James Randi gave up performing as the Amazing Randi years ago. His words at the end of each act foreshadowed his next occupation. "Everything you have seen here was a trick. Nothing was supernatural. I hope you will take my word for that. Thank you, and good night."
For more than twenty years Randi has been the eyes and ears of this country, pursuing physics, mediums, faith healers, mentalists and, anything that speaks of the supernatural. He finds them so preposterous and those falling for them so needy that he feels obligated to seek out the sooth sayers and show us their true colors.
"Any misinformation,” he says "of mentalists who claim they can heal people perform miracles and accept pay for it, is an insult to nature and to us as intelligent people”. His conscious leads him to expose all those who commit fraud on other people, with claims of speaking with the dead, foretelling the future and all such things he regards as nonsense.
It takes a magician to know how to perform stage tricks and scientists are not trained to detect these kinds of tricks. Randy can tell you how a magician stages his act. He can also see when a trick is being perpetrated. He enjoys nothing more than uncovering a fraud.
Randi first came in the public eye as a debunker when he appeared on The Johnny Carson show in 1972. Uri Geller was appearing that night to show how he could bend a set of spoons with his mind. Randi made sure the spoons were not within reach of Geller before the show. They sat 20 minutes during the show with a very nervous Geller who was not able to bend the spoons.
Randi was raised Anglican but was never able to see any proof of an existing God. He doesn't see much difference between any of the religions or spiritualist. He once showed Peter Popoff getting messages through his earphones from his wife about people in the audience which Popoff claimed were coming from God.
He says about death," I think death is like pulling the plug on your computer. You pull the plug and your source of power is gone “I don't think we live beyond the grave. There has never been any information to prove it to me.
“I am not able to do the things I want". He says No matter what light I cast on the ill doers, they have their escape acts and continue to find new followers and take money from those who can least afford it. True believers will not take into account any evidence that questions their beliefs."
Randi has established the James Randi Education Foundation and is guardian of a one million dollar prize earmarked for anyone who can prove any act of the supernatural. It remains unclaimed. He offered the gift to Sylvia Browne if she could show him her super natural talents. She would not accept.
Randal James Hamilton, born in Toronto, dropped out of high school, ran away from home and joined the carnival. Thus began his career as magician and escape artist. He did many escapes and feats of magic. He once escaped a locked coffin in the sea. He escaped a strait jacket hanging over Niagara Falls.
Randi is strong and energetic at seventy eight. Likes a good joke and has a bald head, a white bushy beard and eyebrows. He is still ready and willing to expose any and all miracle workers.
