Totally agree. The stunts he pulls off are very impressive and have required years of practice.
Ahh, but are they? Did they? (And which?
) Or do they just require a steady stream of psychology or media students to act as accomplices?
Back in the first series, he did a trick where he had people hold one of their hands over his hands, while he sat behind a screen. He'd then announce whether they were holding their left hand or right hand over his.
Pretty impressive huh? And we know he's a good guy because he was using "psychological techniques" and even giving his reasoning, things like "you'll want to start with something obvious, like the right hand" or "you'll try and trick me by giving your left hand", "you'll try and break the pattern by using your left hand again."
But all the while, sitting to the side where he could see both Derren and the other participant (and signal to Derren), was the "scientist" with the clipboard and the white coat.
Yes, stage magicians "lie" to you at all the time, by performing seemingly magical feats with the implicit understanding (hopefully) that the audience knows it's a trick. But Derren does his best to imply that he's worked for years at developing these subtle, non-magical, powers of the mind (raises an eyebrow and stares mesmerically).
On the woman at the window commanding people to stop, if that was for real and it was down to editing they would have to be their for
days before someone stopped and turned around exactly on cue.
On the voodoo woman, the way she finally cracked her mouth open to talk when told she could make it look like she'd been caught playing along and was probably embarrassed to have been so silly. What saves face, admitting you were playing along because you were desperate not to disappoint Derren and the crew (and that confession wouldn't air anyway), or pretending you were psychologically tricked by someone with a superior understanding of the mystery that is the human mind (cue spooky music)?
I find myself pretty strongly agreeing with Ian (although I wouldn't place much emphasis on the difference between stage and TV). I might even find what DB does a little offensive. Same way I'd find a David Copperfield trick offensive if I found out it worked solely because he had a stooge. Not that using a stooge is an "unacceptable" way of assisting the performance of a trick, but it shouldn't be the be all and end all. No skill in that.
And I still say no-one recites the Litany Against Fear when they get spooked
David
Edit: well, turns out I'm wrong about the Litany Against Fear - there's at least one person out there who does recite it when spooked 
And yeah, I wouldn't equate Derren with Sylvia Brown, but I think he's closer to her than David Copperfield is.
It was all a cheat. I think it's disgusting.