In the world of television and mass media, psychics have become a new type of celebrity. From television talk shows and reality shows such as Psychic Detectives, to books from best selling authors such as Sylvia Browne and Allison DuBois, the world of predicting the future and communing with spirits has become a big business. But are these people genuine psychics?
Although psychics in general are often the target of skepticism, many people believe in the existence of a built-in sixth sense within us. Much of the history of humankind is linked to psychic seers, prophets and ancient oracles, and many of us are familiar with well-known seers such as Nostradamus and Edgar Cayce. However, as legitimate as psychic abilities may be, there is always the possibility of a encountering an unethical psychic.
Tricks of the Trade
Even though many celebrity psychics and their followers claim they have genuine psychic abilities, a common trick of the trade is the use of cold readings. This technique involves the use of rapid questioning, flattery and suggestion in order make it appear the questioner knows more than they do.
One type of cold reading technique is the use of Barnum statements. Named after the American showman P.T. Barnum, this involves making statements to a person that come across as personal insights. But in reality, these are general statements that can apply to many people. Some examples of Barnum statements are You’re having problems with a relative, You lost someone you cared about when you were a child or You tend to be critical of yourself.
Fishing is another cold reading technique used by psychics. The supposed psychic reader makes some observations and educated guesses about the person, such as their age, their body language, whether they’re wearing jewelry with initials or if they’re old enough to have deceased parents. The reader then offers a bait question and gauges the person’s response. If the person hesitates, the reader quickly continues questioning until they hit on something, giving them the appearance of having psychic insights.
On the opposite side of cold readings, are hot readings. This is when the psychic is given information on the person, or people, who will receive the reading before a show or appearance. This can include researching the person’s background, or gathering little known information from the person’s friends and family.
Even popular celebrity psychics have been known to use these dubious tricks of the trade.
John Edward
An author and television personality who’s best known for the show Crossing Over, John Edward claims to have known he was psychic since early childhood. His biggest claim is that he’s able to communicate with the spirits of the deceased, but his critics say he uses the common tricks of hot and cold readings. In 2001 a Time article claimed Edward used hot readings for his show Crossing Over. In that same year Edward was caught performing a hot reading during an interview on Dateline. Edward claimed spirits were telling him to communicate messages to a man named Anthony, who ended up being the cameraman. But Edward and the cameraman had actually been chatting hours before the show, where Edward gleaned the information which he tried to pass off as “messages” during the interview.
James Van Praagh
A medium and best-selling author, James Van Praagh came onto the public scene in 1995 with the television show The Other Side. Currently he is working as special correspondent for Entertainment Tonight, and co-executive producer for Ghost Whisperer. Van Praagh’s critics say he uses cold reading techniques and have pointed to occasions when his claims were completely off the mark. On one occasion he told the parents of Shawn Hornbeck that their son was dead and his kidnapper worked with the railroad, which ending up being incorrect on both counts. During an appearance on 20/20 Van Praagh was allegedly caught on video doing a hot reading. He is said to have questioned a woman during a break, then appeared to know the information when filming resumed. Van Praagh however claims he was set up by 20/20.
Sylvia Browne
A popular psychic and medium, Browne has written many best-selling books, was a regular on the Montel Williams show and hosts her own show on Hay House Radio. However, Browne has been widely criticized for giving inaccurate information to families of missing people. On the Montel Williams show she told the parents of Shawn Hornbeck their son was dead and gave a detailed description of the killer. The boy was found alive four years later and his kidnapper did not match the description Browne had given. In an interview on Anderson Cooper, Hornbeck’s parents claimed that after the Montel Williams appearance Browne contacted them. They said she offered to give them more information on their son’s killer if they paid her a fee. However, Browne denied that accusation.
In 2002, Browne told the daughters of Lynda McClelland that their mother was abducted, but still alive. She went on to give the initials of the kidnapper, saying they were MJ, and told them their mother had been taken to Orlando. However, Lynda McClelland’s body was found in Pennsylvania and the man charged with her murder was McClelland’s son-in-law, David Repasky. It ended up Repasky had been present during the reading given by Browne.
Sylvia Browne has also been criticized for diagnosing people’s medical problems and giving them advice that contradicts their physician’s opinions, which goes against the ethical guidelines for psychics.
In 1992, Browne was charged with grand theft and investment fraud, and pleaded no contest to securities fraud for which she was sentenced to one year probation and 200 hours community service.
Derek Acorah
Acorah is a British medium and psychic who is known internationally for his appearances on television and radio, as well as many personal appearances in the U.S., Great Britain, the Middle East and New Zealand.
Though Acorah claims to be a gifted psychic, his abilities have been questioned considerably. Critics state that much of the information he offers people is very similar to a cold reading. But the biggest controversy came during his well-known work for the television show Most Haunted. During several investigations on the show, Acorah appeared possessed by an evil spirit and also claimed at one time to be possessed by a spirit calling himself Kreed Kafer. However, the show’s parapsychologist Ciaran O’Keefe, later claimed this character was fictitious and the possession had been fabricated.
While many celebrity, television psychics have a big fan base, there are some people who believe they are simply motivated by money and public acclaim. Others feel their actions are an insult to genuine, ethical psychics and mediums. While genuine psychic ability is possible, the readings of celebrity psychics are not done in a controlled, scientific setting. So when watching these and other celebrity psychics, it’s important to keep in mind that their readings may be the result of tricks and clever editing.
