James Randy is a former illusionist and a famous American whistleblower who pretends to be magicians and psychics. For two decades, he has offered to pay a premium of over $ 1 million to someone who will pass all his trials and prove that he really has paranormal abilities. Thousands of people from many countries of the world tried to get this cash prize, but none of them was able to convince the skeptic Randy of his special gift.
Children's years and youth
James Randy's real name is Randall James Hamilton Zwinge. He was born in the Canadian city of Toronto in 1928. The boy was the eldest child, in addition to him, the family had two more children. At the age of 13, he had a serious bicycle accident, after which he lay in a cast for more than a year. The doctors were sure that James would remain bedridden for life, however, to their surprise, the boy recovered and got to his feet. Lying motionless, Randy began to read books about magic tricks. The boy was so pleased with the new hobby that he decided to connect his future life with him. As a 17-year-old teenager, James Randy left school and started working as an illusionist, speaking at roadside entertainment venues. This was followed by work in Japan and the Philippines, where the young man got acquainted with the secrets of performing complex tricks, which the audience perceived only as miracles.
The work of an illusionist
James began his professional career as an illusionist in 1946. At first he performed under his real name (Randall Zwinge), but as he grew in popularity, he decided to take the pseudonym Amazing Randy. Since the mid-50s, the magician began to be invited as a guest to entertaining programs, and in the 60s he began to conduct his own program on a New York radio station. In the years 1973-1974. illusionist James Randy went on tour with popular rock artist Alice Cooper. During the singer's performances, he played the roles of executioner and dentist on the stage, and also took part in the development of some of the scenery for his performances.
The appearance of skepticism
In the 70s, Randy gradually begins to move away from the illusion and focuses on exposing scammers who impersonate people with supernatural powers. Knowing the secrets of most complex tricks, he realized that any seemingly incredible trick does not in fact have a supernatural basis. A skeptic by nature, Randy did not believe in miracles and considered all psychics, magicians, mediums, contactees with aliens to be ordinary scammers who deceived the audience for the sake of profit.
The feud with Uri Geller
James Randy's loudest conflict began in 1972 with the mega-pop psychic Uri Geller at that time. The latter performed miracles inexplicable to science before the audience, claiming that extraterrestrial creatures endowed him with superpowers. James Randi harshly criticized Uri Geller's number, in which he bent a metal spoon with one glance. He stated that bending the cutlery was the usual trick and persuaded the workers of the studio, in which the psychic was supposed to speak, to expose it to the audience. After this incident, the feud between Randy and Geller lasted for many years. The skeptical illusionist has repeatedly revealed the secrets of psychic tricks, thereby putting his career at risk.
Geller tried to fight his offender legally and repeatedly sued him. However, the servants of Themis never satisfied his lawsuits against James Randy. In 1982, a former illusionist published a book called The Magic of Uri Geller, in which he revealed to readers the secrets of the psychic’s corona numbers. He argued that a trick with bending a metal spoon and other celebrity tricks can be performed by anyone. Many years after the outbreak of the conflict, Geller was forced to admit that he did not have supernatural abilities, but was an ordinary pop illusionist, striving to make his show unforgettable for the audience.
Establishment of own fund
In 1996, the James Randy Educational Foundation appeared in the United States, which deals with exposing scammers from magic and extrasensory perception and studying paranormal phenomena. The illusionist said that he would pay $ 10, 000 from personal savings to someone who can prove that he really has supernatural capabilities, and does not fool people with tricks and psychological techniques. Gradually, the prize money increased due to the contributions of enthusiasts and ultimately exceeded $ 1.1 million.
Prize conditions
The James Randy Prize has become a tidbit for many people who call themselves clairvoyants, sorcerers, psychics, fortunetellers, etc. It would seem that getting money is not difficult. To do this, you just need to demonstrate to the skeptic Randy his paranormal capabilities. The illusionist is ready to pay the cash prize of his foundation to anyone who knows how to hypnotize, read minds, move objects with their eyes, communicate with the dead, predict the future, perform various magical actions, etc. The only condition is that the applicant for the victory must demonstrate his abilities in a scientific experiment under the supervision of Randy and his colleagues.
Fund premium fight
Thousands of people fought for a cash prize of $ 1.1 million. Clairvoyants of all stripes applied to the Education Fund, but none of them could demonstrate their abilities in strict accordance with the conditions of the experiment. The trials of James Randy were too tough for even strong psychics. The former illusionist does not get tired of putting all the applicants for the prize into the clear. He easily manages to understand that their superpowers are ordinary trickery.
James Randy divides all the candidates for the prize of his foundation into 2 categories: charlatans and those who mistakenly believe in their paranormal capabilities. The first come to the illusionist for the sake of easy money. During the experiment, they cunning, peeping, hoping to deceive others. Applicants belonging to the second category are confident in their superpowers, however, with a detailed examination it turns out that they are simply mistaken at their own expense.
Until today, no one has received the cash prize of a skeptic-illusionist. Is there really not a single person in the world who really has paranormal abilities? The James Randi Foundation continues to search for such people. The “Battle of psychics” and other television shows regularly show people who work wonders in front of the camera. Are they all charlatans? And why none of them wants to compete for a cash prize in excess of $ 1 million? Many famous psychics claim that they do not need any checks, so they are not going to prove to anyone their abilities. But Randy does not believe in any excuses. He is sure that he will be able to bring to clean water any person who turns to him.
