How're we doing, hey, hey.......
Here's something Mitchel Cohen, long-time Berthold Reimers supporter, said last August 27th:
"WBAI will not be 'gone soon' -- in fact, we have the possibility of becoming the funding source for the entire network once again (as we had done for years) if we do the proper promotional campaigns that Steve Brown, I, and pretty much everyone else except management has been pushing for (We're finally all united, here), as programming improves (which I think will begin happening in mid-September as Mario Murillo takes over as interim Program Director), and as we kick into gear more internet programming that is not hamstrung by the 168 hours per week limit in over-the-air broadcasting (and as we make the archives sortable by topic, key word, show, guest, etc.). What an opportunity!
Even though the numbers don't show it, we are not far from turning it all around financially. Just one too many mornings and a thousand miles behind."
Is this where Bertold swoops in and saves the day with his magical thinking?
ReplyDeleteIt may well be the grand finale. Picture dark clouds from which descend a flock of Kathy's homeless angels, each waving a rainbow flag and humming "Over the Rainbow" in perfect disharmony. Below them, reptilians, in equal number, seem restless but soon find themselves partnering up with the heavenly beings and engaging in a mad, frenetic dance, swirling about until they become a blur of feathers and scales. A distant choir intones "We are Family" as Null seems to float down from nowhere, his face serene, if somewhat frozen, his hands fluttery as he sprinkles multi-colored "stuff" all around, mixing it with 3-dollar bills that lend a green tint to the floored dance residue.
DeleteAs the confetti-like blend begins to settle, a line of mental midgets enters from each side. Wearing sequined WBAI tee-shirts that sweep the floor, the two sides join to form a heart-shaped glittery fence around the dancers, who are now locked in unlikely embrace.
Broken only by occasional hums and dead air borrowed from Radio Unnameable, a large choir, the Daultonettes, declares Christ's presence, then modulates into a hip-hop rendering of "Ave Maria." The midgets do a well-syncronized community somersault as dozens of phones ring out of tune, and nobody answers. Finally, Null picks up the golden phone and holds it up for all to hear Gwen Scott recite a litany of organic nuts, accompanied by the Bates-Blosdale Duo's familiar rendering of Haydn's Helix Water Music, bastardized for BAI to incorporate the Hallelujah Chorus.
A loud crack of thunder abruptly overwhelms the Water Music, lights flash like cheap jewelry, trumpets blare, the mental midgets appear to swoon, the pompous telephone voice of Mumia thrusts a resonant "Behold Berthold!" into the air and, with strained enthusiasm, Michael Haskins is heard exclaiming, "Golly Gee!" Then he spews a well-rehearsed station break twice, and the sea of angels, reptilians and midgets parts to reveal the scrawny figure of a man being elevated from a center stage bunker. Mumbling unintelligibly, his lips move faster than Amy doing closing credits, the hardened makeup causing the rhinestones on his over-sized, rose-colored glasses to cast a ballroom globe's myriad of spotty reflections. With one arm held in an extended position by barely perceptible twisted wires, his other is wrapped around a burlap bag emblazoned with a flashing neon dollar sign. There is a reprise of the "Hallelujah Chorus", but it has barely been launched when, with remarkable finality, a cavernous voice brings this exercise in poor taste to a stop.
The fat lady is ending her song.
Fade to a different kind of black than anticipated.
That's a hell of a costly production. I think, due to WBAI's finances, it would be more along a grade b movie budget:
DeleteAn investigation by the authorities into mail and wire fraud leads the police to go to Pacifica and its stations, serving search warrants, making arrests, etc. Hay-tie is dragged out in cuffs screaming, "We are not going anywhere!" Reimers is put in a chokehold after telling the police, "I don't have the time." Ryan is shot when he comes at the cops with sledgey, which sets the stage for a "racial" incident, heavily reported and setting the stage for demonstrations nationwide. "Cake" Davis is put into a straight jacket while mumbling about inner peace, while Geoff Brady holds up a crucifix screaming for the dark forces not to sexually assault him.
Fade to black with a voice over of Bob Fass asking, "Are we on..? Are we on..? Are we off..?"
SDL
Money is no object, SDL... common practice will be prevail and the bills will go straight into bunker's circular.
DeleteMagical thinking? Hell no. Voodoo Dolls!!
ReplyDeleteKGT
Chris and SDL--Such a production would prove, for once and for all, that the truth is indeed even stranger than fiction!
ReplyDeleteThat occurred to me shortly after midnight, Thursday, when I hear Madame Catherine Davis philosophize and present her very own, inimitable insight. She and Knight's girlfriend were co-hosting the show, Deathwatch, but with a new wrinkle. Knight was only mentioned once, in passing, and Madame indicated that the Mausoleum has been closed by management to make room for something younger. How that has led to her sharing an hour and a half of her deepest thoughts was not explained. She took calls from 2 or 3 listeners who marveled at the depth of her understanding, and one call from the woman who is pushing for Alton Maddox to become a regular.
DeleteThis did not please Madame, who sensed a Maddox conspiracy and would have none of it. I'll grab it and post it this evening.
Madame is no angel, but I'm not so sure that she doesn't have a reptilian streak up her back, as it were.
Alton Maddox is pure evil. He is vicious, unadulterated white-hating scum. He has been a guest on the morning show in years past- so what. But if he gets his own show, no white person should ever give one cent to WBAI, or, David Duke should get his own show on WBAI to balance it out. They are identical opposites.
DeleteHow about Maddox & Duke as a show? It could be the more extreme version of the played for safe Curtis Sleazewa & Ronald Kuby crap on WABC. Two crazy fakes spewing their bigoted agendas could be a lot of fun.
DeleteLet's remember something not often spoken of about Sleazewa. Like Al (Charlatan) Sharpton, he was involved in hoaxes to make a name for himself, including claims of the police kidnapping and beating him, stopping crimes that never occurred, etc. Both of these humanoids have great similarities.
Of course, if you wanted genuine bigotry, you'd get Tom Metzger and whomever his black counterpart is.
SDL
I got it. The Alton Maddox - Hal Turner Show.
ReplyDelete