James Randi on TV! "Scammed: Psychic Shenanigans"

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He appeared on the subject episode of the true crime show "48 Hours," which is probably playing all weekend. I DVR'd the show yesterday. If you miss the show, an article about it is linked below.

This episode originally aired in 2009, and one segment dealt with the con artist/psychic Linda Marks in Florida:

According to (victim Lynn) Boys, Marks proved her power by doing strange things with a chicken egg: "When she opened the egg, a snake came out. She said, 'Oh, there's still lots of evil around you.' She told Boys that she would get her money back. Boys gave Marks more than a million dollars.

"These are strictly gypsy stunts that have been around literally centuries for centuries," says James Randi, a professional magician who makes a living investigating claims of psychic phenomenon. "These psychics are vultures!" he says.

He showed Dow how the egg trick was done, doing it the same way Marks allegedly did to Boys.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/11/08/48hours/main528655.shtml

Another segment of the show dealt with thieves who don't need psychic mumbo-jumbo: Los Angeles valet parking employees who openly steal stuff out of your car. (Remember that disclaimer on the parking ticket, "We are not responsible for theft?") The show wired several cars with hidden cameras and let the fun begin. The most theft occurred at the higher-end venues out here: the Ritz-Carlton hotel, House Of Blues nightclub, etc.