Ask James Randi

[James Randi]

James,

People spitting misguided vitriol at your work is one thing, but what do you do with people who deliberately try to tarnish your reputation as a person? How do you handle that?

My question is of a similar ilk as there have been some heavy threads here and elsewhere about you as a person and not your work or your organisation.

Also, the other line that is popular regards the fact that no one could ever fulfill the requirements of your test conditions for the 1,000,000....

It would be interesting to hear what you have to say on these points.

Cheers

Todd

How do they know? No one has ever had any problem coming to an agreement
with us, yet. But most of them won’t even try. And, they’re not MY “test
conditions,” they’re THEIR conditons! Remember, these people need to have an
“out,” because they know they can’t succeed…!

[James Randi]

Hi Randi!

Firstly, do you prefer to be addressed as Randi, James, Mr Randi, or The Amazing? I'm going with 'Randi' for now.

Secondly, your website and forums have had a huge influence on me as a magician and skeptic. There are strict rules on your own forum about non-disclosure, but it's a sad fact that many previously secret methods are available on other websites simply by Googling for them.

So my question is this: do you think the internet is a threat to magic, or does it just mean we have to think of new ways to present our craft?

Thanks!

You should see my “Out of this World” presentation. I changed it so that
even the magicians are fooled by it. We have to evolve with the times. I
had to devise a new method for television that wasn’t so tedious. Before
the Internet was motion pictures; that was supposed to “kill” magic. Then
came TV – the same story… And so it goes.

[James Randi]

Hi,

I've been watching 'Good To See You Again, Alice Cooper' - DVD of the Billion Dollar Babies tour where you played a dentist during 'Unfinished Sweet', drilling giant dentistry tools into Alice's mouth until he eventually gets chased down the street by a giant tooth.



I'd love to know, how did you get to work with Alice in such a way?

He called the magic shop, I happened to be there, and we made a deal.
Pure dumb luck… I also chopped his head off with the Will Rock Guillotine,
every night. It didn’t work, and he was always there the next night… Sigh…

[James Randi]

Sir,

I have also followed your work for much of my life.
Read your books, seen the shows, bought the DVDs, and even wear the T-Shirt (literally!)

Could I take another, more public, opportunity to thank you for all the help you gave to us on the Billy McCoy charity deck signatures. (Randi arranged for seven signatures for us!)

The photo gallery on your site mentions your ‘biographers’. Does this means that there is a life story in the pipeline?


Very best regards

Graeme

Yep. But my lips are sealed….

[EddWithers]

Thanks James for your time!

//Edd