Redner, Evangelist, Islamic Activist To Debate

TAMPA - What did the televangelist say to the strip-club owner who talked to the Islamic activist?

TV viewers can find out when "Live Prayer" host Bill Keller, Mons Venus owner Joe Redner and Ahmed Bedier, executive director of the Tampa chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, talk about Christianity and Islam during a live debate on the Tampa Bay Community Network.

The three will be featured on "The Bleepin Truth" at 10 p.m. today on Bright House Channel 20. Check local listings for other times and channels.

"We're going to put a Christian, Islamic and an atheist together. ... We're going to see what happens and where the chips will fall," host Chris Krimitsos said.

Keller's paid-programming show "Live Prayer" was pulled off the lineup at WTOG, Channel 44, in August after Bedier's group, also known as CAIR, wrote a letter to the station's owners asking for an investigation of the show.

Station officials said the decision to end Keller's contract was a programming move, one made by station executives and the televangelist.

In a broadcast May 2, Keller said Islam is a "1,400-year-old lie from the pits of hell" and called Muhammad a "murdering pedophile." He called the Quran a "book of fables and a book of lies."

Keller now has a live show that airs on WTTA, Channel 38, from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday "with the same content my night program had," he said in an e-mail to TBO.

Redner, who owns the Mons Venus strip club in Tampa and other adult businesses, is a free-speech advocate who unsuccessfully has run for local office. He recently announced he will run again, this time for the seat held by Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair.

"We don't doctor anything up, and whatever they believe will be there for everybody to see live," Krimitsos said.

Krimitsos said the show's Web site will have Tuesday's broadcast posted within 24 hours of the broadcast.