Keith Barnes

Keith Barnes is the main protagonist of "Private Channel," the third segment of the 33rd episode of the 2nd season of The Twilight Zone's 1985-1989 iteration, airing in 1987. He is a music-loving teenager who accidentally acquired telepathic abilities through his portable radio, using it to prevent a bombing on the plane he boarded.
Keith Barnes was portrayed by Scott Coffey.
== Biography ==
Keith Barnes was a teenager with an affinity for music, constantly listening to songs on his Kawazu-940 radio in an attempt to tune out the rest of the world and those around him. Additionally, he would constantly play around with drumsticks and act in an overly 'hip' and even sarcastic manner, much to the annoyance of those around him. When he was 16 years old, for unknown reasons, he took a flight alone across the United States, annoying the airport staff as he boarded. On the plane, a flight attendant named Gloria asked Keith about his radio, but Keith replied by specifying the model and capabilities of the radio, claiming that it was no mere radio, making Gloria bring another attendant to get Keith to turn off his radio. Another man then took his seat next to Keith, and once the flight attendants left, Keith put his headphones back on and started jamming out again, greeting the man with "Jambo, dude" and annoying him with his drumming and attitude.
Sometime during the flight, Keith got up to use the bathroom, taking his radio with him, only to be disappointed when the radio tuned into a station he didn't like. However, as Keith attempted to change the channel, the plane was struck by lightning, the sudden jolt making Keith drop the radio into the sink, where it was infused by unknown power from the strike. Picking it up, Keith found that the radio didn't seem to work when he put on the headphones, making him upset, only to hear an elderly woman outside the restroom plead to let her in. Keith replied that he was coming out, but heard the woman plead again. Keith then exited, telling the woman that he heard her the first time, but the woman replied that she didn't say anything. Not knowing what to make of it, Keith began to return to his seat, putting his headphones back on, hearing a female voice reading from a science textbook. Then, much to his shock, he realized that he was reading the thoughts of a girl in a nearby seat, as he could see that her lips were not moving, and heard her think that he was cute when she looked up at him.
Keith then took off his headphones and got back to his seat, finding that man next to him had left to the bathroom, and asked Gloria for a soda can. Keith stayed amazed by his new power, and noticing the nearby bathroom being occupied, he decided to test his power by putting on his headset and concentrating on the stall. Inside, he heard the thoughts of the man who had sat next to him, Mr. Williams, hearing Mr. Williams mentally ranting about 'bureaucrats' playing god with people's lives, and even seeing an image of Mr. Williams strapping an explosive belt to himself. Frightened, Keith tried to report it to Gloria, but as he could not explain how he knew about the bombs, and because of his previous attitude, Gloria didn't believe him. With that, Keith returned to his seat, seeing that Mr. Williams had returned. Putting on his headset again, he tuned back into Mr. Williams' thoughts, seeing another image of him donning his explosive belt, only for Mr. Williams to snap him out of it by asking him if something was wrong, as he noticed Keith staring at him. Keith quickly played it off as being entranced by a song and offered the radio to Mr. Williams, who turned it down as Keith sat down next to him.
After Mr. Williams turned away again, Keith put the radio's headphones back on, once again tuning into Mr. William's thoughts, seeing an image of him saying goodbye to his wife and daughter at an airport terminal, screaming in anguish upon hearing that they died in a plane crash, discovering that the crash that killed them was caused by negligence, and mourning at his family's graves. Keith then asked Mr. Williams not to carry out his plan, surprising him. Mr. Williams asked if Keith was talking to him, but Keith, learning Mr. Williams' name through the radio, told him that he knew what Mr. Williams was planning, and tried to say that the bombing wouldn't bring his family back, urging him not to. Mr. Williams then whipped towards Keith, demanding to know who he was, also telling him that he was capable of detonating his explosives right then and there, beginning to break down as he cried that he had no choice and had nothing left, expressing his belief that the airlines needed to both be more careful and pay for what they cost him. Keith tried to protest that the people on this flight had no part in what happened, but Mr. Williams only responded that it was the only way the airlines were going to learn, ordering Keith to stay put while he takes immediate action.
Despite Keith trying to stop him, Mr. Williams promptly stood up and got in front of the passengers, ripping open his shirt to reveal the explosives while taking the detonator in hand, ordering everyone to stay back as the passengers scrambled away from him. However, as his back was turned to Keith, Keith was able to sneak up behind him and put the headphones on Mr. Williams, immediately making Mr. Williams hear the thoughts of the frightened passengers as he looked over them, hearing them mentally crying and pleading for their lives, fixating on a doctor whose thoughts manifested strongly enough to become visible to Mr. Williams. Struck with remorse and realization over what he was about to do, Mr. Williams cried out in horror and relented, allowing the airline crew to take the detonator and take him away. As they did so, Keith took the radio off of Mr. Williams, but decided that he no longer wanted to hear the thoughts of others after the events, dropping the radio to the floor and letting it be crushed by the departing passengers as the plane landed safely.
== Navigation ==
Category:Male
Category:Teenagers
Category:Successful
Category:Non-Action
Category:Mischievous
Category:Unwanted
Category:Reluctant Heroes
Category:TV Show Heroes
Category:Live Action Heroes
Category:One-Shot
Category:Karma Houdini
Category:Science Fantasy Heroes
Category:Psychics
Category:Retired
Category:The Twilight Zone Heroes