03/11/2020
The BBC News Channel reports that the gay escapologist, illusionist and exposer of fraudlent psychics and paranormal pretneders James Randi, has died in the US at the grand age of 92. Known by just his surname, Canadian-born Randi earned a reputation as one of the world's foremost sceptics of matters from ghosts to UFOs. He was born in Toronto in 1928. His incredible career saw him work with master illusionists such as Penn and Teller, who also debunk illusionist secrets in their popular television shows. In the early seventies he was on stage with rock legend Alice Cooper, carrying out fake executions of the shock rocker which scandalized the establishment. But James Randi was also known for his work in exposing fraudulent claims of the paranormal. In the nineteen eighties he demonstrated how Christian fundamentaists like Peter Popoff were liars and cheats – he hacked into the radio frequency which was being used by Popoff’s backstage team to direct the faith healer to ask certain miracle and paranormal questions of audience members. Mr Randi quipped on television “So, Peter Popoff proves that God is not only alive and well but broadcasting on a frequency of 61.2 Megahertz”.
The magician's own foundation went on to offer an award of $1million to anyone who could prove paranormal powers under controlled conditions. The amount remains unclaimed and the paranormal as elusive as ever. Randi is survived by his husband Deyvi Peña, whom he married in 2013.
