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merlyn2001sh
New user
Poconos, PA
2 Posts
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Posted: Nov 29, 2011 10:50pm
Hi,
Here is something I've been thinking about and I'm curious to know others' thoughts on the great Randi/Geller feud of the 1970s. More specifically, having a background in magic, professional wrestling and the carnival, I'm somewhat skeptical about taking anything at face value at my age. It occurs to me that before Geller and Randi feuded neither were well-known, but afterwards well, their careers speak for themselves. I have often wondered if the feud was genuine or a remarkable piece of misdirection, smoke and mirrors. Probably no one will ever say for sure, but based on some of the ploys done for publicity in the past by many great showmen, I think the question is worth posing at least. I don't expect either party to admit to anything if it was a game, but it is something interesting to ponder. If it was a game, I think it was masterfully played.
Just curious about others' thoughts...
D
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stoneunhinged
Inner circle
Göttingen
3005 Posts
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Posted: Nov 30, 2011 11:17am
I think you are absolutely right. Uri and James got together a couple of weeks in advance, and came up with a plan that would make both of them famous (and Uri very rich). It worked. Everybody is now happy. Just read the Pennies forum, and you'll see how happy everyone is.
An idealistic, obsequious, sycophantic Mai-Ling kisser-upper....
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Ray Pierce
Inner circle
Los Angeles, CA
1636 Posts
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Posted: Nov 30, 2011 11:40pm
This is a REALLY interesting hypothesis. It would be a great story but my own personal feeling is that more than anything, this is a clash of two massive egos. It is curious that without this collision neither one of the players would have been as well known as this conflagration spawned more PR than destruction.
Yet another case of that oh so rare lightning in a bottle.
Ray Pierce
www.HollywoodAerialArts.com
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merlyn2001sh
New user
Poconos, PA
2 Posts
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Posted: Nov 30, 2011 11:59pm
Thanks, stoneunhinged. I wasn't sure what forum that discussion would be in but I located parts of it earlier this evening. Very interesting reading.
@Ray: I thought so. It's something that's been bugging me because both of them benefited from the push tremendously although it cost Randi a fortune in legal fees supposedly. I don't know for sure, but neither of them seemed destitute now. Just some food for thought.
Curious about others thoughts? Could it be a scam? We are all tricksters after all..who can tell?
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Pakar Ilusi
Inner circle
4635 Posts
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Posted: Dec 1, 2011 5:25am
Criss Angel and David Blaine animosity in the beginning.
Fixed. 
"Dreams aren't a matter of Chance but a matter of Choice." -DC-
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mastermindreader
V.I.P.
Seattle, WA
6069 Posts
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Posted: Dec 3, 2011 12:22pm
In the beginning of the Randi/Geller thing, Uri was rapidly becoming a worldwide phenomenon and Randi was a relatively obscure magician (though, to be fair, he was known in the children's television market in the New York area where he regularly appeared on the Sunday morning kid show "Wonderama").
It was through his skeptical attacks on Geller that Randi became well known nationally. I put no credence in the idea that they were in collusion.
Geller just had long coattails.
Good thoughts,
Bob
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mastermindreader
V.I.P.
Seattle, WA
6069 Posts
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Posted: Dec 3, 2011 12:25pm
Stoneunhinged-
Relatively speaking, everyone seems to be pretty happy in the Penny forum. We're just passionate.
Best-
Bob
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stoneunhinged
Inner circle
Göttingen
3005 Posts
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Posted: Dec 3, 2011 12:51pm
Bob, I wouldn't know. I haven't even bothered to stick my head in that wind tunnel for two or three years. Passion is good. Having my head blown off goes against my interest in aerodynamic research.
An idealistic, obsequious, sycophantic Mai-Ling kisser-upper....
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mastermindreader
V.I.P.
Seattle, WA
6069 Posts
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Posted: Dec 3, 2011 12:56pm
Well, yes, that's a good point. But at least we don't get political!
Best-
Bob
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MeetMagicMike
Special user
Gainesville Fl
978 Posts
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Posted: Dec 27, 2011 8:18am
There is actually an episode to the TV show "Columbo" that I think is based on Randi/Geller. Halfway through the episode you learn that faker and the skeptic are in cahoots and were once prisoners of war togethor and there is a suggestive line about "what we meant to each other".
Magic Mike
MeetMagicMike.com
I took the Pledge
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braabesflaben
New user
83 Posts
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Posted: Jan 3, 2012 9:44pm
I don't think they set it up together.
Because one of the first confrontations between Geller and Randi was during a show "of which I don't remember the name" (try youtube)
where Randi set up a test that Geller couldn't pass. Geller could only reply with "feeling to weak" to perform. In my opinion the only
miracle Geller performed was retaining his populairity afterwards.
That happened quite early in the career of Geller and it would not have been logical for him to take such a risk at that
point.
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MeetMagicMike
Special user
Gainesville Fl
978 Posts
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Posted: Jan 6, 2012 2:47pm
To be clear. I don't have any reason or inclination to believe Randi and Geller conspired togethor. In fact, I think it's pretty ridiculous idea. It's just that when the idea came up it reminded me of the Columbo episode. I think the Columbo writers were inspired by Randi/Geller but needed to add a twist to it for Columbo to solve.
The Randi/Geller confrontation you mention was on the Johnny Carson show. Johnny consulted with Randi about preventing fraud. Johnny Carson was a magician and would never interfere with a magician's performance but Geller was a fraud.
Magic Mike
MeetMagicMike.com
I took the Pledge
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Police Magician
Special user
Georgia
601 Posts
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Posted: Jan 16, 2012 11:27pm
Randi went after several people during his years of debunking. I have read his books Flim Flam and Faith Healers. I have met and talked with Bob Steiner, who also aided Randi in his expose' of faith healers. Randi and Geller were not friends as some would suggest from what I have been told.
I remember the Carson interview with Randi years ago. You are correct, Carson was a magician as well. I loved seeing fraud exposed in any form.
Glenn
Glenn Hester
P.O. Box 3095
Brunswick, Ga. 31521
912-571-8071
www.policemagic.com
https://www.facebook.com/PoliceMagic
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sacramentohypnosis
New user
America
78 Posts
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Posted: Apr 22, 2012 11:30am
I think it was, as Bob has intimated, merely a case of Randi jumping onto Uri's coat-tails,
Opportunistic Publicity Seeking at its best that has done no harm to either of them.
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Slim King
Eternal Order
Orlando
13024 Posts
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Posted: Apr 28, 2012 5:29pm
Quote:
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On 2012-01-16 23:27, Police Magician wrote:
Randi went after several people during his years of debunking. I have read his books Flim Flam and Faith Healers. I have met and talked with Bob Steiner, who also aided Randi in his expose' of faith healers. Randi and Geller were not friends as some would suggest from what I have been told.
I remember the Carson interview with Randi years ago. You are correct, Carson was a magician as well. I loved seeing fraud exposed in any form.
Glenn
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I don't think Randi and Geller were in "cahoots" but I think randi and Davy Penna were. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bw9A1pR0EQa8S3Y5YVlQcmxUVmk3UEl4V2lFTF9MUQ/edit?pli=1
THE MAN THE SKEPTICS REFUSE TO TEST FOR ONE MILLION DOLLARS
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Steve_Mollett
Inner circle
Eh, so I've made
2602 Posts
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Posted: May 5, 2012 1:19pm
The irony is that if Randi had not gone after Geller, the general public might have forgotten BOTH long before now.
Author of: GARROTE ESCAPES
The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth.
- Albert Camus
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Slim King
Eternal Order
Orlando
13024 Posts
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Posted: May 8, 2012 12:13am
The "general public" had no idea who randi was ... Geller was all over the TV etc.(As I recall) it's interesting to wonder how far Geller would have went without the distraction.
THE MAN THE SKEPTICS REFUSE TO TEST FOR ONE MILLION DOLLARS
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Steve_Mollett
Inner circle
Eh, so I've made
2602 Posts
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Posted: May 8, 2012 7:01pm
Hard to say. He was the 'flavor of the day' in psi circles.
Without the "war publicity" he might have continued to grab media attention, or he might just as easily have gone the way of Ted Serios and others from that era.
But we'll never know.
Author of: GARROTE ESCAPES
The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth.
- Albert Camus
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stoneunhinged
Inner circle
Göttingen
3005 Posts
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Posted: May 9, 2012 3:42am
Full disclosure:
Uri is a close, personal friend of mine.
I mean, we are Facebook friends. Same thing, right?
An idealistic, obsequious, sycophantic Mai-Ling kisser-upper....
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mastermindreader
V.I.P.
Seattle, WA
6069 Posts
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Posted: May 9, 2012 10:39pm
I have to agree with Steve. I think it was a symbiotic relationship that sustained both of their careers, though in the beginning it was Randi who latched himself onto Geller's rising star.
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Slim King
Eternal Order
Orlando
13024 Posts
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Posted: Jun 3, 2012 8:24pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chbr6mNtrno&feature=youtube_gdata_player
THE MAN THE SKEPTICS REFUSE TO TEST FOR ONE MILLION DOLLARS
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