'Most Haunted'- Perception of Skeptics

[Oleron]

I regularly watch a UK 'Living TV' show called 'Most Haunted'. Don't ask me why - I can't figure it out either.

It's a rehash of the tired old format of ghost hunting programs but done in an upbeat sort of way, involving psychics, sceances and lots of orbs.

They periodically do a 'Live' show where they fill the audience with the public (with quite a few amateur 'sensitive types') and invite Matthew Smith as the voice of the skeptics.
I have seen Matthew Smith on several shows before and he is a parapsychologist - quite open-minded but fundamentally skeptical.
Each time something odd happens (orbs, funny noise, etc) the host turns to Matthew in a kind of 'Well how do explain that one?' tone of voice.

Matthew is very patient and tries to present alternative explanations but the show quickly descends into a skeptic bashing exercise where the poor mans views are openly laughed at!
The general public, as represented by the studio audience, seem to get a great kick out of this.

I can understand that the public don't like scepticism because de-bunking ruins the story, but the level of antagonism shown towards Matthew surprised me.
I wonder how people would react to the opposite? For example a show with a room full of skeptics disregarding manners and 'intellectually bullying' a lone psychic.

 

[Toastrider]

Because nobody wants to hear how something can be rationally explained. They want mystery and entertainment, but they want it to be 'real'.

--Toasty

 

[Undodog]

Most Haunted is great for a laugh and you can put bets on how many times Derek will say 'Risidual'.

I missed the latest live episode (the 'spooky' theme being that it was Feb' 29th) but I did hear about the amusing welshman in the audience who's answer to Mathew's opinions was that he should be put in there with the ghosts, "..and i'll go with him!" as though this welsh bloke desperately wanted to be on TV.

I also saw the presenter and producer of Most Haunted and Psychic Live Time (or whatever it's called), 'Brave' Yvette Fielding on another show about past Blue Peter presenters.
She was spouting on about the John Leslie incident and how it sickened her the way the media can just blatently lie.
Hmm..Pot..kettle..etc

 

[Oleron]

I missed the latest live episode (the 'spooky' theme being that it was Feb' 29th) but I did hear about the amusing welshman in the audience who's answer to Mathew's opinions was that he should be put in there with the ghosts, "..and i'll go with him!" as though this welsh bloke desperately wanted to be on TV.

I also saw the presenter and producer of Most Haunted and Psychic Live Time (or whatever it's called), 'Brave' Yvette Fielding on another show about past Blue Peter presenters.
She was spouting on about the John Leslie incident and how it sickened her the way the media can just blatently lie.
Hmm..Pot..kettle..etc

The Welsh guy was priceless, he would believe anything as long as he could run his gob off about it!
I also saw the Yvette Fielding interview. How she keeps a straight face when Derek Acorah starts foaming at the mouth, I'll never know.
Professionalism - you've either got it or you haven't.

 

[Phil]

I've never seen this particular show, but I have noticed that most of the shows dealing with the paranormal, if they allow for a skeptical viewpoint at all, only grant a small amount of time for rational input. At TAM2 Michael Shermer lamented the fact that, though he's often contacted by producers of these types of shows to be the 'skeptical voice', he's rarely given time to say anything meaningful or to offer alternate explanations for the observed phenomena.

And I tend to agree with Toastrider. Where the majority of us posting on this board would love a show with a strictly skeptical bent, it wouldn't be mysterious, entertaining, and fluffy enough for the average viewer. Although the Penn & Teller show on Showtime is damn entertaining, in my opinion.

 

[Undodog]

It was repeated last night and I caught the last half hour where Derek goes into a trance and starts spouting, "Let me out - let me out!" because he's looked up the story of the woman who was buried alive.

And that spoon which was so obviously thrown by a crew member into the room.
They seemed to think that just saying "we wouldnt do that because we would lose our credibility" was proof that the spoon flew by itself.

And the final words:
Camp presenter - "Derek - do you make it up?"
Derek Acorah - "No I do not make it up! I connect with spirits. Spirits connect with me and I love it!"
Camp presenter - "There you are, Mathew Smith, Derek doesnt make it up."

 

[iain]

And the final words:
Camp presenter - "Derek - do you make it up?"
Derek Acorah - "No I do not make it up! I connect with spirits. Spirits connect with me and I love it!"
Camp presenter - "There you are, Mathew Smith, Derek doesnt make it up."

That settles it for me. I hereby recant my evil sceptical ways and embrace the paranormal.