Uncovering Quackery with ‘The Amazing’ James Randi

In this weeks show we chat to everyones favourite magician and seeker of paranormal-proof, 'The Amazing' James Randi. James is well known throughout the United States for shedding light on con-men and women that claim to posses paranormal gifts. One of his most famous cases, of which he has written a book, is Uri Geller who, as you'll hear in the show, still manages to maintain a successful career even after numerous 'outings' by the likes of James.

In this interview we discuss James's million-dollar reward for proof of the paranormal, Oprah Winfrey's belief in 'The Secret' (or Magick for housewives, as it should be titled), rouge faith-healers, Johny Carson, the Large Hadron Collider and why people need to believe in quackery!

Also in this episode, Out There Radio and DisInfoCast host Raymond Wiley stops by to make an announcement, including some exciting news for some of the Sitting Now crew.

We finally get Claire on the show with her 'Weird Weekly News', and we discuss all the latest features and articles on the site.

Music this week comes courtesy of Kylesa and their amazing tune Hallow Severer from the album Time Will Fuse Its Worth, thanks to those guys for giving us permission to play the track and buy the album, it's great!

Enjoy!

Official James Randi Biography:

James Randi has an international reputation as a magician and escape artist, but today he is best known as the world's most tireless investigator and demystifier of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims.

Randi has pursued "psychic" spoonbenders, exposed the dirty tricks of faith healers, investigated homeopathic water "with a memory," and generally been a thorn in the sides of those who try to pull the wool over the public's eyes in the name of the supernatural.

He has received numerous awards and recognitions, including a Fellowship from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in 1986.

On October 19, 1993, the PBS-TV "NOVA" program broadcast a one-hour special dealing with Randi's life work, particularly with his investigations of Uri Geller and various occult and healing claims being made by scientists in Russia.

He is the author of numerous books, including The Truth About Uri Geller, The Faith Healers, Flim-Flam!, and An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural. His lectures and television appearances have delighted - and vexed - audiences around the world.
"We may disagree with Randi on certain points, but we ignore him at our peril."
-Carl Sagan

In 1996, the James Randi Education Foundation was established to further Randi's work. Randi's long-standing challenge to psychics now stands as a $1,000,000 prize administered by the Foundation. It remains unclaimed.