James "The Amazing" Randi doesn't want you to trust magic
James Randi on 'An Honest Liar' and how he became an outspoken skeptic and psychic debunker.
James "The Amazing" Randi joins guest host Stephen Quinn to discuss the new documentary about his life, An Honest Liar, his career in magic, and how he became an outspoken skeptic and psychic investigator.
Below: Watch the trailer for An Honest Liar, as well as archival footage of James Randi escaping from a straitjacket while being suspended over Niagara Falls.
Randi, who has opened for Alice Cooper and performed great public feats of his own, was one of the most famous escape artists and magicians of his era. He speaks about his early days, his search for proof of the paranormal, and a great secret he kept for most of his life.
Have powers? Win a million dollars
Randi's quest to find the existence of paranormal, occult, or supernatural powers has long been supported by the James Randi Educational Foundation, which offers a million dollars to any person or persons who can demonstrate such phenomenon under proper observation.
As of yet, no one has claimed the cash prize, but Randi prefers to call himself an investigator instead of a debunker -- just in case.
"I save myself the embarrassment of the fact that one of these days, somebody may come along and hit me between the eyes with something that I cannot explain away," Randi tells Stephen.
- Related: Teller, magic, and the law
Randi's passion for seeking out the truth when it comes to matters of "magic" extends beyond the foundation and into his show, where he wants his audiences to understand just what it is they're witnessing.
"As entertainers, we should not be taking money under false pretences," Randi says, "We should offer them entertainment and often close our performances with, 'What you've seen is the result of long practice and dedication to the art - it is not supernatural.'"