Hey guys. First post here in a while, I had an old account some years ago and lost it, under Antiquitus. Wasn't super active, but lurked a lot.
I wondered if anyone had any theories regarding Derren Brown's simulated conversations with the dead in his mentalist act. I've seen this shown around a bit as a demonstration of how easy faking mediumistic abilities can be.
I'll admit I was a little psyched out and maybe disheartened slightly seeing how he managed to fake very specific facts about his audience. However, I guess it should also be noted that most mediums don't have the level of resources he has to pull off these elaborate stunts. Also, I saw it noted in the comments of another forum, someone who had been to his show talked about a process where at the start, they were all asked to write details about themselves and a deceased loved one on a piece of paper, most put in one bucket, some in another, which they think then was taken away and the most interesting one memorized.
From Vivalabear:
"Ok, I can spill the beans on the deceased relatives as I was up on stage for one of these with Derren.
We all at the beginning of the interval had to write the name of a loved one who had died, their relation to us and some random facts about the person. We folded the bit of paper up and wrote our name on the outside. An assistant came roud with two buckets to collect our papers.
He held one bucket out 95% of the time but he held the other bucket out for a few random people.
As he walked towards the bowl he put one bucket inside the other, tipped papers into the glass bowl and walked off stage........with one bucket with some papers in still.
There was then a 30 min break where I reckon Derren memorised stuff. I do think he has a very impressive memory.
When derren came out he never actually pulled any papers out the bowl, he just looked inside the bowl as if he was looking at the names on the outside of the papers. But I reckon the people who's names he said, their papers weren't in that bowl.
The first thing with the girl on the balcony and the dog name. Two weeks before the show I got one of those "research calls". I never get them as I'm on TPS. I declined to continue the call. I've read a theory that this is Derren's researchers calling. They ask you loads of stuff inc pet names. They would have got your name and number from the venue. They pick people at the front of the balcony/dress circle as they're easy to pick out. I had a front row seat in the circle. So he knows that there is a woman, in an age bracket sat in a certain area of the audience. So when she's still standing after he's done the "I need a woman, with a pet, early 20s, etc.....he knows the one still standing in that area has a dog called X."
https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/telly_addicts/2191864-Spill-the-beans-on-Derren-Browns-methods-SPOILERS
Although I can't find it right now, I saw a comment on a news article where an audience member described the same thing. So, generally, an ordinary psychic wouldn't have access to those resources.
Does anyone else have any theories? And, as a secondary question, brought to my mind by this, how can one prevent against hot reading when seeing a psychic? Give a false name and pay in cash?
Does anyone here have any anecdotal evidence of their own experiences with a medium where hot reading can be totally excluded?
I wondered if anyone had any theories regarding Derren Brown's simulated conversations with the dead in his mentalist act. I've seen this shown around a bit as a demonstration of how easy faking mediumistic abilities can be.
I'll admit I was a little psyched out and maybe disheartened slightly seeing how he managed to fake very specific facts about his audience. However, I guess it should also be noted that most mediums don't have the level of resources he has to pull off these elaborate stunts. Also, I saw it noted in the comments of another forum, someone who had been to his show talked about a process where at the start, they were all asked to write details about themselves and a deceased loved one on a piece of paper, most put in one bucket, some in another, which they think then was taken away and the most interesting one memorized.
From Vivalabear:
"Ok, I can spill the beans on the deceased relatives as I was up on stage for one of these with Derren.
We all at the beginning of the interval had to write the name of a loved one who had died, their relation to us and some random facts about the person. We folded the bit of paper up and wrote our name on the outside. An assistant came roud with two buckets to collect our papers.
He held one bucket out 95% of the time but he held the other bucket out for a few random people.
As he walked towards the bowl he put one bucket inside the other, tipped papers into the glass bowl and walked off stage........with one bucket with some papers in still.
There was then a 30 min break where I reckon Derren memorised stuff. I do think he has a very impressive memory.
When derren came out he never actually pulled any papers out the bowl, he just looked inside the bowl as if he was looking at the names on the outside of the papers. But I reckon the people who's names he said, their papers weren't in that bowl.
The first thing with the girl on the balcony and the dog name. Two weeks before the show I got one of those "research calls". I never get them as I'm on TPS. I declined to continue the call. I've read a theory that this is Derren's researchers calling. They ask you loads of stuff inc pet names. They would have got your name and number from the venue. They pick people at the front of the balcony/dress circle as they're easy to pick out. I had a front row seat in the circle. So he knows that there is a woman, in an age bracket sat in a certain area of the audience. So when she's still standing after he's done the "I need a woman, with a pet, early 20s, etc.....he knows the one still standing in that area has a dog called X."
https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/telly_addicts/2191864-Spill-the-beans-on-Derren-Browns-methods-SPOILERS
Although I can't find it right now, I saw a comment on a news article where an audience member described the same thing. So, generally, an ordinary psychic wouldn't have access to those resources.
Does anyone else have any theories? And, as a secondary question, brought to my mind by this, how can one prevent against hot reading when seeing a psychic? Give a false name and pay in cash?
Does anyone here have any anecdotal evidence of their own experiences with a medium where hot reading can be totally excluded?