Bent Spoon Award
Encyclopedia
The Bent Spoon Award is an award given by Australian Skeptics
, "presented to the perpetrator of the most preposterous piece of paranormal
or pseudoscientific piffle". The name of the award is a reference to the spoon bending
of Uri Geller
. Although awarded yearly since 1982, only one copy of the trophy exists, as "anyone wishing to acquire the trophy must remove it from our keeping by paranormal means" and no winner has yet overcome this obstacle.
The winner should either be an Australian or have carried out their activities in Australia.
Australian Skeptics
The Australian Skeptics is a non-profit organisation based in Australia which investigates paranormal and pseudoscientific claims using scientific methodologies.-History:...
, "presented to the perpetrator of the most preposterous piece of paranormal
Paranormal
Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...
or pseudoscientific piffle". The name of the award is a reference to the spoon bending
Spoon bending
Spoon bending is the apparent deformation of objects, especially metal cutlery, either without physical force, or with less force than normally necessary...
of Uri Geller
Uri Geller
Uri Geller is a self-proclaimed psychic known for his trademark television performances of spoon bending and other supposed psychic effects. Throughout the years, Geller has been accused of using simple conjuring tricks to achieve the effects of psychokinesis and telepathy...
. Although awarded yearly since 1982, only one copy of the trophy exists, as "anyone wishing to acquire the trophy must remove it from our keeping by paranormal means" and no winner has yet overcome this obstacle.
The winner should either be an Australian or have carried out their activities in Australia.
List of winners
- (2011) RMIT UniversityRMIT UniversityRMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
(Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) for its outstanding work in teaching pseudoscience. - (2010) Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority (ACARA) for its "draft science curriculum".
- (2009) Meryl Dorey and the Australian Vaccination NetworkAustralian Vaccination NetworkThe Australian Vaccination Network , formerly known as the Vaccination Awareness Network, is an Australian anti-vaccination lobby group registered in New South Wales. It is dedicated to the idea that one's health can be maintained without the use of pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines...
- (2008) Dr Kerryn PhelpsKerryn PhelpsKerryn Lyndel Phelps AM is an Australian medical practitioner and public commentator. She is current President of the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association and Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health at the University of Sydney...
- (2007) Marena Manzoufas, Head of Programming at the ABCAustralian Broadcasting CorporationThe Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
for authorising the television show Psychic Investigators, and for putting it to air in the Catalyst timeslot. - (2006) Pharmacists of Australia who sell quackery and snake oil in places where consumers should expect to get real medical supplies and advice.
- (2005) The ABC television program Second Opinion, for being a show that presents an uncritical look at an aspect of alternative medicine, even encouraging its use.
- (2004) The New InventorsThe New InventorsThe New Inventors is an Australian television show, broadcast on ABC1, and hosted by broadcaster and comedian James O'Loghlin. Each episode features three Australian inventions and short video tape packages...
for giving consideration to the AntiBio water conditioning system. - (2003) The Complementary Healthcare Council - an industry group consisting of manufacturers and practitioners of alternative therapies and products that lobbied hard to keep scrutiny to a minimum and sought taxpayer funding for advertising.
- (2002) Gentle Heal Pty Ltd for selling homeopathic products that clearly label themselves as vaccines, such as "Hepatitis C Vaccine"
- (2001) The Lutec "Free Energy Generator" - a device claiming to produce 30 times more output than input, but actually outputs 33% of input power.
- (2000) JasmuheenJasmuheenJasmuheen is an Australia-based proponent of "pranic nourishment" or breatharianism, defined as the practice of living without food or fluid of any sort...
for continuing to claim people can live solely on air and light, despite repeated exposure as fallacy - (1999) Mike WilleseeMike WilleseeMichael Willesee is an Australian television presenter.Mike Willesee came to prominence in 1967 as a reporter for the ABC's new nightly current affairs program This Day Tonight , where his aggressive style quickly earned him a reputation as a fearless political interviewer.-Career:Willesee figured...
for obtaining the assistance of scientists and theologians on a TV show then ignoring their input - (1998) Southern Cross UniversitySouthern Cross UniversitySouthern Cross University is a university based on the North and Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It is a regional University with more than 14,000 students. The University's primary campus is in Lismore, with other campuses located at Coffs Harbour and Tweed Heads.The University is...
for publicising one of its academics' support for "empowered water", and for both offering a degree course in naturopathy while simultaneously conducting research into the validity of naturopathy - (1997) Dr. Viera ScheibnerViera ScheibnerViera Scheibner is a retired micropaleontologist . From 1958 until 1968 she was assistant professor in the department of geology at Comenius University, Bratislava...
for her high profile anti-immunisation campaign - (1996) Marlo MorganMarlo MorganMarlo Morgan is an American author, best known for the bestselling book Mutant Message Down Under. She has also written Message from Forever , another novel based on Australian Aboriginal themes....
- (1995) Tim Macartney-SnapeTim Macartney-SnapeTim Macartney-Snape is a mountaineer and author. On 3 October 1984 Macartney-Snape and Greg Mortimer were the first Australians to reach the summit of Mount Everest. They reached the summit, climbing without supplementary oxygen, via a new route on the North Face...
for promotion of Jeremy GriffithJeremy GriffithJeremy Griffith is an Australian biologist and author on the subject of the human condition. He first gained notoriety for his comprehensive search for the Tasmanian Tiger or Thylacine conducted from 1967 to 1973...
's Foundation for Humanity’s Adulthood - (1994) Commonwealth Attorney General's OfficeAttorney-General's Department (Australia)The Attorney-General's Department is an Australian Government Department. Its role is to serve the people of Australia by providing essential expert support to the Government in the maintenance and improvement of Australia's system of law and justice...
- (1993) Tonight Live on Channel 7Seven NetworkThe Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
- (1992) Allen S. Roberts - fundamentalist pastorPastorThe word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
who stated he visited the site of Noah's ArkNoah's ArkNoah's Ark is a vessel appearing in the Book of Genesis and the Quran . These narratives describe the construction of the ark by Noah at God's command to save himself, his family, and the world's animals from the worldwide deluge of the Great Flood.In the narrative of the ark, God sees the... - (1991) Women's DayWomen's DayWomen's Day may refer to:* International Women's Day on March 8* Women's Day in Mozambique on April 7* Women's Day in Gabon on April 17* Women's Day in Iraq on Jumada al-Thani 20* Women's Day in Myanmar on July 3...
magazine, for "spurious New Age nostrums" - (1990) Mafu (Penny Torres Rubin) - a channeled ancient entity
- (1989) (None awarded)
- (1988) Diane McCann - prominent new ageNew AgeThe New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
proponent, proclaimed the City of ChurchesAdelaideAdelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
was the location of part of AtlantisAtlantisAtlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC....
. - (1987) Anne Dankbaar - AdelaideAdelaideAdelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
psychicPsychicA psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot... - (1986) Peter BrockPeter BrockPeter Geoffrey Brock, AM otherwise known as "Peter Perfect", "The King of the Mountain" or simply as "Brocky" was one of Australia's best-known and most successful motor racing drivers. Brock was most often associated with Holden for almost 40 years, although he raced vehicles of other...
- promoted an energy polariser - (1985) Rev. Willard Fuller - psychic dentistDentistA dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
- (1984) Karen Hunt - psychic archaeologistPsychic archaeologyPsychic archaeology is a loose collection of practices involving the application of paranormal phenomena to problems in archaeology.Practitioners of psychic archaeology utilize a variety of methods of divination ranging from pseudoscientific methods such as dowsing for Electromagnetic Photo-Fields...
- (1983) Dennis Hassell - MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
mysticMysticismMysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:... - (1982) Tom Wards - psychic
See also
Other mock awards:- Golden Raspberry AwardsGolden Raspberry AwardsA Golden Raspberry Award, or Razzie for short, is an award presented in recognition of the worst in movies. Founded by American copywriter and publicist John J.B. Wilson in 1981, the annual Razzie Awards ceremony in Los Angeles precedes the corresponding Academy Awards ceremony by one day...
for bad film work - Darwin AwardsDarwin AwardsThe Darwin Awards are a tongue-in-cheek honor, created by Wendy Northcutt to recognize individuals who contribute to human evolution by self-selecting themselves out of the gene pool through putting themselves in life-threatening situations...
for sublimely idiotic self-removal from the gene pool - Pigasus AwardPigasus AwardThe Pigasus Award is the name of an annual tongue-in-cheek honor recognized by noted skeptic James Randi. The awards seek to expose parapsychological, paranormal or psychic frauds that Randi has noted over the previous year...
for paranormal fraud (U.S.) - Stella AwardStella AwardThe Stella Awards are awards given to people who file outrageous and frivolous lawsuits, named after Stella Liebeck who, in 1992, ordered a cup of McDonald's coffee at a drive thru, took off the lid and put it in between her knees while sitting in the passenger seat of her grandson's car. The ...
s for outrageous lawsuits - Bad Sex in Fiction Award
- Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the YearBookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the YearThe Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year, originally known as the Diagram Group Prize for the Oddest Title at the Frankfurt Book Fair, commonly known as the Diagram Prize for short, is a humorous literary award that is given annually to the book with the oddest title...
for odd book titles - Ig Nobel PrizeIg Nobel PrizeThe Ig Nobel Prizes are an American parody of the Nobel Prizes and are given each year in early October for ten unusual or trivial achievements in scientific research. The stated aim of the prizes is to "first make people laugh, and then make them think"...
s for questionable scientific achievements