In the 1980s Paul Apodaca, associate professor of American studies, was at the Marineland of the Pacific, a now defunct oceanarium in Los Angeles, with his then seven-year-old son. A man came up to Apodaca, placed a hand on his arm and said, You’re Paul Apodaca.”The man had recognized Apodaca from his weekly television series, “Native America,” which aired on the public access station KOCE from 1979-1982.”It’s uncomfortable socially when people start to recognize you,” said Apodaca. “It’s a lot more comfortable to be anonymous.”Apodaca has continued to appear in television programs on KOCE, KCET and Nova, a science television series, though not with the frequency he once did.Over the years, many Chapman faculty members have appeared on television programs ” ranging from full-length documentaries to short news spots ” as experts in their fields of study. Some faculty members approach producers to voice their opinions, while others are approached by the producers to appear as commentators or specialists on TV series.”Programs are only worthwhile if they educate,” said Apodaca. “If I feel I can lend some expertise, then I’ll participate.”Ron Farmer, professor of religious studies and dean of Wallace All Faiths Chapel, was featured in a 2005 History Channel documentary titled “The Antichrist,” which examined different opinions on the Christian idea of the antichrist.”I was happy to volunteer,” he said. “Most of us are happy enough just to get our opinions out there.”Other faculty members like Tibor Machan, the R.
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