The Truth About Uri Geller
Encyclopedia
The Truth About Uri Geller, formerly known as The Magic of Uri Geller, is a 1982 book by magician and skeptic James Randi
about alleged psychic
Uri Geller
. In this comprehensive biography
Randi challenges Uri Geller's assertion that he performs paranormal
feats. Randi explores Geller's background as a stage magician, and explains how Geller's spoon bending
can be easily reproduced by any magician using sleight of hand
.
In 1991 Geller filed a USD
$15 million lawsuit against Randi and Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
(CSICOP) over slander concerning Randi when he said Geller had "tricked even reputable scientists" with tricks that "are the kind that used to be on the back of cereal boxes when I was a kid". The court found against Geller, who eventually settled the case at a cost of $120,000.
In April 1992 Geller sued the Prometheus Books
in Miami, Florida
for $4 million alleging libel made in two other books. This was thrown out in 1994 and the judge ordered Geller to pay $20,272.89 in legal fees.
In February 1992, Geller sued Randi, Prometheus and local book distributors in London, England for libel concerning The Magic of Uri Geller. The lawsuit centered on the sentence: "He began his career as a stage magician in Israel
where he was once arrested for claiming his feats were performed with psychic power." Randi commented in 1993, "My position is that I made an unintended factual error in misinterpreting the words 'brought to court' and 'guilty' as 'arrested,' and that this was done without malice or reckless disregard for the truth." Geller lost this case as well and had to pay Randi's legal fees. After Geller's three lawsuits, Randi "never paid even one dollar or even one cent to anyone who ever sued me, and certainly not to Geller".
James Randi
James Randi is a Canadian-American stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation...
about alleged psychic
Psychic
A 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...
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...
. In this comprehensive biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
Randi challenges Uri Geller's assertion that he performs 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...
feats. Randi explores Geller's background as a stage magician, and explains how Geller's 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...
can be easily reproduced by any magician using sleight of hand
Sleight of hand
Sleight of hand, also known as prestidigitation or legerdemain, is the set of techniques used by a magician to manipulate objects such as cards and coins secretly....
.
In 1991 Geller filed a USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
$15 million lawsuit against Randi and Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry , formerly known as the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal , is a program within the U.S...
(CSICOP) over slander concerning Randi when he said Geller had "tricked even reputable scientists" with tricks that "are the kind that used to be on the back of cereal boxes when I was a kid". The court found against Geller, who eventually settled the case at a cost of $120,000.
In April 1992 Geller sued the Prometheus Books
Prometheus Books
Prometheus Books is a publishing company founded in August 1969 by Paul Kurtz, who also founded the Council for Secular Humanism and co-founded the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He is currently the chairman of all three organizations. Prometheus Books publishes a range of books, including many...
in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
for $4 million alleging libel made in two other books. This was thrown out in 1994 and the judge ordered Geller to pay $20,272.89 in legal fees.
In February 1992, Geller sued Randi, Prometheus and local book distributors in London, England for libel concerning The Magic of Uri Geller. The lawsuit centered on the sentence: "He began his career as a stage magician in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
where he was once arrested for claiming his feats were performed with psychic power." Randi commented in 1993, "My position is that I made an unintended factual error in misinterpreting the words 'brought to court' and 'guilty' as 'arrested,' and that this was done without malice or reckless disregard for the truth." Geller lost this case as well and had to pay Randi's legal fees. After Geller's three lawsuits, Randi "never paid even one dollar or even one cent to anyone who ever sued me, and certainly not to Geller".
External links
- Description from Prometheus BooksPrometheus BooksPrometheus Books is a publishing company founded in August 1969 by Paul Kurtz, who also founded the Council for Secular Humanism and co-founded the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He is currently the chairman of all three organizations. Prometheus Books publishes a range of books, including many...
- The Truth about Uri Geller Video hosted by James Randi Educational FoundationJames Randi Educational FoundationThe James Randi Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and skeptic James Randi. The JREF's mission includes educating the public and the media on the dangers of accepting unproven claims, and to support research into paranormal claims in controlled...
- Quotes and Notes about this book
- ebooks now available from JREF