. People weren't so gullible then...
I didn't hear the Sandy Hook denier. I can only imagine what kind of a psycho that person must have been. Soon he'll be the Pacifica director...
@Chris
I think one problem with the intelligent listenership is that a lot have died off over the years. I know many of the regular callers were in their 40s or older when I started listening.
Yes, Chris. It was called Folio. Something that came from the station and made you feel like you part of the station.
Gary Null has recently come out with an anti-ignorance powder called Brown Smelly Stuff...
SDL
Yes, the Sandy Hook denier ranks high on this list. He maintained that the entire thing was staged, with help from the parents. I don't recall what political motivation he ascribed to it, but the WBAI host (Geoff Brady, I think) gave the story his audible nods.
DeleteI think getting rid of the Folio was a big mistake—it could so easily have been given digital form. Look at the schedule on WBAI's site, it is so riddled with outdated and incomplete information that it is virtually useless.
Null's brown substance may well be a mixture of his red and green stuff. :)
@SDL - thank you!! I couldn't remember the name. The claims were so outrageous I tried to look it up online, but of course there were very few reviews. You'd think if this product were legit there would be thousands of reviews. Oh and one point, they suggested that this powder could replace assorted medications for people who had been diagnosed with psychological disorders - I know they said depression, not sure if he said others. I was just blown away. It's one thing to say something has such and such nutrients but the claims they make are just ridiculous and could be dangerous. I'm sure boku powder will cure what ails you - we know medical doctors are all liars who are on the take from big pharma no one wants this powerful secret "natural" cure getting out.
ReplyDelete@Chris - very sad that people fell for that ad. That says a lot about who is listening. But I know from what I've read about psychics, they appeal to desperate people but also to lonely people who just want to talk to someone. I can't imagine preying on people like that. This world can be a cold place. And much like the wall st guy SDL mentioned above, it sounded like a pathetic cash grab. Who believes that BAI is filling an important role? Sounds more like it's a way to separate lonely shut-ins or desperate and confused elderly people from cash. I'd love to find out more about these people. Maybe some are like the ones who donated thousands to Harold Camping for his end of the world ministry?
Connie
The Thank You in "Thank you gift" should come from the advertiser/manufacturer rather than the station. I bet some of these scammers would not be in business were it not for the Pacifica stations selling (directly or through free advertising) their products and services.
ReplyDeleteI agree that these manufacturers should donating their wares! How can they make a profit when they care so much and the station is broke?
ReplyDeleteI wish there was a way to get their sales data. I think it would be very illuminating! How many non-pacifica people buy Guild's consultations? Or the wall st guys consultations? The people with open wallets who listen to BAI are a special group - and a $valuable$ one. I would love a breakdown of how much each host makes a profit for each item vs how much BAI makes (after all the costs). Why do I have a feeling that BAI is not making so much. I know SDL mentioned this in a posting - while BAI may not be consciously deciding to go in this direction, they are so inept, could certain profiteers want to make this a formatting change? As we can all hear, the bulk of the "programming" are ads so it seems it's sleazy commercial radio with no oversight and one or two other programs and it has been this way for almost the entire year. It's hard to believe that the people buying this junk are also interested in culture/arts or working class/minority issues.
Connie
Why would any manufacturer "donate" an unlimited number of products to a far away radio station and spend an hour on the phone pitching it? Do they do that because they feel that America needs pedestrian pop music? Angst-inducing aural tabloids? The view from Mumia's cell? One-sided funhouse mirror political indoctrination? Kitchen table spiritual babble? End of the world pronouncements by certifiable kooks? NO!
DeleteYes, compared to what these generous out of listening range WBAI lovers get out of it, the station's cut is, indeed paltry and inevitably exceeded by the amounts printed on new incoming invoices. This is one circle that will not be broken.
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(JustAListener)
ReplyDeleteI heard some of Monique Guild last fund drive.
Have to admit I find some of these crackpots entertaining. Shame that people are out there who take them seriously.
At least with Guild there's some truth in advertising - her name is pronounced "Guile"!
The Blue Board isn't dying. It was killed. By R. Paul Martin. Free Speech Activist.
ReplyDeleteHe took it to the cleaners—I think it's called "Martinizing." :)
DeleteWell, I have to say one thing for WBAI these days: Just when you thought your sense of incredulity has been stretched as far as it will go, one producer/host or another will come out with something that will pull it out even further.
ReplyDeleteIs this their idea of "expanding your mind?"
They haven't posted a tally since Tuesday, and I just listened to a few minutes of the latest KPFA LSB meeting—there were grumblings about Pacifica having to pay salaries at BAI and the Washington station. So, I think our local optimists are in some sort of reality check....they know that WBAI will soon (to use their community term) "transition."
DeletePerhaps Reimers can take a walk across the Hudson and look for a wealthy, dumb New Jersey-ite.