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Mark Guydish
Saturday, February 19, 2000     Page: 3A

When the woman called from ABC, she said `20/20′ was “doing a story on
Jesus.”
   
“You’re doing a story on Jesus?”
    “Well, the guy who looks like him,” she said. “I don’t know how else to
describe him.”
   
The people from `20/20′ wanted to interview me as part of their Thursday
segment about Carl Joseph, the white-robed preacher who wandered Hazleton
streets for months before hitting the national spotlight.
   
“We think you might be – well, I was going to say a voice of reason, but
maybe dissent.”
   
Dissent. I can do that.
   
I asked why they were doing a story on Joseph.
   
“Well it’s,” she paused again, “I don’t really know.”
   
She figured it must be because major print media such as the Philadelphia
Inquirer, Washington Post and Time magazine had picked up on it. They wanted
to talk to me after hearing about last week’s column.
   
I thought back to my first appearance as a newsman on a local TV talk show.
My then-editor Dave Iseman wanted to show why we let people comment on our
phone-in SAYSO line without leaving a name. To visually demonstrate the
truthfulness that sometimes comes only with anonymity, Dave coerced me into
putting a paper bag on my head.
   
If you look at my picture, you can see that’s not such a bad idea.
   
I suggested to a co-worker that I might repeat the stunt for `20/20.’ In
keeping with Joseph’s preference to be called “What’s Your Name?,” I could
don the bag and call myself “What’s Your Face?”

TV program ready for skepticism
   
The crew from `20/20′ was pleasant but looked a little tired. And yes, they
do stage things a bit. They cleaned a cluttered office counter for me to lean
on and positioned a copy of the newspaper with my picture showing. They asked
us to silence the phones but wanted two reporters in the background to stay at
their desk and look busy.
   
The actual on-camera TV reporter didn’t show up. Instead, the producer
stood off camera and asked me questions clearly designed to elicit the
skeptical response they felt they needed.
   
I doubt I fulfilled their quest. Despite failing to feel the charm of
Joseph, I don’t see him as a con man. I respect his sincerity and acknowledge
his positive impact on others.
   
In fact I found it depressing when I learned some disgruntled person
allegedly jumped out of a car and attacked Joseph as he walked through town
after his ABC interview. Joseph was not hurt and chose not to call police.
   
Still, I did my best to make my main point: Regardless of his sincerity,
Joseph, under a cloak of anonymity most of the time, is garnering attention
delivering a message clergy and parents offer daily. Why?
   
Afterward I felt unsatisfied. It seemed bizarre to get swept into the
national media vortex precisely because I had written a column questioning all
the attention. Maybe, while the camera was on, I should have made my point in
a stronger fashion. Maybe I should have worn a robe. Maybe I should have …
   
Nah, never mind.
   
Hindsight is always `20/20.’
Call Guydish at 459-2005 or e-mail [email protected]