Art Bell’s Open Forum: Conspiracy Talk on Coast to Coast AM and its Legacy in the Internet Age

Abstract

This article examines the late-night call-in talk radio show Coast to Coast AM and its creator and host, Art Bell. One of the most popular radio shows in America at the turn of the 21st century, the show dealt with pseudoscience, conspiracy theories, and the paranormal. From its policy against screening callers to its ‘anything goes’ theme, the show anticipated several consequential characteristics of the Internet. This paper uses Bell’s comments about his show as well as analysis of several episodes from the 1990s to examine Bell’s strategy as host and the larger cultural and historic significance of the show, particularly as it relates to conspiracy culture that has since proliferated on the Internet. The article argues that Bell played the role of a simultaneously open-minded yet sceptical host, and saw himself as curating a forum for free expression and creating entertainment. Bell, who died in 2018, failed to consider, much less appreciate, the consequences of his approach. The article concludes by suggesting how the show is an example of contemporary Gnosticism in presenting a worldview that assumes reality hides many hidden truths that only a few can ever access.