Televangelist Supreme

I remember the first time I saw Doctor Gene Scott of Pasadena, CA. He was broadcasting from one of his TV stations. Back in the early 80's he had at least three: Pasadena, West Hartford, CN and somewhere outside of San Francisco where I was living.

I've always been a fan of televised Christianity. When I saw Dr. Scott he looked ordinary enough. Suit and tie in a plain room with a blackboard. He was full of wrath but that has always been part of the stock and trade of preachers, pests, imams, & etc.

But what had roused his righteous wrath was unique. Someone had just given Jimmy Swaggart a gold Rolex watch. This was back before Jerry Lee Lewis' cousin got caught. Dr. Scott wasn't outraged at the waste of money. He was pissed because no one had given him an expensive watch.

He was inviting a believing soul to understand God's will and give him a gold Rolex. I was delighted. He fulminated on and on about it. I can't remember if it was this telecast or another where he exploded that people could "go down the slimy chute to Hell" if they didn't give him money.

His physical congregation looked conventional enough but Southern California is famous as a mecca of the goofy. Think of all those off-kilter folks Jack Webb is always so polite to in Dragnet.

I left the Baghdad by the Bay but many years later I saw him again. I was drinking with Gordon. Neither of us would watch TV but a couple of times when we were drunk we'd turn it on late and laugh at it.

One night (early 90's I think) we saw Dr. Scott! He had a satellite uplink. He had changed.

Long hair, band around his head, beard, smoking a fat cigar. He'd bought a rundown old hotel and had plans to turn it onto a 'cathedral.'

He just sat there demanding money. No pretence of a sermon. Nothing about redemption, doing good works. Just give Gene Scott money. Reminded me of the urban legend about the classified that said only "Send $5.00."

But he'd made several quantum leaps since the early days. Mostly he smoked his cigar, made odd remarks and told people they'd better call in their pledge now. Kind of like a PBS pledge break run by a psychotic. When he got tired of talking he'd play his saxophone. Or show movies of his racehorses in Tennessee.

But the peak was when he sang Stomp a Piss ant for Jesus.

That was all the mention Jesus got. I decided he had to be an atheist who was playing the biggest practical joke on the gullible imaginable. I see he has a web site now. Looks like he may have cut his hair and taken to wearing a tux. I learned that he earned a Ph.D. in philosophy from Stanford.

Since he mentions his transponder he's still being seen via satellite somewhere. Hope you get to see his powerful witness to gullibility. Few moments of television can be as cheering. Sort of the Chuck Barris of televangelism.

More About Doctor Gene Scott

The Shock Jock of Televangelism

Televangelist's Arrival Divides a Small Town

Usenet newsgroup: alt.fan.gene-scott

The FBN Files - “I Worked for Dr. Gene Scott”

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