Psychics and Scheisters and Other Synonyms

I am a skeptic.

Say that to some people, and they will assume you mean you are a cynical, negative person: an all-around jerk.

I'm not any of that (although some may disagree; we all have our detractors). I just think extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, to borrow one skeptical axiom.

So when I saw that an upcoming Sylvia Browne show was sold out at the 3,000-seat auditorium at Treasure Island Casino, yet the recent Frank Caliendo show was not, I was more than disappointed. More accurately, as a skeptic, I was disgusted.

Tonight, my wife and I watched one of her favorite TV shows, Medium, which is supposedly based loosely on medium/psychic Allison DuBois. As a fictional drama, it's an average show. (I'd like it slightly better if I weren't so sick of Patrica Arquette jumping up in bed after every bad dream. I can't think of one time that ever happened to me.) To think some people may see it as based on true life events is another ugly thought. Hopefully, most people recognize it as fictional.

Same with Ghost Whisperer, with which psychic James Van Praagh has some production ties. Again, it's so-so fiction, but Van Fraud makes me sick, so perhaps I am biased.

As does Gary Spivey, a guy who does a lot locally, including guest spots on KDWB's morning show, hosted by Dave Ryan, a guy whom I might otherwise respect. But hey, if Sylvia Browne can sell out at TI, KDWB probably gets a good audience with Spivey, so Dave will kiss his butt until that changes, I imagine.

Of all of them, including John Edward, Sylvia Browne makes me the most ill. Probably because she is so obviously bad at what she does, yet gets big appearances on Montel, Larry King, and these dang live sold-out shows. And how many freaking books are people going to keep buying of hers before realizing they do not belong in the non-fiction section?

I could go on and on about my disdain for Browne. One story exemplifies what I find so loathsome about her. Just Google sylvia browne coal miners and you'll find numerous sources. Or go straight to this link from a site whose mission I support: stopsylvia.com. She is a fraud, and deserves the reverence of a common criminal. Worse, her audience is largely made up of people who have lost loved ones and want so desperately to believe her.

Check the link above, then tell me I, the skeptic, am the jerk here.