Guest Commentaries Suggestions

[Doubt]

On Paltalk tonight, Hal was wondering if the forum members may have some ideas for who they would like to see write some guest commentaries.

Let the suggestions fly. Somebody will be reading them. I am not sure who, but somebody will be.

[Antiquehunter]

Stephen Fry, Stephen Fry, Stephen Fry!!!

If he's a potential TAM5 speaker, lets get the dialogue started.

What about Hal posting a synopsis of his TAM4 presentation about his theist position? There is loads of Forum debate post-TAM on the topic.

-AH.

[John de Combe]

I'd like Derek and Swoopy from Skepticality.

[Pyrrho]

Just use the winners of the monthly language awards.

Or, some of the brighter lights who post here...people such as CFLarsen or askolnick come to mind. The Bad Astronomer seems like a good choice, as does Rebecca.

[Tirdun]

Raid the link list. Bad Astronomy, Quackwatch, Skeptics Dictionary, etc. Put out a call for guest commentaries and I suspect you'd get a few nice replies.

[sadluxation]

Ben Goldacre, Lewis Wolpert, Chris French, Wendy Grossman, Jon Ronson, Ben Radford, Tony Youens, Simon Singh, Penn & Teller, Joe Nickell, Massimo Polidoro, Barry Williams, Edzard Ernst, Derren Brown, Henri Broch, Susan Blackmore & Adam Hart-Davis, Colin Blakemore, Richard Dawkins, Ian Rowland, Banachek, Chip Denman, Richard Wiseman, Ray Hyman, Henry Marsh, Dick Taverne, Geoffrey Dean, DJ Grothe, Mark Prendergrast, Charles Paxton, David Marks, Scott Campbell, Richard Joltes, Julian Baggini, David Allen Green.

I think you get the idea.:p

[Ducky]

Hal was on paltalk?

I have to go there more often.

I would love to write for the commentary on my experience with sCAM as a cancer patient, or about TAM 4 (though I already did that, didn't I?) or about any other topic relevant to my life.

[LostAngeles]

Cecil Adams!

Matt Stone and Trey Parker!

Teller. We hear enough out of Penn.

Barbara Mikkelson of Snopes.

[JLam]

Micahel Shermer.

And a second vote for Barbara Mikkelson.

[Godmode]

I'd love either Penn, Teller, or both. I think we could use a little humour injection during this depressing time.

[Lothian]

Sylvia Browne ?

[Humphreys]

Dawkins would be good.

[TJ]

How about Stephen Hawking, Daniel Dennett, Christopher Hitchens, Julia Sweeney, Hal Bidlack, Nadine Strossen, Karen Russell, Stanley Krippner, Ani DiFranco, or any of the others mentioned.

Bump for Teller, bump for BA and Rebecca.

[wipeout]

Murray Gell-Mann to do a special on quantum theory, woo-woos and skepticism.

It'll never happen but it'd be so cool to read. :cool:

[Dinsdale Piranha]

I like sadluxation's idea of Banachek. I'd like to add Jamy Ian Swiss to the list. A prime example of a sceptical conjuror if there ever was one.

[CFLarsen]

Murray Gell-Mann to do a special on quantum theory, woo-woos and skepticism.

It'll never happen but it'd be so cool to read. :cool:
I don't think it is all that improbable. After meeting MGM (hey, there's a cool acronym!) at TAM4, I would think he would look at it very favorably.

He is very nice, approachable and accommodating.

[Soapy Sam]

Interesting Ian.

[kittynh]

how about Martin Gardner? I think he would be up to a commentary.

And even though he is retired it would be cool to read something by him. He's always an interseting read.

[kittynh]

well, I mean, it goes without saying that Pillory will get to do a week.

I'm serious here.

[Kiless]

May I strongly suggest the following gentleman, who books are being sent to James Randi today:

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki.

His website: http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/

From this site: http://www.tip.csiro.au/ISEC2003/Speaker.htm

... his media career has exploded from radio to include TV, books, newspapers, magazines, scripting, professional speaking, and of course, the Net. His science homepage (which has well over 4 million words on it) gets about 450,000 pages downloaded each week...

...He made his TV debut in 1985 as the presenter of the first series of Quantum. .... Karl also popularises science on radio stations across Australia, for several hours each week. Karl has written (so far) 20 books, beginning with Great Moments In Science in 1984. According to the "New Scientist" Magazine Karl's last five books have all hit the position of best-selling Popular Science book in Australia....

In 1996 Karl was invited by the United States Information Agency to be a Distinguished Foreign Guest in their International Visitor Program....... Karl has degrees in Physics and Maths, Biomedical Engineering, Medicine and Surgery and has worked as a physicist, tutor, film maker, car mechanic, labourer, and as a medical doctor at the Kids' Hospital in Sydney. In 1995 he took up the position of the Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at Sydney University, spreading the good word about science and its benefits.

Get Dr K. Seriously. :)

And if you can get him to TAM, I'd be willing to have your children, Doubt... :D

[CFLarsen]

well, I mean, it goes without saying that Pillory will get to do a week.

I'm serious here.
In what jail?


(scurries away)

[Doubt]

Get Dr K. Seriously. :)

And if you can get him to TAM, I'd be willing to have your children, Doubt... :D

Well then! I will have to use all my influence to make sure that happens.

Wait.......I have no influence.......and you are married.....never mind......

[Spektator]

Interesting Ian.
I was going to nominate Vitor Moura--but only if he writes his commentary in Portuguese and then uses Babelfish to turn it into Klingon. I can't read Klingon.

[dsm]

George W. Bush - why we need to be skeptical about world politics. ;)

[treble_head]

Pillory.

[Dinsdale Piranha]

In the 02/17 Commentary, Hal Bidlack wrote:

(snip) "We will also hear from the greatest card magician I’ve ever seen, and a truly smart and kind fellow, Jamy Ian Swiss." (snip)

That's right, *my* idea (see post 15 above). Mine mine mine mine!
I'm psycho...... uh...... psychic!
Where's my prize?

[Doubt]

In the 02/17 Commentary, Hal Bidlack wrote:

(snip) "We will also hear from the greatest card magician I’ve ever seen, and a truly smart and kind fellow, Jamy Ian Swiss." (snip)

That's right, *my* idea (see post 15 above). Mine mine mine mine!
I'm psycho...... uh...... psychic!
Where's my prize?

Sorry, but Hal had already mentioned Jamy on Paltalk way back when he asked if somebody would start this thread.

Here is your box of Rice-a-roni as a consolation prize.
:D

[Dinsdale Piranha]

Sorry, but Hal had already mentioned Jamy on Paltalk way back when he asked if somebody would start this thread.

Here is your box of Rice-a-roni as a consolation prize.
:D

I knew it! The $1 million doesn't really exist! It's all tied up in worthless Rice-A-Roni stock.

Could I get a cookie instead? Chocolate chip. One of those big ones. And hot, too..... where the chips are just starting to melt.

[Curmudgeon]

I would REALLY like to see something new from Isaac Asimov and Stephen Jay Gould.

Perhaps Sylvia Browne arrange it?

[Orthoptera]

Ricky Gervais, the British comic behind The Office and Extras, would be entertaining, and he seems game for things like this.

[Blue Wode]

What about Robert Park? If he included a link to his Friday newsletter 'What's New' we'd be treated to two commentaries for the price of one.

[Minkster]

I would like to see someone like Derren Brown or Wiseman do a piece.

Also, as others have said, someone not integrated in the whole skeptic movement but still with very clear skeptic views. Like Gervais or Fry

[Jorghnassen]

Jon Stewart...

[Doubt]

I would like to see someone like Derren Brown or Wiseman do a piece.

Also, as others have said, someone not integrated in the whole skeptic movement but still with very clear skeptic views. Like Gervais or Fry

I think Wiseman is already set for one.

[Mashuna]

I'd agree with the Ricky Gervaise suggestions, but what would be an excellent commentary would be ideas by Karl Pilkington, with Ricky responding. If it's anything like the podcasts, the responses would just be maniacal laughter at the suggestions of Karl, but that's entertaining enough for me.

If you haven't heard the podcasts, they're fantastic, just don't listen to them in public (or on a 24hr flight to New Zealand). People start to edge away from you nervously.

On second thoughts, that was actually an advantage on the NZ flight. More space for spreading out.

[Arkan_Wolfshade]

Sylvia Browne ?

That does bring up an interesting idea. Is there anyone on the other side of the fence that would be interested in addressing their critics?

[Angus McPresley]

Eugenie Scott. Ann Druyan.

[Angus McPresley]

And by the way, Arkan, I love your sig, but think maybe it should read

chown -R us ~you/*base*

or maybe even

chown -R us ~/../**/*base*

[Jorghnassen]

Hubert Reeves.

[Wowbagger]

How about some popular authors, such as Michael Crichton?

Or Orson Scott Ca- oh, nevermind about him. (Too woo-woo on the Evolution front.)

Is Arthur C. Clarke still alive?

[rats]

Ben Goldacre!

[Ed Baehr]

Teller would be a delight to hear from as would Julia Sweeney, or Eugenie Scott.

Is Stephen Fry really a possible TAM 5 speaker?