Thanks to everyone who helped make this a reality including David Nott, Barry & Stuart, Michael Shermer, Phil Plait, Penn Jillette, Teller and David Copperfield. Very special thanks to Brandon of the JREF for making sure this happened and, of course, to James Randi for allowing us the space and making a very special cameo at the beginning.
Before Houdini’s death, he famously gave his wife a code word. This was to prevent mediums and psychics from coming to her door, breathlessly confirming that they had spoken with Harry after his passing. With the word, she could immediately double check their work by asking if he’d passed along the secret message.
As time passed, the word (“believe”) slipped out. And we can all agree that when Criss Angel uses it as the name of his Vegas spectacular, it’s officially played out.
So for our Houdini Seance, THIS SATURDAY at 9 p.m. EST LIVE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF WEIRDTHINGS.COM, we needed new words. Thankfully, we have some friends to help us out…
Author, speaker and editor of Skeptic Magazine Michael Shermer will help us with a word.
President of the Reason foundation, David Nott has agreed to contribute.
Magicians, BS artists and soon-to-be TV detectives Penn & Teller will EACH give us a word suitable for Harry Houdini himself to divine from beyond the grave.
All of those listed above are sending their words to James Randi who will seal them in envelopes and challenge us to discover their contents with the help of Houdini’s spirit.
But that is not all, expect more announcements today and tomorrow!
This Halloween, The James Randi Educational Foundation and WeirdThings.com present a never-before-attempted experiment. In front of a live internet audience, a group of prominent skeptics and magicians will try to make contact with the spirit of Harry Houdini, the world’s most famous magician and challenger of the supernatural.
What makes this attempt unique is that it’s being conducted by skeptics and magicians in the hopes that if contact from beyond the grave is possible, Houdini would prefer to make it with skeptics and magicians like himself.
World famous magician and skeptic James Randi will oversee the seance and will help supervise the attempt to communicate.
The seance will be conducted by magician and publisher of WeirdThings.com Andrew Mayne, WeirdThings.com editor-in-chief Justin Robert Young and magician and Scam School star Brian Brushwood.
The seance will consist of several tests for attempted communication. Words and images provided by prominent magicians and skeptics and held by James Randi will be attempted to be divined through various supernatural means including Ouija boards, automatic writing and spirit photography.
Rehearsals for the event will be held on Friday October 30th at 1 PM and Saturday at 2 PM at the Isaac Asimov Memorial Library. For press access contact Justin at 954-892-5665
Contact information
WeirdThings.com:
Andrew Mayne:Phone: (323) 743-3466 Email: andrew@andrewmayne.com
Justin Robert Young:Phone: (954) 892-5665 Email: JustinRobertYoung@gmail.com
James Randi and a spokesperson for the James Randi Educational Foundation are available for interview upon request.
954-467-1112 Email: Brandon@Randi.org