How John Edward Does It

[The Blowhard]

Deconstructing the Dead
"Crossing over" to expose the tricks of
popular spirit mediums

By Michael Shermer

...........



Like all other animals, we humans evolved to connect the dots between events so as to discern patterns meaningful for our survival. Like no other animals, we tell stories about the patterns we find. Sometimes the patterns are real; sometimes they are illusions.


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The hottest medium today is a former ballroom-dance instructor.

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A well-known illusion of a meaningful pattern is the alleged ability of mediums to talk to the dead. The hottest medium today is former ballroom-dance instructor John Edward, star of the cable television series Crossing Over and author of the New York Times best-selling book One Last Time. His show is so popular that he is about to be syndicated nationally on many broadcast stations.

How does Edward appear to talk to the dead? What he does seems indistinguishable from tricks practiced by magicians. He starts by selecting a section of the studio audience, saying something like "I'm getting a George over here. George could be someone who passed over, he could be someone here, he could be someone you know," and so on. Of course, such generalizations lead to a "hit." Once he has targeted his subject, the "reading" begins, seemingly using three techniques:

1. Cold reading, in which he reads someone without initially knowing anything about them. He throws out lots of questions and statements and sees what sticks. "I'm getting a 'P' name. Who is this, please?" "He's showing me something red. What is this, please?" And so on. Most statements are wrong. If subjects have time, they visibly shake their heads "no." But Edward is so fast they usually have time to acknowledge only the hits. And as behaviorist B. F. Skinner showed in his experiments on superstitious behavior, subjects need only occasional reinforcement or reward to be convinced. In an expose I did for WABC-TV in New York City, I counted about one statement a second in the opening minute of Edward's show, as he riffled through names, dates, colors, diseases, conditions, situations, relatives and the like. He goes from one to the next so quickly you have to stop the tape and go back to catch them all.

2. Warm reading, which exploits nearly universal principles of psychology. Many grieving people wear a piece of jewelry that has a connection to a loved one. Mediums know this and will say something like "Do you have a ring or a piece of jewelry on you, please?" Edward is also facile at determining the cause of death by focusing on either the chest or the head area and then working rapid-fire through the half a dozen major causes of death. "He's telling me there was a pain in the chest." If he gets a positive nod, he continues. "Did he have cancer, please? Because I'm seeing a slow death here." If the subject hesitates, Edward will immediately shift to heart attack.

3. Hot reading, in which the medium obtains information ahead of time. One man who got a reading on Edward's show reports that "once in the studio, we had to wait around for almost two hours before the show began. Throughout that time everybody was talking about what dead relative of theirs might pop up. Remember that all this occurred under microphones and with cameras already set up."

Whether or not Edward gathers information in this way, mediums generally needn't. They are successful because they are dealing with the tragedy and finality of death. Sooner or later we all will confront this inevitability, and when we do, we may be at our most vulnerable.

This is why mediums are unethical and dangerous: they prey on the emotions of the grieving. As grief counselors know, death is best faced head-on as a part of life. Pretending that the dead are gathering in a television studio in New York to talk twaddle with a former ballroom-dance instructor is an insult to the

[ice cream girl]

hey heckler!!!...
call me crazy, but admidst all the phonys out there, i do believe there are certain people who are "gifted" in ways that many find for the lack of a better word...impossible... Take for instance that Sylvia Brown lady... anyone know of her? Anyway, i think shes full of crap!!! anyone whos interested in this subject and has seen her at work would probobly agree. John Edwards on the other hand... i think he's for real... he's tapped into something that most will never ever understand... it all comes down to what you believe... yes i think there are people who can connect with the deceased... people who can see into your future... but a very selected few... i certainaly wouldn't be calling Miss Cleo about pychic advice at 3am... but there definately are people out there who are just... "not of this world" and i think John Edwards is one of them... He frightens me quite frankly...

God put me on this earth to do a certain number of things right... now i'm so far behind, i'll never die.

[Carter]

So true... so true


-Carter
--Big Man on Campus--
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[TheGameHHH]

I for one believe in Edwards, and here's what I have a problem with. Any of you who discredit Edwards, call him a phony, and make fun of those who believe in him are quite possibably hippocrites yourself if you believe in any sort of organized religion. There are a million statements that are false in the Bible and other holy books, but you don't see people picking them apart on message boards and such. I dunno, I guess what I'm saying is don't criticize one man without thinking about what you stand for first.
This is in no way directed at you Heckler, just a statment for everyone to read.

IT'S TIME TO PLAY THE GAME-AHHH!

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[The Blowhard]

This is not about religion, or faith HHH. It's about con men predators taking advantage of the broken hearted and weak minded. I have many problems with organized religion, but this is all about fraud and deception, not faith or religion.

<img src=http://hometown.aol.com/muldermanx/angrydavy3.gif>

"It takes good taste to appreciate bad taste."

[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

There is part of me that wants
to believe. In my "earthy,
crunchy" days I worked in a
store with a woman who did
readings with crystals. In
exchange for some editing work
I did for her, she gave me a
reading. I know for a fact I
NEVER told her about my
family. On a lark, I asked her
to contact my father. She told
me things I never told her
(like my mom's name: Fedora--
that's not at all common). She
swung the crystal over her
keyboard and just typed.
That's all she did. She didn't
ask me questions. She just typed.

I dunno, I mean, there are
fakes and phonies out there.
But every now and then things
happen in our lives that just
make us think, you know?

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[IkeaBoy]

I believe in the supernatural. i believe that some people can contact the dead. I believe in the unexplainable.

However, I feel if you had this talent you wouldn't be whoring yourself on national television.

Ever see The Dead Zone? That's what someone with this power would be like. It wouldn't be a blessing, it would be a curse.

-----
Carrot Man to Big Apple: I Miss my baby carrot.
Pro-War NYU Student. We're not all peace fags.

[Se7en]

What really pissed me off about Edwards was that he did a whole bunch of shows where he brought in families of those who were killed in the WTC bombings, to "read" their dead loved ones for them. That came across to me as so colossally in bad taste. In my book, that makes him no better than a jackal ripping at the carcass of a dead animal.

I'm not criticizing Edwards based upon the fact that I don't believe talking to the dead can be done. I'm open to that possibility. I'm willing to believe that it may be conceivable for people to communicate with those who have passed on. However, if such a thing IS possible...well, I'd imagine it'd be more like the Sixth Sense. Where you'd just be totally freaked out by it.

You wouldn't go on TV and use that gift to exploit people for fame and profit.

<img border="0" src="http://Se7enRFNet.homestead.com/files/RFnetSe7en.jpg" width="300" height="100">

Thank you, WWFallon! You are my Olympic Hero!

"Being a bastard WORKS."
--Spider Jerusalem

[TheGameHHH]

Heck...point taken. I wasn't trying to make this a religious debate, all I was simply saying is that those who criticize him for being a phony should look at themselves first. You are argueing on a different level, and that is totally understandable.
Second, Se7en....did he actually do that show? I thought they said tonight that the show was scrapped because it was in bad taste. (which I totally agree with)

IT'S TIME TO PLAY THE GAME-AHHH!

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[Se7en]

Game, I heard that they did actually film those shows, but after the fact members of the network behind his show (I think USA networks?) decided not to air them.

I mean, when TV executives, who aren't exactly known for their good taste, take a step back and say "Maybe this isn't such a good idea", it says a lot.

<img border="0" src="http://Se7enRFNet.homestead.com/files/RFnetSe7en.jpg" width="300" height="100">

Thank you, WWFallon! You are my Olympic Hero!

"Being a bastard WORKS."
--Spider Jerusalem

[CruelCircus]

call me crazy, but admidst all the phonys out there, i do believe there are certain people who are "gifted" in ways that many find for the lack of a better word...impossible...

Ok, then: You're crazy. :-)
I was going to say something along the lines of IB and 7. Even if someone was somehow gifted like this I don't think it's the guy who winds up on SciFi doing it.
And HHH, I don't do organized religion. And basically, it's for the same reasons I don't buy this stuff- the unbelievability of it all...


<br><img src="http://pw2.netcom.com/~jjmace/gifs/brandisig.JPG">
She has balls, too.
Have a wonderful holiday season.

[NewYorkDragons80]

There are a million statements that are false in the Bible and other holy books, but you don't see people picking them apart on message boards and such
I have. That's why I stopped listenng to O&A and stopped posting on their message board. However, this really has nothing to do with religion.

I have some major issues with the author of this article. How many times does he have to say Edwards was a dance instructor? Also, he doesn't even try to explore the possibility of Edward's ability to come in contact with the afterlife.

Personally, I really want to believe John Edwards, but the editing of Staples's appearance makes me skeptical. There are still some very specific things Edwards points out, which makes it very convincing. In the end, I'm willing to believe it, but I'm not going to call him a prophet.

Edwards is like the Shroud of Turin. If he isn't for real, he's the greatest fake in history.

"THOSE BASTARDS"
-Norman Schwartzkoff

"May God bless us in this trial, comfort us, strengthen our resolve, and make our justice as terrible and certain as His."
-Senator John McCain

"Neitzche is dead"
-God

[IkeaBoy]

Are you saying you're angry with O&A for calling The Bible which is NOTHING BUT A BOOK, not the word of God?

-----
Carrot Man to Big Apple: I Miss my baby carrot.
Pro-War NYU Student. We're not all peace fags.

[TheGameHHH]

Yea, this puzzles me too Ikea..NYD, first of all, Anthony is the only one who doesn't believe in God, Opie needs his faith and hates talking about it all. Secondly, while I don't agree with Ant, or Ikea for that matter, do you really think its appropiate for me to stop listening to their show altogether, or stop reading Ikeas posts?! Come on man, not everybody is gonna have the same views as you, don't persecute them because of it.

IT'S TIME TO PLAY THE GAME-AHHH!

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This message was edited by TheGameHHH on 12-8-01 @ 3:24 AM

[NewYorkDragons80]

Like I said, this shouldn't be about religion, but I suppose I have to defend myself. Persecution is what Jews went through in Germany. Persecution is what Atheists went through in the Cold War. Me choosing not to listen to someone who stands to make millions is certainly not persecution. If I tried to lead a crusade against the O&A show (Starting crap on their message board, organizing a boycott) that might qualify as persecution. I'm not listening to a radio show because I don't like what I hear. If I don't watch Craig Kilborn, am I persecuting people who aren't funny?

"THOSE BASTARDS"
-Norman Schwartzkoff

"May God bless us in this trial, comfort us, strengthen our resolve, and make our justice as terrible and certain as His."
-Senator John McCain

"Neitzche is dead"
-God

[IkeaBoy]

i NEVER said you're persecuting them but i am saying I don't think it's right you not listening to O&A because they challenge your faith.

-----
Carrot Man to Big Apple: I Miss my baby carrot.
Pro-War NYU Student. We're not all peace fags.

[Bron Yur Stomp]

I had a friend go on the Edwards show, and he said he was about 1/2 the time right, sorta. Personally, I think he is a fake. And I would love to see him do a cold reading on the amazing Randi. If he was such a gift, he would offer his services for free. Not charge folks or edit his shows to make him seem more accurate

Life is a piece of @#$%, then you die.
Life of Brian

[NewYorkDragons80]

Ikeaboy, it was HHH who said I was persecuting them. Ron of the R&F show doesn't believe in God, but I still listen because he doesn't attack religion. He tries as hard as he can to steer clear of any theological debate. (Except when it comes to those damn Lutherans.) On the other hand you have Anthony who goes out of his way to take on religion. Everyone is entitled to their beliefs, but to challenge what people feel in the depths of their soul is just something I'd rather not hear.

"THOSE BASTARDS"
-Norman Schwartzkoff

"May God bless us in this trial, comfort us, strengthen our resolve, and make our justice as terrible and certain as His."
-Senator John McCain

"Neitzche is dead"
-God

[TheGameHHH]

NYD, persectue was definatly the wrong word to use. But now my question is, what if somebody on here attacked religion? Would you stop posting?

IT'S TIME TO PLAY THE GAME-AHHH!

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[NewYorkDragons80]

That's why I like it here. Everyone has their own beliefs, but they know how to respect another's beliefs. I've gotten into theological debates with Hordeking, but it never stooped to the level of Hordeking being an elitist or really forcing his beliefs on me. However, if it did happen, I would probably still post here because I know there are thousands of members here and the opinion of a few do not represent the entire board.

"THOSE BASTARDS"
-Norman Schwartzkoff

"May God bless us in this trial, comfort us, strengthen our resolve, and make our justice as terrible and certain as His."
-Senator John McCain

"Neitzche is dead"
-God

[IkeaBoy]

i was watching the edwards show tonight and it actually went like this "I'm seeing an Elizabeth, a Lizzy, an Elle" woman responds: "There's a betty!"

-----
Carrot Man to Big Apple: I Miss my baby carrot.
Pro-War NYU Student. We're not all peace fags.

[HordeKing1]

John Edward and others of his ilk take advantage of gullable people seeking to assauge whatever feelings of guilt they harbor about their deceased relative. People are so anxious to believe, they'll jump on any similarity no matter how remote and ignore the vast majority of random bits he throws out that have no relevance.

He's just a carnival huckster fooling rubes for money.



http://members.aol.com/rnfpantera/hking2