AR

The Amazing Randi has died.  I was a big fan.

Randall James Zwinge, born in Toronto, Canada, left home at 17 to perform in a carnival.  He became known as a top magician and escape artist, achieving a fair amount of fame starting in the 1950s.  In the 1970s, he traveled with Alice Cooper's Billion Dollar Babies tour, helping out with certain effects, such as Alice being decapitated by a guillotine.  He also appeared as himself on an episode of Happy Days (which was probably the first time I saw him).

But like his hero Houdini, Randi had a second career.  He investigated and debunked claims of the paranormal.  As a magician, he could see through the deceptions of "psychics" that would fool scientists.  He exposed the methods of people like spoon-bender Uri Geller and faith healer Peter Popoff (not that he ended their careers--a lot of people want to believe).

He founded the James Randi Educational Foundation, dedicated to educating the public on those who claim to have supernatural powers. JREF offered a million dollars to anyone who could demonstrate paranormal abilities.  No one ever got that money. He also wrote a number of books from a skeptical viewpoint.  My favorite is his classic Flim-Flam!

I saw Randi give a speech--and do some tricks--at a skeptics group in Santa Monica about twenty years ago.  It was exciting to meet him in person.  He might not be that well known to the general public, but he was one of the great men of our times.

Earlier today I rewatched An Honest Liar, a documentary about his life.  I recommend it.  But if you don't have time, check him out on YouTube.