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By STEVE MOCARSKY smocarsky@leader.net
Wednesday, March 19, 2003 Page: 2A
HAZLETON – Carl Joseph, the evangelist who brought national attention to
the area about three years ago with his Jesus-like appearance and local
following, has his own TV show.
“What’s Your Name?” – the name Joseph prefers to be called – also will be
the name of the show. It premiers at 7 p.m. today for Hazleton area viewers on
Service Electric CableVision’s Channel 13.
“Based on the demand, you just gotta do a show. The public’s saying, `Give
it to me,’ ” said Sam Lesante Sr., owner of Sam-Son Productions and the
show’s producer.
When the preacher, who wears sandals and a robe and sports long hair and a
beard, appeared on four of Lesante’s hourlong weekly talk shows and a special
three-hour show, “the phones did not stop ringing,” Lesante said.
In the first half-hour broadcast of “What’s Your Name?” the preacher will
introduce himself to viewers, talk about his name and appearance and the
message he wants to bring to people, Lesante said.
The show will feature Joseph talking about God, faith and what he’s learned
in his 14 years of preaching. He will also address questions or issues
received from viewers.
“He’s not a priest or rabbi or minister. He’s an evangelist who wants to
bring people back to God … back to their respective churches,” Lesante
said.
Lesante said the show will be syndicated and will be broadcast in the
Allentown/Bethlehem area at 7:30 p.m. Sundays starting April 1. He said he
also has been talking with other cable and broadcast television company
executives and predicts the show will appear in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and
Philadelphia areas and in parts of New Jersey and Delaware by May or June.
Lesante said Joseph is not being paid for his work.
Steve Mocarsky, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 459-2005.