Another Sylvia Browne Encounter

[desertgal]

My sister had the opportunity to see Sylvia Browne and Chris Dufresne in Reno a few days ago. She is NOT a SB follower, but some friends had purchased tickets and then had a schedule conflict, so they offered the tickets to my sister and her partner. Caro (my sis) and Denise (her partner) decided to go, just to see what it was all about. I asked her to fill me in on the details, and this is what she said.

I should say that Caro and Denise are both practical, intelligent women who don't believe in Sylvia Browne or any other psychic. They both had a vague awareness of Browne and her questionable history, but aren't familiar with all the ins and outs of Browne's career. They mainly did this for kicks, since their friends were distressed about the tickets going to waste. As well, Caro is a high school JROTC instructor, and she thought this would be an experience she could share with her students.

I'm not sure how other SB shows go, but, in this case, she gave a little lecture and then did a multitude of 'readings' for people who had paid $850 for a personalized reading. I'm guessing that is standard for one of her appearances?

Caro said, first of all, that SB was extremely rude to everyone that stood up to ask a question. Caro is a kind and gentle person, so that rubbed her the wrong way almost immediately.

When they first sat down, Sylvia Browne came out and gave them all a little lecture about, and I am paraphrasing here, being kind to others, letting their spirit guides help them through life, etc, etc. Caro has never read any of SB's books, so she didn't grasp the terminology that SB used, but I'm sure the little lecture was likely the same spiel that she gives at all her shows.

Then, pieces of paper were handed out and SB asked them all to fold the paper vertically. On one side, they were to write the names of loved ones, and, on the other, the names of not so loved ones, and then they were supposed to draw lines between the names in one list and the names in the other, and...

At that point, Caro said, Browne left the instructions and the purpose of the lists hanging in the air, and moved onto another topic. She said everyone in the audience were looking at each other in confusion. Browne never did go back to the list.

Caro and Denise only had a ticket for one question, so Denise went up and asked SB when she saw that Denise's business (she owns a pet grooming salon) was going to improve and, also, when she saw Denise being able to retire? SB said that 2010 was going to be a hard year (as if that is a revelation to anyone living in the current economy), but that 2011 would be much better, and that Denise would retire in 4 years. Denise is a pretty woman who is clearly in her late 50's-early 60's, so that was an easy and obvious guess.

Caro said she didn't remember all the questions that everyone asked, but she did say that SB's answers were brusque and relatively uninformative. The one that stood out was a woman who asked Browne how her baby had died, and Browne replied that the child had died of natural causes (the inference being SIDS.) The woman looked confused, and then said she just needed to know, because she was facing prosecution for the child's death. (Whether that was true, I have no idea, but it seems like an unlikely 'fake' question, and Caro said the woman's confusion appeared genuine.) Browne just gave the woman a blank stare, and moved on to the next person.

Near the end of the show, Browne excused herself, saying that she would be back shortly to chat with them some more. They all waited for some time, and then the emcee came out and told them all the show was over and they needed to leave.

Outside, Caro and Denise saw Chris Dufresne with a long line of people waiting to ask him questions-apparently for free. Since Denise had already asked Browne her question, Caro got in line to ask Dufresne. My sister is an athletic, active woman in very good shape, but, as she has gotten older, it has gotten more difficult for her to shed a stubborn 10 pounds that likes to hang around. So she asked Dufresne when he saw that she would be rid of the excess weight, and what activity would help her lose it? He replied that...and this was funny...that he saw that it would take her about two years, so she should be at her goal weight by this August.

Naturally, my sister wondered what the hell he was talking about.

Then, she asked him what exercise he saw her undertaking to lose the weight, and he said swimming. Caro is a petite woman, so, obviously, he wasn't going to say 'basketball', but the thing is, she's suffered from extreme motion sickness all her life. Even looking at water makes her nauseated. There isn't a chance in hell she'd so much as dip her toe in a pool, much less take up swimming. But, of course, for Dufresne, swimming is a safe answer to a question about exercise from an older, petite woman.

She tried to push him for clarification about the timeline, but he waved her off impatiently.

I had told Caro about the Stop Sylvia website, so after the show, she went home and read some of the articles. She said that if she had known about some of those things before the show, she and Denise might have been tempted to cook up a trick question for Browne. In the end, though, they were actually glad they didn't-their questions were asked without any intent to trip Browne and Dufresne up, so that made it even more apparent to them that Browne and Dufresne were faking their way through. She also said that the emcee and the people around Browne were pretty obviously trying to prevent Browne from being asked any 'uncomfortable' questions, and that, when Browne did get it wrong, they assisted her in blowing off the questioner by abruptly moving onto the next person.

All in all, this wasn't a case where a believer was given reason to doubt, but, at least, it was a case where a non-believer was given reason to disbelieve even more strongly. As well, Caro can use the encounter to encourage her students not to fall for the psychic schtick, which is a good thing.

 

[Denver]

Thanks for the interesting story desertgal. From what I gathered, it didn't sound like anyone tried to trick her or Chris? If that is so, given just a straight audience, could you tell how any of the other people felt about the experience, and about Sylvia, after the show? Did you hear any pro or con comments?

I am wondering if, based on Sylvia's own performance and without anyone trying to trick them, if they seem to do ok, or is their attitude or 'talent' degrading to the point where they lose more fans than they are gaining now?

 

[desertgal]

Thanks for the interesting story desertgal. From what I gathered, it didn't sound like anyone tried to trick her or Chris?

Caro said that the questions were fairly standard-will I get this job? Will I relocate? My mother recently passed, could you tell me if she is at peace?-and it didn't appear that any of them were trick questions. Aside from the woman whose baby had died, and Caro and Denise both said they really didn't get the sense that the woman was setting Browne up-that it was a legitimate question.

If that is so, given just a straight audience, could you tell how any of the other people felt about the experience, and about Sylvia, after the show? Did you hear any pro or con comments?

I am wondering if, based on Sylvia's own performance and without anyone trying to trick them, if they seem to do ok, or is their attitude or 'talent' degrading to the point where they lose more fans than they are gaining now?

Sorry, meant to mention that when Caro was waiting to talk to Dufresne, it took nearly 45 minutes for her turn, so she and Denise chatted with several people about their impressions of Browne.The general consensus was, not that Browne was wrong in her answers, but that her answers weren't enlightening or informative. Caro said the main thing that bothered her was that several of the people they talked with were either sad and grieving over the loss of a loved one or distressed over certain events in their lives, such as financial difficulties, and had come to the show looking for answers that would give them some form of solace - and Browne's answers left them unsatisfied. Caro also said that a great many of Browne's answers were negative, as in "No, you won't get that job." "You'll relocate to wherever, but it won't work out." "Your child's drug addiction...poor grades...whatever won't improve."

Horrible woman.

ETA: Caro also mentioned that several of the folks they chatted with were very unhappy over the the fact that they had just paid $850 for a 'personalized reading' and yet were not allowed to push Browne for clarification of her abrupt answers. That seemed to upset people the most.

 

[ExMinister]

I'm always amazed by how so many of her fans will remain loyal even when they are put off by her brusque attitude or other oddities these days.

During my brief stint as a minister I was in contact with one of the Browne study groups in a nearby city. The group has since disbanded, I think, but it seemed they were slowly growing disillusioned by their personal experiences with Browne. When Browne would come to do a lecture in their city, they would go to volunteer and help out, and they felt as though they never received so much as a thank you or even the slightest acknowledgment from Sylvia Browne herself. They said that Browne made it seem as if the study groups were the backbone of her mission - people forming groups to help get the message out to the world - and yet she acted as if she couldn't care less about them, ignoring them even when she was standing in their vicinity.

So had they not had these personal experiences, they would probably still be together and still be followers. People don't seem to notice the contradictions in the material or the failed predictions, and they will even excuse her for being vague or slightly off in their paid readings. But, short of having a really, really bad reading, it's the personal contact that seems to get to them.

Unfortunately, by the time this personal contact happens, Sylvia Browne has usually already made money off of them.

As a side note, people don't usually (ever?!) pay the $850 for a reading at a lecture. Usually those questions are included in the price of the lecture. Unless something has drastically changed, it's more likely your friend misunderstood a reference to the cost of scheduling private reading with Browne.

 

[Rasmus]

Then, he said that she would lose the weight by swimming. Caro is a petite woman, so, obviously, he wasn't going to say 'basketball', but the thing is, she's suffered from extreme motion sickness all her life. Even looking at water makes her nauseated. There isn't a chance in hell she'd so much as dip her toe in a pool, much less take up swimming. But, of course, for Dufresne, swimming is a safe answer to a question about exercise from an older, petite woman.

I'm sorry, but I have consider this a hit: See, if it would normally take your ssiter two years to lose that amount of weight, she would be much, much faster by taking up a form of excercise that'd make her throw up regularly and possibly ruin her appetite as well.

I admit he could have been clearer, but it seems fairly obvious to me.

 

[desertgal]

I'm always amazed by how so many of her fans will remain loyal even when they are put off by her brusque attitude or other oddities these days.

During my brief stint as a minister I was in contact with one of the Browne study groups in a nearby city. The group has since disbanded, I think, but it seemed they were slowly growing disillusioned by their personal experiences with Browne. When Browne would come to do a lecture in their city, they would go to volunteer and help out, and they felt as though they never received so much as a thank you or even the slightest acknowledgment from Sylvia Browne herself. They said that Browne made it seem as if the study groups were the backbone of her mission - people forming groups to help get the message out to the world - and yet she acted as if she couldn't care less about them, ignoring them even when she was standing in their vicinity.

So had they not had these personal experiences, they would probably still be together and still be followers. People don't seem to notice the contradictions in the material or the failed predictions, and they will even excuse her for being vague or slightly off in their paid readings. But, short of having a really, really bad reading, it's the personal contact that seems to get to them.

Unfortunately, by the time this personal contact happens, Sylvia Browne has usually already made money off of them.

Yes, disappointment and disillusionment seemed to be the overall feeling after this show. Some of the people had traveled some distance to get there, only to be confronted by a rude woman who pretty much blew them all off.

That is one of the baffling things about Browne. Courtesy is easy, even if you aren't a warm or cuddly person-and it generally pays off. She appears to go out of her way to be unnecessarily rude and arrogant, and it's akin to shooting herself in the foot. Bizarre.

As a side note, people don't usually (ever?!) pay the $850 for a reading at a lecture. Usually those questions are included in the price of the lecture. Unless something has drastically changed, it's more likely your friend misunderstood a reference to the cost of scheduling private reading with Browne.

Very likely. My sister and her partner didn't pay for their tickets, so weren't aware of the price per ticket, and I'm sure SB or one of her handlers announced the price of a private reading during the show, so they could have easily confused the two. Apologies if that was misleading.

 

[desertgal]

I'm sorry, but I have consider this a hit: See, if it would normally take your ssiter two years to lose that amount of weight, she would be much, much faster by taking up a form of excercise that'd make her throw up regularly and possibly ruin her appetite as well.

I admit he could have been clearer, but it seems fairly obvious to me.

I'm not sure if I'd consider it a hit. First she asked him when he saw that she would reach her goal weight, and he gave his "in two years, by this August" answer. THEN she asked him what type of exercise he saw her undertaking, and he said swimming. She didn't mention her motion sickness, and it isn't something, I would think, a psychic might expect to encounter. As well, being susceptible to motion sickness doesn't have visual clues that might have tipped Dufresne off before he answered the first question.

(Sorry, my mistake-rereading my original post, I see that i didn't make it clear that she asked two separate questions.)

 

[Nursefoxfire]

I'm not sure if I'd consider it a hit. First she asked him when he saw that she would reach her goal weight, and he gave his "in two years, by this August" answer. THEN she asked him what type of exercise he saw her undertaking, and he said swimming. She didn't mention her motion sickness, and it isn't something, I would think, a psychic might expect to encounter. As well, being susceptible to motion sickness doesn't have visual clues that might have tipped Dufresne off before he answered the first question.

(Sorry, my mistake-rereading my original post, I see that i didn't make it clear that she asked to separate questions, not just a two part answer.)

I think you missed the joke

 

[desertgal]

I think you missed the joke

Yup. Right over my head. Nneerrooww...

 

[shandyjan]

It all seems very odd. She seems like a twin of Jackie Stallone. There is no personality there, no warmth. I cannot see why anyone still follows her. She has no redeeming features by the most recent views of her on Montel, on her stageshow and personal stories like your sisters!
People are masochists!

 

[Francine]

I'm always amazed by how so many of her fans will remain loyal even when they are put off by her brusque attitude or other oddities these days.

During my brief stint as a minister I was in contact with one of the Browne study groups in a nearby city. The group has since disbanded, I think, but it seemed they were slowly growing disillusioned by their personal experiences with Browne. When Browne would come to do a lecture in their city, they would go to volunteer and help out, and they felt as though they never received so much as a thank you or even the slightest acknowledgment from Sylvia Browne herself. They said that Browne made it seem as if the study groups were the backbone of her mission - people forming groups to help get the message out to the world - and yet she acted as if she couldn't care less about them, ignoring them even when she was standing in their vicinity.

So had they not had these personal experiences, they would probably still be together and still be followers. People don't seem to notice the contradictions in the material or the failed predictions, and they will even excuse her for being vague or slightly off in their paid readings. But, short of having a really, really bad reading, it's the personal contact that seems to get to them.

Unfortunately, by the time this personal contact happens, Sylvia Browne has usually already made money off of them.

As a side note, people don't usually (ever?!) pay the $850 for a reading at a lecture. Usually those questions are included in the price of the lecture. Unless something has drastically changed, it's more likely your friend misunderstood a reference to the cost of scheduling private reading with Browne.

Dear ExM,

I share the same thoughts with you on the study group and ministers who volunteer at the lectures. She should acknowledge and appreciate their work and because they spread her message but instead she acts like it is a hassle to even sign their books or take a picture with them. A true spiritual leader would take the time to develop a bit of a relationship with his or her followers. I don't care how many of them there are, she should do something decent to show that she even cares about them- even if it's just buying them a cup of coffee.

Her excuse is that she's too busy to do all of this, just like she doesn't even go to her own church services. She isn't busy. Yes she does lectures and interviews and readings but she's not too busy to do go out and talk to people. She's purely lazy and uncaring.

I know it's true about your comment about her already getting their money. But the good thing is that the study groups have dropped off considerably and she won't be getting money from people who have read RSL's website or from people she has alienated with her impossible behavior. So the consolation here is that she won't be getting any more money from those people and if they spread the word about what she really is, hopefully it will prevent others from wasting their money.

 

[Susan Gerbic]

I wonder what the deal was with the paper she started to make them write on?

I remember Mark Edward saying that the show he saw in LA had her start out with Sylvia saying to get rid of the people in your life that are causing you problems even if they are family. She said she did not like one of her sons and would be happy if he were out of her life. (paraphrasing)

Here is the video of the show he went to (abet the last few minutes where he punked her)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BradlE-Uloc

 

[Ravynn123]

I just can not imagine saying in public that I wish one of my children was not in my life. How cruel. I may not always like what my kids do but I would never want them out of my life. Then again I am not a cold heart witch like Sylvia. My goodness how does that woman sleep at night or look at her self in the mirror.

 

[RSL's better half]

So I finally watched the video. Mark proved that Sylvia does not remember the names of her "misses." He also proved that both she and Montel could not have cared less that the man apparently fainted. The show must go on. Next question, please.

"Those are your spirit guides." "These are visions you're having." Oh please. What a piece of work.