Illusionist James Randy: Biography, Prize and Educational Foundation

James Randy - a former illusionist and well-known in America, a denouncer of scammers, posing as magicians and psychics. For two decades he proposes to pay a premium of over $ 1 million to someone who will pass all his tests and prove that he really has paranormal abilities. Thousands of people from many countries tried to get this prize, but none of them could convince the skeptic Randy in his special gift.

Childhood and youth

The real name of James Randy is Randall James Hemilton Zwinge. He was born in the Canadian city of Toronto in 1928. The boy was the oldest child, except for him there were two other children in the family. At the age of 13 he got into a serious accident on a bicycle, after which he lay in a cast for more than a year. The doctors were sure that James would remain confined to his bed for the rest of his life, however, to their surprise, the boy recovered and rose to his feet. Lying without movement, Randy began reading books about tricks. The new hobby was so much for the boy that he decided to connect his future life with him. As a 17-year-old teenager, James Randy left school and began moonlighting as an illusionist, speaking in roadside entertainment establishments. Then came the work in Japan and the Philippines, where the young man got acquainted with the secrets of performing complex tricks, which viewers perceived only as miracles.

Work as an Illusionist

Professional career illusionist James began in 1946. At first he acted under his real name (Randall Zwinge), but as the popularity grew, he decided to take the pseudonym Awesome Randy. Since the mid-1950s, the magician was invited as a guest to entertainment programs, and in the sixties he started his own program at the New York radio station. In the years 1973-1974. Illusionist James Randy went on tour with a popular rock singer Alice Cooper. During performances of the singer he performed on the stage the role of executioner and dentist, and also personally participated in the development of some scenery for his performances.

The appearance of a skeptical attitude

In the 70's, Randy gradually begins to move away from the illusion and focuses his activities on exposing scammers who pretend to be people with supernatural abilities. Knowing the secrets of most complex tricks, he realized that any seemingly improbable trick really does not have a supernatural basis. Skeptic by nature, Randi did not believe in miracles and all psychics, magicians, mediums, contactees with aliens considered ordinary scammers who deceive spectators for profit.

Enmity with Uri Geller

The loudest conflict in James Randy began in 1972 with megapopular in those days, the psychic Uri Geller. The latter performed in front of spectators unexplained by science miracles, arguing that his superpowers were endowed with extraterrestrial creatures. James Randy severely criticized the number of Uri Geller, in which he bent a metal spoon at a glance. He stated that the bending of the cutlery was a common focus and persuaded the studio workers, in which the psychic was supposed to perform, to expose it to the audience. After this incident, the feud between Randy and Geller dragged on for years to come. A skeptical illusionist repeatedly revealed the secrets of the psychic tricks, thus putting his career at risk.

Geller tried to fight his abuser by legal means and repeatedly sued him. However, the servants of Themis never satisfied his lawsuits against James Randy. In 1982, the former illusionist published a book entitled "The Magic of Uri Geller," in which he revealed to the readers the secrets of the crown numbers of the psychic. He argued that the focus with the bending of a metal spoon and other celebrity tricks can be performed by any person. Many years after the start of the conflict, Geller was forced to admit that he did not have supernatural powers, but was an ordinary variety illusionist who wanted to make his show unforgettable for the audience.

Foundation of own fund

In 1996, the James Randi Educational Foundation was established in the United States to expose scammers from magic and psychic sensations and to study paranormal phenomena. The illusionist said he would pay $ 10,000 from personal savings to someone who can prove that he really has supernatural powers, and does not fool people with tricks and psychological techniques. Gradually the size of the money prize increased due to the contributions of enthusiasts and in the final result exceeded $ 1.1 million.

Prize conditions

James Randy Award was a tasty morsel for many people who call themselves clairvoyants, sorcerers, psychics, fortune-teller, etc. It would seem that it's not difficult to get money. To do this, you just need to demonstrate Randy's skeptic of his paranormal abilities. The illusionist is ready to pay the monetary prize of his fund to anyone who can hypnotize, read thoughts, move objects by sight, communicate with the dead, predict the future, perform various magical actions, etc. The only condition is that the applicant for victory must demonstrate his abilities In the conditions of a scientific experiment under the supervision of Randy and his colleagues.

The fight for the prize fund

For a cash prize of $ 1.1 million, thousands of people fought. The educational fund used clairvoyants of all kinds, but none of them was able to demonstrate their abilities in strict accordance with the conditions of the experiment. Tests of James Randy were too tough for even strong psychics. The former illusionist does not get tired of putting all the applicants for a prize to the clean. He easily manages to understand that their super abilities are an ordinary trick.

James Randi divides all candidates for the award of his fund into 2 categories: charlatans and those who erroneously believe in their paranormal opportunities. The first come to the illusionist for the sake of easy gain. During the experiment, they cunning, spying, hoping to deceive others. Applicants belonging to the second category are confident in their superpowers, but with detailed verification it turns out that they are simply mistaken at their own expense.

The money prize of the skeptical illusionist has not been received to this day. Is there really not a single person in the world who really possesses paranormal abilities? Such people continue to look for the James Randy Foundation. "Battle of psychics" and other TV shows regularly show people who create miracles before the camera. Are they all charlatans? And why do not any of them want to compete for a prize of more than $ 1 million? Many famous psychics claim that they do not need any checks, so they are not going to prove their abilities to anyone. But Randy does not believe in any excuses. He is confident that he will be able to bring out any person who will turn to him to clean water.

Randy today

Despite his advanced age, Randy is still actively engaged in exposing fraudsters. In 2009, he diagnosed an oncological bowel disease, but the former illusionist managed to overcome the ailment and in 2010 to return to its activities. Today, he is still waiting for a man who will be able to solemnly present the main prize of his fund. After all, in his search he spent the last 2 decades of his life.