Coast 2 Coast Aug 15-16 08

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Aug 15:

'Bigfoot' Press Conference Update

Researcher Ruben Uriarte appeared briefly at the start of the program to comment on Friday's lackluster 'Bigfoot' news conference (video) held by Matt Whitton, Rick Dyer, and a self-proclaimed Sasquatch hunter. Uriarte was immediately followed by mask and prop maker Chuck Jarman, who said the dead Bigfoot 'body' is a costume (pictured, left) that he sculpted for a Halloween company two years ago.

Noted cryptozoologist Loren Coleman joined George for the rest of the first half of the show to provide his analysis of the 'Bigfoot' press conference. Coleman said they should have rolled out the body today, or at the very least brought in photos of the feet and the scientists who are examining the creature. Coleman questioned the use of Russian scientists for the autopsy, noting that there are plenty of capable scientist in North America. He also pointed out several contradictions, including the fishy timeline and Whitton's claim to be a Bigfoot skeptic despite an earlier admission that he had dreamed about being a Bigfoot researcher since childhood.

Coleman confirmed Jarman's claim that the creature shown in the Whitton and Dyer photos is very likely a costume. According to Coleman, unless a bigfoot in north Georgia served as a model for the mask maker, it's a costume. Coleman also spoke about the DNA tests. The first test was inconclusive. The second showed human DNA and the third test came back as the DNA of an opossum. He theorized that the opossum DNA could be from the entrails seen in the photo. Coleman suggested the 'Bigfoot' photos and press conference are part of an elaborate money-making scheme.

Tim, a former make-up fx artist from Santa Margarita, phoned in during third hour Open Lines to provide additional corroboration that the 'Bigfoot' body is a costume created by Chuck Jarman. Sue in Florida shared a story about her father's encounter with Bigfoot while logging on Mount Baker. Sue said her father had a sample of hair from the creature, but her sister accidentally disposed of it. The last hour was a replay of Open Lines from 1/18/08.

Aug 16:

Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso

Ian spoke with crime expert Philip Carlo, who shared stories from his research into organized crime and discussed his latest work, Gaspipe: Confessions of a Mafia Boss.

Carlo said he grew up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, where he was a neighbor of Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, the man who led the Lucchese crime family and is serving thirteen consecutive life sentences plus 455 years at a federal prison in Colorado. According to Carlo, Casso is very angry about his current situation, and at least partially blames it on Vincent "The Chin" Gigante's refusal to kill a rat in his crew.

Carlo discussed the 1991 Windows Case, which involved the manipulation of who received the contract to install hundreds of thousands of windows in city-owned buildings in New York. This case led to the arrest of the heads of all five crime families, Carlo explained, noting this as the reason Casso initially went on the lamb. Carlo also provided details about Casso's association with Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, the two 'mafia cops' who handed hitman James Hidell over to him to be interrogated and killed.

Carlo also talked about Casso's association with entertainer Tony Bennett, the mob's involvement in gambling, drugs, and unions, as well as the Russian Mafia's control of gas stations in New York and New Jersey in the early 1990s. Carlo said Casso made a deal with the Russians and the five families to divvy up 'profits' from their gas stations. In the first year alone they split $96 million, he said.