Prediction
Yes, of course I have already predicted the winner of the election!
The prediction has been sealed in an envelope and placed in a locked safe here in L.A.
Predictions are a subject I would like to see covered by the Skeptologists. I can see the future. I can predict what card you will choose from a pack of shuffled cards, know in advance which ESP symbol you will choose or what image you are thinking about out of thousands. Of course, they have to be my cards, symbols and images, but that’s beside the point when you are in the audience.
I have a fifty-fifty shot at the big election don’t I? And never mind the polls and demographics couped with the odds that I hear running through the local bookie, (they have to be right when there’s money involved) it turns out to be pretty easy to be psychic when you have access to the right information. There’s actually two locked safes involved if you want me to be honest…
Making predictions can be a lot of fun. If I make enough statements as if they were facts, day in and day out for a few weeks, it’s truly amazing what might finally stick to the wall somewhere. I can get air-time on radio and if I’m really accurate, I might even get on Larry King. In the early days of mediums and media prognosticators, this was referred to as “hurling the headlines.” In fact, there was one famous mentalist named Burling Hull that became better known in the trade by his nickname, “Hurling Bull.”
Give me a platform and a subject and I’ll predict something for you.
One or two things have changed since the pioneers of media exploitation like Dunninger, Dave Hoy and Kreskin made their marks as clairvoyants able to pierce the veil of the future and gain noteriety in newspapers, radio and television. Nowadays we in the “psychic entertainment” biz have to be a little more careful about exactly what we predict. Cards, dice and numbers are still fair game, but predicting airline disasters, train wrecks and kidnappings have become a no no. Since 911 happened, anyone knowing in advance of such horrors risks getting a surprise visit from the FBI – or worse. When the legendary Jewish seer to the Nazi party, Erik Jan Hanussen predicted the burning of the Reichstag Buiding in Berlin in 1933, he recieved a hail of bullets to his head for his accuracy. Politics and world tension being what they are today, it’s best for the wise psychic to stay with predicting Oscar winners, random numbers or sporting events. It’s not that difficult if you have nothing else to do all day. Utilizing collected information culled from Googling, almanacs and seasonal demographic breakdowns makes predicting natural disasters like hurricanes, floods and great storms stiil a safe bet, but who wants to hear about all that on Montell?
So allow me to predict something that there is no way in the world I could know. I won’t ask for the Randi prize right now, you will just have to wait to see the outcome:
Next week, a famous rock and roll star will suffer a fall from a high place. This person will not die, but because of their injuries, will be forced to slow down their lifestyle considerably and will then begin writing their autobiography, which will become a best seller.
No, it’s not Keith Richards, he already did that. If I’m wrong, we will just chalk this one up to psychic research. Fair enough?
No fair, I think you stole that prediction from CARLOS! ;)
“Give me a platform and a subject and I’ll predict something for you.”
What about just a subject? When will Skeptologists air on the NatGeo channel?
Are we to take this as a threat on the well-being of Ozzy Osbourne?
LOL, Ozzy was the one that popped into my mind at first too, but then I thought about it more and realized that there are A LOT of “famous rock and roll stars” out there, so this has a high probability of being right. Keep in mind, a lot of folks are thinking from a culture-centric point of view. What if this happens to a Gambian, Korean, Mongolian, Finnish, etc. “star”. Doesn’t make Mr. Edward wrong, just us unimaginative. :)
The Magician’s Choice won’t work if you give away the fact that you have two safes.
In August of 2000, Kreskin went on the Howard Stern show, and made a big show out of putting his presidential election prediction in a safe to stay at Stern’s studio until November. He was booked to come in the day after the election and promised the reveal at that time.
Of course, by 6 AM the morning after the election, America still had no decision on the winner (Florida was uncalled). Stern began his show salivating, “I can’t WAIT for Kreskin to show up.”
Sure enough, first Kreskin tried to call in and postpone the appearance, which Stern would not allow. Then he came in, and went through every weasely excuse he could to not open the safe. Stern & co. had a great time calling him out on his complete and total BS.
The safe was not opened that day. Don’t know if it ever was.
What’s the excuse given for sealing the prediction in an envelope rather than announcing it publicly? To prevent it from influencing the outcome?
“McCain 510 Electoral Votes, Obama 28 … How the Map Looked Exactly 2 Years Ago”
http://www.surveyusa.com/index.php/2008/11/03/mccain-510-electoral-votes-ob=ama-28-how-the-map-looked-exactly-2-years-ago/
Obama’s gonna take this one woots. But anyways ya I hope your right bro because there isn’t enough people falling from high places and breaking there knee-caps these days
http://www.tmz.com/2008/11/05/deftones-bassist-cheng-in-coma-after-crash/
Close enough, right? Just a horizontal fall!
Why a sealed envelope? Good question. I’m glad you are paying attention! Without revealing any “secret,” (and there are many prediction routines out there)the psychic has to have something to “work with.” Get it? …As in “switch later”…. Plenty of “shut-eye”* psychics annouce publicly, but it generally gets forgotten soon after that way. Sealing a prediction in an envelope and assigning it a specific date to be opened “TBA” lends itself to a more fromal presentation later, in front of the press, etc.
As far as influencing the outcome, I suppose that could be a consideration if you were a demigod or someone really important like the Pope or Leno. I may use that concept as an excuse for using an envelope and sealing a prediction up in it one day, thanks. I knew this blog would lead to more great ideas!
Mark Edward
* a “shut-eye” in the vernacular of the “psychic entertainer” trade is an absolute believer in any occult or supernatural system: Big Foot, Elvis sightings, U.F.O’s and just about anything you might hear on “Coast to Coasrt.”
Glad to help!
It must be tough for figures like the Pope, the President, and the Fed Chairman. If they make their honest assessment of the situation public, the situation immediately changes. Especially when the situation is bad, sounding pessimistic can make it worse, but unwarranted optimism appears dishonest or self-delusional.
Keep on!
Excellent. We’ve quoted and linked to you in part two of our rundown on our list of 2008 Predictions that were Hilariously off the Mark.