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Psychic Secrets
Revealed
Objective Productions for Five
September/October 2003
Discussed by Graham P Jolley
Several magicians and mindreaders have asked me if I have any thoughts with regard to the Channel 5 television programme Psychic Secrets Revealed.
I would if I may, like to make a few comments. My reaction to the programme is
one of disappointment. I don't find it easy to be critical of the programme
since I know many of the individuals responsible. Maybe not close friends, but I
certainly admire some of their previous work. Derren Brown's Mind Control
Specials are in my opinion brilliant programmes.
Psychic Secrets Revealed is by its very nature a completely different
matter.
Can we take a look at some of the arguments offered to justify a programme of
this type?
1. "We want to protect gullible members of the public from charlatans."
This seems to me on the surface to have merit. Remember however, if you give a
person long enough to think about a subject, they will usually construct a
defence.
To expose the possible methods used by Uri Geller, is I think unforgivable.
Geller has been a successful performer since the early 70's. Surely his spoon
and key bending, drawing duplication, movement of a compass needle and seed
germination has not caused the public any harm. He has been an inspiration to
many performers, and some have included a demonstration of spoon and key bending
in their own acts. In fact Ali Bongo kindly introduced to the fraternity the
'Bongo Bender', a delightful little gimmick if I may say so. (A device for
bending a key.)
I don't agree that magicians have the right to expose this type of material.
One Justification is that he claims 'Psychic Power'. What other claim could he
offer for physical effects? He is being lampooned for his creativity. Obviously
NLP, body language or non verbal clues would be inappropriate.
Am I not right in thinking that the above mentioned 'effects' have become a part
of magicians and mindreaders repertoires. Surely this material should not be
made available to the public.
2. "If we can stop just one person from visiting a Psychic - the programme
has done its job."
It is doubtful if the programme would influence opinion.
I have a relative who is a member of the Catholic Church. On finishing reading a
book by Ludovic Kennedy entitled The Death of God, I asked her if she
would care to read the book as it may give her a interesting alternative to her
beliefs. She flatly refused, since she was very happy with her beliefs.
I suspect that if you invited a group who believed in Psychic Powers, Tarot
Readers, and Spirit Mediums to watch a television programme which could alter
their thinking on the subject, they would not be interested.
I do agree that certain areas should be exposed:
1. Psychic Surgery.
2. Fraudulent Mediums who claim to contact the dead.
But for a programme to have any impact, Channel 5 is not the place. Perhaps BBC1
or 2 and not with the talented Alistair Cook, but a presenter with some
intellectual horsepower. Someone with a brain the size of Kent.
Can we take a look at Dr. Richard Wiseman. He seems to have an opinion on so
many subjects. What area of Psychology does he specialize in? Not satisfied with
explaining Cold Reading, he also in the newspapers gives examples of jokes and
why they are funny. What’s he going to do when his looks deteriorate?
No more 'Unweaving the Rainbow'
I think the time has arrived for us to pull ourselves together, keep our mouths
shut, and keep the secrets where they belong. Don't give the layman any clues,
they don't deserve any assistance. Just entertain and mystify the best you can,
but don't feel a need to educate and enlighten. We are not qualified to provide
that sort of stimulation.
I heard this recently, "don’t worry about it." Where are you going to draw the
line? Look at all the books available to the general public. Such lazy thinking.
Draw the line now.
One last thought. The annoying thing about this series is that as a performer it
is prudent to watch the programme - just in the event something is shown that is
similar to an effect in your own act. Twice now on picking up a Polaroid camera
I've heard the comment "saw this on television" it's not serious, but mildly
irritating.
So there we are. Get magic back into a studio with a live audience. No more
wandering down streets, hanging around warehouses and asking people to select a
card in a gents toilet.
© Graham P Jolley, November 2003