Written by When I watched Leo Buscaglia on PBS with my mom as a kid, I had no idea that in 2012 I’d be yelling that name to Jim Bakker.
As he settled into his spot on the platform for the taping of his show, Jim Bakker was bantering with the audience and staff members. He was genuinely funny and outgoing. He started talking about “this guy who used to talk places and hug everyone” and he couldn’t remember Buscaglia’s name. So I shouted it out to him.
Bakker: “You don’t look old enough to know that. How old are you?”
Me: “41.”
Bakker: “Oh, you’re just a young one then. You’re pretty smart. How did you get so smart?”
Me: “God.”
Lori Bakker: “That’s sweet.”
And then Jim went on about how Leo would stick around after appearances and hug everyone in the audience. He bantered with some of the regulars in the studio audience and with the members of Master’s Media sitting on the stage with him.
The situation started to get a little more serious indicating it was time to start the taping of the program. Small adjustments were made to the positions of items on tables, seating of some staff members and even the location of one particular table of lovely elderly ladies. Jim started talking about a curtain that was in a particular window and how he would really like it to be a different color. He was forceful but not rude about it but it was clear to me it was more than just a “suggestion.” That’s when Lori piped up and said that this was the difference between the two of us. She would say to do it and Jim just “suggests” things.
“When Jim says he suggests something that means he really would like you to do it!” Lori said and laughed.
The curtain change was deemed worthy of being done later and they made a few other small adjustments then started up the program. Jim went back to cracking jokes with the staff and the audience until the stage managers started an eight second count down.
The opening played, the crowd started to applaud and the taping of the Jim Bakker Show had officially started! Jim and Lori shared the stage with half a dozen Master’s Media students and singer Kevin Shorey.
The topic of the day apparently was going to include a new internet television ministry called GenerationNOW along with a sermon from Jim.
Jim never made it to the sermon.
Part 3 tomorrow.
