James Randi discusses Uri Geller's reversal as Geller is now almost admitting that he is a magician.
Randi also speaks about how in 1975 he offered Geller an out. He told Geller that he would assist him in becoming a well known illutionist if he would admit that he was not a genuine "psychic". Geller ignored that offer and continued on claiming he was genuine.
There is also mention of how many academics suffered from the so called "Geller Effect". Geller promised these researchers that he was genuine and they believed him, only to later realize that he was lying and their careers suffered.
Using my own psychic powers, I predict that Randi's prediction will be verified. P[Randi correct]= 0.999
... written by Andrax,
January 15, 2008
I have the greatest respect for James Randi and the work he does. Some 25 odd years ago he was treated with great disrespect by Don Lane on the "Don Lane Show", in Australia, and that episode made me ashamed to be an Australian. Uri Geller, like the rest, are frauds and we all need to ensure that the pressure is kept up on these people. Many thanks for your years of continued persistence in unveiling the lies and deceptions of these people.
... written by Vendel,
January 15, 2008
I was going to make a lengthy comment but felt this clip would convey my feelings. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=p4HnIDJcca8
... written by Whysely,
January 15, 2008
Geller just said on German television in "The Next Uri Geller" show (the German version of "Phenomenon") that nobody is claiming supernatural powers. Unfortunately I just overheard it since I was primarily browsing some forums and I'm not sure whether he referred to himself as well. I also don't have the exact wording... maybe someone from Germany saw the show today as well and can add what he said exactly. I'll have a look at Youtube the next few days, maybe the part will uploaded by someone. The rebroadcast will be on Saturday morning. A bit early, but maybe I can catch it there, when everything else fails.
... written by DannyBoy,
January 15, 2008
I'd like to know when, where, or how Uri Geller is "almost admitting that he is a magician." Could anyone point me in the right direction. Thanks!
... written by jawtheshark,
January 16, 2008
Re: Whysely.
I live in Luxembourg and we get the German "The Next Uri Geller" show. I watched it (half, only) with my wife because there was a lot of talk at her work on how unbelievable it is. I wanted to convince her that everything could easily be explained by illusionst tricks. (Not, that I'm an illusionist, but I'm pretty good at finding rational explanations)
So, I watched the damned thing, and you heard exactly right. He said word for word: "that nobody is claiming supernatural powers". I think it was before a guy hair pointing upwards started his tricks.
So, it's not almost... He 100% admitted it. I heard it. Alas, youtube doesn't seem to give that exact part of the show. :-( That said, there are a few youtube videos explaining the magic tricks.
... written by Michael C,
January 16, 2008
For "The Next Uri Geller" show the candidates were asked to sign a contract in which it was stated that they possess "distinctive mental and intuitive capacities, such as mind-reading, telekinesis, suggestion or autosuggestion" (see German article in Stern magazine here: http://www.stern.de/unterhaltung/tv/607868.html ).
Many candidates refused to agree to this clause, which was finally changed to read that the candidate is a magician who "presents the illusion of mind-reading, telekinesis, suggestion, autosuggestion or other paranormal phenomena". What does Uri say to that?
... written by nex,
January 19, 2008
I'm trying to get someone to record the repeat of that German show today. I had seen parts of the original broadcast, and while I had missed the bit where Geller apparently said that he doesn't claim there's anything supernatural going on, I had seen something else that Mr. Randi might be interested in: One of the contestants presented, essentially, a pompously dressed up card trick (pretending to let a volunteer choose a random card, but really forcing a pre-determined card on him), and fumbled it so badly that I fell out of my chair laughing. Now, I know next to nothing about card tricks, I had no idea beforehand what was going on and how he would be doing it, I was watching on a modestly sized standard definition TV set from the other side of the room, without my contact lenses in (I'm short-sighted), and even to me it became obvious how the entire routine worked in just an instant -- that's how serious the "mentalist's" mistake was. Yet no one in the TV studio noticed anything, and Uri Geller congratulated the contestant on the oh so impressive and thoroughly mysterious performance.
... written by "ALEX", S.H. magician Budapest-Hungary,
February 07, 2008
Writing from Budapest-Hungary-simple english...
Yes-yes... How things change... Now coming the natural period of many questions...
Why the media (TV companies) was enable to run the "URI GELLER" fakes is understandable, he got rich from his many many tv shows around the world...
But how the "science was let him in..." this is an interesting point, and we can start to do a deep and funny philosophical conversations about that...-:)
For:DannyBoy...
As a magician I'm happy for your question...
Magic is one the oldest art-profession, or "science" as we know... Magician is a performer an entertainer presenting his skill, style and knowledge with magic props, which those are mostly simple objects-:))...
Its hard now to give a short but effective definitions to explain to you completely all about magic, but i think you know the basics (or more)... You could find a nice and quite exact definitions about it in James Randi's "conjuring" book...
THE MEANING is the keywords:respect from all sides! Respect for the skill, talent, for the quality of the show, for the style, for the work which those are coming mostly from the audience... To be together with peoples while the show is run, and to be happy...
A real magician is a performer, a worker, an artist, must be a nice soul entertain honestly, and say that "I'am a magician" if someone amazed and start to believe that may be that magician is more than a magician, may be using supernatural powers, etc.
Uri Geller with many broken spoons behind him-:), absolutely not from us! For a person who showing a trick (magician or not) could be rich easily in the way U.G. did...! Real magicians as entertainers-performers in show business they don't need to lie! They are paid for their shows...
Inside magic the "mind control", "mental magic" effects are an interesting part of that profession, but those are nice magic tricks only...
I and many many good magician can say-seeing just a few movements of a magician and easily we can say is a good magician or not... Uri Geller was find out the way with a stupid and hard way of to be rich, bending spoons, with the help from a planet "HUBA?" or "HOOBA?" thats all... A typical childish way to get something from the life...
To present create and perform magic and illusion shows as a magician need always work on it, its a long and hard work but the honest way to entertain many peoples who like magic shows, without any lies...
To do magic tricks or shows-I think-not meaning that that I need or must to victimize you or the audience!
In a magic show i want you to amaze with costumes, lights, music, props, animals, acrobatics, illusions, and want You to feel happy with myself as we are together inside the show, inside effects!!!!
Something like that...
So, he is now trying to communicate the opposite, now he becoming a magician? "The beautiful transformation" of U.GELLER starts...
I DO NOT NEED TO WORRY SO MUCH, BUT URI GELLER IS FIGHTING NOW WITH HIMSELF I THINK:HOW TO DEFINE HIMSELF-WHAT HE DID AND DOING NOW... AS JAMES RANDI TOOK THE VERY SIMPLE QUESTION-NOW IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW THE PRESENTER ALSO TOOK AGAIN, AND THESE SECOND WAS VERY HARD TO HIM AS I SAW HIS FACE...-:) THE TIME WAS CATCH HIM I THINK...
WE NEED ENTERTAINMENT-MAGIC-ILLUSION-SHOWS-ART, ETC., BUT NOT FAKES AND LIES, AS OUR WORLD IS CHANGING SKEPTICISM GETTING MORE POWERFUL (ITS WORKS)IN EUROPE HOPEFULLY TOO, WE KNOW (WE MUST TO KNOW!)WHAT IS REAL AND WHAT IS NOT...
I THINK URI GELLER GETTING TIRED AND TRYING TO COME NEAR TO US TO THE MAGICIANS AND TO THE HONEST PART OF THE WORLD, HE NEED TO WORK ON IT MORE, BUT I THINK HE STARTED...
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