Magician James Randi, whose daring escapes were later eclipsed by his work as the country’s foremost skeptic, has died
Magician James Randi, whose daring escapes were later eclipsed by his work as the country’s foremost skeptic, has died.
The Florida-based James Randi Educational Foundation announced its founder died Monday at 92.
As The Amazing Randi, the performer escaped from a locked coffin submerged in water and from a straitjacket as he dangled over Niagara Falls. But it was his later work that he was most proud of, shedding a light on psychics, faith healers and others he believed were conning the public.
Most notably, in 1972 he worked with Johnny Carson to help set up Uri Geller, who claimed to bend spoons with his mind. Randi ensured the spoons and other props were kept from Geller’s hands until his “Tonight Show” appearance to prevent tampering. The result was an agonizing 22 minutes in which Geller was unable to perform any tricks.
Randi’s namesake foundation later started a $1 million prize for anyone able to prove supernatural abilities.
It was never claimed.