On the September 25, 2015 episode of Midnight in the Desert, Art Bell opened the show by discussing a frustrating technical issue that involved troubleshooting faulty equipment. He humorously shared that after much effort, it all boiled down to a single faulty wire. Art then outlined the basic rules of his show, which emphasized respectful language and limiting callers to one call per episode. He went on to thank his support team and some of his listeners, including a playful nod to a fan group called “Vestal Virgins of the Dark,” who cheered him up during the day’s challenges.
As the episode progressed, Art reflected on the previous night’s discussion with Dr. David Jacobs, which left him genuinely spooked. The topic of alien hybrids—entities living among humans—unsettled him, prompting a deeper reflection on whether humanity would even recognize such an invasion if it were happening. Art transitioned to cover various news items of the day, including the Pope’s U.S. visit and the sudden resignation of Speaker of the House John Boehner, followed by odd global phenomena like mysterious sounds and cryptid sightings in British Columbia.
Later, Art introduced a new segment called the “I’m Losing My Mind Line,” inviting listeners who felt mentally overwhelmed to call in. The rest of the episode included a variety of open-line calls, with one listener from Philadelphia anxiously awaiting the Pope’s arrival. Several other callers shared personal experiences, including encounters with shadow figures, eerie paranormal events, and even a time-travel-like story where a man was warned not to visit Alaska in October by someone who claimed to be his grandson.
As the show moved forward, Art took more calls on the “I’m Losing My Mind Line.” One listener shared a chilling encounter with a shadow figure during his youth in Chicago. The figure appeared at the foot of his bed, and the experience escalated into a physical struggle, with the entity overpowering him. Art responded with empathy, recounting his own unsettling experience seeing a shadow person, which he found equally terrifying. This prompted Art to read a segment titled “When Shadow People Attack” by Jason Offit, adding more weight to the theme of mysterious entities and their unsettling impact on people.
Another caller contributed a surreal story involving an odd interaction at a Starbucks. The man recounted how a stranger, seemingly familiar with him and his life, warned him not to travel to Alaska in October. The stranger, who appeared deeply emotional, then hugged the caller and whispered, “Love you, Grandpa,” before disappearing without a trace. This left both the caller and Art deeply reflective, as Art advised the man to take the warning seriously and reconsider his upcoming trip to Alaska. Art also commented on the emotional depth of the moment, suggesting the mysterious encounter had implications far beyond coincidence.
As Art continued with the open-line calls, another listener shared a story about a shadow person encounter that happened years ago. The caller described how the shadowy figure wrestled with him, tossing him around like a rag doll before vanishing. Art, who had his own close encounter with shadow figures, expressed sympathy and understanding, reinforcing that these unsettling experiences are more common than many realize. This sparked a wider conversation about the mysterious nature of shadow people and their terrifying presence in people’s lives.
Art pivoted to discuss more news of the day, including a disturbing claim by an MIT researcher predicting that within ten years, one in every two children could be diagnosed with autism. Art found this deeply unsettling and compared it to the idea of an alien invasion, remarking on the alarming rate of increase in autism cases. The conversation then shifted back to paranormal phenomena as another caller, a self-proclaimed “mind-loser,” shared a bizarre experience involving an unknown figure. The caller had encountered someone who seemed oddly knowledgeable about his life, which only deepened the sense of high strangeness that permeated the episode.
The next segment of the show introduced a lighter note, with Art opening the lines for more casual conversations. One caller, who sounded a bit more grounded than previous guests, shared a humorous encounter involving a misunderstanding about the show’s format and how to properly use Skype to call in. Art took the opportunity to offer technical advice, explaining how to add contacts on Skype, and reassured the listener that many people struggled with the same issues. Despite the light-hearted tone, this exchange underscored how Midnight in the Desert not only attracted paranormal enthusiasts but also a diverse audience who tuned in for Art’s personality and the show’s community feel.
As the night progressed, another caller told a story that seemed to blend paranormal themes with everyday life. The caller, a vintage car and motorcycle enthusiast, recounted an eerie interaction at a Starbucks where a stranger seemed to know intimate details about his life, including family heirlooms like a Model A car passed down through generations. This stranger, a young man, delivered an emotional message telling the caller not to travel to Alaska in October, before disappearing in a flash. Art was clearly intrigued, suggesting the encounter had a mystical element, perhaps even involving time travel. Art advised the caller not to take the trip, remarking that the story gave him chills, especially with the mysterious parting words, “Love you, Grandpa.”
The show continued with a mix of calls, and one listener from La Crosse, Wisconsin, phoned in, sounding frazzled and unsure of his place on the “I’m Losing My Mind Line.” He admitted he didn’t believe in the flat Earth theory and was struggling with the current social climate, particularly debates like “Black Lives Matter” and “Police Lives Matter.” Art handled the call tactfully, steering it away from any potentially divisive remarks, urging the caller not to let the weight of the world drive him to irrational thinking. Art’s ability to navigate such sensitive topics while keeping the conversation light-hearted helped maintain the flow of the show, especially when dealing with topics that could quickly turn contentious.
Another call came from someone eager to share a strange encounter they had in August. The caller, an older man with a passion for vintage cars and motorcycles, relayed an experience that occurred in a Starbucks. He met a younger man who seemed to know too much about his life, particularly about family heirlooms. The young man warned him not to travel to Alaska in October, which left the caller perplexed. Art, captivated by the story, urged the man to take the warning seriously, reinforcing the mysterious nature of these kinds of encounters. The parting words, “Love you, Grandpa,” further deepened the intrigue, with Art advising the caller to avoid the trip, just to be safe.
The night continued with a caller from Switzerland, who shared his thoughts about the collective sense of madness that seemed to be sweeping through society. He explained that after a decade of dating since his divorce, he had noticed a significant shift in behavior patterns, particularly among the women he met. Art, always ready to delve into the human side of paranormal discussions, agreed that there was an overall sense of collective craziness, which he attributed to the strange times everyone was living through. This reflective moment added a more philosophical tone to the show, as Art and the caller mused about whether society’s changes were rooted in deeper, more mystical shifts or simply the result of modern pressures.
Another listener followed up with a question about time travel, clearly inspired by earlier calls. He speculated about the feasibility of traveling both forward and backward in time, a classic subject in paranormal discussions. Art entertained the notion, noting that while much of what people believed about time travel was theoretical, the possibility could never be entirely dismissed. This led to a brief, but intriguing, back-and-forth about the limits of human understanding and the idea that if time travel were real, perhaps it was already happening without our knowledge.
The next segment featured a caller from Phoenix, Arizona, who shared a chilling experience with shadow figures that happened when he was a teenager. He described waking up one night to see a tall, dark figure standing at the foot of his bed, partially illuminated by streetlights from outside. What started as a fearful stare-down escalated when the figure jumped into the bed and began wrestling with him. The caller recounted how the shadow person was far stronger than him, tossing him around effortlessly. Eventually, he managed to throw a remote control at the entity, which caused it to disappear. Art, once again, related to the story, having experienced his own disturbing encounter with a shadow person, and noted how these stories often leave lasting impressions on those who experience them.
Art then read from a piece by paranormal researcher Jason Offit about shadow people, adding depth to the conversation. Offit’s story discussed a man who had been haunted by shadow entities since childhood, including recurring appearances of a figure known as the “Hat Man,” a particularly sinister version of the shadow figures. Art and the caller reflected on how common these experiences seemed to be, despite how isolated and terrifying they felt to the individuals involved. Art’s calm yet curious handling of these stories kept listeners engaged, balancing the line between the eerie and the everyday.
As the night progressed, another listener from Wisconsin called in, describing his growing frustration with the world and how it felt like society was on the verge of collapse. He mentioned various societal issues that were contributing to his sense of losing control, from political divisions to the general chaos he perceived in the world. Art, ever the skilled conversationalist, gently encouraged the caller to avoid descending into a mindset of doom, pointing out that while things may seem grim, finding ways to process it all is key to maintaining sanity. Art’s humor slipped in as he joked about how fitting it was that the caller had phoned in on the “I’m Losing My Mind Line.”
Next, a listener shared a highly unusual story about being chased by shadow entities, tying in with the ongoing theme of shadow people. This caller described seeing dark figures with glowing red eyes who would appear both in his dreams and in real life. The figures, which he called “Joeys,” would often try to attack him, leaving him physically exhausted upon waking. Despite this, the caller claimed he had managed to fight them off, even referencing his training in jiu-jitsu, which added an odd but interesting twist to the encounter. Art, intrigued, connected this story to earlier discussions, noting how these shadow encounters seem to defy normal explanations.
Art took a call from a listener who brought up a strange encounter involving shadow people that started in his childhood. He recalled seeing large, black handprints all over his mother’s friend’s kitchen walls, yet when he pointed them out, no one else could see them. This unnerving experience stayed with him as he grew older, with shadow figures frequently appearing in his life, often lurking in the background or at the edge of his vision. One figure, known as the “Hat Man,” was particularly menacing. Art, captivated by the ongoing theme of shadow people throughout the night, pointed out how similar these stories were, suggesting that many people around the world were experiencing something unexplainable yet disturbingly consistent.
Another call came from a man who had a close encounter with what he believed to be his own out-of-body experience. He described how during one of his encounters with shadow people, he suddenly found himself outside his body, watching as the shadowy figures closed in on him. Despite feeling sluggish, as if he were moving through water, he managed to fend off the entities. Art commented on how strange it was that shadow figures seemed to cause both physical and mental distress, with some people experiencing profound fear, while others felt physically assaulted. The conversation once again emphasized the blurry line between dreams, paranormal experiences, and reality.
Art took another intriguing call from a listener who had experienced what he believed to be a prophetic warning. The man explained that while sitting in a café, he was approached by a stranger who knew an unsettling amount of personal information about him. The stranger, visibly emotional, warned him not to travel to Alaska in October. As the man processed the encounter later, he realized the stranger had called him “Grandpa” before disappearing without a trace. Art, visibly intrigued, remarked on the eerie nature of the warning and advised the caller to heed it seriously. He reflected on how stories like these—blurring the lines between the supernatural and deeply personal—always left him wondering whether they were chance encounters or something far stranger.
The show then shifted back to lighter tones, with Art inviting listeners to share their thoughts on various oddball topics. One call featured a light-hearted discussion about conspiracy theories, with the listener joking about the wild ideas circulating the internet. Art, ever the master of balance, kept the conversation playful yet thought-provoking, reminding the audience that while some conspiracies are outlandish, others—like the possibility of secret government projects—aren’t entirely implausible.
Art closed the episode by reflecting on the night’s discussions, acknowledging the eerie atmosphere that had pervaded the calls, particularly those involving shadow people and strange warnings. He thanked his audience for joining him on the journey and promised more open lines and strange stories in future episodes.