Page 59 - Just Deserts

Revelation Research

cannot do it without you! And now, I will introduce you to a very
brave young woman, who must remain veiled; her life has been
threatened. Please join me in welcoming...Mary!”
As the crowd noise swelled ominously, camera two focused on the
gilded guest gate to McCracken’s left. A soft spot subtly lit the portal.
Dan DeLeone’s control room colleagues did not hear him quickly
and quietly issue new instructions to his cameramen: “Camera one,
zoom in on McCracken from the waist up; camera three, slowly pan
the left side of the audience; camera four, stay with the first three
rows on the right side of the audience; camera five, follow any
movement of the audience onto the stage.”
Millions of Americans—all who were tuned into the “Mighty
Ministry of Righteousness” and all who watched any of the
countless rebroadcasts on other stations—witnessed Jack
McCracken’s unctuousness drain as it became apparent that the
announced guest was not forthcoming. DeLeone at first cut back and
forth from the evangelist’s burgeoning apoplexy to the unmoving
golden gate; then, ignoring McCracken’s desperate wave at the
control booth, he switched to the cameras covering the studio
audience. It had risen to its feet as one body, hissing and hooting.
Cries of “Jack is a fraud!” and “Women have rights, too!” were
audible through the crowd microphone. In the front rows banners
were unfurled.
One read “Stop Gay Bashing.”
Another: “IRS: Investigate Liberty Lobby!”
Yet a third: “Housewives Against Hypocrites.”
Snooder ripped off his headset and leapt to his feet. “Jesus!
They’re rioting down there! Thank God we had that tape in case
anything went wrong! There’ll be hell to pay for this, in any event:
that mystery woman must have done a bunk!”
Dan DeLeone stood up and stretched. “Yeah, right you are. Say,
I’ve really got to go to the bathroom. Could you take over for a
minute? Thanks.”
As the barely memorable replacement director slipped out of the
room, Snooder jumped into the unoccupied chair. He almost
immediately noticed the switch to start the backup tape had not been
thrown; indeed, it would not yield at all to his frantic pressure.
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