Van Praagh contacts Johnny Carson...amazing!

[HarryKeogh]

amazing the cojones Van Praagh has, that is. No mention on the show on how Johnny Carson was a skeptic and thought psychics were scam artists.

JVP was featured on a recent episode of The Insider... http://insider.tv.yahoo.com/celeb/insdr20051014t101200003163/

Howard Stern did a summary of it on his radio show...(following text is from the Stern show website...Robin, Gary and Artie are cast members of the Stern show)

Howard opened the show by playing a clip of psychic, James Van Praagh trying to channel Johnny Carson from the woods near his former estate for the tabloid show “Insider.” After James claimed that Johnny told him he had some regrets about how he treated his family and that he wanted to get in touch with his last wife to let her know he was okay, Robin wondered why the reporter wasn’t questioning anything James was saying. Robin added that, just once, she would love to hear one of these television psychics talk to someone on the other side who wasn’t doing well. Gary noted that every time dead people are “channeled,” they always seem to give the most obvious messages to their loved ones. Gary went on to say that he wanted to hear Johnny inform James of something that was specific, like leading him to where he buried a million dollars in his yard – if he had actually done that, of course.

Before giving the “Insider” reporter a reading, James did one for the show’s host, Pat O’Brien. After it was done, Pat mentioned that he was “still shaking.” Howard pointed out that he was sure Pat was shaking, but it was probably because of things he was doing in his personal life. When James gave the reporter her reading, he told her that her sister was trying to contact her, and that her sister revealed that the reporter loves shoes. Robin again noted that instead of saying something that could only apply to her sister, the ghost pointed out a detail that is shared by most people. Artie wondered what James’ readings had to do with entertainment in the first place. He then commented that James should be spending his time on the show predicting if “The Ghost Whisperer” would be picked up next season.

 

[Mercutio]

Carson, of all people.

This seals it, of course. If VanGit were actually talking to Johnny, he'd be getting an earful of not-suitable-for-television diatribe. After Popoff and Geller, how can VanHole have the cojones to try Johnny, of all people?

 

[Tricky]

Carson, of all people.

This seals it, of course. If VanGit were actually talking to Johnny, he'd be getting an earful of not-suitable-for-television diatribe. After Popoff and Geller, how can VanHole have the cojones to try Johnny, of all people?

I know. It's like pi**ing on his grave. However, in a few days, there will be a similarly revolting spectacle as psychics make their annual attempt to contact Houdini on halloween, the anniversary of his death. The man spent a large part of his life debunking charlatans, only to wind up being a prop for them. It makes me want to vomit.

 

[Mercutio]

If there were anything to this [rule8], Van[rule8] would receive a Dickensian visit from the Ghost of Carson Past...who would decide he was past saving and just send him to Hell.

 

[athon]

It makes me think, if there was anything to this, people like Randi might well come back to say something. But there is no way he'd have your ususal 'I wish to say I love you all' trite... No, Randi would surely do something like what Houdini promised his wife.

I really wonder how many fools would try to 'successfully' channel Randi when he shuffles off.

Athon

 

[Zep]

Time for a public humiliation of Van Praagh, seeing as he has deigned to put his own head on the chopping block! Get as many stations as possible, radio and TV, to play anything by Carson wherein he states his extreme skepticism of psychics. In fact, if we can get Carson saying they are all bullsh1t (OK, cowpucks, horse-hockey, whatever) then that would be better. Give a full expose how how psychics work - the whole schmear as we know it. THEN see if VP can work while everyone watches to see if he uses any of the revealed tricks.

It's a bit like "The Masked Magician Reveals The Trick!". Only this time it's for good, not evil.

 

[Mercutio]

I really wonder how many fools would try to 'successfully' channel Randi when he shuffles off.

[Sylvia]
I hear him--although it is hard to hear his voice amid all the screams of the suffering damned--he is saying he regrets all of his wasted energy, ignoring the gift he was given during his first life, and he apologizes for misleading all his followers, and tells them to go tell the world they were wrong, to avoid his fate.


oh, and he sends you feathers. If you see feathers today, you will know that's Randi telling you that this is all true.
[/Sylvia]

 

[Mercutio]

Time for a public humiliation of Van Praagh,...
[snip]

At TAM3, there was a clip montage of JVP, showing his re-use of some of his favorite fishing lures in cold-reading. I think it is time for a TV special, a tribute to Johnny, where the Geller and Popoff stuff lead in to the new footage of JVP.

 

[Spektator]

JVP is riding the coattails of Ed McMahon, who just published a book about Carson. He's like a bad lawyer, except he's chasing a hearse.

 

[richardm]

This seals it, of course. If VanGit were actually talking to Johnny, he'd be getting an earful of not-suitable-for-television diatribe.

Ah, but would he? If Johnny was in a position to talk to VanGit, he would have realised that he was wrong all these years and would want to talk through VG to apologise.

Or something.

 

[CFLarsen]

[Sylvia]
I hear him--although it is hard to hear his voice amid all the screams of the suffering damned--he is saying he regrets all of his wasted energy, ignoring the gift he was given during his first life, and he apologizes for misleading all his followers, and tells them to go tell the world they were wrong, to avoid his fate.


oh, and he sends you feathers. If you see feathers today, you will know that's Randi telling you that this is all true.
[/Sylvia]

This is exactly why JVP chooses Johnny Carson. JVP can't lose: He "proves", once again, that he can talk to dead people, and he "proves" that skeptics (like Carson) were wrong all along.

Can anyone prove JVP wrong? No, and that's what he's banking on.

We can, however, strengthen our efforts in showing why this is exploitation of the worst kind.

 

[c4ts]

Amazing the cojones Van Praagh has, that is.

If he had cojones, he wouldn't edit his shows so heavily!

 

[eri]

Randi should withdraw the million from the bank right now and bury it - so when he does die, the challenge can go on! Remote viewers can try to 'see' where it's buried, dowsers can dowse for it, and I'm sure he'd be happy to tell any psychic where it was if they could contact him successfully.

 

[izittrue]

hmm i did not know that..did you know that Ed.?..
that is wild kooky stuff...
um what is the doctor wearing toinght?
...matching poochie scarf...i hope its house broken...
hey-yo...

 

[c4ts]

hmm i did not know that..did you know that Ed.?..
that is wild kooky stuff...
um what is the doctor wearing toinght?
...matching poochie scarf...i hope its house broken...
hey-yo...

First the Alchemist, and now this guy...

It's got to be Pillory spawning season, or a ship full of immigrants from Planet X hit the boards or something!

 

[izittrue]

First the Alchemist

did he make bad jokes also?

 

[izittrue]

First the Alchemist

did he do bad impressions too?

 

[c4ts]

I could never tell if he was joking or not. Everything he said was funny.

 

[izittrue]

how the hell do u delete a post..
i know that has nothing to do with the thread..

 

[Flange Desire]

A proposed new JREF prize

Randi should withdraw the million from the bank right now and bury it - so when he does die, the challenge can go on! Remote viewers can try to 'see' where it's buried, dowsers can dowse for it, and I'm sure he'd be happy to tell any psychic where it was if they could contact him successfully.

That has really got me thinking about some great post-Randi debunking!
I wonder if this has been discussed before in this forum?

Lets suppose that Randi (in his wisdom) sets up -

A new $1US million trust fund for the specific purpose of debunking clairvoiyant and mind-reading claims.

Randi specifies a 20 digit number known only by him, to be held securely.
Various mechanisms ensure that the number is not discoverable by normal means, ie, is held securely.

All clairvoyants (including specific celebrities) are loudly and publicly invited to contact Randi's spirit after his death to determine the number.

All other mind-reader types (including specific celebrities) are loudly and publicly invited divine/guess the number in any way they like, before or after Randi's death.

A limit of one try per clairvoyant/mindreader is enforced.
The first one to correctly guess the number takes the money.

Randi would need to somehow convince the public that he would/will be honest in any clairvoyant or mind-reader communication.
And conversely, Randi would also need to convince us that he did not divulge the number using 'normal' means.
I don't know how he will be able to do all this convincing, and I think this would be the real sticking point.

But if we could engineer a way past this, it would make for some great entertainment to hear all their excuses for not walking away with the easy money.