About
"With television, you can reach so many more people. You'll reach people who would never go to church and that's the people we were after. We wanted to let them know that there was a wonderful God out there who loved them and cared for them just the way they were. It worked so well that before we knew it, people were copying us all over the country."
In her one-hour interview, Tammy Faye Bakker Messner (1942-2007) talks about her childhood desire to become an evangelist. She describes meeting her future husband Jim Bakker at Bible college and their subsequent collaboration as traveling evangelists. She details getting discovered by Pat Robertson, and how they were launched on the fledgling Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). Bakker Messner speaks about their children's show, The Jim and Tammy Show, as well as Jim's tenure as host of The 700 Club. She then discusses their creation of Trinity Broadcasting and their eventual split with their co-founders, which led to the formation of the PTL Club. Although she does not discuss the subsequent "PTL scandal," she speaks of the devastation it left on her life. She also speaks about The Jim J. and Tammy Faye Show and her appearance on The Surreal Life. Karen Herman conducted the interview on January 19, 2005 in Palm Springs, CA.
Highlights
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on finding God
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on meeting and marrying Jim Bakker in college
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on her first television appearance and creating The Jim and Tammy Show
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on her trademark eyelashes
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on how she'd like to be remembered
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On her early years and influences; on finding God and wanting to be an evangelist or a preacher; on performing
On attending bible college and meeting Jim Bakker; on spreading the gospel; on their first ministry and first appearances on television; on creating The Jim and Tammy Show; on Jim Bakker starting The 700 Club and the growth of CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network)
On leaving CBN, moving to California, and starting Trinity Broadcasting; on forming PTL Club and her role on the show
On The Jim J. and Tammy Faye Show; on some of her post-PTL-scandal TV appearances on shows including The Surreal Life
Chapter 2
On appearing on The Surreal Life
On the documentary film "The Eyes of Tammy Faye"; on then-current projects; on celebrity
On misconceptions about her; on how she would like to be remembered
Shows
700 Club, The
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on Jim Bakker starting The 700 Club
Drew Carey Show, The
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on appearing on The Drew Carey Show
Jim and Tammy Show, The
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on her first television appearance and creating The Jim and Tammy Show
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on the puppets on The Jim and Tammy Show
Jim J. and Tammy Faye Show, The
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on The Jim J. and Tammy Faye Show
PTL Club
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on co-hosting PTL Club with Jim Bakker
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on the music on PTL Club
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on a typical day on PTL Club
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on viewer and critical reaction to PTL Club
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on topics covered on PTL Club
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on her on-screen persona on PTL Club
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on the growth of PTL Club and her growing fame
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on life after the PTL Club scandal
Roseanne
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on appearing on Roseanne
Surreal Life, The
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on appearing on The Surreal Life
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on appearing on The Surreal Life with Ron Jeremy
Topics
Advice
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on advice to aspiring televangelists
Fame and Celebrity
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on celebrity
Representation on Television
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on her experience as a woman in Christian television
Television Industry
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on celebrity
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on the power of television
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on advice to aspiring televangelists
Women
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on her experience as a woman in Christian television
Professions
Hosts
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on her first television appearance and creating The Jim and Tammy Show
Religious Broadcaster
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on her first television appearance and creating The Jim and Tammy Show
Genres
Reality TV
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on appearing on The Surreal Life
Religious Programming
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on her first television appearance and creating The Jim and Tammy Show
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on co-hosting PTL Club with Jim Bakker
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on how Christian television has changed
People
Jim Bakker
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on meeting and marrying Jim Bakker
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on meeting and marrying Jim Bakker in college
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on her and Jim Bakker's mission to spread gospel
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on her first television appearance
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on Jim Bakker starting The 700 Club
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on co-hosting PTL CLub with Jim Bakker
Paul Crouch
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on Paul Crouch ousting Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker from Trinity Broadcast Network
Jerry Falwell
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on talking about Jerry Falwell in "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" (regarding the PTL Club scandal)
Pat Robertson
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on her first television appearance
Tammy Faye Bakker Messner on working with Pat Robertson at CBN