Larry’s Prosaic Questions, Stan’s Patience, & All That Noise—McGahaA Review

By Frank Warren
The UFO Chronicles
© 1-18-08

     I wasn’t surprised that Larry was going to do another show on UFOs when I received “the word” a few days ago; CNN never seems to spearhead journalistic investigations regarding Ufology, they wait until someone else jumps in first; given all the hub-bub over the recent “Stephenville sightings” it was only a matter of time before Larry’s producers started calling potential guests.

No surprise that Stanton Friedman was top on the list. Newcomer, James Fox got the nod as well, a likely candidate given his recent accolades for co-orchestrating the UFO Conference held at the National Press Club back in November.

Since the Stephenville sightings precipitated the show, a few of the witnesses were on: Steve Allen, Claudette Odam, along with staff writer, Angelia Joiner who penned the first reports for the “Empire-Tribune,” the town newspaper.

Injecting the "Belief Credo

As is customary for CNN in general, and Larry in particular, the show was framed by a “belief ideology”; in fact Larry began the show by asking the question, “Do You Believe?” Ad nauseum!

A common fallacy by mainstream media is that the “existence of UFOs” is in question; it is not, that argument was settled in the middle part of the last century! Let us not forget that all factions of our military investigated UFOs for decades, the most discernible was the United States Air Force! The latter began officially in the summer of 1947, first via its predecessor, the “Army Air Force” (which also investigated Foo Fighters [UFOs] during the war). The culmination of those efforts would later fall under the designation, “Project Sign” in the beginning of 1948, and eventually would become known as the more familiar, “Project Blue Book”; the personnel involved would investigate UFOs for the next 2 decades.

Let me assure you that the Air Force, as well as the other branches of the military, along with our intelligence agencies didn’t spend decades, and millions of dollars of tax payers money, wondering if UFOs exist or not!

Based on data accumulated by investigation, the Air Force came to the conclusion that the phenomena was, “real and not visionary or fictitious”; thus began their “semi-overt” investigation into the matter—this in 1947!

So, for mainstream media, to inculcate the notion that the reality of the phenomenon is irresolute is deceptive on it’s face, confusing to the layperson, and gives the rest of us pause as to the purpose of such actions.

Same Ol' Script

Getting back to the show, another common trait of King’s program when addressing the UFO subject, is the “background audio & video”; this while a guest (witness or researcher) recounts a sighting or significant event, or while he is introducing someone, as well as “fill in” approaching a break; his producers mesh together, video, stills and audio of actual UFO footage, along with sci-fi shows etc.; there’s no separation, and the lay person can’t tell fact from fiction.

This definitely affects the perception of the viewer in regards to the subject matter. Obviously, if one is listening to a serious account describing a UFO, while witching a “rubber monster” carry someone onto a plywood prop, this will certainly influence the viewer’s thinking.

Moreover, although “a new” rash of sightings, specifically what’s been seen over Stephenville, Texas of late, prompted this broadcast, the script has been played over and over again when King visits this topic.

The “model” is to bring in witnesses (if there are any) and authorities on Ufology, and a show isn’t complete without your typical skeptic! Unfortunately, the same questions are asked by King, the only difference is that “a new event” has taken place and “the witnesses have changed.”

The Stephenville Witnesses

After Larry injected the “belief credo” the first to make comment were the witnesses from Stephenville; “Steve Allen” a private pilot claimed:

“ . . . We looked off to the east, saw some very bright, brilliant flashing lights headed toward us at a very high rate of speed.

They got -- it started slowing down once it got closer to us. They was about 3,000 foot above the ground -- less than a mile away at the closest time. It continued on and it went toward Stephenville, Texas. And they basically came to a stop right over Stephenville.

The lights in the back of it reconfigured to a vertical scenario. And all of a sudden they burst into flames and it disappeared.

Ten minutes later, the lights reappeared. And that's when the we saw the two military jets that we supposed in pursuit, chasing it. And they headed back east, toward the Dallas/Fort Worth and the nuclear plant area.”

Witness “Claudette Odom’s” account was as follows:

“ . . . So I ran outside. And toward Stephenville, it was like bright, bright orange lights that were moving together, but back and forth. And it was real low to the ground. And there was no noise, but it didn't seem like it was that far away. And, again, the lights were just so bright and kind of horizontal and . . . It was completely quiet. It wasn't like an airplane.

Angelia Joiner, the staff reporter for the town newspaper, the “Empire-Tribune,”, was next to make comment; she has a unique perspective being the recipient of the initial reports, and authoring 4 articles on the matter:

“ . . . the thing that I hear over and over and over is how bright the lights were. Some people say they were so bright, you just almost couldn't look at them. And the same thing about no noise and that it was quite large.

So I think there's been a lot of consistency in the spottings.”

It’s important to note that these are just a few participants out of numerous witnesses in this latest event in Texas; the consensus is that there were multiple sightings, witnessed by several at different times. The narratives on face value appear to negate “natural phenomenon,” and or man-made craft, with the exception of Allen’s account of a chase of the UFOs by presumably Air Force jets.

The investigation by “MUFON investigators, which began this weekend, should prove to be quite interesting!

- end part I -

LARRY KING LIVE: UFOS - Questions & Controversy

Stanton Friedman Returns To The Larry King Show (Again)

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