Tammy Faye Bakker Messner

Tammy Faye Bakker-Messner (1942-2007) was interviewed for one hour in Palm Springs, CA.  Messner talked about her childhood desire to become an evangelist.  She described meeting her future husband Jim Bakker at bible college and their subsequent collaboration as traveling evangelists.  She detailed their discovery by Pat Robertson, and how they were launched on the fledging Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN).  She spoke about their children's show, The Jim and Tammy Show, as well as Jim's tenure as host of The 700 Club.  She then discussed their creation of Trinity Broadcasting and their eventual split with their co-founders, which led to the formation of the PTL Club.  Although she did not discuss the subsequent "PTL scandal," she spoke of the devastation it left on her life.  She also spoke about The Jim J. and Tammy Faye Show and her recent appearance on The Surreal Life.  The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on January 19, 2005.