So-called ‘baby psychic’ Derek Ogilvie was brought crashing to Earth last week when he failed several scientific tests on national TV, some of which were administered by James ‘The Amazing’ Randi (see Skepchick’s blog for YouTube episodes):
Baby psychic Derek Ogilvie has blasted a TV documentary which branded him a fake — insisting: “I’m a failure, not a fraud.” The Paisley-born medium was put through a series of 10 simple tests by US paranormal investigator James Randi, who offered $1million to anyone who can provide evidence of the supernatural.
…But last night Ogilvie, 42, said: “I failed the tests. I can’t make any excuses because I put myself up for it. I took the challenge and at any time I could have stopped it, but I didn’t because I was convinced I could prove my abilities.”
Derek is seen breaking down in tears at the professor’s conclusion. He pleads: “I know I’m real. I’m not full of bulls***.”
As most readers here know, I don’t have much respect for the Million Dollar Challenge as a scientific test, but at least in this case Ogilvie – a high profile medium – went into the test happy with the conditions of Randi’s testing – and so can have little to complain about with the end result. A wonderful publicity victory for Randi, in any case.
For further reading on the subject, Robert McLuhan has offered some further opinion at his Paranormalia blog, and Randi has commented about the tests in his most recent newsletter.
