X-Message-Number: 1587 Date: 11 Jan 93 18:51:04 EST From: Charles Platt <> Subject: CRYONICS media update To: Cryonet The Faith Daniels show was taped this morning, the subject being cryonics. The half-hour show should be aired on Thursday, January 14. It's broadcast on NBC nationwide, every weekday morning. Check your local listings for the exact time. The sequence of guests was Jerry White (a member of ACS who is dying of AIDS and hopes to be frozen); Fred Chamberlain (co-founder of the Alcor Foundation, with his father in suspension); Linda Chamberlain (co-founder of Alcor, with her mother in suspension); me; my wife, Susan Kim; Carlos Mondragon, current president of Alcor; and (a last-minute addition) Keith Ferrell, the editor of Omni. As many people on the net are aware, Omni has published a "cryonic contest" this month. I found the show frustrating, for two reasons: first, it is impractical to fit seven guests into a half-hour show, especially since the format entails questions from people in the audience, which take additional time. Second, speaking personally, I had been included on the show mainly for human- interest reasons, because I have signed up for cryonic suspension while my wife hasn't. Basically the producer wanted me to bicker a little with my wife, or say "how it feels" to be married to someone who has differing views on this subject. I was not interested in playing that game, so I had to avoid the few questions that came my way and try to say what I wanted to say instead. Jerry White received the most attention, for obvious reasons. Ironically, he is not a member of the Alcor Foundation, and Alcor is underwriting the contest which gave the show its reason for dealing with cryonics. Still, Jerry talked quite forcefully about his reasons for wanting to be frozen. Unfortunately he mentioned that he has already had his mother frozen, in a brain-only procedure which Alcor would probably regard as being improvised and medically unsound. Precious minutes were wasted trying to cope with the inevitable "Why only the brain?" questions, which could not be adequately answered in the time. Fred and Linda were then asked about having relatives in suspension. I was asked about living with a non-cryonicist, and my wife and I shrugged the topic off as quickly as possible. A very brief film clip was shown of procedures at Alcor, with commentary from Carlos. Carlos then fielded questions about the practicalities of cryonics, and did an excellent job. He was succinct, accurate, and reassuring. Finally Keith Ferrell was brought on, and he just had time to mention that people could learn more about the contest in Omni magazine. Questions from the audience were predictable ("How do you know the money will be kept safely to unfreeze you when the time comes?") but not hostile. There were no fundamentalist- religions questions. I tried to cope with a question from someone who believed in reincarnation. (I didn't do too well.) All the other questions were rational and showed a genuine interest. Unfortunately, the show did not display a phone number to call for people who are interested in getting more information from Alcor. I don't know if the show would have done this if they were asked. I don't know if they WERE asked. I blame myself for not mentioning this to the producer ahead of time. On the other hand, this was really Alcor's responsibility, rather than mine. I think the show will have some small effect in spreading a positive image of cryonics. I think it will have an even smaller effect (but perhaps still measurable) in encouraging people to pick up the current issue of Omni. I think the show will not have any effect at all in influencing people to call Alcor. If future programs of this type wish to feature cryonics, I suggest the following: a) Alcor should insist on only Alcor members appearing. (This would be an initial negotiating position which could ultimately be surrendered if there is no other way to get the show on the air.) b) Alcor should try to minimize the number of guests. c) A strong push should be made for displaying Alcor's toll- free number, without which the show will have little or no direct effect. I think one's natural inclination is to feel grateful for media attention, and try to bend ourselves in whichever direction will encourage "them" to be nice to "us." However, I think this is completely wrong. My wife, who used to work in television, assures me that talk-show guests are seen merely as a commodity by the producers, no matter how nicely and respectfully they treat us in person. The producers will do whatever they want, unless the guest takes a strong stand. I get the feeling that in the past, cryonicists have been a little too easy when dealing with the media. A slightly more cautious, slightly more demanding attitude might not be a bad idea. --Charles Platt Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=1587