I've finally come to realize that the only CTC host I consistently enjoy is Art Bell...and he only hosts live about twice a year. George Knapp is okay because I find him the most intelligent, mature and competent of the rest. Poor George Noory is a very sweet and decent man, but he's obviously terribly mentally handicapped, since he habitually repeats questions and asks about something which the guest has just spent 10 minutes explaining in detail. CoastToCoastAM clearly makes it a priority to hire the mentally challenged, because that's the only way our Simple George could have gotten the sweet gig he has.
Whitley Streiber is a nice guy, but, yes, mind-numbingly dull. He overhypes the "amazing" information we're about to hear, and he also constantly pushes and puffs his books. I only listen because I feel sorry for him: when he starts talking about his encounters with aliens he gets so emotional and shaky I think he's about to break down on air, and I feel guilty about turning him off. I do like Rob Simone, mostly for his voice, but he's also alert and mature, and at least he listens to what the guest actually says, unlike Noory.
For me the worst of the bunch is the Most Massive Ego Of The Midwest, Ian Punnett. Jeez Louise! Don't his producers tell him how annoying it is when he constantly interrupts his guests to try to impress us with what he clearly thinks is his huge intellect? I just wish they'd tell him, "Shut up Ian; let them talk!" I don't think he's ever had a guest he didn't significantly interrupt at least once every segment. Man, he gets on my nerves. I hope he gets over that terribly sore wrist, but I'd be happy if he never came back.
Now I'm all sad, and I feel like the kid in Shane. Art! Art! Please come back, Art! Don't go, Art! Come back! Come back!
Oh, Art, what have you done to us? It's a special torture for those of us who didn't discover you until 2004, when you were already flirting with your on-again, off-again retirements. We don;t even have memories of your old shows when you were on 5 and then 7 nights a week. (Please, Make your 90's shows available, even your "00's" programs! It's only fair."