James Randi meets Uri Geller in 1999?

Enlighten

Scholar
E
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
112
Anyone have any information about this?

On Monday April 12th 1999, at 9:20 AM New York time, Uri Geller saw James Randi standing with a producer of the American TV program "Inside Edition", outside the cordoned area where magician David Blaine was buried. ...

Uri walked over to James Randi, who was just a few feet away, extending his hand in greeting. Randi refused to shake Uri's hand. Uri asked Randi "why aren't you shaking my hand Randi?" In turn, Randi answered "because I hate your guts". The producer looked a bit embarrassed. All this has been captured on video. All of Uri Geller's attorneys have been notified about this interesting and revealing remark.
Click to expand...

http://www.uri-geller.com/courts.htm
 
Given the history between the two men, how surprising would the remark be (assuming it was made)? If someone had sued me, and it had cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars to defend myself, I doubt I would have a much better reaction to their attempt to shake my hand.

And if Randi had something like "Because you're a talentless hack and a fraud," Uri would have run crying to his attorneys yet again.
 
Agreed. I'd refuse to shake Uri's hand too, and he's never sued me. I just think he's a cock and I don't want to touch him.

However, I think "I hate your guts" is a bit inelegant. I think Randi could come up with something better than that.
 
The link to Uri's page says that Shipi Shtrang, his brother in law, was "filming the event on a professional sony video camera."

If I was Uri Geller, I would upload that video to YouTube or my own homepage and link it from that court page. Hm...
 
Don't buy into Uri Geller's press.

It doesn't tell us anything about Randi's behavior. It only shows that Uri Geller is utterly shameless.

Uri Geller will do anything for a photo-op. Even pretend that there are no bad feelings between him and Randi, at least not from Uri Geller's side.

Until you read what else Uri Geller has to say about Randi.

Uri Geller is utterly shameless.
 
On Monday April 12th 1999, at 9:20 AM New York time

<< SNIP >>

All of Uri Geller's attorneys have been notified about this interesting and revealing remark.
Click to expand...

1999? I'm really glad to see Mr. Geller's lawyers are working as efficiently as usual.

:snicker:
 
I think Randi would think of a beter thing than "I hate you guts" I would imagin him saying "I'll shake you hand whe you win the million dollar challenge." Or something along those lines
 
No. I hate your guts is perfectly reasonable.

Why are lawyers involved? Telling someone you hate there guts is probably not actionable.
 
Gord_in_Toronto said:
1999? I'm really glad to see Mr. Geller's lawyers are working as efficiently as usual.

:snicker:
Click to expand...

I have been informed that in some countries, Mr Geller has been declared a nuisance to litigation and would struggle to bring another suit.
 
Last edited:
It seems like Randi is really desperate to continue the fued after all these years.
 
Gee, I heard the story go the other way. At one of Geller's demonstrations, Mr. Randi (in disguise, lest Geller's buds have him physically removed from the premises) managed to shake Geller's hand without Geller realizing what was going on.

That Mr. Randi would refuse Geller's hand is only slightly more credible than Geller's offering his own.

The "I hate your guts" remark--while in character for a third-grader--hardly seems to be Mr. Randi's style. Off the top of my head, I can think of half a dozen funnier and more biting ways to tell Uri to kiss off, and I'd be surprised if Mr. Randi didn't have a few ready-made brush-off cracks in his arsenal.
 
"I hate your guts" is actually a quite clever comeback if you think about it. What's remarkable is not what the statement is, but what it's not.

1. It's not a value judgment (You're a phony, etc.) that could be considered defamation
2. It's not a threat (I wish you were dead, I'd like to beat you silly)
3. Cannot be stretched to represent the opinion of the JREF or anyone else but Randi (Everyone hates your guts)
4. Is not profane (all G-rated words there!)
5. Does not incite violence (as a long tirade involving all the other available G-rated words would)
6. Succinct, to the point, and easy to hit-and-run without truly causing a ruckus that might lead to further court cases with Mr. Geller (although they are probably inevitable)

I think "I hate your guts" is an adequate response.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom