About this episode
Art Bell dedicates this open lines program to examining the unprecedented developments surrounding the Phoenix Lights phenomenon. The show captures a remarkable day of contradictory government responses, beginning with Arizona Governor Fife Symington's morning announcement of a full investigation into the March 13th event, followed by his complete reversal just hours later during an emergency press conference where he dismissed the entire matter as a joke. Bell documents the timeline of these events while expressing bewilderment at the governor's dramatic about-face. Callers share their own Phoenix Lights experiences and theories about the government's handling of the incident. The program explores the strange timing of these developments, coming just as the Roswell 50th anniversary approaches and national attention focuses on UFO phenomena. Bill Hamilton, a UFO investigator who captured some of the Phoenix footage, provides additional context about the ongoing media coverage and public interest. The show demonstrates the peculiar dance between official acknowledgment and denial that often characterizes UFO events. Bell's analysis of the governor's behavior and the larger implications for disclosure creates a compelling portrait of how extraordinary events can quickly disappear into official obscurity, even when witnessed by thousands of people.