I work for a tv show in a writer’s office and I hear a lot of passionate woo belief, often on a daily basis. Everything from astral projection to the absolute health benefits of bad tea. What is interesting is many of my co-workers know some famous “psychic” figures personally. A couple writers knew James Van Praugh (sp?) and professed deep belief in him. Unfortunately I didn’t feel I could pry too deeply on this loyalty as he had just given one of them comfort on the recent loss of a loved one. Something about tennis shoes just blew her away and she was convinced she was receiving a message fffrrrrroooommm bbbeeeyyyooonnndddd. She was so extremely nice I shut my mouth about it. I did confess to them I thought he was a creep, though.
Sometimes I do get my giggles in. Once we were doing an episode on gypsies (my show has lots of magic and mythology) and we hired a, no kidding, gypsy technical advisor. I took the opportunity to mention to one of our more wooish? writers that I had always wanted to be cursed by a gypsy and would offer up some blood or hair or whatever and the fun could start. She was seriously frightened by what I said, and told me not to even joke about such things. The idea made her so uncomfortable I had to drop it. 6 months later I had to have a minor operation for kidney stones (which I’ve had for years) and she’s giving me the “I told you so” nods.
Not all are into new-age stuff, and one writer I worked with was friends with Penn and we had lunch with him at the office. It was interesting, I’ll say. The nodder above hated him almost upon sight and Penn proceeded to be as offense, in a fun, charming-only-to-himself kind of way, as possible. Ah, to have lunch with one of your heroes and have him talk about Ron Jeremy's slong for an hour -- just paradise.
I do seem to be in a serious minority when it comes to being a skeptic in this business. I often wonder if I hurt myself by opening my big fat mouth. Lots of these people go on to powerful positions. I try to keep a happy-go-lucky attitude when discussing my views, not that they ask anymore.
Sometimes I do get my giggles in. Once we were doing an episode on gypsies (my show has lots of magic and mythology) and we hired a, no kidding, gypsy technical advisor. I took the opportunity to mention to one of our more wooish? writers that I had always wanted to be cursed by a gypsy and would offer up some blood or hair or whatever and the fun could start. She was seriously frightened by what I said, and told me not to even joke about such things. The idea made her so uncomfortable I had to drop it. 6 months later I had to have a minor operation for kidney stones (which I’ve had for years) and she’s giving me the “I told you so” nods.
Not all are into new-age stuff, and one writer I worked with was friends with Penn and we had lunch with him at the office. It was interesting, I’ll say. The nodder above hated him almost upon sight and Penn proceeded to be as offense, in a fun, charming-only-to-himself kind of way, as possible. Ah, to have lunch with one of your heroes and have him talk about Ron Jeremy's slong for an hour -- just paradise.
I do seem to be in a serious minority when it comes to being a skeptic in this business. I often wonder if I hurt myself by opening my big fat mouth. Lots of these people go on to powerful positions. I try to keep a happy-go-lucky attitude when discussing my views, not that they ask anymore.
