Friday morning, while preparing for KCSB’s 50th anniversary kick-off party, KCSB Development Coodinator Ted Coe got a surprise call from the award-winning performance artist and activist Reverend Billy Talen, fresh from the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City.

Reverend Billy is the genius behind the anti-consumerist Church of Eathalujah (formerly the Church of Stop Shopping and the Church of Life After Shopping).

Talk about serendipitous timing!

Billy called to discuss the exciting possibility of a KCSB-hosted Santa Barbara revival later in the year. Ted eventually asked the Reverend, a champion of the First Amendment, to record a benediction for KCSB’s afternoon event.

Later, the 100+ attendees at KCSB’s hugely successful reception got to hear Billy’s sage words, a nice touch that helped kick the year off in the right spirit.

That benediction is now available in podcast form (below).

Stay tuned for So Much More Magic from KCSB’s 2011-2012 season – Celebrating “50 Years of People-Powered Radio!”

Can We Get a Witness?!