Saturday host of Coast to Coast AM, Ian Punnett was our special guest in Streamlink's Live Chat on Tuesday, August 26, 2008. Below are excerpts from the Q & A.
windycity
Ian, any plans on bringing R. Gary Patterson back soon?
Ian Punnett
Gary can come back anytime. I thought of him often when May Pang was on talking about the time that she and John Lennon were watching that UFO.
JennaK
I loved May Pang. Makes you wonder what would have happened if Yoko hadn't gotten John back under her control.
John the Baptist
Ian, what has been your all time favorite interview so far?
Ian Punnett
Jim Marrs always comes to mind. I wish I had him on with George the other night. I really enjoyed the woman we had on a few weeks ago about extreme adventure sports transcending reality.
Cali pi
Ian, you have such a great rapport with Dean Koontz. You guys crack me up!
Ian Punnett
Oh, and Dean Koontz would be another all-time fave rave too.
windycity
Any updates on the 'Jim Morrison is alive' front?
Ian Punnett
Still keeping the International Line open for him.
Sadie
I have a question for you Ian. Who are your most favorite comedians of all time?
Ian Punnett
This answer box is too small. Of the classics, Woody in his non-creepy prime, Robert Klein, Albert Brooks, but I LOVE Jim Gaffigan today. He kills me.
Sadie
Good choices. I have many but Mel Brooks tops the list. Classic.
Ifixsickkids
Hey Deacon Punnett, how much time do you take preparing for a C2C show on average?
Ian Punnett
Because I love the source material, many, joyful hours.
boltville
Ever have Sylvia Browne on?
Ian Punnett
I would have a hard time with her after the "minor" incident of those poor, dead coalminers and the "miner" incident she had on Montel where she told a family their daughter was dead that came back to them alive.
rvigarino
Ian, what is it that you say at the end of your broadcast and what does it mean?
Ian Punnett
Deus te amat is Latin for "God loves you."
John the Baptist
Transcension seems to be a strong, underlying in many of your questions. Would you call yourself more of an existentialist or a man of the cloth?
Ian Punnett
Why are they mutually exclusive?
John the Baptist
You got me there, but then you are a huge cut ahead of most people!
RememberDeath
Ian, do you think the Catholic church, with the recent announcement about aliens, is getting ready for "something"? By "something" I mean anything that relates to E.T. life, big or small. AND do you think some religions are "in the know" when it comes to that type of stuff?
Ian Punnett
If anybody would be, I suppose, it would be the RCC. Still, I think it was an interesting reiteration of a position they have had for a while. Funny timing, though, wasn't it?
Moonbeam
Ian, do you ever talk about C2C during your sermons?
Ian Punnett
I have, actually. Funnier to me are the number of sleepy people (usually dragged to church) who come up to me on the way out and say, "Did I fall asleep to you last night?"
bigdog
Do you think Philip J. Berg has a case that holds water?
Ian Punnett
Not yet but I was very positive on giving him the opportunity to present the case to the jury. How do you think he did?
galley89
The jury is still out on that case.
bigdog
I think he was very convincing, but I couldn't see a judge taking that case in this political climate.
windycity
How about bringing Spinal Tap on as a guest panel? I would turn my radio up to 11.
Ian Punnett
They're coming back in Jan, I hope.
KatrinaBobbleHead
Hi Ian. Has your life changed now that you're ordained?
Ian Punnett
I'm holier and I no longer have gas.
Mufaso
Now that you are a reverend have you ever considered joining J.C.'s army as a ten-star private?
Ian Punnett
I'm already in another J.C.'s army.
RememberDeath
Do you think J.C. is real? Or just a fan having a good time?
Ian Punnett
I hope he's having a good time. I know I am.
Amoral
I have a question about JC, do you think he is UFO PHIL or Mike Siegel?
Ian Punnett
I accused him of being Mike Siegel one night at the end of the phone call. He hung up. My feeling was he hung just before he burst out laughing.
Nstar40
Ian, have you had any negative feedback from within the Episcopal church about your work on the radio?
Ian Punnett
On the night of my ordination, the bishop pulled me aside during "the Peace" and told me that just that afternoon they had received a crazy letter from some guy in Canada threatening to sue me for 18 million dollars for a show he didn't like and pleaded with the bishop not to ordain me. Just today, I got another unrelated one. Comes with the territory. But I'll take the trade-off now that I don't have gas.
RememberDeath
Do you take the scripture literally or do you think it is mostly history and ideas?
Ian Punnett
The tradition in which I was raised says that scripture wasn't intended to be taken literally at every turn so why should we? That having been said, taking something seriously is plenty without having to take it literally.
JiminTexas
Ian, deep question I've been trying to reconcile. How do I as a Christian make sense of the son of Ra, Horus having so many of the identical attributes as Jesus, how do I know that these traits were not grafted on the man Jesus in order to sell the mythos of the god-man saviour to the Greco-Roman world?
Ian Punnett
I've been a reader of the Freke books for years and there is some problem with their scholarship. That having been said, the NT is filled with attempts to explain the Gospel in the terms the recipient can understand. No small wonder if some things got borrowed.