Incidentally, following on from previous post, I just checked out psychic Sally Morgan's amazing video of her identifying, while blindfolded, the famous owner of a jacket at the Hard Rock Cafe London "vault" (where they keep several prized rock and roll relics: jackets, guitars, etc.). Sally fondles the jacket and gradually figures out - he's was an artist, he's dead. "I am seeing Paul McCartney." "I can see the Dakota building in New York - it's John Lennon!"
Even Sally is amazed at her astonishing ability. "Isn't that unbelievable? I can't believe I've done that!"
Well, maybe she went to visit the Cafe vault the previous week - entry free - and saw Lennon's jacket there, a prized possession, hanging in a case. Then when she runs her hands all over it in this clip, she quickly figures out which of the exhibits it is.
This is just embarrassing crap. Go here to see the jacket.
I have already commented on Sally Morgan's other amazing video clip on her website - involving Kim Marsh.
I'm not sure this sort of thing shouldn't be illegal.
Go on Sally - if you are that good, take Randi's challenge!
P.S. As you can see, Sally Morgan seriously pisses me off.
Comments
Anyway Derren Brown does these things way better! (This is quite unbelievable : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEwF4RqTgqg )
She has already been caught speaking untruths - see here: http://badpsychics.com/thefraudfiles/modules/news/article.php?storyid=490
Sally is shown a picture of the person she is about to read: Big Brother celeb Brian Dowling, and asked if she knows him. "I know *of* him". she says. Then she gives a so-so reading, stuff she could have known by doing a quick internet search on him.
Except she's only just been shown the photo and found out who she's reading, so how could she do any research?
Well, because she *has* met Dowling. In fact she had already given him a reading once before! This information was removed from her website, but can be found on the above link.
Did Sally perhaps already know Dowling would be a potential subject on the show?
This is how psychics like Sally do it - a combination of cold reading (fishing) and hot reading (research). Cold reading can be done without realizing you are doing it - but Sally's also hot reading.
The precise mechanics of what's going on in Sally's TV shows intrigues me. I'd love to be a fly on the wall. To what extent is the TV company, the researchers, Sally's staff, etc. in cahoots?
That is pretty damning. It's nice to see them caught out. I too am worried by the TV. We know from other things (faked items in documentaries, 'phone ins) that the TV producers are congenitally dishonest. It would surprise me to find the researches wholesale cheating.
And the accuracy of Sally's memory of previous readings has already been shown to be, shall we say, rather unreliable!
Well, imagine I had a TV show where I explore the details behind a particular model of sportscar that few people have yet seen. In the first week I might discuss its revolutionary aerodynamic design, in the second week I would wax lyrical about its powerful engine, etc. The TV show quickly becomes a hit, and I earn a lot of money and fame from it.
But what if, after a year or two, it subsequently emerged that the car didn't exist, and (what's more) that I had consistently known this despite making the TV shows?
There would be an absolute public outcry, and I might very well be charged with fraud.
And yet...
I put this down to a psychological process, similar to what cold readers exploit: the false negatives are quickly glossed over and forgotten, whilst on the occasion you strike gold by chance, you never forget it and nor do the hapless witnesses. The effect works for practitioners and witnesses alike. Homo sapiens has a congenital problem with probability and chance, it seems.
Having said that, there are frauds who know they are frauds and are simply coldly calculating how to make a few spondooliks. The question is, what proportion of those claiming to have magical powers really think they do, and what proportion are straight up frauds?
I still find it odd and perplexing that in the 21st century some people assign a third category: those who claim to have magic powers, and who really do.
Seriously. I hate Sally as well, for being just another "psychic" who claims to have mystic powers...
Yeah, go live a fairy tale, Morgan!
I agree though, she has to be a good actress, being astonished by her own fraud.
Good post.
Why does TV have 101 shows about ghost hunters, psychics and other frauds – and close to zero ‘critical thinking’/sceptic shows about similar subjects?
I know which would be of more value... but I guess people just want to fool themselves.
Good post
Lee
if this woman is providing even the slightest message to those lost and providing comfort why slate her every fault and degrade a woman thats only providing hope.
unless there is black and white proof then i dont see why there has to be negativity.
im a sceptic like anyone else..
but just think theres no point in slating her.
and as for her costs n things ..
she charges so much as this lessens the fact EVERYONE who has lost would want a reading and a talent can have off days.