An Honest Liar: The Amazing Randi

James Randi defies description.

But I’m going to try.

One of the world’s most fascinating people, he’s performed more extraordinary acts of magic in his 84 years than anyone in show business.  And when I say “magic,” I’m not necessarily referring to parlor tricks or death-defying physical stunts.  He’s the personal junction between past and present — a centerpiece connecting the great Houdini and Blackstone to modern-day magical marvels Copperfield and Blaine.

But Randi has done much more than just trick us.  On the contrary, he’s enlightened us.  He’s educated us.  He’s made us more curious about the things we see.  He’s taken performance art to unprecedented heights.  He’s even transformed himself into an intellectual and academic.  He started out performing stunning feats in front of the camera and for stage audiences — but ultimately came to share his profound wisdom as an author, speaker, paranormal investigator, and above all else — a seeker of truth.

Randi is a gift to humanity.

Better known as “The Amazing Randi,” the man born as Randall James Hamilton Zwinge shows no signs of slowing down.  Even today, he’s consistently one of the most popular speakers at conferences around the world on science and skepticism, where he keeps audiences on the edges of their seats with his immense reservoir of amazing stories, intense passion, and brutal honesty.  I encourage you to YouTube Randi’s talks.  If you enjoy banter about life, the universe, and the odd manner we often perceive the unknown, you’ll be glued to the screen for hours.

The bottom line is — the world desperately needs special people like Randi.  We need people who cut through the bullshit and tell it like it really is.  We need people to expose con artists and charlatans.  We need people to confront the myth of religion.  We need people who aren’t afraid to take unpopular positions.  But there’s an added bonus in watching Randi, too.  He also happens to be wildly entertaining when performing or speaking — especially when he’s in the line of fire.  Randi is always at his best when the pressure’s on.

Indeed, I’m not sure there’s a more riveting person to watch than Randi, even to this day.  Whether suspended from a tight-wire wearing a straightjacket while dangling hundreds of feet over Niagara Falls, or demolishing psychic after psychic with simple logic on The Larry King Show, or speaking on college campuses all over North America, Randi is so much the “anti-showman” that he’s actually more appealing than those he debunks.

I met Randi once.  I’d like to tell you the story.  He wasn’t at all what I expected.

Even though I’d never met Randi until a year or so ago, I still felt as though I’d known him for decades.  During the 1970s and 1980s, I watched Randi perform many times on television.   I read his books — my favorite of all being Flim-Flam!  Psychics, ESP, Unicorns, and Other Delusions, which exposes the world’s charlatans as liars and frauds.  I anticipated his many contributions to publications like Skeptic and Skeptical Inquirer, which I subscribed to largely because of Randi’s personal blessing.

I also came to discover that a number of people in the poker world know Randi quite well, perhaps the most notable being friend Kim Scheinberg.  Another of Randi’s closest associates is one of the world’s most famous magicians, Penn Jillette.

One night, Jillette was dining at a Las Vegas restaurant.  He was at a party of perhaps 8 to 10 people.  Jillette is always a powerful presence wherever he goes, not just because of his large frame.  He’s an intimidating force largely due to his personality.  Whenever he’s in a crowd, you’re immediately drawn to Jillette, which is one thing that makes him such a popular stage and television performer.

Jillette was holding royal court that night — and I happened to be dining at the next table.

I couldn’t help but notice a small man in his 80’s with long white hair sitting among the group.  He wore spectacles and looked like a retired college professor.  My vision was unmistakable.  It was The Amazing Randi!

Like a schoolgirl seeing The Beatles for the first time, I made it a mission to go over and meet him.

So, I rose up and approached the big table where Randi was sitting.

Jillette saw me approach and from the look on his face, I instantly read his expression.  Not annoyed, mind you — but he wasn’t particularly pleased to be interrupted by what was assumed to be yet another autograph hound and photo request on during the rare free night.

I came to the table and said “excuse me.”

Jillette looked straight at me, preparing — I suppose — to do the quick nicety of photos and autograph signing and then return conversing with his guests.

“Are you James Randi?”

The tiny man with white hair looked up, acting surprised.  “Well, yes I am.”

“I’ve been a huge fan of yours for thirty years.  It’s such an honor to meet you.  I just want to shake your hand for all the wonderful work and writing you’ve done for so long.”

Randi’s face lit up.  He smiled.

I couldn’t help by notice that Jillette’s face lit up, too.  He had an even bigger smile.

Someone had picked the great James Randi out of a crowd — in Las Vegas of all places.  I even think Jillette took some personal pride in that.

“The Amazing Randi” stood up from his seat.  We shook hands and talked for perhaps five minutes, or so.  I didn’t expect him to take so much time or grant me such generous consideration.  I asked him about an upcoming conference he was to speak at in association with Skeptical Inquirer.  Randi seemed delighted to discuss all this with a stranger, a subject so close to his heart.

Near the end of our conversation, Randi handed me his business card, which I still have to this day.  We exchanged a few more pleasantries.  And then, I let him be.  I was honored to spend a small amount of time with a man I’ve come to admire so much.

*     *     *

Even if you’re not (yet) a Randi fan, you have to respect his longstanding offer, which is The One-Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge.  Initially created in 1964, the cash prize has since grown to seven figures for anyone who can prove supernatural ability in a scientifically controlled environment.  Now, almost fifty years after the reward was first conceived, the million-dollar prize still remains unclaimed.

That should tell you everything about the junk science of subjects like ESP, psychic powers, UFOs, angels, ghosts, and other garbage spread by sham artists.  To learn more, please visit:  THE JAMES RANDI EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

If anyone’s life story needs to be told, it’s Randi’s.  And that brings us to some good news.  Here’s a link to a documentary that’s currently in production about Randi’s amazing life.  The filmmakers are now trying to raise enough money to complete their projects.  The film is called “An Honest Liar:  The Amazing Randi Story.

The film’s title stems from Randi himself performing the same tricks others use to deceive the most vulnerable, often violating their deepest personal susceptibilities to being defrauded.  Yet Randi is honest about his craft — letting everyone know he intends to fool you and then does exactly that — hence the antithetical title “The Honest Liar.”  The phony psychics and performers of so-called paranormal — the despicable likes of John Edwards and Sylvia Brownes — aren’t as lucky.  They’re Randi’s favorite targets.  It’s such a delight to see good destroy evil.  He’s the Superman of truth.

And yet there’s a bitter irony and deep sadness that his remarkable story remains largely untold and little-known.  Hollywood produces so many atrocious movies.  But a bona fide story about a fascinating performer and teacher who spent the last 70 years perfecting his trade struggles to gain financing and can’t find a wide enough audience.  Once again, I urge you to watch the short video clip at the conclusion of this article, which is a short six-minute segment of the documentary which we all hope goes into production soon.

In a universe filled with so much uncertainty and so many lingering questions — made immeasurably more challenging by outright fraud and even by incessant political and religious wars on science — we should all be thankful to James Randi for being who he is, and that is true to himself.

VIDEO CLIP — AN HONEST LIAR:  THE AMAZING RANDI STORY