1
00:00:00,755 --> 00:00:01,244
Thanks.

2
00:00:01,244 --> 00:00:03,174
We, uh, we have
only met...

3
00:00:03,174 --> 00:00:03,801
This scares me.

4
00:00:03,801 --> 00:00:04,687
This, this scares you?

5
00:00:04,687 --> 00:00:07,255
Well, this is - we just got some
things together here and...

6
00:00:07,255 --> 00:00:09,759
(narrator) I told them to provide
their own props and not to

7
00:00:09,759 --> 00:00:13,924
let Geller or his people
anywhere near them.

8
00:00:13,924 --> 00:00:15,820
... also one of our staff
members, um,

9
00:00:15,820 --> 00:00:18,416
did some drawings which have
been sealed in an envelope, uh,

10
00:00:18,416 --> 00:00:20,341
and I'd like you to take your
own pace when you feel like

11
00:00:20,341 --> 00:00:21,258
you want to try anything.

12
00:00:21,258 --> 00:00:24,320
Do you want to try that
particular experiment first?

13
00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:25,342
When I'll feel free.

14
00:00:25,342 --> 00:00:29,668
Sure.

15
00:00:29,668 --> 00:00:31,956
We'll start eliminating the ones
that do not have the water.

16
00:00:31,956 --> 00:00:32,405
Alright.

17
00:00:32,405 --> 00:00:34,419
Without touching them.

18
00:00:34,419 --> 00:00:36,621
He is really suspicious!

19
00:00:36,621 --> 00:00:39,009
I'm having a hard
time with you.

20
00:00:39,009 --> 00:00:40,008
I - I don't mean to be...

21
00:00:40,008 --> 00:00:44,169
Just, just keep looking.

22
00:00:46,396 --> 00:00:47,810
Okay, let me rest
a little, alright?

23
00:00:47,810 --> 00:00:50,161
Alright.

24
00:00:52,134 --> 00:00:54,410
You know I'm surprised because
before this program,

25
00:00:54,410 --> 00:00:57,257
your producer came and he read
me at least 40 questions

26
00:00:57,257 --> 00:00:58,431
you were going to ask me.

27
00:00:58,431 --> 00:00:59,520
Well, I can ask you all
kinds of questions if

28
00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:01,091
you'd like - if you'd like
me to ask you questions.

29
00:01:01,091 --> 00:01:03,346
I have to ..I have to have time.


30
00:01:03,346 --> 00:01:12,153


31
00:01:12,153 --> 00:01:13,270
Alright, we are back.

32
00:01:13,270 --> 00:01:15,852
Uri was telling me - you,
you don't feel, what,

33
00:01:15,852 --> 00:01:16,686
strong tonight?

34
00:01:16,686 --> 00:01:20,270
Not so strong.
It's not all tonight.

35
00:01:20,270 --> 00:01:23,766
Right now I'm feel - I'm feeling being pressed and that I
can't...

36
00:01:23,766 --> 00:01:24,887
I - I'm not trying to
pressure ya,

37
00:01:24,887 --> 00:01:25,714
I'm really not.

38
00:01:25,714 --> 00:01:27,557
No, you're only telling
me, "Well, you try that,

39
00:01:27,557 --> 00:01:29,316
or that, or that."

40
00:01:29,316 --> 00:01:33,155
But, I thought that was
the idea of, uh, of, uh...

41
00:01:33,155 --> 00:01:38,815
No, I'm not - I'm not
going to put you down.

42
00:01:38,815 --> 00:01:40,060
(narrator) Much to my surprise,

43
00:01:40,060 --> 00:01:45,779
The Tonight Show episode didn't have much effect on Uri Geller's career.

44
00:01:45,779 --> 00:01:49,087
Neither did the book
that I wrote about him.

45
00:01:49,087 --> 00:01:52,104
But, eventually his star
faded.

46
00:01:52,104 --> 00:01:54,970
Why people are so drawn to the
irrational is something

47
00:01:54,970 --> 00:01:57,915
that has always puzzled me.

48
00:01:57,915 --> 00:02:01,581
I want to be, if I can,
as sure of the world,

49
00:02:01,581 --> 00:02:04,304
the real world around me as
is possible.

50
00:02:04,304 --> 00:02:06,889
Now, you can only attain that to
a certain degree,

51
00:02:06,889 --> 00:02:09,014
but I want the greatest
degree of control.

52
00:02:09,014 --> 00:02:10,924
I don't - I'd never involve
myself in

53
00:02:10,924 --> 00:02:12,966
narcotics in any kind, I don't
smoke,

54
00:02:12,966 --> 00:02:19,681
I don't drink because that can
easily just fuzz the edges of my rationality,

55
00:02:19,681 --> 00:02:21,182
fuzz the edges of my reasoning

56
00:02:21,182 --> 00:02:25,218
powers and I want to be as aware
as I possibly can.

57
00:02:25,218 --> 00:02:28,223
That means, uh, giving up
a lot of, uh, fantasies

58
00:02:28,223 --> 00:02:29,921
that might be comforting
in some ways,

59
00:02:29,921 --> 00:02:33,011
but I'm willing to give that up
in order to live in an

60
00:02:33,011 --> 00:02:37,227
actually real world, as
close as I can get to it.

61
00:02:43,339 --> 00:02:46,698
During the 1980s, I entered a
world that I found filled

62
00:02:46,698 --> 00:02:49,544
with fantasy and rife
with abuse,

63
00:02:49,544 --> 00:02:53,071
the world of faith healing.

64
00:02:53,071 --> 00:02:55,470
I developed a special interest
in a television

65
00:02:55,470 --> 00:02:58,463
evangelist named Peter Popoff.

66
00:02:58,463 --> 00:03:00,871
...and God told me, he said,
"You smite that

67
00:03:00,871 --> 00:03:04,918
cancer with your fist!"

68
00:03:04,918 --> 00:03:07,368
At the time, Popoff was
pulling in nearly four

69
00:03:07,368 --> 00:03:09,998
million dollars a year
healing people on his

70
00:03:09,998 --> 00:03:12,751
miracle crusades.

71
00:03:12,751 --> 00:03:15,585
... you've got cancer
of the stomach.

72
00:03:15,585 --> 00:03:19,407
Are you ready for God to burn
that cancer out?

73
00:03:19,407 --> 00:03:27,335
Here it goes in the mighty -
devil, back off.

74
00:03:27,335 --> 00:03:29,299
Back off, devil!

75
00:03:29,299 --> 00:03:34,082
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!

76
00:03:34,082 --> 00:03:35,653
(offscreen voice) You really believe
you're healed?

77
00:03:35,653 --> 00:03:36,636
Yes.

78
00:03:36,636 --> 00:03:39,964
(offscreen voice) Do you think your
cancers are gone now?

79
00:03:39,964 --> 00:03:43,082
Yes, I believe that,
because God never lies and

80
00:03:43,082 --> 00:03:45,462
you stand in his word.

81
00:03:45,462 --> 00:03:46,670
Praise the Lord.

82
00:03:46,670 --> 00:03:48,372
I tell ya from now on
you're going to have a

83
00:03:48,372 --> 00:03:52,136
soul of victory in
your heart, Amen!

84
00:03:52,136 --> 00:03:57,168
(narrator) To his followers, Popoff
seemed to have divine powers.

85
00:03:57,168 --> 00:04:01,237
Is it Gould?
Alice Gould?

86
00:04:01,237 --> 00:04:02,623
He knew their names...

87
00:04:02,623 --> 00:04:03,861
Stand up, Alice.

88
00:04:03,861 --> 00:04:06,620
...as well as the
afflictions they'd come to cure.

89
00:04:06,620 --> 00:04:10,285
God is touching that
thyroid condition right now.

90
00:04:10,285 --> 00:04:12,831
God is touching your
nerves right now.

91
00:04:12,831 --> 00:04:14,120
God is touching your eyes.

92
00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:15,173
Just lift up your hands.

93
00:04:15,173 --> 00:04:17,061
Get ready, here it comes.

94
00:04:17,061 --> 00:04:20,462
(narrator) He also knew the personal
details of their lives.

95
00:04:20,462 --> 00:04:21,808
You're going to hear good
news from Charles before

96
00:04:21,808 --> 00:04:22,605
everything is over.

97
00:04:22,605 --> 00:04:24,692
I tell ya, he's going to
be completely delivered

98
00:04:24,692 --> 00:04:27,355
because of your prayers,
because of your faith.

99
00:04:27,355 --> 00:04:30,939
Here it comes, complete healing
in Jesus' - woo -

100
00:04:30,939 --> 00:04:34,051
mighty name right now!

101
00:04:34,051 --> 00:04:34,982
Amen!

102
00:04:34,982 --> 00:04:36,732
It's alright to
praise the lord.

103
00:04:36,732 --> 00:04:39,234
(narrator) I suspected that Popoff's
revelations were other

104
00:04:39,234 --> 00:04:42,243
than divine.

105
00:04:42,243 --> 00:04:44,195
A radio scanner we'd
brought to the hall picked

106
00:04:44,195 --> 00:04:50,612
up a decidedly
worldly source.

107
00:04:50,612 --> 00:04:51,730
Hello, Peetey.

108
00:04:51,730 --> 00:04:52,924
Can you hear me?

109
00:04:52,924 --> 00:04:54,893
If you can't, you're in trouble.

110
00:04:54,893 --> 00:04:59,018
Popoff was being prompted
by his wife through a

111
00:04:59,018 --> 00:05:01,367
wireless earpiece.


112
00:05:01,367 --> 00:05:07,124
Julie Johnson.

113
00:05:07,124 --> 00:05:09,201
She'd gotten her
information from prayer

114
00:05:09,201 --> 00:05:14,823
cards filled out by the
faithful before the show began.

115
00:05:14,823 --> 00:05:17,206
She'd like to get
rid of the walker.

116
00:05:17,206 --> 00:05:23,532
You want to get rid of
this walker, sister?

117
00:05:23,532 --> 00:05:24,126
Oh glory.

118
00:05:24,126 --> 00:05:26,782
How long have you been
walking on that walker?

119
00:05:26,782 --> 00:05:28,333
About three years.

120
00:05:28,333 --> 00:05:29,537
Three years.

121
00:05:29,537 --> 00:05:32,429
She lives at 1627 Kent Street.

122
00:05:32,429 --> 00:05:35,782
1627 Kent Street, is that right?

123
00:05:35,782 --> 00:05:37,206
That's right.

124
00:05:37,206 --> 00:05:40,267
She has arthritis all
over.

125
00:05:40,267 --> 00:05:45,374
Burning arthritis right
out of your body!

126
00:05:45,374 --> 00:05:47,724
Take a few steps just
to make the devil mad.

127
00:05:47,724 --> 00:05:48,624
Hallelujah!

128
00:05:48,624 --> 00:05:49,862
Just move around
a little bit.

129
00:05:49,862 --> 00:05:51,544
There she goes.

130
00:05:51,544 --> 00:05:53,432
Just walk with me.

131
00:05:53,432 --> 00:05:56,551
Oh glory to God; she's not going
to need that walker anymore!

132
00:05:56,551 --> 00:05:59,215
God is just putting new
strength, new health,

133
00:05:59,215 --> 00:06:02,720
burning that arthritis out of her body!
Just keep going!

134
00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:05,005
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!

135
00:06:05,005 --> 00:06:06,753
(narrator) I was able to arrange for
another broadcast of the

136
00:06:06,753 --> 00:06:10,132
Miracle Crusade on The
Tonight Show,

137
00:06:10,132 --> 00:06:15,164
but this time the wireless
prompting was included.

138
00:06:15,164 --> 00:06:21,333
In 1987, Peter Popoff
declared bankruptcy.

139
00:06:21,333 --> 00:06:27,712
Greater is he!
Greater is he!

140
00:06:27,712 --> 00:06:30,937
(narrator) The laying on of hands
takes on new meaning in

141
00:06:30,937 --> 00:06:33,491
the Philippines where
psychic surgeons perform

142
00:06:33,491 --> 00:06:38,835
miraculous operations
without knives.

143
00:06:38,835 --> 00:06:41,135
I investigated this
phenomenon,

144
00:06:41,135 --> 00:06:45,567
then went on The Tonight Show
to demonstrate what I'd learned.

145
00:06:45,567 --> 00:06:48,742
Believe me, what you're
seeing is strictly special

146
00:06:48,742 --> 00:06:50,763
effects, it's sleight of
hand and nothing more.

147
00:06:50,763 --> 00:06:54,565
And this is the way it looks.

148
00:07:07,612 --> 00:07:10,120
A little animal blood
and a few chicken parts

149
00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:14,197
complete the illusion.

150
00:07:14,197 --> 00:07:18,793
A bone.

151
00:07:23,701 --> 00:07:24,500
That's a bit better.

152
00:07:24,500 --> 00:07:26,328
Just a second, just
one second now.

153
00:07:26,328 --> 00:07:29,034
It may be better for you.

154
00:07:29,034 --> 00:07:31,792
You don't feel any better?

155
00:07:38,597 --> 00:07:41,599
Wow, that doesn't come up.

156
00:07:52,450 --> 00:07:54,779
This is where I live with
several birds and an old

157
00:07:54,779 --> 00:07:59,279
red cat outside of Fort
Lauderdale, Florida.

158
00:07:59,279 --> 00:08:01,335
From here, I run my
investigations,

159
00:08:01,335 --> 00:08:07,450
write my books and go
about lecturing.

160
00:08:07,450 --> 00:08:09,338
Recently, I resolved to
give a class of college

161
00:08:09,338 --> 00:08:12,783
freshman a chance to
evaluate one of the oldest

162
00:08:12,783 --> 00:08:16,238
systems of fortunetelling:
astrology.

163
00:08:16,238 --> 00:08:17,617
Well, I started out life
as a - as a magician.

164
00:08:17,617 --> 00:08:19,038
I still am a magician, I guess.

165
00:08:19,038 --> 00:08:21,114
I think it's in the
DNA, I'm not too sure.

166
00:08:21,114 --> 00:08:24,703
But, uh, I'm an actor playing
the part of a wizard.

167
00:08:24,703 --> 00:08:26,117
I know how people are
deceived,

168
00:08:26,117 --> 00:08:28,289
I know how they deceive
themselves, and many magicians,

169
00:08:28,289 --> 00:08:30,694
most magicians really allow

170
00:08:30,694 --> 00:08:33,035
people to deceive themselves.

171
00:08:33,035 --> 00:08:35,116
Would you like to
see me fool ya?

172
00:08:35,116 --> 00:08:36,698
Who's wearing a wristwatch
here, a regular,

173
00:08:36,698 --> 00:08:37,660
ordinary wristwatch?

174
00:08:37,660 --> 00:08:39,785
Hmmm.

175
00:08:39,785 --> 00:08:41,401
You've been a good
girl, haven't you?

176
00:08:41,401 --> 00:08:42,699
Yes.

177
00:08:42,699 --> 00:08:43,534
That's a Seiko.

178
00:08:43,534 --> 00:08:44,952
I thought it was a
Rolex for a minute.

179
00:08:44,952 --> 00:08:45,612
Oh well!

180
00:08:45,612 --> 00:08:47,057
Now, what time does
it say on your watch?

181
00:08:47,057 --> 00:08:48,435
It says nine minutes before
three and it

182
00:08:48,435 --> 00:08:51,115
says it's the second of October, right?

183
00:08:51,115 --> 00:08:51,673
Yes, it does. Very good.

184
00:08:51,673 --> 00:08:53,642
Open up your hand for me
flat like that.

185
00:08:53,642 --> 00:08:54,537
The clean one.

186
00:08:54,537 --> 00:08:57,146
She almost changed, notice that,
almost changed.

187
00:08:57,146 --> 00:08:58,863
Now, I'm going to put the watch
face down.

188
00:08:58,863 --> 00:09:00,896
Put your finger of your other
hand on the back of the watch.

189
00:09:00,896 --> 00:09:01,643
Okay?

190
00:09:01,643 --> 00:09:02,641
Very good.

191
00:09:02,641 --> 00:09:05,006
Now, my watch says nine
minutes to three,

192
00:09:05,006 --> 00:09:08,696
so we disagree slightly, but not
enough for any nevermind.

193
00:09:08,696 --> 00:09:10,596
Okay.
Watch.

194
00:09:10,596 --> 00:09:13,400
I'm really
concentrating now.

195
00:09:15,016 --> 00:09:16,302
Oh, I think I hurt myself.

196
00:09:16,302 --> 00:09:19,735
Don't laugh;
this is science!

197
00:09:19,735 --> 00:09:21,975
Let me see now, holding
it only by this...

198
00:09:21,975 --> 00:09:23,657
Oh, would you tell the
folks what time it says on

199
00:09:23,657 --> 00:09:27,378
your watch now, please?

200
00:09:27,378 --> 00:09:28,781
It says 3:40, but...

201
00:09:28,781 --> 00:09:31,936
3:40, how time flies
when you're having fun!

202
00:09:31,936 --> 00:09:33,321
Isn't that wonderful?

203
00:09:33,321 --> 00:09:35,206
Now, let me show you something -
this is like a little,

204
00:09:35,206 --> 00:09:36,317
tiny, itty, bitty watch.

205
00:09:36,317 --> 00:09:37,745
Here, hold it
tightly in your hand.

206
00:09:37,745 --> 00:09:38,426
Don't lose...

207
00:09:38,426 --> 00:09:39,464
Oh my goodness!

208
00:09:39,464 --> 00:09:41,712
What happened?

209
00:09:41,712 --> 00:09:43,164
Oh, the gentleman was
carrying it over here

210
00:09:43,164 --> 00:09:44,831
behind his waist and he
didn't even know it.

211
00:09:44,831 --> 00:09:46,332
There ya go.

212
00:09:50,598 --> 00:09:53,263
The trickster
never works alone.

213
00:09:53,263 --> 00:09:54,430
His audience assists him.