Download - James Randi Speech Coverage
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SEO: Society of Inquiry at UMD hosts James Randi
Skeptics host a skepticSociety of Inquiry hosts James Randi lecture
By Jewel Addy
The university organization, The Society of Inquiry, set a goal to provide accurate
information on interesting subjects to the universitys community.
The organization will host a lecture featuring James Randi at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct.
16 at the biology-psychology building.
Randi is a famous skeptic, magician, escapologist, pseudoscientist and
paranormal debunker.
For more information on James Randis career and foundation visit The James
Randi Educational Foundation: http://www.randi.org/site/. For more information on The
Society of Inquiry visit http://www.facebook.com/groups/51852664107/
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SEO: James Randi lectures UMD on debunking career
Paranormal debunker lectures universityFamous skeptic offers insight on psychics
By Jewel Addy
The universitys organization, The Society of Inquiry, hosted acclaimed magician,
escapologist, pseudoscientist, skeptic, author and paranormal debunker James Randi to
lecture on his 60-years-and-running career.
The Society of Inquiry is an on-campus
organization dedicated to providing accurate
information on subjects of interest. On Oct. 16,
Randi was the featured subject.
Randi founded the James Randi
Educational Foundation, which is dedicated to
defending people against paranormal claims. The foundation is famous for its $1 million
prize to anyone who proves his or her psychic ability. Randi explained the participant had
to beat odds of 1,000 to 1, but no one has ever passed the first stage.
Sylvia Browne, a famous psychic who claims to talk to dead people, fussed she
would win the $1 million challenge. Browne never participated in it on claims that she
couldnt contact Randi.
She said first of all that she didnt know how to reach me. She talks to dead
people! Randi said.
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Jewel Addy, Debunker, p. 2
Life with Carson and Gellar
Lecture mediator and skeptic Todd Robins acknowledged Randis 22 appearances
on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and said Johnny Carson was not a friendly
man, but he loved Randi.
One day, Carsons show hosted
Uri Gellar, a psychic who bended
spoons, as its guest, but called Randi in
to debunk. Randi explained he denied
the invitation because Gellar GPS
tracked Randi. In fear of his debunking,
Gellar often canceled a show if he
discovered Randi was not staying put at
his New Jersey home. Instead Randi offered instructions to the shows manager of
television-set props.
Randi told the prop man to tape the spoons down to a tray and lock them away.
When Gellars people arrived asking to see the spoons, the prop man waved them in their
faces and proceeded to lock them away again. That night Gellar quickly moved onto
another trick in place of spoon bending.
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JewelAddy.
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Speech story, Jewel Addy, p. 3
A little lecture magic
At the lecture, Randi demonstrated his magic skills by guessing a word audience
member Regina Roberts chose from a New York brochure. Randi wrote afuiu on the
blackboard saying he was flustered about the mystery word. Roberts then shared that her
word was ninja and the audience chuckled in awe as they realized afuiu was ninja
spelled upside down and backward.
Randi revealed his magic trick was nothing more than an illusion as is every other
trick. Randi believes we can not deceive nature; we are just actors in a magicians show.
He did not share the secrets of that particular trick. Instead he used his example
as a crutch in his illustration of how easily one can fool the mind. Leaving the biology-
psychology building, Randi wanted his audience to walk away with a sense of curiosity
and lack of gullibility.
As the lectures take away, Randi said, They (people) should be thinking rather
than just accepting.
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SEO: James Randi lectures UMD on greedy media
Skeptic warns against mediaJames Randi tells audience beware the mediaBy Jewel Addy
To close his two-hour lecture, James Randi discloses his negative view of the
media for their irresponsible manipulation of news.
Beware the media who are not really interested in whether or not what they print
or that they represent on television is true. Theyre only interested in what attracts
attention, Randi said.
As a man who spent his career debunking paranormal fakes, Randis career was
not made any easier with reporters using him for a good story.
Randi shared a story of how he did a magic trick in front a reporter where Randi
used the three of diamonds from a deck of cards as a key to open his hotel room door.
The next day, an article was released informing the public that a three of diamonds
gained one access to hotel rooms. Sure enough, a group of adolescents showed up at the
hotel Randi stayed at with cards in hand.
Randi thinks the media is only interested in printing what will sell, but with an
experience like his three of diamonds one, who can blame him?
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