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From the High Desert book cover

From the High Desert

A Cultural History of Art Bell

Thumbnail for September 15, 1999: Long Call with JC

September 15, 1999: Long Call with JC

Sep 15, 1999
1h 2m
0:00 / 0:00
Art Bell opens with world news including China's disclosure of its neutron bomb capability, Y2K preparation concerns for major U.S. cities, and reports that a regular caller known as Dr. Reed may have been shot. He also discusses the mysterious failure of New Mexico's chili pepper crop and heavy military helicopter traffic over his valley near Area 51.

The centerpiece of the evening is an extended call from JC, a bombastic recurring caller who has not been heard in over a year. JC delivers passionate declarations about the decline of civilization, insisting that women should be subservient to men and that Art is working for Satan. Art turns the tables by opening the phone lines and letting listeners question JC directly, leading to heated exchanges about biblical interpretation, religious freedom, and the proper role of women in society.

The second half features Chuck Missler, a former defense contractor executive, joining Dr. Mark Eastman to discuss UFOs from a biblical perspective. Missler reveals personal knowledge of government disinformation programs, describes classified levels of secrecy beyond standard black operations, and shares his suspicion that the 1997 Phoenix Lights may have been a military holographic projection test. The guests also explore the connection between Genesis Chapter 6 and modern UFO encounters.

Key Moments

  1. JC arrives ranting about women's suffrage and Satan: Recurring fringe caller JC breaks through on the line and launches into a tirade arguing that America's downfall began when women got the vote, calling Eve weak and Satan the master of woman, and accusing Art of being the devil's mouthpiece doing Satan's bidding.

  2. JC's vision of hell: boiling pits of sewage: Asked whether he really believes in fire and brimstone, JC describes Art's listeners going to a special place - vats of boiling sewage where their skin is removed and they're dipped in salt before being thrown in - declaring true Christians should preach this rather than love.

  3. Missler: Phoenix Lights may have been a military holography test: Chuck Missler, drawing on his defense-industry background, suggests the March 13, 1997 Phoenix Lights sighting was likely a test of a classified Department of Defense projection-holography program that went black in 1994 - a non-lethal weapons capability for creating large-scale battlefield illusions.

  4. Vatican spokesman Balducci's MJ-12 slip: Missler reports that Vatican spokesman Monsignor Balducci, who has appeared on Italian television multiple times asserting UFOs are real, made what Missler considers a telling slip - referring to a scientist as 'an MJ-12 scientist,' suggesting the Vatican may know more than it admits about the alleged secret committee.