NBC's Phenomenon

[Maksutov]

Here are some screen grabs from ads for NBC-TV's latest contribution to furthering good science:











This appears to star the well-known fraud and charlatan Uri Geller and some other guy who has a serious eye makeup addiction.

I sure hope The Bad Astronomer blogs on this, unless he feels it might sully his part of the BAUT universe.

Meanwhile I'm composing a letter to NBC thanking them for providing electronic input to my compost heap. Should see lots of vigorous new electrons in the virtual garden this spring!

[Tog]

The other guy is Chris Angel. One of the street performer magicians that specialize in shocking stuff done in public places. Kind of like the Marlyn Manson of the street performer genre. He's had a few guest spots on different shows like CSI: New York, but as far as I know, he's never seriously promoted what he does as real.

As far as my level of interest goes: What's just below "watching a jar of warm spit"?

[SMEaton]

That must be the one and lonely Uri! Are not all those pics of Uri? (Tog, I wasn't sure about the other person pictured... thanks) I love this video. One more reason to love Carson!

[Swift]

The third photo down in Mak's post is absolutely amazing. I haven't seen a street sign like that since... well... uh... the last windy day.

[NEOWatcher]

The third photo down in Mak's post is absolutely amazing. I haven't seen a street sign like that since... well... uh... the last windy day.

Yesterday?

[Noclevername]

This may actually help (depending on how it's played), by associating slight of hand, trickery and illusionism with Uri in the minds of the public.

I may have to eat those words when the actual show airs. Someone tell me how it looks, I won't be watching.

[KaiYeves]

A few days ago, there was static on our loudspeaker and I thought they said "Uri Gellar to the principal's office, please."
Nearly got out my katanas...

[Van Rijn]

It annoys me to see the commercials. It isn't clear that Uri Geller is a particularly good magician, and he certainly shouldn't be rewarded for being a con artist. I'll let somebody else watch an episode to see what silly things they say about him. I don't need the aggravation.

[TheOncomingStorm]

I wonder if the Amazing Randi will watch giving the history between him and Uri.

[Tog]

I actually paid attention to one of the previews for this while watching Heroes this morning. It sounds like American Idol for magicians. Geller and Angel will be the hosts/judges as new people come up and perform live to see who can be the next big thing.

So... Umm.. Yay for another reality show where people compete to become that person at the burger stand that sort of looks like that guy on TV a while ago.

[Maksutov]

Thanks for the additional information, Tog_. I see a few commercials by accident every now and then, particularly when editing them out of DVR MPEGs for DVDs, but it's been years since I heard one.

Mute button.

[Tog]

Aww, some commercials are great. most are dreck, but there are some that are pure gold. If I can ever find the "meth song" ad I'll burn it to a CD. Here is one I really liked the one time I saw it. It's for a cell phone with an anti-theft system. You know it's a good ad when you can't remember what the product is, and you have to go back a minute or more to catch up on the part of the show you missed due to convulsive laughter.

Edit: Found the meth song, but it's not the way I remember it. Stupid memory making things better than they really were.

[Van Rijn]

Here's a link to Randi's comments:

http://www.randi.org/joom/index.php?...01&Itemid=1#i1

I liked this:

I’ll announce right now that should any of the contestants who enter the NBC “Phenomenon” competition claim that the skills they display are supernatural or paranormal, I will hasten to issue a complete exposé of the tricks here on SWIFT and on YouTube, so that all of Geller’s expected cooing and astonishment over a performance that he claims not to understand, will be thoroughly rained on. Geller himself cannot be expected to display any of his three standard tricks, because they’ve been thoroughly exposed as such.
[snip]

No performer who simply allows the audience to judge the feat for themselves, without invoking a supernatural or paranormal cause, will be exposed by me; I have always respected and supported mentalists and illusionists who work responsibly.

[Noclevername]

I hereby propose a new show running back to back with Phenomenon-- "FakeBusters".

[KaiYeves]

As a skeptic in training, should I watch as "Opposition Research"?
'Cause I wouldn't enjoy it.

I actually paid attention to one of the previews for this while watching Heroes this morning. It sounds like American Idol for magicians. Geller and Angel will be the hosts/judges as new people come up and perform live to see who can be the next big thing.

We should do a reality show to find the next great public space teacher.
BTW, if he had been at my school and he really was telekinetic, do you think he would have force-choked me like Darth Vader? If I have to die, that'd be a pretty cool way to go.

[Noclevername]

As a skeptic in training, should I watch as "Opposition Research"?
'Cause I wouldn't enjoy it.

Definitely not. Isn't self-torture illegal?

[Vonstadt]

This show is a new high in Network TV's lows

[KaiYeves]

Definitely not. Isn't self-torture illegal?

I think so.
Would that force-choking thing I mentioned before count as self-torture if I prevoked it?

[Noclevername]

I think so.
Would that force-choking thing I mentioned before count as self-torture if I prevoked it?

Not unless you also provoked it.

[KaiYeves]

Not unless you also provoked it.

That's what I meant. If I attacked him with swords and he really was telekinetic and force-choked me, you say it would be self-torture because I prevoked it.

[Noclevername]

That's what I meant. If I attacked him with swords and he really was telekinetic and force-choked me, you say it would be self-torture because I prevoked it.

No, I was going for the joke. I'm not even sure self-torture's illegal. And the Force is not considered a deadly weapon in any jurisdiction I'm aware of.

[KaiYeves]

No, I was going for the joke. I'm not even sure self-torture's illegal. And the Force is not considered a deadly weapon in any jurisdiction I'm aware of.

I was joking, too.
If he really was psychic, he wouldn't come to my school.

[Noclevername]

I was joking, too.
If he really was psychic, he wouldn't come to my school.

Technically you just said he was telekinetic. Which, outside of every sci-fi TV show ever, doesn't actually imply any other psychic powers.

[KaiYeves]

Technically you just said he was telekinetic. Which, outside of every sci-fi TV show ever, doesn't actually imply any other psychic powers.

No, I said "if he was telekinetic".
Better watch out for his fan club.

[Noclevername]

Better watch out for his fan club.

Gellar and his Gellarettes don't scare me one bit. Criss Angel? Now he scares me.

[SkepticJ]

This show is a new high in Network TV's lows

Have you seen trash like Judge Judy and Jerry Springer? Nothing short of making starving kids in Africa fight with lethal weapons over scraps of food in a Flavian Amphitheatre-esque arena could be worse. Eh, with how TV is going, I bet we'll be there in another twenty years, if that long.

[Noclevername]

Eh, with how TV is going, I bet we'll be there in another twenty years, if that long.

Network TV won't exist in 20 years. There's an entire generation growing up watching shows and movies online, many of them made in people's living rooms and bedrooms.

EDIT: That's not to say that someone won't try to do exactly what you're saying; in fact it already exists sort of. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bum_fights

[TheOncomingStorm]

Many of them made in people's living rooms and bedrooms.

They have been doing that long before the internet came along.

[Noclevername]

They have been doing that long before the internet came along.

I meant that's where many people keep their computers, that's all!

[tracer]

Phenomenon.
doot doo, doo doo doo
Phenomenon.
doot doo doo, doo
Phenomenon.
doot doo, doo doo doo
doo doo doo
doo doo doo
doo doo doo doo doo doot, doot, doo doot, doo