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'Amazing' James Randi

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Magician

The Resume

    (August 7, 1928-October 20, 2020)
    Appeared as the magician on local New York kiddie show, 'Wonderama'
    Appeared as a magician on 'Happy Days'
    Founded JREF - James Randi Education Foundation (1996)
    Exposed psychic frauds on a NOVA special (October 19, 1993)
    Wrote 'The Truth about Uri Geller' (1982), 'Houdini: His Life & Art' (1978), 'Flim-Flam! - The Truth about Unicorns, Parapsychology & Other Delusions' (1980), 'Test Your ESP Potential' (1983), 'Faith Healers' (1987), 'The Magic World of the Amazing Randi' (1989), 'The Mask of Nostradamus' (1990), 'James Randi: Psychic Investigator' (1991) and 'An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural' (1995)
    Offers $1,000,000 to anyone who can perform an act of Paranormal in a controlled setting
    Made twenty-eight appearances on Johnny Carson's 'Tonight Show'
    An atheist

Why he might be annoying:

    He asks for donations to JREF on his website, from $25 for students to $10,000+ for patrons.
    Introductory membership is $50, renewals are $100 per year. (oh yeah, you get a choice of either a mug, t-shirt or pen when you join).
    Although technical a superb magician, he lacks the glitzy showmanship.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He is renown for exposing psychics, faith healers and cons.
    He will only expose those who claim their supernatural abilities are real, not attacking entertainment magicians.
    He exposed Uri Geller as a fraud on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.
    Elected to the Hall of Fame of the Society of American Magicians and the Inner Circle of the UK Magic Circle.
    Notable Quote:
    (from Skeptic magazine (1995 Vol.3 No.4)
    'I hereby state my opinion that the notion of a god is a basic superstition and that there is no evidence for the existence of any god(s). Further, devils, demons, angels and saints are myths; there is no life after death, no heaven or hell; the Pope is a dangerous, bigoted, medieval dinosaur, and the Holy Ghost is a comic-book character worthy of laughter and derision. I accuse the Christian god of murder by allowing the Holocaust to take place--not to mention the 'ethnic cleansing' presently being performed by Christians in our world -- and I condemn and vilify this mythical deity for encouraging racial prejudice and commanding the degradation of women.'
    James Randi's Exclusive Picks - Least Annoying
    1. Richard Dawkins
    2. Penn & Teller
    3. John Stossel
    4. Andy Rooney
    5. Arthur C. Clarke
    6. Joy Behar
    7. Barbara Walters
    8. Andrew Tobias
    9. Katie Couric
    10. Homer Simpson
    James Randi's Exclusive Picks - Most Annoying
    1. Uri Geller
    2. Sylvia Browne
    3. Michael Jackson
    4. Dennis Miller
    5. George W. Bush
    6. Charles Grodin
    7. Donald Trump
    8. Roseanne Barr
    9. Prince Charles
    10. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 13 Votes: 76.92% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 15 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 54 Votes: 46.30% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 143 Votes: 49.65% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 70 Votes: 52.86% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 9 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 24 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 16 Votes: 43.75% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 58 Votes: 37.93% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 25 Votes: 44.00% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 96 Votes: 44.79% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 77 Votes: 36.36% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 669 Votes: 78.62% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 167 Votes: 66.47% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 512 Votes: 41.21% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 3395 Votes: 42.89% Annoying
    In 2004, Out of 969 Votes: 43.86% Annoying
    In 2003, Out of 2799 Votes: 42.44% Annoying
    In 2002, Out of 60279 Votes: 35.01% Annoying
    In 2001, Out of 3340 Votes: 66.65% Annoying