It’s really just too mind numbingly horrible to believe. And yet . . . he’s selling it for all he’s worth. And then some.
Bob Cesca describes the place:
On his website, Beck released a series of videos in which he unveiled his Disneyland, and when I watched each of them, I felt like I was observing the meandering schemes of a mental patient who impulsively scrawled his manifesto onto the walls of his padded room using his own feces.
He began by describing the park as based upon “patterns.” I’m not sure what that even means, and he certainly didn’t elaborate on these so-called “patterns.” The only thing I can figure is that he and his people designed the park based upon how best to exploit human psychology to most efficiently and rapidly indoctrinate visitors to Beck’s far-right-Cleon-Skousen-revisionist-history-meets-Mormon-dogma cult without knowing they’re being indoctrinated, and therefore the Beck empire will attain more paying customers to augment his brand: his books, radio show, paywalls, performance art, merchandizing, etc.
But of course he’ll never say that out loud. He’ll never publicly confess that it’s a one-stop shopping mall for all things Glenn Beck. Instead, he’s pitching it as a place of learning — learning, that is, to waste money on Beck’s crackpot version of history and current events. Make no mistake, this is a money-making scheme for Beck. Nothing more.
Beck is a crackpot, a charlatan, a grifter, a cheat and a showman. He’s PT Barnum without the self-awareness, wit or morals.
As you read more about it, it just gets better and better. There will be a residential area. A vast shopping mall for all things Beck. A kind of inverse college where students can grow less informed through study. It will quickly become the epicenter of lunacy, fringiness and whackadoodlism. I’m sure it will somehow be a cross between Albert Speer, Stalin and Tim Burton’s version Gotham. And his loyal listeners will give him money by wheelbarrow load and thank him on for the privilege of being fleeced.
In a few years, it’ll be a hulking, abandoned ruin, haunted by the shadows of people who thought Beck was in it for the ideas, not the money. Once he’s got his cut of the profits, he’ll cut and run and leave lots of people holding the bag. And even if it never materializes, he’ll make serious bank and no one else will see a thin dime of profit.



#1 by Becky Stauffer on January 18, 2013 - 10:34 am
This is reminiscent of that failed survivalist community in southern Utah from some years back, supposedly endorsed by Cleon Skousen (a mentor of sorts for Beck and his many money-making schemes). Of course, when people began losing money, Skousen backed away and disclaimed involvement (as I recall).
#2 by Glenden Brown on January 18, 2013 - 11:02 am
I don’t believe I’ve heard about the story about the survivalist community before – but I’m not surprised at all. I can think of a few folks I know who will gladly head off to Beck’s theme park and joyously hand over their hard earned dollars.
#3 by Richard Warnick on January 18, 2013 - 10:44 am
I actually know someone who will probably go there on her vacation. Beck has some hard-core followers.
#4 by cav on January 18, 2013 - 10:47 am
Fools and their money have a certain destiny.
#5 by Becky Stauffer on January 18, 2013 - 1:27 pm
I had to do some fancy Googling to find this, but here’s a link to an interesting article that is somewhat related to your post topic, Glen. About halfway down, the story about the “hunting lodge” is what I was referring to. I had a vague recollection of this but this provides a little more substantiation.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/10/mitt-romney-video-wythe-glenn-beck-cleon-skousen
#6 by brewski on January 18, 2013 - 2:55 pm
Yeah, no kidding. Can you believe there are so many Simpleminded, Gullible and Readily Fleeced people who bought that whole hopey-changey thing?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2012/09/20/you-cant-change-washington-from-the-inside/
#7 by Larry Bergan on January 18, 2013 - 7:41 pm
What?
The 912 revolution fizzled out? The “buy gold” scheme is dead?
Isn’t it time for the Mormon Church to make some kind of solid statement about Beck?
Whatever you say about the Mormon culture, It’s history and sacrifice are one of the most fascinating stories in American history, but the time has come to acknowledge the real reason Americans are choosing to lose their religion.
Follow the money.
#8 by Larry Bergan on January 18, 2013 - 7:52 pm
Becky:
Concerning the fantastic article you found at # 5:
I don’t know much about Stephanie Mencimer, but David Corn is a great journalist who’s been around for years. He only shows up sporadically in big media, for a reason.
How did my wonderful state of Utah get involved with all of these strange people? I’m sure every state has it’s crazies, but wow!
#9 by Becky Stauffer on January 18, 2013 - 8:11 pm
You said it, Larry, follow the money. And what Cav said, too, about fools and their money. Utah has a long, rich history of such shenanigans.
#10 by Larry Bergan on January 18, 2013 - 8:17 pm
Mark Twain wrote about the bilking of the religious, and the religious choose to censor him. Probably the higher-ups.
#11 by Larry Bergan on January 18, 2013 - 8:22 pm
My step dad – who was not religious – once met a man who bragged that he would wear Mormon garments to convince victims of his honestly and good will.
My step dad didn’t hesitate to show his disdain.
Fits in perfectly with Glendon’s post and message; also Twain’s.