Weather Channel Founder Blasts Bill Nye, Calls Him a 'Pretend Scientist'
John Coleman, the founder of The Weather Channel, has called Bill Nye "The Science Guy" a "pretend scientist in a bow tie," and argued that his suggestion of jailing climate change skeptics is akin to the jailing of Italian astronomer Galielo Galilei.
"I have always been amazed that anyone would pay attention to Bill Nye, a pretend scientist in a bow tie," Coleman said in an interview, according to Climate Depot.
"As a man who has studied the science of meteorology for over 60 years and received the AMS (American Meteorological Society's) 'Meteorologist of the Year' award, I am totally offended that Nye gets the press and media attention he does," he added.
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Back in April, Nye, who often speaks out on climate change issues, suggested that he would be in favor of jailing climate skeptics.
"For me as a taxpayer and voter — the introduction of this extreme doubt about climate change is affecting my quality of life as a public citizen," Nye said in his criticism of the global-warming-skeptical film "Climate Hustle," which premiered this week.
"So I can see where people are very concerned about this, and they're pursuing criminal investigations as well as engaging in discussions like this. … That there is a chilling effect on scientists who are in extreme doubt about climate change, I think that is good," he added.
Coleman spoke out strongly against any suggestion to jail climate skeptics, stating: "That this the most awful thing since Galileo was jailed for saying the Earth was not the center of the universe."
Coleman added about the Planetary Society CEO: "In 20 or 30 years, when Nye is an old man, he will realize how wrong he was as the Earth continue to be a just a great place to live."
"Climate Hustle," made by Climate Depot's Marc Morano, promises that it "will reveal the history of climate scares including global cooling; debunk outrageous claims about temperatures, extreme weather, and the so-called 'consensus;' expose the increasingly shrill calls to 'act immediately before it's too late,' and in perhaps the film's most important section, profile key scientists who used to believe in climate alarm but have since converted to skepticism."
Nye previously said the documentary is "very much not in our national interest and the world's interest," which prompted Coleman's response on the matter.
