“Coast to Coast AM”overnight radio show founder Art Bell urgently wanted to get rid of his “Alien” statue, which has found a home at Joshua P. Warren’s Free Museum behind Pack’s Tavern in downtown Asheville.

Special to the Daily Planet

An icon of paranormal broadcasting is now on public display in Joshua P. Warren’s Free Museum behind Pack’s Tavern downtown.

It’s “Art Bell’s Alien,” a 5-foot-tall wooden statue, rumored to “come to life” sometimes at night.

Originally owned by Rush Limbaugh, it was gifted to North Carolina native Art Bell, a Radio Hall of Fame broadcaster who created “Coast to Coast AM,” the country’s top overnight radio program, where it stood at Bell’s home studio through decades of classic broadcasts. It has never before been on display, but will be, for this fall, in Warren’s Free Museum behind Pack’s Tavern, 4 Marjorie St., downtown Asheville.

“Art Bell called me and urgently wanted this thing out of his house,” Warren said. “I’m not exaggerating. He said his family was disturbed by the creature, some claiming it came to life at night. Despite Bell’s sentimental attachment to the iconic figure, it had to go.”

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“Art Bell’s ‘Alien’” reportedly has moved around his new location.

Warren commissioned a friend to personally visit the home of Art Bell, a famous recluse, in Pahrump, Nevada, to retrieve the large statue. Bell signed the alien, while being photographed, and even provided a hand-written letter of authenticity, all on display.

“We’re doing further background research to learn about how Rush Limbaugh attained it. Rush called it ‘Carville,’ since he thought it looked like Democratic political pundit James Carville. We’re not sure, but I’ve heard Rush got rid of it because it was freaking out some of his family, as well.”

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Top-rated radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh first owned “Alien.”

Warren, who has traveled extensively investigating “haunted and possessed” objects, like Robert the Doll in Key West, Fla., is delighted to own this rare piece of broadcasting/paranormal history, and has numerous experiments and tests planned for it. “When you stand there and look directly into his eyes, the alien truly does have an eerie, life-like quality,” he said. “You just have to see it in person to understand.” 

Warren’s general museum is free, but the statue is kept in Special Collections, and may only be viewed with supervision, usually by reservation. To see it, one must take Warren’s Classic Haunted Asheville Tour (the city’s original) or contribute a small donation to keep the museum open. For more information, see www.HauntedAsheville.com, or call 335-6764.

Paranormal expert Joshua P. Warren is proud of adding “Alien’ to his Asheville museum.

Warren is an Asheville native who has appeared on the National Geographic Channel, Discovery, Travel Channel, History Channel, SyFy Channel, TLC and Animal Planet.

The author of numerous books, including “Haunted Asheville,” he hosts “Speaking of Strange” on local radio, and frequently appears on “Coast to Coast AM.” In 2004, he and his team made the cover of the “Electric Spacecraft” scientific journal due to their groundbreaking lab experiments on the Brown Mountain Lights. His website is at www.JoshuaPWarren.com

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