James Randi
Magician and Scientific Skeptic
James Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). Randi began his career as a magician, but when he retired at age 60, he switched to investigating paranormal, occult, and supernatural claims, which he collectively calls "woo-woo." Although often referred to as a "debunker," Randi rejects that title owing to its perceived bias, instead describing himself as an "investigator". He has written about the paranormal, skepticism, and the history of magic. He was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and is occasionally featured on the television program Penn & Teller: Bullshit!.
What makes the famous skeptic feel awe? Great magic tricks, of course. And sunsets.
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4 min
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As a teenager in the ’40s, James Randi “would have gotten stoned” for being gay. But when he outed himself to the world in 2010, the reaction was “wonderful.”
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3 min
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Hi, Mom?…Yeah, I’m in a coffin at the bottom of the La Hogue River.”
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4 min
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The James Randi Educational Foundation has never met a “psychic” it couldn’t discredit—easily. Still, Randi understands why such frauds appeal to people.
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3 min
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What prompted the skeptic’s public crusades against Uri Geller, Sylvia Browne, and other self-proclaimed mystics?
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7 min
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Real magicians don’t pretend to be mystical characters. By telling us they’re just performing tricks, they make their feats all the more breathtaking.
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3 min
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What does it take to outperform the master escape artist? Common sense, a good night’s sleep, and shallow breathing.
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5 min
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Conjurers perform skillful tricks, not miracles. But when the magician first saw one of his idols perform, he wasn’t sure whether he was seeing “a demon or an angel.”
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2 min
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A conversation with the magician and scientific skeptic.
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35 min
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James Randi has shunned faith since he was a kid spending collection plate money on ice cream. “If my dad and mom are up there someplace… I ask them to […]
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