Homeopathy, quackery and fraud | James Randi | TED

www.ted.com Legendary skeptic James Randi takes a fatal dose of homeopathic sleeping pills onstage, kicking off a searing 18-minute indictment of irrational beliefs. He throws out a challenge to the world's psychics: Prove what you do is real, and I'll give you a million dollars. (No takers yet.)
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at www.ted.com/translate. Watch a highlight reel of the Top 10 TEDTalks at www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10
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[@thehistrionics890]

Sylvia Browne was later confronted by Amanda Berry, a kidnapping victim she claimed was dead several years earlier. It completely destroyed her career

[@letdogsdrive]

She still made a boatload of money off of books someone else wrote for her.

[@koilamaoh4238]

Auto Ai psychic bots work better then brown lol, as they can fetch data and cold read a lot better than her. Sad in 2020, people still believe in silly magical/supernatural/paranormal/invisible claims.

[@donrobertson4940]

Like evidence would destroy a clairvoyant's career.

[@koilamaoh4238]

@@donrobertson4940 lol ^^ I agree. It just turns them into super saiyscam man level 2 ...

[@minimanukuk]

Good.

[@tomd5678]

The correct way to pay a homeopathic practitioner is to leave a small coin in a big glass of water for ten minutes and then give him a tiny drop of the water

[@nikkid4890]

Tom Douglas Brilliant comment!

[@jessicacole8404]

if you leave a colidal silver coin he'll thank you

[@sdscipio]

Tom Douglas LMAO

[@StanSwan]

It is amazing to me how many people buy in total nonsense. I love your payment idea. That is how all people who buy into this should be paid.

[@freudianslippers6567]

I get that it's nonsense. But you have to have some empathy for these people, they are frightened and looking for some hope. Some of them are very sick and are so afraid of death, they try anything. I am much more angry at the people who take advantage of the desperate than I am at the poor, naive people who believe it.

[@adrianh332]

I used to think that people who were conned by psychic mediums were stupid and deserved to lose their money until my own dear father died 6 years ago, only then did I fully understand just how emotionally vulnerable grief can make you.

[@JohnKurtz840]

Great point. Grieving people want answers, doesn't matter who the answers come from

[@mintybadger6905]

I’m sorry, I lost my mom and even though her death killed the hopeful little girl inside me, but oh my goodness, knowing she couldn’t hurt me ever again - I prayed some charlatan would try me. I’m annoyed I was robbed of the chance to bring a charlatan to task l Iike Randi

[@HumanOptimization]

how about the same fam giving it to big pharma?

[@adrianh332]

@@HumanOptimization Thank you so much for turning a family tragedy into a vehicle for your pet cause.... NOT!

[@LesterBrunt]

I saw it when I got really, really sick and had to recover for almost a year and spend a lot of time online reading about my disease. The amount of people who shamelessly, pure evil, prey on suffering and sick people for their money with lies is shocking. And it is pure evil, because they rely on sowing doubt about their doctors so they can get the 'real' cure, which of course is nonsense and they regress further and further and end up back in the hospital or worse.

[@lordofthehouseofstormcrows8615]

Hands down one of my heroes. He understood that nobody should profit off of lies.

[@mursuhillo242]

*cough religion* *cough*

[@Big-Papa-Smurf]

If nobody could profit off of lies, we wouldn't have a very wealthy country.

[@denarto1920]

Experience it directly yourself before you call it lies. Homeopathy has 220+ years of well-documented clinical experience of cures of serious acute and even "incurable" chronic diseases.

[@randomcanadian6298]

@@denarto1920 If the theory of homeopathy had any merit there would be no life on earth considering the effect large amounts of certain materials have on biology as a whole. According to the theory humanity would be dying of lead/mercury/radioactive material poisoning from the very miniscule amount they may come into contact with either from dirt of the less than 1 ppb in different products we consume. Any impurity in the fake medicine would be amplified far greater than the medicine would and as a result would overshadow the effect of the supposed medicine.

[@denarto1920]

@@randomcanadian6298 Are you familiar with the concept of signal to noise ratio? When making a homeopathic remedy they start with the substance and highly purified alcohol and/or distilled water. Each step of the process uses the same. The Signal in whatever (unknown as yet) form of energy is in the substance is strengthened as it is diluted repeatedly in the correct way with the same relatively low energy diluent. Instead of relying on your intellect to work on this problem why dont you just experience it in the various ways possible: do a homeopathic proving, learn some skills to treat an animal, or plant or yourself for a non-serious acute condition, or get chronic care from a practitioner. That will clear up your view of it

[@Ch1oe2472]

Rest In Peace, James Randi. You were an inspiration to many skeptics around the world. May your legacy live on.

[@capybara8868]

Lovely sentiment but, of course, James didn't believe in an afterlife - so resting in peace (or otherwise) is not really possible. All the best.

[@Ch1oe2472]

@@capybara8868 Neither do I. I'm just using it as a figure of speach.

[@capybara8868]

@@Ch1oe2472 I would never use it but I understand.

[@charleswalters5284]

How come he was only skeptical about whatever the ruling class didn't like?

[@stadtjer689]

@@charleswalters5284did you pay someone to call the dead for you?

[@JWonn]

Anyone can talk to the dead. Getting the dead to talk back, now that's the real trick!

[@jilliansmith7123]

The Debunkist--as Wm. Shakespeare once wrote--and I misquote: "I can call to the spirits in the briney deep," "Why, so can I, and so can any man. But when you call to them, do they come?"

[@Frawt]

Just for anyone who's curious about AAH Replies' link, I'll let you know beforehand that it's as braindead as it sounds. The site's called "allaboutheaven", which is the first red flag, but looking through the stories there, none of them have any sort of verification, and they're just...completely anecdotal stories. I could literally go to a creepypasta site, or a fan fiction site, and read stories that have as much verification as the stories on that site. So no, they don't come. I've welcomed any evidence that spirits exist my whole life (purely because I think it'd be fascinating), even while I was being dragged through long hours of prayer and service with the foster family I used to live with, and there has been ZERO evidence in my life that spirits exist, and there's been zero actual evidence that any sort of spirits exist.

[@Dorianin1]

Maintain your medication schedule rigorously, AAH. Incidentally, Ouija was invented by Milton-Bradley in the 60's. They still hold the patent. Moron.

[@rdizzy1]

No skeptics will bother doing that because it is delusional, and nothing will happen, waste of time.

[@BoromirFudgeYeah]

AAH Replies If you are scamming people who are grieving, you deserve hate mail, you deserve to go to prison. That's all the occult is, a scam.

[@user-bo3wu7ce4v]

Three years later and I still miss James Randi's intellect, commitment to his specialism and rare ability to address many differing types and communities with integrity, humour and the truth.

[@sidstevens9035]

Ah, Homoeopathy, the air guitar of medicine !

[@mareksuchowski9127]

That doesn't do the Air Guitar justice. It gives you a good workout for arms and shoulders, a positive mindset and recognition from the audience. That does tons more for you than *any* pharmaceutical product.

[@isaacfranco5132]

ignorants.

[@noctisocculta4820]

@@mareksuchowski9127 Lol. Also note the air guitar won't poison you and it's free.

[@Seahorse1414]

👏

[@vogelaccount5902]

"He died of an overdose: he forgot to take his pill." Spit out my coffee with laughter! RIP, great sir!

[@alastairgreen6783]

Spat out...

[@rivil5654]

@@alastairgreen6783 *yuoR’4e

[@PaniniUkraine]

Can you explain this joke? English is not my native language)

[@njorogeh.muganda6225]

Homeopathy as practice asserts that the lesser the concentration of a solution,the stronger it is a as a dose. If an overdose in homeopathy is taking the least concentrated solution, then not taking the solution is the most fatal of actions...the exaggeration is indeedly funny. 😂😂😂😂

[@LinuxIsNotAnOperatingSystem]

@@PaniniUkraine thanks for asking that. I also didn't get that one.

[@jeremyowen1]

"He had trouble breathing" James: FOLKS, THAT'S WHAT DYING IS ALL ABOUT. YOU STOP BREATHING AND THEN YOU'RE DEAYED.

[@dillweedreal]

Dieded

[@blisguy]

Not so for the guy reaching deep into his nose at that statement

[@stevebrownrocks6376]

I’d love to spend an entire day with James, & just talk to him about things.

[@pimslickins710]

I'm 59, very like minded and can't believe I just discovered him 2 years ago if that. Brilliantly honest person.

[@thomasvanwely]

@@pimslickins710 Sadly that is when he died. So I am sorry stevebronwrocks... You might just wanna get in contact with a spirit talker for that 😉🤣

[@pewerjenius]

I know this great Medium who can put you two in touch

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

He was into little boys and was protected as a CIA asset.

[@pimslickins710]

@@thomasvanwely How about I just ask your wife?

[@GarryMobi]

He was really one of the best ... not only fighting for truth, but doing it while being very funny! RIP!

[@mistie710]

Agreed. Right now we need people like him and George Carlin amongst others to show up the charlatans for what they really are.

[@kahlzun]

I don't know who this Ted is, but he always has interesting guests

[@Thornspyre81]

His brother Tedx sucks and is pretentious imposter.

[@singingcowboy674]

Ted Turner

[@soslothful]

TED is an acronym for Technology, Education and Design.

[@pugsly4523]

@@soslothful r/woooosh

[@elijahgavin6706]

Doubting Thomas watch Sam Hyde’s tedx talk as perfect substantiation of your point

[@professorswaggamuffin7572]

What a badass. I love that he came along and basically just said 'prove it'. And not one damn person has been able to.

[@skaruts]

Though I think he could've mentioned how long his offer has been standing. Lol. It's been out there for some 60 years now. And so far... crickets...

[@KindredBrujah]

@@skaruts Hasn't always been a Million, but some kind of offer yes.

[@jamiehatesyou9175]

@@KindredBrujah true It's always been a big sum of money though, he raised the amount of time until he could afford to make it 1 million

[@KindredBrujah]

@@jamiehatesyou9175 Although, let's be honest, he could have offered a hundred gazzilionty billion trillion dollars and still been at zero risk of ever having to pay out.

[@jamiehatesyou9175]

@@KindredBrujah That's true I guess he wanted to have the money with him to show that he was open to the idea of there being someone w actual evidence (even tho he knew there wouldn't be) Plus I think people would have accused him of being malicious if he didn't actually have the money

[@billbill6094]

"He died of an overdose, he forgot to take his pill" S tier joke.

[@SageandDust]

I'm very sad to see he's gone. I saw the articles when he passed. I know he was old, but we needed him.

[@vigneshvijayakumar2286]

It's a shame that even after 10 years nothing has changed. Homeopathic institutions and practitioners are flourishing every nook and corner of India.

[@MrRazorblade999]

Why are Indians so easily fooled? It's not just homeopathy, they seem to believe in all supernatural bullshit

[@jijivishant]

its just lack of awareness in schools and by governments. Even i got to know about it after 21 years of my life. lol

[@LetsCrackIt2024]

Homeopathy works on the sole pillar that it has no side effects and the reason as to why it has no side effect is very evident.. Even in 21st century we have people believing all this crap have we literally stopped evolving.

[@ClockworkAvatar]

the only thing that's changed in 10 years is TED. now they'd host a talk about the psychological benefits of homeopathy, and questioning it's efficacy would be deemed some kind of -ist.

[@ryanl4821]

@S S 'Pay' a bit of money, and anything goes. Welcome to the real world. The same reason why sniper rifles can be purchased for self-defence in the US.

[@lateblossom]

He's like the positive version of George Carlin.

[@TudorascuBogdan]

What a nice way to describe him.

[@aleksandarrotar710]

That was my first thought seeing James!

[@xarif777]

Soft Carlin, Carlin Lite

[@pessimisticpianist582]

it is him, pay attention, mad hatter

[@aboveaverageinsanity8128]

Both smart, direct, honest people. RIP Carlin.

[@therealzilch]

What a legendary voice of reason in a time that really needs it.

[@capybara8868]

Utter genius - helped protect us from the grifters and confidence tricksters. His humanity shines through. Much missed. ❤️

[@danem.9402]

Age 92 is damn impressive. *R I P*

[@denniscordovez3948]

add the fact that he drinks large and toxic doses of homeopathic medicine for the last 15 years or so, and still get to that age. That is statement that those medicines dont work.

[@WorldViralDaily]

@@denniscordovez3948 Those pills. But Whatever Annette Larkins is on definetly works. shes 80 and looks 30

[@wendyilla]

Rest in peace James Randi. In these rather interesting times your loss is intensely saddening. This world needs more people like James Randi.

[@MrEazyE357]

He didn't want people saying things like this about him after he died. He's not resting. He's not at peace. He's dead. He's nothing. I consider passing along this little message my way of paying my respect to this great man. Randi's dead.

[@oppothumbs1]

@@MrEazyE357 12 thumbs up v 1 for you means Randi's message is not reaching people.

[@rtayya]

Hi Wendy Illa please read my comment and learn about the wonders off homeopathy.

[@nikkiofthevalley]

There are still plenty of such people. One I can immediately think of is Captain Disillusion here on KZbin.

[@Tyler45nilbog]

And more people like you

[@aios1671]

If a fortune teller could predict the future, he sure would buy the incoming winning lottery number and win.

[@dogwalker666]

Exactly.

[@will2003michael2003]

How am I shocked by the logic of “spirits play guessing games, my name starts with J”. I heard this happen tons of times and never once though, what a stupid question. But it’s a absolutely stupid question

[@AnkurRoy-bi9yz]

Rest in Peace sir. You opened the eyes of many. Including me sitting on the other side of the planet in India. Thank you.

[@JokerTONG]

I was an unpaid intern for a while at Continental Cablevision in the early 90's & was a camera man for "Pathways Thru Astrology" amongst other shows. Sylvia Brown was a regular guest. She was completely candid & without guile. During a break, I zoomed in my camera while she was picking her nose for a full 2 minutes & was past the knuckle deep! I zoomed so close that her honker & intruding digit filled the entire screen! Over the headset I heard screams of delight, Gaff-haws & squeals, until I heard the director (who was not above swearing like a sailor) say very calmly, "Thank you, Camera 1, please return to your original position." I do truly hope that footage remains somewhere in the celluloid stratosphere, perhaps on a community cable channel best of blooper reel.

[@thrace_bot1012]

lmfao

[@kadenho5191]

Fritz Smith Please shove your religion down my throat in a conversation that has nothing to do with religion.

[@saber-jocky3436]

@@fritzsmith3296 What exactly is good ethics? Please remember that ethics are a very subjective matter. I highly doubt Kevin is blind to his definition of good ethics. There is absolutely no requirement for his view on the subject to align with yours. You, on the other hand, are obviously an uneducated religious quack that wishes ill on other humans. May God have mercy on your overly judgmental soul.

[@aliciawales-woodson3775]

Holy fork, I’d love to see it🤣

[@nalisaed8725]

We don't need more people like him, we need to be him.

[@aalaptube]

This guy is (was) amazing! He did not make unfair use of his conjuring tricks, on the contrary spent his retirement in exposing fraudsters. It takes a lot to even have this way of thinking, and even more to actually do it.

[@gregprymicz9947]

This fella has looked the same for 30 years! He's a fackin wizard.

[@ThomasGabrielsen]

It's because of all the homeopathy medicine he has consumed. He will live forever.

[@RTMaster1]

No, he's a conjurer

[@w4shep]

And he hasn’t changed his stage act in as many years either.

[@trumpsahead]

@@RTMaster1 and he's an idiot. At least Homeopathy is not responsible for the deaths of millions of Americans like allopathic medicine is. Allopathic medicine is the Fraud in this picture. This creep goes around encouraging stupid people to go back to BigPharma medicine that increases risk of death by 1000%. Shame on him; he needs to make money that bad.

[@E-Kat]

Yes, he always looked old.

[@gandralf]

It never gets old. Randi is, indeed, amazing.

[@The482075]

A psychic goes to a football stadium. "I sense many voices here."

[@LesleighHart]

He's like the grandad you wished you had.

[@grubbybum3614]

Yep he's really cool. Just a shame that snake-oil salesman like Uri Geller are still profiting from their whackery.

[@MultiDigitalCoder-he7wp]

Yeah I don't think that someone who is always complaining and has absolutely zero things to give except for his own ignorance and synism is particulary a good thing though. To resume all he says, he strikes me as a person that is figuratively trying putting a fork in a stone complaining that it doesn't work..without even figuring out how to make anything work correctly or succesfully. Therefore he is still, all about failure, despite his efforts to make up for having been caught being a 'fraud' himself. He's got issues with himself..

[@grubbybum3614]

@@MultiDigitalCoder-he7wp are you talking about Uri or Randi?

[@MultiDigitalCoder-he7wp]

@@grubbybum3614 I mean Randy..; He spends his time living in regret trying to point out what he claims is wrong or fraudulent.. actually some people were actually succesful on stage, without tricks, by not being pushed into a corner, like he does with many, in genuine cases. He doesn't even study how one, anyone can develop psychic abilities, while it's the most natural thing when people are in a healthy spiritual state of being for example. He doesn't teach people anything so doesn't add any value to anyone, you know like a package or a new skill you can 'take home' . He's basically running around telling how stupid he things others are..; and that's it... Nothing thay fills anyone's cup with anything at the end of the day.. I know people like Criss Angel and many more whom's tricks are based on genuine psychic abilities. When I was a kid I could shapeshift physical objects for example, so I know it works, and just like with anything else, there is a science to that. So I think he is wasting his time looking where there are no real answers, because that is the only thing he focusses on..

[@grubbybum3614]

@@MultiDigitalCoder-he7wp kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKLWqJlvo9F4n6s This is the video where Criss Angel talks about Uri Geller and magic.

[@marycarla6245]

Yeah, I've noticed that with past lives. Everyone's a queen or king, no ditch diggers or poor, anonymous farmers.

[@mikkos8636]

I'm kinda middle between past lives because think of how many sperms one man's testicles hold, I think it's millions or billions, something like that. Now if they all have a soul, then we'd have millions potential souls hanging around in our testicles. And what about bacteria, do they have souls too? Or does soul start to inhabit the body after sperm meets egg cell and they mingle for a while? I'm leaning a bit on that, but not sure, because for all we know the sperm cells and bacteria might have more sentience than we think. But if they dont, then it's doubtful they have souls either. It's commonly accepted in most of not all religions and spiritual philosophies that the soul leaves the body after death. That indicates that soul wasn't there during the sperm phase, but after the embryo was formed, because otherwise soul would scatter into all these bacteria and soul residue would be consumed by whatever sentients who consume the dead body, feeding on the soul too. I think some cultures believe that eating parts of your enemy gives you their power, even soul power, so who knows. It doesn't matter what the general consensus is on soul cycle and the existence of soul, and it doesn't matter if charlatans purposefully pollute this issue with their greed and egoism. What matters is how things really are in this issue and being superficial and taking the easiest answer without consideration is intellectual dishonesty. Only your ego gains from intellectual dishonesty, and ego is a primitive survival mechanism for us to surpass our physical limits, not an intellectual power.

[@baronchatdelamort3522]

I was a failed owner of a shipping company with an opium addiction who died of the syphilis😉

[@bobbobertson6249]

No I didn't notice that . Do you have a source?

[@tomlxyz]

They're playing with the victim's wishes. If they get to hear what they like they stay. If past lives are a thing, statistically speaking most people would have past lives of historical unimportant people, that's just what most people that ever lived were

[@bobbobertson6249]

@@tomlxyz How do you know? who's they?? weird

[@hannah1948]

what a man!! he will be greatly missed.

[@stereosympathy]

Back in the 90's one of my friends parents were really into homeopathic medicine. I remember him taking some pills one day and I asked him what kind of medicine he was taking. My thirteen year old brain heard him say "my homophobic pills." I was a polite thirteen year old so I didn't ask any more questions.

[@FranFerioli]

Some white homophobic pills, I'm sure!

[@richardwood6222]

Sorry I meant to read more and pressed thumb down instead sorry

[@lordeisschrank]

Overdose information on homoeopathic "medicine" is actually illegal in some parts of europe because it doesn't contain any traces of medicine and putting that information on there would be considered false advertising.

I can tell you that at least in Spain (my country) there's a huge fight against pseudo science from universities. Like psychologists are making protests and debunking those pseudosciences right now because things like psicoanalisis (things with no scientific basis or proof) are still offered by some universities and they are having a campaign to separate this things from legit, real, science based, psycology because they say It gives a bad image of psychology mixing It with that bulshit and misguiding clients to practices that can just make their situation worse So we will probably have them banned in some years or heavily restrained because all the experts are against It

[@louistournas120]

@ : Psychoanalysis? What is that? As for homeopathy, I wish in Canada, Health Canada would put some descent information on their website and also blocked these charlatans (homeopaths and their none sense drugs).

[@nedisahonkey]

@paul8kangas I'm sorry about your daughter. But vaccines don't cause autism. Anti Vax propaganda has one outcome and that's dead children.

[@IPA300]

@paul8kangas Why would I vote for someone stupid or deceitful enough to claim that vaccines cause autism?

[@allennemo4354]

@paul8kangas You're confusing correlation with causation. I would walk to each city and make it my mission that someone as dangerously misinformed as you would never make it on a ballot.

[@Lauv]

The microphone is fighting for its life inside his beard.

[@highhorse902]

😂😂😂😂👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@Imran-yr6qh]

oooooooooooooooof

[@unnamedchannel1237]

I thought that was a duck flapping

[@Imran-yr6qh]

@@unnamedchannel1237 xDDD

[@kiyanaak3269]

😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩

[@moonfairy2325]

Found this thanks to Jarvis Johnson who mentioned James in a recent livestream. What a funny and clever man, and I love the way his skepticism doesn't seem to come from a place of simply wanting to be right, but from a caring place. He just wanted to call out situations of fraud, support those who have been scammed, and steer other potential victims away from those looking to take advantage of them. Rest in peace James, may your wisdom live on :)

[@cleorobins5878]

Same

[@physicsdemonstrations2426]

This was a decade ago. Ten years later, and people have only gotten worse. Here in India Homeopathy is even getting official authorisation to practice by the government. The worst thing is the govt officials themselves would never have to rely on these frauds, it's the people who will go for it.

[@NarendraKumar-qc1uh]

Because it works,, it works in many-many rejected cases.....,, Dude go to a homoeopath nd see the cases by yrself...

[@dumant7975]

@@NarendraKumar-qc1uh There is no scientific studies that proved it. So it does not. And Randi proved it’s all a scam by taking lethal dose of homeopathic pills.

[@pravinchaudhary3455]

@@dumant7975 it is not chemical formula there ! Dude come here i will show you it works

[@joemorris1282]

Of course it works, the people that sell it say so!!! 😉

[@shivammishra1720]

@star 3 The failures of science do not imply the use of alternative medicine just like airplane crashes do not justify the use of flying carpets. Just like flying carpets do not exist alternative medicine does not work. 1500 trials ruled homeopathy nothing better than placebo. Anyways every ancient civilization knew the earth was round it took years of course because at first science was plagued by supernatural nonsense when rigorousness started pouring in it accelerated. Search Eratosthenes he proved the earth is around 2000 years ago so shut up nonsense peddler. If homeopathy works you are drinking my piss whenever you drink any kind of water.

[@r1richie]

I was sorry to hear of the passing of James. A true warrior in the fight against charlatans that prey on people at their most vulnerable.

[@greasyweegoblin1249]

James Randi is what I imagine a level 20 wizard looks like

[@alexisjuillard4816]

HAHAAHNA

[@alexisjuillard4816]

laughed so hard while drinking a coffee and typing i failed at both, misspelling haha and killing my touchpad with a splash of coffee; You sir owe me a new computer or another joke, lucky it wasn't my personal pc

[@medusasorphan3489]

He level capped his intelligence stat for sure.

[@dodojesus4529]

@@medusasorphan3489 min maxed, you can sse it with his perception stat

[@JacaboBlanco]

Only level 20?

[@Leeidealist]

Now that he has passed away, Silvia brown can talk with him any time

[@Livsangel]

Maybe she can cash in the prize the James Randifoundation had for someone who can prove a supernatural phenomena?

[@anamekian1742]

You know what’s sad… Just three years before this, Sylvia Browne told Amanda Berry’s mother her missing daughter (Amanda) was dead, ON Montel’s show. In 2013, Amanda Berry was one of the 3 girls who escaped Castro’s basement, after nearly a decade in captivity. Her mother, the one Sylvia told this “news”, died in 2006 believing her daughter was already dead. So, when Randi made this speech, it was 3 years after Brown told Berry’s mother, 1 year after that mother passed away, and Amanda Berry was creepily fighting to survive shackled in a brutal man’s basement. The very moment he was speaking these things, that poor girl was proof…and we wouldn’t even know for 6 more years. Just a very sad & creepy thing, to think about. Scary. What is going on right NOW, that none of us know, but will find out in the coming years. Just eerie. Even when this was posted on KZbin, we STILL didn’t know, about Amanda Berry.

[@harrymarbaniang4781]

James Randi is an actual magician, he's 91 years old and he's got more energy than me, a 25 year old

[@laughtertime8218]

Acctualy, he is not energetic you are dumb 😆🤣😂

[@simstar6557]

@Doc Brown and he calls himself, "Knowledge" 😂.

[@snazzypazzy]

Maybe it's the homeopatic sleeping pills? ;)

[@skylerwlewis]

Unfortunately, James Randi died in October 2020, and he won't be contacting you because dead people can't communicate. He was a great one while he was alive. RIP.

[@NYUMIR]

That’s shameful

[@billscannell93]

"He died of an overdose; he forgot to take his pill." That got a big laugh from me...

[@sunknownhuman3883]

I did not understand the joke. Is it because there is no medicine or something? pleas explain thanks

[@billscannell93]

Pretty much. In homeopathy, the more dilute the solution is, the more effective the medicine is. (So they say.) So the less medicine in the solution, the stronger it is. Following that logic, Randi says that it would be strongest of all if you took NO medicine, and overdosed by not taking it! (He meant by his joke to show what bologna homoeopathy is.)

[@PaniniUkraine]

@@billscannell93 thanks Bill)

[@goodnight4u]

Me too flawless execution.

[@vaishaksuresh8555]

This person has been doing this amazing job for years now. Loads of respect for his perseverance.

[@piyushprasad2364]

interviewer :where u see yourself after 50 years pardon me i meant... me :(this video)

[@lydiawilliams8737]

I've noticed comments about the height of his pants and the fullness of his beard. 88 years old! How many people do you know with such vitality at that age? No mystery. He said himself that he has chosen a clear mind without drugs or stimulants. Clear mind-clear body. Stop nit picking about the trivial.

[@michelevroomankennett217]

He's quite frankly adorable!

[@zhou_sei]

stimulants are drugs

[@susanivy3619]

"Stop nit picking about the trivial" LOL If that happened the comment section on you tube would instantly shrink by 1/3.

[@davesnyder7488]

...i wish i had that mindset but damn drugs, alcohol and myself for not thinking that way before

[@PerkyPineapple]

He was 78 at this time though. Impressive still but not 88.

[@arisaga822]

Santa Claus in beast mode...

[@funnybonesbucknewton7261]

Good name for a action movie

[@bvishal2kn]

*Beast-Mode-Santa 3:* You're on the naughty list.....

[@ArunSharma-xp3ry]

As someone said "faith can move mountains but sugar water can't cure cancer"

[@deandupont5503]

An old neighbor once tried to sell me on colloidal silver... Obviously, at a price. I pointed out that wouldn't I get the same results by sucking on an old dime for a few minutes a day? (He didn't like that.)

[@u4tiwasdead]

"The great thing about homeopathy is that you can't overdose on it." Well, you could fucking drown! Dara o'briain 2008

[@RoswelliVideos]

Thank you! One of his best quotes about this. =D

[@newperve]

Technically drowning isn't the same as overdosing on water, which is possible. Still funny. I have to say though homeopathy did cure me of dehydration.

[@djinnification]

You're fucking stupid....

[@lxmzhg]

I second the motion that he/she is fucking stupid.

[@markalmond7692]

+Jesus how is he a scammer u fool

[@JWFas]

Farewell, James. The world is less skeptical without you.

[@hahaihaveahandlenow]

Oh no. He made so many people think. R.I.P.

[@slickestrick4117]

I would say the world is considerably more skeptical because of him

[@ryanolsen294]

@@slickestrick4117 why?

[@hera9191]

@@ryanolsen294 He was great teacher of critical thinking.

[@dogwalker666]

@@slickestrick4117 and that is a really good thing.

[@ratreptile]

So many believing in homeopathy, yet not a single person can show a real scientific study that proves that it works. If it worked it would be very easy to prove.

[@turin2197]

There are plenty of studies and even double blinded. That old lazy excuse not to even look at the literature and then say there is no literature doesn't work anymore. Maybe you ought to take a homeopathic remedy to get some mental clarity.

[@simstar6557]

@@turin2197 there isn't even one replicated study dude. Those are all just junk that homeopaths put out.

[@randomsandwichian]

As one Doctor would also says; essential oils don't work!

[@howareyoumoreofaclownthanme]

@@turin2197 You say that and yet you don't provide a specific one that's approved by the medical community at large. Probably because there isn't one, and you're just deluding yourself.

[@BobBob-oe9uf]

@@turin2197 If you get corona, please only use homeopathy.

[@kayleemartineau9113]

He's right these people are "cruel" ..This guy is my new favorite person ever ❤💙♥

[@danielm5324]

Sadly, he died.

[@njones420]

Still going in 2019 ... long live that man

[@jonathankr]

Isn't he dead?

[@njones420]

@@jonathankr nope, he's 90

[@richardcramer1604]

Yes he's still alive at 90, but he retired 3 years ago and this video is dated 2010 or 9 years ago.

[@imlo2738]

@M H Go ahead, explain it. I'm curious..

[@kanescrimes4848]

​@M H I'm also too dumb to understand it, so could you please explain it to me? ...or as you might say, "Me dumb, please explain " Notice the lack of substance in the(almost) sentence from M H? Substance which b.t.w, is necessary in giving any claim ANY credit/validity. I'm betting M H is a troll. ...because even the most thoughtless of theists would at least TRY to give their claim some substantial foundation.

[@CaptainSpock1701]

12:41 - Well beyond *Avogadro’s limit!* That is just priceless!

[@QuasiELVIS]

science joke

[@bobweiss8682]

@@QuasiELVIS Not even a joke. It is the truth for many homeopathic "cures".

[@sammymcsam1576]

12 years now and homeopathy is still going strong. It's sad.

[@RanjithKumar-zj2cn]

And in india homeopathy is recognised by government aspiring young students are taking homeopathy as a career rather than regular medical school it need to banned

[@JayneCravens]

James Randi was the heir to Houdini, both because of his skills as an illusionist and his passionate dedication to debunking people who claimed to be psychics or claimed to have actual magical powers. I am so sad to learn of his passing.

[@Cyromantik]

He found true immortality in the minds of all of us.

[@compfox]

I just imagine, how he and Houdini are trying to get contact to a medium from beyond but failed, cause they are all charlatans.

[@phoenixrivers5414]

Absolutely Jayne! Just my opinion but James Randi is one of the greatest men in modern history. I love and admire him soo much. I wish I could've seen him live and meet him.

[@Rx7man]

I guess the sleeping pills took in all his talks finally were effective.. RIP James Randi

[@billgreen576]

Passing: to go through life. If that is the use I am not sad about that because he was good for the world. And thanks to these videos is now immortal. Yippee. Passing: to go from this life to another after life. Pretty sure Randi did not believe that. So he hasn't passed. He has died and is now dead. Now that is sad. But we all have to go sometime and forever but he left his mark.

[@thenekom]

Sylvia is telling me she's having trouble breathing.

[@JordanBeagle]

thenekom ; )

[@classicfeatherpen2924]

thenekom, u wot m8

[@Andrewlohbihler]

Right, and she croaked !!! God bless her and her victims.

[@MissLilyputt]

thenekom Oh god, now you speak to the dead psychic! This is inception... or meta? I can’t decide. Are you still alive or is this like the 6th Sense movie and you don’t know you’ve died yet?

[@MiadWahidKommon]

He was the biggest threat to all the liars around us, so much hate he received for showing how to deceive someone.

[@Klay_Dubya]

this was hands down the best TED talk i've ever watched. The AI commercial at the end was jarring, especially being 12 years old

[@davemitchell116]

Back in 1989 I was supposed to interview a psychic on my radio show on the CBS affiliate in Charlotte (NC). He was late arriving to the radio station and got there only moments before the show went. He apologized for being late. He had gotten lost and couldn't find the station having never been there before. I never said anything on the air, but wondered, if he was a psychic, how come he couldn't use his powers to find the place. After he left, the staff had a big laugh over it.

[@daniel-san836]

he might have been anxious?

[@cheery-hex]

Are you serious?? lol.. psychics can't know evrthg, they're not omniscient

[@PanglossDr]

Late, due to unforeseen circumstances

[@MrMelodyCold]

i can hear his beard rousing the microphone, perfect.

[@clayz1]

MrMelodyCold That's not a beard, it's actually a small thunderstorm.

[@MultiCheeseLouise]

ruined the talk entirely.

[@sensualarmpit3512]

Its nice that you degenerates contain yourself into this whiny comment threads.

[@thewhitemustang]

That noise ruined the whole show for me. It wasn't his beard though, it's even stupider than that. It's his baggy dress shirt brushing against the mic taped to his chest. The mic is hidden under his shirt just above his pocket, he taps it at 0:14. The show is ruined just for the benefit of the "electric razor/mic gag". The "sound technician" should've stopped this in the FIRST MINUTE or LESS. It costs $8,500 per year to be an audience member, being one of the most expensive shows in the world. A nice long walk on the plank is an order here.

[@CrazyDave318]

z how would you know, you stopped watching, or supposedly stopped listening to him.

[@rubicon9465]

amazing randy, you're an amazing human being and learned much from you. Rest in peace you sweet man

[@guy1900763]

RIP Mr Randi.Your wit,brilliance,knowledge and wise advice is sorely missed.👏👏👏👏

[@MrEazyE357]

He said he didn't want people making platitudes like this about him after he died. He's not resting nor is he at peace. He's nothing but worm food because he's dead. I consider passing along his (this) message my little way of thanking him for everything he did.

[@xxlCortez]

I like this guy. He can wittily present his case and actually doing something to make this world better.

[@anujmchitale]

xxlCortez Why do you think he is making the world better?

[@anujmchitale]

Matt Bergman I watched but fail to understand why he makes the world better. He "disproves" some people's cons in front of people who didn't believe in those cons. How's that changing anything. If the followers of those conmen actually turn and start supporting Randi then that's doing something. We don't see that happening here. So his Ted talk might be fun or entertaining but it doesn't do squat to "better" the world.

[@anujmchitale]

Matt Bergman How do you know they did. And your logic has looped us back to my original question- how does any of us know that Randi is making the world better?

[@Ana_Ng]

His foundation is still up, isn't it? It's an open invitation and challenge to anyone who claims to possess psychic powers. He also exposed people like Uri Geller and Peter Popoff. The latter of those two was the most dangerous, as his claim to "smite" things like cancer out of people can encourage not getting proper treatment.

[@jesus4602]

Randi is a fraud and conman himself and he knows it. What he does is seek out obvious frauds, and uses them to dismiss entire concepts while ignoring and not acknowledging the very real and proven cases of ufo summoning, chi energy, sun gazing and not needing food or water...all proven on mainstream media even...so where is Randi with these people?! Nowhere. Why? Because he’s a fucking fraud!

[@pierrepellerin249]

13:32, ''the guy forgot to take his pill and died of an overdose'' Best joke i've heard in a long time and perfectly describe homeopathy .

[@pharmerdavid1432]

You can't overdose using homeopathy properly, and it's inexpensive, so of course it's been suppressed, as is holistic medicine in general. Naturopathic doctors finding cures for disease keep dying - can't imagine why (sarcasm). If you forget to take the homeopathic medicine, then it's impossible to overdose on it, but I guess you can't get your mind around that fact with your twisted thinking?

[@MnCLindy]

@@pharmerdavid1432 you completely missed the joke 😆 watch the video and see if you can get the joke afterward

[@deitachan7878]

@@pharmerdavid1432 r/woooooosh

[@of5606]

@@pharmerdavid1432 i've never seen someone get whoooshed so hard wtf

[@acetate909]

@@pharmerdavid1432 Ahahaha....wow

[@bengsynthmusic]

He has that George Carlin kind of articulation. Sharp.

[@EMVelez-qb1zu]

Except that Randi was openly gay.

[@christianjackson9298]

Why can't our politicians have even an ounce of that charisma?..

[@soyoucametosee7860]

"Funerals are for the living. The Dead know nothing."

[@user-nj7rw5my9h]

True lol

[@adamwest8711]

Shut it Jon Snow...

[@paulgee3411]

@yt cmtr If they do, they're keeping very quiet about it.

[@damnation8794]

@Miss Leann unfortunately for you ideas are real and they are alive. they copy themselves from one mind to the other and birth new ideas by coming together just like animals/people do. Ideas even go to war with one another and wipe other ideas out. The ideas of Jesus stand through time not because some fear of the unknown but because they ring true when put to the test. If you actually seek the "real deal" he will honor that. But be warned its more like being thrown on to Omaha beach than going to sunday school.

[@XrayTheMyth23]

@@damnation8794 Jesus is about as real as the Mesopotamian myths he was based on. Amazing how every christian fails to study history of their own book, almost like they don't want to know...

[@Faithnomore227]

It's only a matter of time until some fake psychic claims to have contacted James from beyond the grave. You watch. I am gutted to hear about him passing away. Legend xx

[@sac7404]

It will work just like with Houdini's mother ... you know, the incident that sparked his anti-supernatural carreer

[@edwinmerrick1375]

entertainment.theonion.com/psychic-already-sick-of-spectral-james-randi-ragging-on-1845453086

[@Flowermouth]

@@edwinmerrick1375 hilarious! May he RIP

[@Emma-Queenofhell]

@@sac7404 I doubt that Randi's fans aren't that dumb

[@dogwalker666]

One did try. No one took him seriously.

[@tubbz2335]

The title should be James Randi | Ted Talk/Stand up comedy special 😂 this guy had me dying

[@amyntut]

So true ! I went to a "psychic" to "talk" to my childhood friend Angela that was hit by a car when she was 5 . I was 9 . The psychic couldn't tell me anything, she was guessing that my mom , grandmother etc. were gone once she "hit" on a female is who I was there to see. It left me even more devastated.

[@funnybonesbucknewton7261]

Thumbs up to James Randy for calling these psychic frauds out on their bullshit

[@EwePeople]

Hope you didn't pay for services.

[@ClareBearBunny]

I talk to the dead all the time. Then the family usually asks me to leave the funeral home.

[@peterriverajr6899]

Lol

[@johnmachuga8811]

Too bad you did not make it to the after-party ....that's where all the good food is.

[@funnybonesbucknewton7261]

That's funny

[@wra7h]

Humans: we are the superior being, we don't come from apes. Also humans: tell me how my dead granny is finding heaven with elvis and jesus

[@AntoineADubai]

And still in 2021, Netflix is putting a 1 hour and a half infomercial for psychics on their front page.

[@dogwalker666]

Not surprisingly, that's what happens without advertising standards, and why they cannot advertise on terrestrial TV.

[@DulceN]

@@dogwalker666 Same with the annoying, bogus commercials/scams we are being pushed here on YT.

[@dogwalker666]

@@DulceN indeed KZbin has been pushing illegal advertising, funny how there isn't a thumbs down or report scams button on adverts.

[@roborovskihamster5425]

This guy is still kicking at 88. I think I need to start overdosing of homeopathic sleeping pills.

[@bonham1981]

Shh! Followers of homeopathy will claim that that's the reason for his long life!

[@SgtLion]

Staying hydrated is a good key for long life, in fairness!

[@Imtotallydiggingthis]

You see, all that homeopathic medecin IS working! He's chewing it down like there's no tomorrow, and just look at him going! ;)

[@adafridi]

Dude that's what I was thinking. He's so aile, am jealous lol.

[@vvfxvvfx6704]

Hahahhaha perfect msg

[@_TehTJ_]

You will be missed king. I know someone who legit seeked a doctor for his cancer after he disproved faith healing methods he "relied" on, dude's only alive today thanks to James and I imagine there's thousands more like him.

[@kennyhagan5781]

Sad that he's gone, we need folks like him.

[@MrHotBagel]

17:20 Holy crap. That is one old AT&T commercial

[@GeneralG1810]

A homeopathy patient over dosed the other day by forgetting to take their medicine LMFAO

[@scarletroulette6333]

I dont get the joke...🤔

[@GeneralG1810]

@@scarletroulette6333 Homeopathy medicine is so diluted that not taking it would have more effect than taking it.

[@rexnemovi6061]

AussieBlokeGordo Good joke. Reminds me of the great fun the reasonable people had with the ridiculous idea that the Earth is round. Or that you can talk to somebody on the other side of the town through a wire. Or that you can see through human body (Lord Kelvin, then outgoing President of the Royal Society declared X-Rays a hoax).

[@arnouth5260]

Rex Nemovi except that those things had evidence at the time, not only does homeopathy not have evidence, there is actually proof that it has no effect

[@rexnemovi6061]

@@arnouth5260 Funny. The evidence of the Earth being round was of the kind that only people highly trained in both astrology and math could understand it, on the other hand, Lord Kelvin has dismissed as a hoax a phenomenon that anybody cold see with their own eyes. I would love to see what a study *proving* that something doesn't have any effect looks like. Reminds me of the *scientific proof* that machines heavier than air cannot and won't fly. You see, the problem with *proving* that something doesn't work is an entire different ballgame than claiming that it cannot be proven that it does work. Because it only takes one single instance of anecdotal evidence to render the *proof* invalid. And I know of more than one instance of anecdotal evidence.

[@IFGchannel931]

Brazil needs this guy. At least to think about some of these ideas. Ministry of Health just posted a picture celebrating "National Homeopathy day". Shame. shame.

[@sarahwhitworth6512]

+Igor Freitas I agree, I spent two years in Brazil and saw a saddening number of people going to spiritualists for everything from communicating with the dead to losing weight...

[@MsHojat]

+Igor Freitas Wow, that is depressing and/or angering.

[@Igor_054]

There is already an international day dedicated to water (22nd March), why did he need another one for homeopathy?

[@MsHojat]

Igor Oliveira Haha, snap.

[@manamaster6]

In Mexico we have a homeopathic hospital funded by the government...

[@hhairball9]

I miss James Randi. I've been following your works since the 1970s.

[@KreeZafi]

This man's death was certainly a great loss to the world - but at least now Sylvia Browne may be able to contact him!

[@DarthObscurity]

The people that needed to hear this Ted talk would never sit long enough to hear this Ted talk. Lmfao

[@lxmzhg]

Why is that?

[@raduradu9780]

@@lxmzhg because they are so rooted in what they believe , that they would never see the point in listening to someone ruin their beliefs for 10 minutes. Its a matter of "are you open minded or not"

[@louistournas120]

​@@Solmaz_S : It's nice that you hate homeopathy. I hate it as well since it is quackery. It comes from the dark ages of science (early 19th century). Chemistry advanced, biochemistry has been established, medicine has advanced. Homeopathy is obviously crap. The only people in support of it have very little science education. They try to make excuses like "Big Pharma and government is against them". The reality is that university researches for about 150 y from all over the world have established how reality operates. Homeopaths are living in a world of fantasy (water having memory).

[@jsmyth024]

@@Solmaz_Slmatfo. Love that comment. I'm not too big on homeopathy(don't really know what it is and you won't change that), but the arrogance and irony in this comment section is pretty hilarious. . . and sad, but mainly hilarious.

[@sirisoj]

but if you let these people spend more than an hour watching videos about pseudoscience. lmao

[@that1grappler]

Rest In Peace James Randi

[@insylem]

Maybe Sylvia Brown will reach him?

[@miteshbhagwant4615]

Thanks james for everything ❤

[@MrLandale]

James Randi is a legend!

[@syloh4940]

I just realized... Homepathy works! If you just don't take any homepathic medicine and go see a real doctor. That's INFINITE dilution!

[@VestedUTuber]

XD

[@bubermarcus8607]

G E N I U S

[@trews1]

Don't take homeopathic medicine = Infinite dilution Taking homeopathic medicine = Infinite delusion

[@padhapadha3026]

Yes it works

[@user-xd5lx2tx5l]

M.K Patel IIT Mumbai The very same research that was panned by his peers. Yes, how compelling.

[@doriweishaar4901]

I am so glad that you wander the planet educating people and exposing the charlatans for what they are ~ soulless , greedy, vultures who prey on vulnerable people who are desperate and will grasp at whisps of " a message from...." whomever. You're very entertaining, brilliant & intelligent with a rapier wit ! " duh " lol thank you for speaking the truth about so many things 💮

[@Germanguy6969]

I know, just like politicians.

[@piemanrocksyea]

yahweh/yahuah said in the bible these people were frauds it's been there this entire time all james is doing is making fame and fortune off their fraud by exposing them

[@Orangutan_Stella]

Ironically it from watching James Randi that I now rebelieve in santa claus 🎅 lol

[@simong567]

I love this guy, he is like a slightly less cynical George Carlin.

[@deltavee2]

He has nowhere the brains of George Carlin, nor the compassion. Also, Carlin was not a self-centred jerk.

[@cameronstanek7124]

deltavee2 What makes him self centered?

[@expertoflizardcorrugation3967]

He's a legitimately good dude, if a bit passionate about these things

[@aidanrivera1215]

@@deltavee2 time to rip off the band-aid kiddo, fairy tales aren't real, its unfortunate your feelings are so hurt by this

[@jivefx]

George Carlin’s delivery came to my mind listening to him. Lol

[@dayjman25]

Apparently an increase in age is directly proportional to an increase in pants height.

[@NZ2STROKE]

legs get shorter while pants stay the same length lol

[@rubyjean5102]

Haha exactly what I was thinking

[@rubyjean5102]

Err... I've just seen this response. Are you stalking me? And wtf Is wrong with you? Do you really have such a tiny brain you direct me to a skeptic site on skeptics? Lol One person. If one person proves they have psychic abilities they get a million bucks. I guess no one wants the money lol

[@murdocha]

James Randi Zététicien What, exactly, is your point?

[@jamesrandizeteticien2437]

Alex Murdoch Tinker Bell wants your number skepticalaboutskeptics.org

[@catseye1009]

Once someone told me they saw dead people. I had some helpful advice. If perchance a dead person appears, hurry to grab a pen and paper, because you can ask some very interesting questions. Later, after speaking with the dead, you could write a book called “Interview With a Dead Person”

[@miketaft1454]

I'm in love! This man is amazing!

[@miketaft1454]

@@rawbacon yeah I read. I'm so envious of anyone who was taught under him let alone got even talk to him. A truly cool man!

[@banishedfromthedwarfplanet530]

It's a law. If you're an elderly man, you have to wear your pants up to your chest.

[@nadjak3410]

It's just an illusion, duh. It's not his pants that are going up, it's his upper body sagging 😅

[@banishedfromthedwarfplanet530]

Nadja K-- Just an illusion? Hmm, are you sure it's not magic?

[@nadjak3410]

@@banishedfromthedwarfplanet530 The magic power of aging and gravity maybe. It magically makes elderly men adorable😂

[@dpierce379]

It's either that or go through each day constantly hitching your drawers. No one wants to see us adjust ourselves every few minutes, and even fewer people are happy to get a look at our plumber's crack. That's probably why it's a law (or should be.) XD

[@zacharyb8757]

@@spybreak23 lol

[@motothumper5598]

11:02 Dude in Yellow's wife is definitely one of those psychics he is talking about. She is not amused one bit!

[@smockboy]

That or she's a diehard believer who regularly visits one. The "see, this is what I've been saying" look he gives her is priceless.

[@ImmortalIdeas]

This was awesome! Hella great job! 👍