James Randi
Born	Randall James Hamilton Zwinge August 7, 1928 (1928-08-07) (age 79) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Magician, skeptic, writer
Website www.randi.org

James Randi (born August 7, 1928)^[1] (stage name The Amazing Randi) is a stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Scientific skepticism or rational skepticism ( also spelled scepticism) sometimes referred to as skeptical inquiry, is a scientific or practical Paranormal is an Umbrella term used to describe unusual Phenomena or experiences that lack an obvious Scientific explanation Pseudoscience is defined as a body of knowledge methodology belief or practice that is claimed to be Scientific or made to appear scientific but does not adhere to the Born Randall James Hamilton Zwinge,^[1] in Toronto, Ontario in Canada, Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The James Randi Educational Foundation ( JREF) is a Fort Lauderdale Florida Non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and Randi began his career as a magician, but when he retired at age 60, he switched to investigating paranormal, occult, and supernatural claims. Although often referred to as a "debunker", Randi rejects that title, describing himself as an "investigator". A debunker is an individual who discredits and exposes claims as being false exaggerated unscientific or pretentious ^[2] He has written about the paranormal, skepticism, and the history of magic. He was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and is occasionally featured on the television program Penn & Teller: Bullshit!. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was a late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the ''Tonight Show'' franchise from 1962

The JREF sponsors the famous million dollar challenge offering a prize of US $1,000,000 to anyone who can demonstrate evidence of any paranormal, supernatural or occult power or event, under test conditions agreed to by both parties. The James Randi Educational Foundation ( JREF) is a Fort Lauderdale Florida Non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been Paranormal is an Umbrella term used to describe unusual Phenomena or experiences that lack an obvious Scientific explanation The term supernatural or supranatural ( Latin: super, supra "above" + natura "nature" pertains to entities events The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine hidden secret referring to "knowledge of the hidden" As of this time, no one has claimed this prize.

Contents 1 Early and personal life 1.1 Career as a magician 1.2 Author 1.3 Career as a skeptic 2 James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) 3 Randi's viewpoints 3.1 On Christianity and Judaism 3.2 On Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and spiritualism 4 The $1 million challenge 5 Legal disputes 5.1 Eldon Byrd 5.2 Uri Geller 5.3 Other 6 Awards 7 World records 8 Bibliography 9 TV and film 9.1 Actor 9.2 Himself 10 See also 11 References 11.1 Footnotes 11.2 Books 12 External links

Early and personal life

Randi is the oldest of three children^[3], having a younger brother and sister. ^[4] He took up magic after reading magic books while spending 13 months in a body cast due to a bicycle accident. An orthopedic cast is a shell frequently made from Plaster, encasing a limb (or in some cases large portions of the body to hold a broken Bone ^[3] His doctors expected Randi would never walk again, but he did. ^[3]

In the 1960s, Randi worked in Philippine night clubs. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP A nightclub (or "night club" or "club" is a drinking, dancing, and entertainment venue which does its primary business after dark ^[5]

Randi witnessed many tricks that were presented as being supernatural. One of his earliest reported experiences is that of seeing an evangelist using the "one-ahead"^[6] routine to convince churchgoers of his divine powers. Billet reading is a mentalist effect in which a performer pretends to read messages sealed inside envelopes by Clairvoyance. Divinity and divine (sometimes 'the Divinity' or 'the Divine' are broadly applied but loosely defined terms used variously within different faiths and belief systems — ^[7]

Randi for many years has been an amateur astronomer, influenced by his friend Carl Sagan. Historically Astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky while Astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena Carl Edward Sagan ( November 9 1934 &ndash December 20 1996) was an American Astronomer, astrochemist, author In 1981 asteroid 3163 Randi was named for him. Asteroid 3163 Randi was discovered on August 28, 1981 by Charles T ^[3]

In 1987, Randi became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Naturalization is the acquisition of Citizenship or Nationality by somebody who was not a citizen or national of that country when he or she was born The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[8] Randi has said that one reason he became an American citizen was an incident while on tour with Alice Cooper where the Royal Canadian Mounted Police searched the band's lockers during a performance, holding Randi at gunpoint when he objected. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier; February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer songwriter and musician whose career spans five ^[9]

In February of 2006, Randi underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Coronary artery bypass surgery, also coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and colloquially heart bypass or bypass surgery is a surgical procedure ^[10] In early February 2006, he was declared to be in stable condition and "receiving excellent care" with his recovery proceeding well. The weekly commentary updates to his website were made by guests while he was hospitalized. ^[11] Randi recovered after his surgery and was able to help organize and attend the 2007 Amazing Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada (an annual convention of scientists, magicians, skeptics, atheists, and other freethinkers). The James Randi Educational Foundation ( JREF) is a Fort Lauderdale Florida Non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally ^[12]

Career as a magician

Randi worked as a professional stage magician and escapologist beginning in 1946, initially under his birth name, Randall Zwinge. Escapology is the practice of escaping from restraints or other traps Early in his career, Randi was part of numerous stunts involving his escape from jail cells and safes. On February 7, 1956, he appeared live on The Today Show remaining in a sealed metal coffin submerged in a hotel swimming pool for 104 minutes, breaking what was said to be Houdini's record of 93 minutes. Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Today, also referred to as The Today Show, is an American morning news and talk show airing weekday mornings on NBC. ^[13][14]

Randi was the host of The Amazing Randi Show on New York radio station WOR-Radio in the mid-1960s. WOR is a class A (nighttime Clear channel) AM radio station located in New York New York, U ^[15] He also hosted numerous television specials and went on several world tours. Then Randi appeared as "The Amazing Randi" on a television show entitled Wonderama from 1967 to 1972^[16] and as host of a revival of the 1950s children's show The Magic Clown in 1970. "The Magic Clown" was a NBC TV series which ran from 1949 to 1954 ^[17] In the February 2, 1974 issue of Abracadabra (a British conjuring magazine), Randi defined the magic community saying, "I know of no calling which depends so much upon mutual trust and faith as does ours. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. " In the December 2003 issue of the The Linking Ring, the monthly publication of The International Brotherhood of Magicians, Points to Ponder: Another Matter of Ethics, p. 97, it is stated, "Perhaps Randi's ethics are what make him Amazing" and "The Amazing Randi not only talks the talk, he walks the walk. "

During Alice Cooper's 1974 tour, Randi performed as the dentist and executioner on stage. Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier; February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer songwriter and musician whose career spans five ^[18] Also, Randi had designed and built several of the stage props, including the guillotine. This trick makes it seem that a blade of a guillotine passes through a person's neck without harming him/her ^[19][20] Shortly after, in February 1975, Randi escaped from a straitjacket while suspended upside-down over Niagara Falls in the winter on the Canadian TV program World of Wizards. A straitjacket is a Garment shaped like a Jacket with overlong Sleeves The ends of these can be tied to the back of the wearer so that the arms are kept The Niagara Falls are massive Waterfalls on the Niagara River, straddling the international border separating the Canadian province of Ontario ^[21]

Early in his career, Randi was sent a contract for a tour in Florida. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the His friends in New York mentioned to him that he’d certainly be working before audiences segregated by race, so before he signed the agreement, he wrote in a clause specifying that the promoters could not deny tickets to blacks or segregate the audiences in any way. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Upon arriving on scene, he found that the concert promoter had ignored this stipulation in his contract. He discovered that blacks were forced to watch the show from the balcony, and he immediately walked away from the tour. Appealing to the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA), he was paid in full for the balance of the tour. American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA is an American entertainment union representing performers in variety entertainment including circuses Las Vegas showrooms

Randi was once accused of actually using 'psychic powers' to perform acts such as spoon bending. Spoon bending is the apparent deformation of objects especially metal Cutlery, either without physical force or with less force than normally necessary James Alcock relates this incident which occurred at a meeting where Randi was duplicating the performances of Uri Geller: A professor from the University at Buffalo shouted out that Randi was a fraud. Uri Geller (אורי גלר born György Gellér ( Hungarian name December 20, 1946) is an Israeli British performer State University of New York at Buffalo, commonly known as University at Buffalo (UB is a Coeducational public research University, which Randi said, "Yes indeed, I'm a trickster, I'm a cheat, I'm a charlatan, that's what I do for a living. Everything I've done here was by trickery. " The professor shouted back: "That's not what I mean. You're a fraud because you're pretending to do these things through trickery, but you're actually using psychic powers and misleading us by not admitting it. "^[22] The famous author and believer in spiritualism Arthur Conan Doyle had years earlier made a similar accusation against the magician Harry Houdini. Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, DL (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930 was an Anglo-Scottish Author most noted for his stories about the ^[23]

Author

Randi is author of Conjuring (1992), a biographical history of noted magicians. Conjuring is a book by James Randi. Randi gives a detailed history of conjuring more commonly known as magic. The book is subtitled: Being a Definitive History of the Venerable Arts of Sorcery, Prestidigitation, Wizardry, Deception, & Chicanery and of the Mountebanks & Scoundrels Who have Perpetrated these Subterfuges on a Bewildered Public, in short, MAGIC!. The book selects the most influential magicians, and explains their history in the context of strange deaths and career on the road. This work expanded on his 1976 book Houdini, His Life and Art, which focused on Houdini and his cohorts. Randi also wrote a children's book in 1989 titled The Magic World of the Amazing Randi introducing children to magic tricks.

In addition to his magic books, he has written several educational works about the paranormal and pseudoscientific. These include biographies of Uri Geller and Nostradamus as well as reference material on other major paranormal figures. Uri Geller (אורי גלר born György Gellér ( Hungarian name December 20, 1946) is an Israeli British performer Michel de Nostredame (14 December 1503 or 21 December 1503 &ndash 2 July 1566 usually Latinized to Nostradamus, was a French Apothecary He is currently working on A Magician in the Laboratory, which recounts his application of skepticism to science. ^[24]

Career as a skeptic

Randi entered the international spotlight in 1972 when he publicly challenged the claims of Uri Geller. Uri Geller (אורי גלר born György Gellér ( Hungarian name December 20, 1946) is an Israeli British performer Randi accused Geller of being nothing more than a charlatan and a fraud using standard magic tricks to accomplish his allegedly paranormal feats, and he backed up his claims in the book The Truth About Uri Geller. A charlatan (also called swindler) is a person practicing Quackery or some similar Confidence trick in order to obtain money or advantage via some form In the broadest sense a fraud is a Deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual Paranormal is an Umbrella term used to describe unusual Phenomena or experiences that lack an obvious Scientific explanation The Truth About Uri Geller, formerly known as The Magic of Uri Geller, is a 1982 Book by magician and Skeptic ^[7][25] Geller later sued Randi for $15 million in 1991. ^[26] Eventually Geller's suit against CSICOP was thrown out in 1995, and he was ordered to pay $120,000 for filing a frivolous lawsuit. The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry ( CSI) formerly known as the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal ( CSICOP) is a ^[27]

Randi was a founding fellow and prominent member of CSICOP, the Committee for Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. ^[28] During the period when Geller was filing numerous civil suits against him, CSICOP's leadership, wanting to avoid becoming a target of Geller's litigation, requested that Randi refrain from commenting on Geller. Randi refused and resigned. He still maintains a respectful relationship with the group and frequently writes articles for its magazine.

Randi has gone on to write several books criticizing beliefs and claims regarding the paranormal. ^[29] He has also been instrumental in exposing frauds and charlatans who exploit this field for personal gain. In the broadest sense a fraud is a Deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual In one example, his Project Alpha hoax, Randi revealed that he had been able to orchestrate a three year-long compromise of a privately-funded psychic research experiment. For the military project see Project Alpha (military. Project Alpha was a Hoax orchestrated by the stage magician and ^[30] The hoax became a scandal and demonstrated the shortcomings of many paranormal research projects at the university level. Some said that the hoax was unethical, while others claimed his actions were a legitimate exercise in exposing poor research techniques. ^[31]

Randi has also appeared on numerous other programs sometimes to directly debunk the claimed abilities of fellow guests. In a 1981 appearance on a show called That's My Line, Randi appeared opposite psychic James Hydrick, who claimed that he could move things with his mind, and demonstrated this ability on live television by apparently turning a page in a telephone book without touching it. That's My Line ( August 9, 1980 -Summer of 1981) was a summer CBS Reality show developed by Mark Goodson, one of the creators James Alan Hydrick (born February 28, 1959) is an American Criminal and Fraudster. ^[32] Randi, having determined that the trick was most likely based on Hydrick surreptitiously blowing, arranged packaging peanuts on the table in front of the telephone book for the demonstration, preventing Hydrick from demonstrating his abilities which would have been exposed when the blowing moved the packaging. Foam peanuts, also known as packing peanuts, are a common loose-fill packing material which is also used to prevent damage to fragile objects during shipping ^[33] Many years later, Hydrick admitted his fraud. ^[34]

Randi was awarded a MacArthur Foundation "Genius" award in 1986. The John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation is a major private grant -making Private foundation based in Chicago that has awarded more than US$4 billion The MacArthur Fellows Program or MacArthur Fellowship (sometimes Nicknamed the "genius grant") is an award given by the John D ^[3] The money was used for Randi's comprehensive exposé of faith healers including Peter Popoff, W. V. Grant and Ernest Angley. Faith healing is the attempt to use Religious or spiritual means such as Prayer, mental practices spiritual insights or other techniques to prevent Peter Popoff (born July 2, 1946) is a German -born US Televangelist known as a Faith healer. Walter Vinson Grant Jr (better known as W V Grant) (born 1946 is an American Televangelist whose ministry has been based in and around the Dallas Texas Ernest Angley (born August 9, 1921 in Gastonia North Carolina) is an international Christian evangelist based in Cuyahoga Falls ^[3] During the course of the investigation Randi was "healed" by these ministers. ^[3] When Popoff was exposed, he was forced to declare bankruptcy within the year. ^[35]

In 1988, Randi showed how gullible the media are by perpetrating a "fraud" of his own. By teaming up with Australia's 60 Minutes program and by releasing a fake press package he built up publicity for a spirit channeler named Carlos, who was actually an artist named Jose Alvares, a friend of Randi's. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. 60 Minutes premiered 11 February 1979. It airs on Sunday nights on the Nine Network. Randi would tell him what to say through sophisticated radio equipment. The media and the public were taken as no reporter bothered to check Carlos' credentials and history, which were all made up. The hoax was exposed on 60 Minutes; Carlos and Randi explained how they pulled it off. ^{[36] [37]}

In the book The Faith Healers, Randi explains his anger and relentlessness as arising out of compassion for the helpless victims of frauds. The Faith Healers is a 1987 book by magician and skeptic James Randi with a foreword by Carl Sagan, that documents Randi's exploration of the world Randi has also been critical of João de Deus, also known as John of God, a self-proclaimed psychic surgeon who has received international attention. João Teixeira de Faria (born June 24 1942) known also as João de Deus ("John of God" is a medium and so-called " Psychic Psychic surgery is a procedure typically involving the apparent creation of an Incision using only the bare hands the apparent removal of Pathological matter ^[38] Randi observed, referring to psychic surgery, "To any experienced conjuror, the methods by which these seeming miracles are produced are very obvious". ^[39]

In 1982, Randi verified the abilities of Arthur Lintgen, a Philadelphia physician who is able to determine the classical music recorded on a vinyl LP solely by examining the grooves on the record. Arthur B Lintgen (born 1942 is a United States Physician who can recognize classical Phonograph records with a naked eye However, Lintgen does not claim to have any paranormal ability, merely knowledge of the way that the grooves form patterns on particular recordings. ^[40]

James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF)

Main article: James Randi Educational Foundation

In 1996, Randi established the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). The James Randi Educational Foundation ( JREF) is a Fort Lauderdale Florida Non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and The James Randi Educational Foundation ( JREF) is a Fort Lauderdale Florida Non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and Randi updates the JREF's website on Fridays with a written commentary titled Swift: Online Newsletter of the JREF. Randi also contributes a regular column, titled "'Twas Brillig", to The Skeptics Society's Skeptic Magazine. The Skeptics Society is a Nonprofit, member-supported organization devoted to promoting Scientific skepticism and resisting the spread of Pseudoscience In his weekly commentary, Randi often gives examples of what he feels is the nonsense that he deals with every day. ^[41]

He has regularly featured on many podcasts that can be found online, including The Skeptics Society's official podcast Skepticality ^[42] and the Center for Inquiry's official podcast Point of Inquiry ^[43]. The Skeptics Society is a Nonprofit, member-supported organization devoted to promoting Scientific skepticism and resisting the spread of Pseudoscience Skepticality is the official bimonthly Podcast of The Skeptics Society 's Skeptic magazine The Center for Inquiry (CFI is a non-profit educational organization with headquarters in the United States whose primary mission is to encourage evidence-based inquiry From September 2006 onwards, he occasionally contributes to The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast with a column entitled "Randi Speaks". The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is a weekly one-hour Podcast hosted by Steven Novella, MD and a panel of " skeptical rogues " ^[44]

Randi's viewpoints

On Christianity and Judaism

"For example, they told me, some 2,000 years ago a mid-East virgin was impregnated by a ghost of some sort, and as a result produced a son who could walk on water, raise the dead, turn water into wine, and multiply loaves of bread and fishes. All that was in addition to tossing out demons. He expected and accepted a brutal, sadistic, death — and then he rose from the dead. There was much, much, more. Adam and Eve, they said, were the original humans, plunked down in a garden to start our species going. But I didn't understand, and still don't, that they had only two children, both sons — and one of them killed the other — yet somehow they produced enough people to populate the Earth, without incest, which was a big no-no! Then some prophet or other made the Earth stop turning, an army blew horns until a wall fell down, a guy named Moses made the Red Sea divide in two, and made frogs fall out of the sky…. I needn't go on. And that's only a small start on one religion! The Wizard of Oz is more believable. And more fun. "^[45]

On Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and spiritualism

Randi describes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the Scottish author most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, as a "bit of a snob", and that his endorsement of spiritualism, which Randi describes as "incredibly naive", brought legitimacy to it as a religion. Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, DL (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930 was an Anglo-Scottish Author most noted for his stories about the Sherlock Holmes is a famous fictional detective of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who first appeared in Publication in 1887 Spiritualism is a Religion founded in part on the writings of the Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772 ^[46]

The $1 million challenge

Main article: The One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge

The James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) currently offers a prize of one million U. The James Randi Educational Foundation ( JREF) is a Fort Lauderdale Florida Non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and S. dollars to anyone who can demonstrate a supernatural ability under agreed-upon scientific testing criteria. Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Similar to the paranormal challenges of John Nevil Maskelyne and Houdini, in 1964, Randi put up $1,000 of his own money payable to the first person who could provide objective proof of the paranormal. John Nevil Maskelyne ( December 22, 1839 - May 18, 1917) was an English stage magician and inventor of the ^[47] Since then, the prize money has grown to the current $1,000,000, and has formal published rules. No one has progressed past the preliminary test which is set up with parameters agreed to by both Randi and the applicant. He also refuses to accept any challengers who might suffer serious injury or death as a result of the testing they intend to undergo.

On Larry King Live March 6, 2001 Larry King asked Sylvia Browne if she would take the challenge and she agreed. Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN. Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Larry King (born November 19, 1933) is an American television/radio host Sylvia Browne (born Sylvia Celeste Shoemaker October 19, 1936) is a best-selling American Author on the subject of Spirituality ^[48] Then Randi appeared with Browne on Larry King Live on September 3, 2001 and she again accepted the challenge. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. ^[49] However, she has refused to be tested and Randi keeps a clock on his website recording the number of weeks that have passed since Sylvia accepted the challenge without following through.

During Larry King Live on June 5, 2001 Randi challenged Rosemary Altea to undergo testing for the million dollars. Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN. Events 70 - Titus and his Roman Legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Rosemary Altea (born 1946 is a Psychic and author She has appeared on various programs including Larry King Live, The Oprah Winfrey Show However Altea would not even address the question. ^[50] Instead Altea, in part, replied "I agree with what he says, that there are many, many people who claim to be spiritual mediums, they claim to talk to the dead. There are many, people, we all know this. There are cheats and charlatans everywhere. "^[50] Then on January 26, 2007 Altea and Randi again appeared on Larry King Live. Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Once again, she refused to answer whether or not she would take the One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge. ^[51]

Randi has recently challenged David R. Hawkins to win the prize with Hawkins' "arm-pressing technique" (applied kinesiology), suggesting it would only take thirty minutes of easy work, but believing that Hawkins would not even attempt to apply for the challenge for "obvious" reasons. Applied Kinesiology (AK is a practice of using manual muscle-strength testing for medical diagnosis and a subsequent determination of prescribed therapy ^[52]

Starting on April 1, 2007 only those with an already existing media profile and the backing of a reputable academic would be allowed to apply for the challenge. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[53] The resources freed up by not having to test obscure and possibly mentally ill claimants will then be used to more aggressively challenge notorious high-profile alleged psychics and mediums such as Sylvia Browne, Allison DuBois and John Edward with a campaign in the media. Mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern that occurs in an individual and is thought to cause distress or disability that is not expected as Sylvia Browne (born Sylvia Celeste Shoemaker October 19, 1936) is a best-selling American Author on the subject of Spirituality Allison DuBois (born January 24, 1972) is an author and medium. John Edward McGee Jr (born October 19, 1969) better known as John Edward, is an American author and Television personality ^[53]

On January 4, 2008 it was announced that the million dollar challenge would be discontinued on March 6, 2010 in order to free up the money and resources for other uses. Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of For the film see 2010 The Year We Make Contact. For the book see 2010 Odyssey Two. ^[54]

JREF maintains a public log of past participants in the Million Dollar Challenge. ^[55]

Legal disputes

Randi has been involved in a variety of legal disputes, but claims to have "never paid even one dollar or even one cent to anyone who ever sued me. "^[56]

Eldon Byrd

In an interview with Twilight Zone Magazine, Randi accused Uri Geller and Eldon Byrd of being the ringleaders in a criminal blackmail plot aimed at destroying Randi. Twilight Zone literature is an umbrella term for the many books and comic books which concern or adapt The Twilight Zone Television series. Uri Geller (אורי גלר born György Gellér ( Hungarian name December 20, 1946) is an Israeli British performer Blackmail is the crime of threatening to reveal substantially true information about a person to the public a family member or associates unless a demand made upon the ^[57] Byrd sued Randi when he was accused by the magician of being a convicted child molester. Following the trial a press release from Randi said "Testimony adduced at the trial revealed that, in fact, Mr. Byrd had not been convicted of the crime of child molestation as suggested by Mr. Randi, but instead had been arrested for possession with intent to distribute obscene materials involving children, and had pled guilty to a reduced charge of possession with intent to distribute obscene materials". The jury also heard testimony that Byrd had sexually molested, and later married, his sister-in-law. ^[58] Despite this, Byrd won the case, but received no monetary judgment. ^[59]

Uri Geller

In a 1989 interview with a Japanese newspaper, Randi was quoted as saying that Uri Geller had driven a metallurgist named Dr Wilbur Franklin to "shoot himself in the head," after the scientist realized that Geller had tricked him. This statement was incorrect - Franklin had died of natural causes. In the same Japanese newspaper interview, Randi also called Geller a "sociopath. " In 1990, Geller sued Randi in a Japanese court over the statements Randi had made in the Japanese newspaper. Randi did not participate in the trial, but in March 1993, the judge ruled against Randi, and awarded Geller 500,000 yen (at the time about US$4400). Randi initially refused to pay the amount. Geller later agreed not to pursue Randi for the money in a subsequent settlement with CSICOP. ^[60][61] The newspaper did not escape so lightly, since it was forced to settle out of court for an amount reported as "a high six figure sum - in Dollars not Yen. " ^[62]

Randi later claimed that the phrase "shot himself in the head" was a metaphor lost in translation. ^[63] However, Randi had made the same statement in English three years earlier in a Toronto newspaper; "The scientist shot himself after I showed him how the key bending trick was done. "^[64]

Randi commented that Uri Geller's public performances were of the same quality as those found on the backs of cereal boxes. Geller sued both Randi and CSICOP. CSICOP argued that the organization was not responsible for Randi's statements. The court agreed that including CSICOP was frivolous and dropped them from the action, leaving Randi to face the action alone. Geller was ordered to pay substantial damages to CSICOP. ^[65][66] Randi and Geller subsequently settled their dispute out of court, the details of which have been kept confidential. The settlement also included an agreement that Geller would not pursue Randi for the award in the Japanese case, or other outstanding cases.

Other

Allison DuBois, on whose life the television series Medium was based, threatened Randi with legal action for using a photo of her from her website in his December 17, 2004 commentary without her permission. Allison DuBois (born January 24, 1972) is an author and medium. A television program (US television programme (UK or television show (U Medium is an American Dramatic Television series which premiered on NBC on January 3, 2005. Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " ^[67] Randi removed the photo, and now uses a caricature of DuBois when mentioning her on his site, beginning with his December 23, 2005 commentary. A caricature is either a Portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness or in literature a description Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[68]

Late in 1996 Randi launched a libel suit against a Toronto-area psychic named Earl Gordon Curley. ^[69] Curley had made multiple objectionable comments about Randi on Usenet. Usenet, a Portmanteau of "user" and "network" is a world-wide distributed Internet discussion system Despite prodding Randi via Usenet to sue (Curley's comments had implied that if Randi did not sue then his allegations must be true), Curley seemed entirely surprised when Randi actually retained Toronto's largest law firm and initiated legal proceedings. The suit was eventually dropped in 1998 when Earl Curley died suddenly at the age of 51. ^[70]

Awards

• MacArthur Foundation Fellowship 1986
• American Physical Society Joseph A. The John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation is a major private grant -making Private foundation based in Chicago that has awarded more than US$4 billion The American Physical Society was founded in 1899 and is the World 's second largest organization of physicists behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. Burton Forum Award 1989^[71]
• Richard Dawkins Award 2003
• Philip J. Klass Award 2007^[72]

World records

The following are Guinness records. Atheist Alliance International (AAI is an alliance of 58 atheist organizations around the World, 48 of which are located in the United States. Philip Julian Klass ( November 8 1919 &ndash August 9 2005) was an American journalist and UFO researcher with a background Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records (and in previous U

• Randi was in a sealed casket for an hour and 44 minutes, which broke Harry Houdini's record of one hour and 31 minutes set on August 5, 1926. Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[3]

• Randi was frozen in a block of ice for 55 minutes. ^[3]

Bibliography

• A Magician in the Laboratory. (Forthcoming[5])
• An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural, 1995, St. Martin's Press ISBN 0-312-15119-5 (Online Version)
• Conjuring, 1992 St. Martin's Press ISBN 0312097719
• Flim-Flam! Psychics, ESP, Unicorns, and Other Delusions, 1982, Prometheus Books, ISBN 0-87975-198-3
• Houdini, His Life and Art. An Encyclopedia of Claims Frauds and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural is a 1995 book by James Randi and Arthur C St Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the iconic Flatiron Building in New York City. Conjuring is a book by James Randi. Randi gives a detailed history of conjuring more commonly known as magic. St Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the iconic Flatiron Building in New York City. Flim-Flam! Psychics ESP Unicorns and Other Delusions is a 1982 book by magician and skeptic James Randi about Paranormal, Occult, and Pseudoscience Prometheus Books is a publishing company founded in August 1969 by Paul Kurtz, who also founded the Council for Secular Humanism and co- founded Committee for Putnam Pub Group (November 1976) ISBN 0448125528
• James Randi: Psychic Investigator, 1991, ISBN 1-85283-144-8
• Test Your ESP Potential. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Dover Publications Inc. (31 Dec 1982) ISBN 0486242692
• The Faith Healers, 1987, Prometheus Books, ISBN 0-87975-369-2. The Faith Healers is a 1987 book by magician and skeptic James Randi with a foreword by Carl Sagan, that documents Randi's exploration of the world (ISBN 0-87975-535-0 1989 edition) (Foreword by Carl Sagan)
• The Magic of Uri Geller, 1982, ISBN 0-345-24796-5 (later renamed The Truth About Uri Geller ISBN 0-87975-199-1)
• The Magic World of the Amazing Randi. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Carl Edward Sagan ( November 9 1934 &ndash December 20 1996) was an American Astronomer, astrochemist, author The Truth About Uri Geller, formerly known as The Magic of Uri Geller, is a 1982 Book by magician and Skeptic The Truth About Uri Geller, formerly known as The Magic of Uri Geller, is a 1982 Book by magician and Skeptic Adams Media Corporation (September 1989) ISBN 1558509828
• The Mask of Nostradamus: The Prophecies of the World's Most Famous Seer, 1990, Charles Scribner's Sons ISBN 0-684-19056-7 or ISBN 0-87975-830-9. The Mask of Nostradamus is a 1993 book by magician and skeptic James Randi. Charles Scribner's Sons is a publisher The firm published Scribner's Magazine for many years
• Wrong! (Forthcoming[6])

TV and film

Actor

• Beyond Desire (1994) as the Coroner
• Penn & Teller Get Killed (1989) . Penn & Teller Get Killed is a 1989 dark comedy film directed by Arthur Penn starring magicians Penn & Teller. . . . 3rd Rope Holder . . . aka Dead Funny
• Penn & Teller's Invisible Thread (1987) (TV)
• Ragtime (1981) (stunt coordinator: Houdini)
• Happy Days - "The Magic Show" (1978) as the Amazing Randi
• Good to See You Again, Alice Cooper (1974) as the Dentist/Executioner
• Wonderama (1955) (TV) as The Amazing Randi

Himself

• Zembla, 'De trucs van Char' (The tricks Char uses). For the fictional land see Pale Fire, 1962 novel by Vladimir Nabokov Zembla is a Dutch television documentary programme by VARA Char Margolis is an American intuitive who claims to be able to contact or "channel" the souls of the deceased (March 2008. ) ^[73]
• Welt der Wunder – Kraft der Gedanken (January 2008)
• 20/20 ABC TV (May 11, 2007)^[74]
• Anderson Cooper 360, CNN (January 19, 2007 and January 30, 2007)
• Inside Edition- (20 January 2006 and 27 February 2007) TV
• James Randi Budapesten - Hungarian documentary (free download for schools)
• Magic (2004) (mini) TV Series
• Penn & Teller: Bullshit!
  • - Signs from Heaven (2005) TV Episode
  • - ESP (2003) TV Episode
  • - End of the World (2003) TV Episode
• Fornemmelse for snyd (2003) TV Series (also archive footage)
• Mitä ihmettä? (2003) TV Series
• The Ultimate Psychic Challenge (Discovery Channel/Channel 4) (2003)
• Horizon - Homeopathy: The Test (2002) TV Episode
• Spotlight on James Randi (2002) (TV)
• Larry King Live of CNN (June 5, 2001, September 3, 2001, and January 26, 2007)
• The View ABC TV (1999)
• The Art of Magic (1998) (TV)
• The Power of Belief (October 6, 1998) (ABC News Special) (TV)
• Scams, Schemes, and Scoundrels (A&E Special) (March 30, 1997)
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (32 appearances between 1973 and 1993^[6])
• NOVA: Secrets of the Psychics (1993)
• James Randi: Psychic Investigator (1991) (Open Media series for the ITV network)
• Exploring Psychic Powers Live (June 7 1989) (Hosted by Bill Bixby)
• Magic or Miracle (1983)
• That's My Line (1980) (Appeared with James Hydrick)
• The Don Lane Show (1980)

See also

• James Randi Educational Foundation
• International Zetetic challenge
• Pigasus Award
• Project Alpha
• Scientific skepticism
• Basava Premanand who continues the INR 100,000 Abraham Kovoor's challenge against supernatural and miraculous powers. The Successor ("היורש" - Hayoresh was a 2006 Israeli television program starring Uri Geller who was looking for the next Mentalist 20/20 is an American television Newsmagazine broadcast on ABC since June 6, 1978. ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956 Anderson Cooper 360° (commonly shortened to either AC-360 or 360) is a two-hour television news show on CNN, the first hour usually Cable News Network, usually referred to by its Initialism CNN, is a major English language Television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner Inside Edition is a syndicated news program on the air since January 9, 1989. Discovery Channel is an American Satellite and Cable TV channel (also delivered via IPTV, Terrestrial television and Channel 4 is a public-service Television and Radio broadcaster in the United Kingdom centred around a television channel of the same name which began Horizon is a current and long-running BBC popular Science and Philosophy documentary programme Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN. Cable News Network, usually referred to by its Initialism CNN, is a major English language Television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner The View is an Emmy Award -winning American Talk show created by Barbara Walters and Bill Geddie and broadcast on ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956 The Power of Belief was a ABC News Special aired on October 6 1998 hosted by John Stossel. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was a late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the ''Tonight Show'' franchise from 1962 Nova is a Popular science Television series from the US produced by WGBH Boston Secrets of the Psychics was a PBS NOVA episode following James Randi 's work Open Media is a British television Production company, best known for the discussion series After Dark, which was described by The Daily Independent Television (generally known as ITV) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters set up under the Independent Bill Bixby (born Wilfred Bailey Bixby on January 22, 1934 – November 21, 1993) was an American Film and That's My Line ( August 9, 1980 -Summer of 1981) was a summer CBS Reality show developed by Mark Goodson, one of the creators James Alan Hydrick (born February 28, 1959) is an American Criminal and Fraudster. Don Lane (born 13 November 1933 as Morton Donald Isaacson) is an American -born Australian Entertainer, Talk show The James Randi Educational Foundation ( JREF) is a Fort Lauderdale Florida Non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and The International Zetetic Challenge (from Greek zêtêin, "to search" was an attempt to prove or disprove the existence of or demonstrate events related The Pigasus Award is the name of an annual Tongue-in-cheek honor recognized by noted skeptic James Randi. For the military project see Project Alpha (military. Project Alpha was a Hoax orchestrated by the stage magician and Scientific skepticism or rational skepticism ( also spelled scepticism) sometimes referred to as skeptical inquiry, is a scientific or practical Basava Premanand is an eminent skeptic and rationalist from Tamil Nadu, India. Abraham Thomas Kovoor ( April 10 1898 - September 18 1978) was an Indian professor and Rationalist Abraham Kovoor declared in 1963 an award of Rs 100 000/- ( Sri Lankan Rupees for anyone who could demonstrate Supernatural or miraculous powers under
• Rationalist Prabir Ghosh and his $50,000 challenge against astrology and the paranormal. Prabir Ghosh (born March 1, 1945) is the head of the Science and Rationalists’ Association of India, based in Kolkata.
• Narendra Nayak is another rationalist Indian that is campaigning against so-called miracles and quacks
• Robert Todd Carroll's Skeptic's Dictionary

References

Footnotes

Books

• Alcock, James (2001), “Science vs. Pseudoscience, Nonscience, and Nonsense”, in Kurtz, Paul, Skeptical Odysseys: Personal accounts by the world's leading paranormal inquirers, Prometheus Books, ISBN 1-57392-884-4 

External links

Official

• James Randi Educational Foundation – Official website

Supportive

• James Randi in the Skeptic's Dictionary
• Project Alpha in the Skeptic's Dictionary
• How Randi and fake psychic Carlos fooled millions
• James Randi at the Internet Movie Database
• James Randi Educational Foundation YouTube

Media

• James Randi interview (November, 2007) from the BSAlert. Paul Kurtz (born December 21, 1925 in Newark New Jersey) is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo com radio show where Mr. Randi discusses the TV show "Phenomenon", the current status of Uri Geller and his thoughts about whether society is becoming more or less superstitious.
• Malmgren, Jeanne. "Randi, the quack hunter", St. Petersburg Times, April 14, 1998. The St Petersburg Times is a daily Newspaper based in St Petersburg Florida, that serves the larger Tampa Bay area  
• "Homeopathy: The Test - webchat with James Randi", BBC, 26 November 2002.  
• "20 Major Aspects of Liars, Cheats, and Frauds" by James Randi"
• The Power of Belief (Video clip) from ABC News
• Randi's Internet Audio Show from the James Randi Educational Foundation
• Skepticality Internet Radio

Transcripts

• "Official transcript: Psychic Powers Debunked in Shawn Hornbeck Case", Anderson Cooper 360, January 19, 2007. This article is about the American news organization See also ABC News (disambiguation ABC News is a division of American The James Randi Educational Foundation ( JREF) is a Fort Lauderdale Florida Non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and Anderson Cooper 360° (commonly shortened to either AC-360 or 360) is a two-hour television news show on CNN, the first hour usually   (Sylvia Browne and Randi)
• "Official transcript: Psychic Psychic Reality Check", Anderson Cooper 360, January 30, 2007. Sylvia Browne (born Sylvia Celeste Shoemaker October 19, 1936) is a best-selling American Author on the subject of Spirituality Anderson Cooper 360° (commonly shortened to either AC-360 or 360) is a two-hour television news show on CNN, the first hour usually   (Sylvia Browne's manager and Randi)
• "Official transcript: Have Psychics Gone Too Far?", Larry King Live, January 26, 2007. Sylvia Browne (born Sylvia Celeste Shoemaker October 19, 1936) is a best-selling American Author on the subject of Spirituality Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN.   (Altea and James Randi)
• "Official transcript: Spiritual Medium Versus Paranormal Skeptic", Larry King Live, June 5, 2001. Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN.   (Rosemary Altea and Randi)
• "Official transcript: Are Psychics Real?", Larry King Live, September 3, 2001. Rosemary Altea (born 1946 is a Psychic and author She has appeared on various programs including Larry King Live, The Oprah Winfrey Show Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN.   (Sylvia Browne and Randi)

Criticism

• A Skeptical Look At James Randi Michael Prescott
• James Randi's response to criticism James Randi Educational Foundation
• Benveniste, Jacques, and Peter Jurgens. Sylvia Browne (born Sylvia Celeste Shoemaker October 19, 1936) is a best-selling American Author on the subject of Spirituality The James Randi Educational Foundation ( JREF) is a Fort Lauderdale Florida Non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and Jacques Benveniste was a French immunologist ( March 12, 1935 - October 3, 2004) On the Role of Stage Magicians in Biological Research The Anomalist 1998
• Thalbourne, Michael A, “Science versus showmanship: A history of the Randi hoax,” American Society for Psychical Research 89 (4) OCT 1995

The Anomalist is a Magazine of anomalous phenomena edited by Patrick Huyghe The Society for Psychical Research ( SPR) is a Non-profit organization which started in the United Kingdom and was later imitated in other countries

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