Page 16 - 200810 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - October 2008

16 John Edward: Hustling the Bereaved 16 John Edward: Hustling the Bereaved John Edward: Hustling understand the seriousness of trifling with such MEET THOS WHO HAVE BEEN John Edward: Hustling sacred sentimentality and the baneful result the Bereaved the Bereaved which inevitably followed. To me it was a lark. I INDUCTED INTO THE Continued From Page 14 was a mystifier and as such my ambition was ‘X’ ZONE ORDER OF WOO WOOS Continued From Page 14 being gratified and my love for a mild sensation satisfied. After delving deep I realized the Another session-for an episode of seriousness of it all. As I advanced to riper ALBIANI, Joe DNR, BAIRD, Robert DNR, Crossing Over attended by a reporter for The years of experience I was brought to a BALEGA, Betsy DNR , BAY, Brandon DNR, New York Times Magazine, Chris Ballard realization of the seriousness of trifling with the BILLOW, Ann DNR, BISCARDI, Tom DNR, (2001)-had Edward "hitting well below 50 hallowed reverence which the average human BODINE, Echo DNR, BRADY, George DNR, BURTENSHAW, Debbie DNR, CHIPPEO, percent for the day." Indeed, he twice spent being bestows on the departed, and when I Rosemary DNR, CRISWELL, Dick DNR, CROSS, "upward of 20 minutes stuck on one person, personally became afflicted with similar grief I Patrick DNR, CROTEAU, Roland DNR, shooting blanks but not accepting the negative was chagrined that I should ever have been CRYSTAL, Ruth DNR, DREAM HEALER, responses." This is a common technique: guilty of such frivolity and for the first time Adam DNR, DRUFFEL, Anne DNR, FORMAN, persisting in an attempt to redeem error, realized that it bordered on crime. Linda DNR, GALLANT, Velma DNR, cajoling or even browbeating a sitter (as Sylvia Of course tricking people in order to GILLILAND, James DNR, GRANT, Richard DNR, Browne often does), or at least making the educate them is not the same as deceiving them HARI, Gurdip DNR, JOHNSON, Robert Bowie incorrect responses seem the person's fault. "Do for crass personal gain, but to toy with their DNR, JONES, Jessica DNR, KAY, Margie (Real not not honor him!" Edward exclaimed at one deepest emotions-however briefly and well Name - Marge PADGITT) DNR, KUEHN, Robert point, then (according to Ballard) "staring down intentioned-is to cross a line I prefer not to do. "UFO Bob" DNR , LEA, Sienna DNR. LEVY, the bewildered man." Besides, I believe it can be very Michael DNR, LONGO, Frank DNR, LOPORTO, Garrett DNR, LUKATHER-KITCH, Lora DNR , When the taped episode actually aired, counterproductive. It may not be the alleged MANZO, Wayne DNR, McCRACKEN, Ken DNR, the two lengthy failed readings had been edited medium but rather the debunker himself who is McDONALD, William DNR, MENKIN, Michael out, along with second-rate offerings. What perceived as dishonest, and he may come across DNR, METZ, Bill DNR, MIRAKI, Dr Mohammad remained were two of the best readings of the as arrogant, cynical, and manipulative-not DNR, MORNINGSTAR, Robert DNR, OESTER, show (Ballard 2001). This seems to confirm the heroic as he imagines. Dr Dave DNR, PHELAN, Janet DNR, RANVILLE, allegation in the Time article that episodes were As well, an apparent reproduction of an effect Keith DNR, RAPPOPRT, Roger DNR, RITTER, edited to make Edward seem more accurate, does not necessarily mean the cause was the George DNR, SHERWOOD, Chris DNR, even reportedly splicing in clips of one sitter same. (For example, I have seen several SHERWOOD, Ed DNR, SHRINER. Sherry DNR, nodding yes "after statements with which he skeptical demonstrations of "weeping" icons STEVENS, Henry DNR, SUNANDA, Michael remembers disagreeing" (Jaroff 2001). that employed trickery more sophisticated than DNR, TAYLOR, Suzanne DNR, THOMAS, Robbie Edited or not, sessions involving a group that used for "real" crying effigies.) Far better, I DNR, TITTLE, Joseph DNR, TURI, Dr Luis DNR, VEGH, Beth DNR, WALTERS, Eric DNR, offer increased chances for success. By tossing am convinced, is showing evidence of the actual WOLFE, Burton DNR, YURCHEY, Doug DNR, out a statement and indicating a section of the methods employed, as I did in collaboration ZIMMERMAN, Robert DNR. audience rather than an individual, the with Dateline NBC. performing "medium" makes it many times Although John Edward was among five www.xzoneorderofwoowoos.com more likely that someone will "acknowledge" it "highly skilled mediums" who allegedly fared as a "hit." Sometimes multiple audience well on tests of their ability (Schwartz et al. investigative columnist for Skeptical Inquirer members will acknowledge an offering, 2001)-experiments critiqued elsewhere in this magazine. whereupon the performer typically narrows the issue (Wiseman and O'Keeffe, see page 26)-he A former professional stage magician (he choice down to a single person and builds on the did not claim validation on Larry King Live. was Resident Magician at the Houdini Magical success. Edward uses just such a technique When King (2001) asked Edward if he thought Hall of Fame for three years) and private (Ballard 2001). there would ever be proof of spirit contact, investigator for a world-famous detective agency, Still another ploy used by Edward and Edward responded by suggesting proof was Dr. Nickell taught technical writing for several his fellow "psychic mediums" is to suggest that unattainable, that only belief matters: ". . . I years at the University of Kentucky before taking people who cannot acknowledge a hit may find think that to prove it is a personal thing. It is like the full-time position with CSICOP at its offices at a connection later. "Write this down," an saying, prove God. If you have a belief system the Center for Inquiry in Amherst, New York. insistent Edward sometimes says, or in some and you have faith, then there is nothing really Utilizing his varied background, Nickell other way suggests the person study the more than that." But this is an attempt to has become widely known as an investigator of apparent miss. He may become even more insulate a position and to evade or shift the myths and mysteries, frauds, forgeries, and insistent, the positive reinforcement diverting burden of proof, which is always on the hoaxes. He has been called "the modern Sherlock attention from the failure and giving the person claimant. As Houdini (1924, 270) emphatically Holmes," "the original ghost buster," and "the an opportunity to find some adaptable meaning stated, "It is not for us to prove the mediums are real-life Scully" (from "The X-Files" ). He has later (Nickell 1998). dishonest, it is for them to prove that they are investigated scores of haunted-house cases, honest." In my opinion John Edward has including the Amityville Horror and the Debunking Versus Investigation already failed that test. Mackenzie House in Toronto, Canada. Debunking Versus Investigation Nickell is the author (co-author or editor) of more than twenty books, including Some skeptics believe the way to Acknowledgments Inquest on the Shroud of Turin (1983, 1998); counter Edward and his ilk is to reproduce his Secrets of the Supernatural (with John F. Fischer, effect, to demonstrate the cold-reading I appreciate the assistance of Tom Flynn 1988, 1991); The Magic Detectives (1989); Pen, technique to radio and TV audiences. Of course who helped me analyze the video clips Ink, and Evidence (1990, 2000, 2003); Wonder- that approach is unconvincing unless one mentioned in the text and refine the hypothesis Workers! (1991); Ambrose Bierce Is Missing actually poses as a medium and then-after that Edward may have glimpsed a reflection. I (1992); Missing Pieces (with Robert A. Baker, seemingly making contact with subjects' dead am also grateful to Tim Binga, Barry Karr, 1992); Mysterious Realms (1992); Looking for a loved ones-reveals the deception. Although Kevin Christopher, Ben Radford, and Ranjit Miracle (1993, 1998); Psychic Sleuths (1994); audiences typically fall for the trick (witness Sandhu for other assistance. Camera Clues (1994); Entities (1995); Detecting Inside Edition's use of it), I deliberately avoid Forgery (1996); The Outer Edge (1996); The UFO this approach for a variety of reasons, largely ABOUT DR. JOE NICKELL Invasion (1997); Crime Science (1999); Real-Life ABOUT DR. JOE NICKELL because of ethical concerns. I rather agree with X-Files: Investigating the Paranormal (2001); The Houdini (1924, xi) who had done spiritualistic Joe Nickell, Ph.D. (University of Kentucky Mint Julep (2003); The Mystery stunts during his early career: Chronicles (2004); Secrets of the Sideshows At the time I appreciated the fact that I Kentucky, 1987), is Senior Research Fellow of the (2005); and Lake Monster Mysteries (with Committee for the Scientific Investigation of surprised my clients, but while aware of the fact Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) - an Benjamin Radford, 2006). www.joenickell.com that I was deceiving them I did not see or international scientific organization - and www.joenickell.com