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John Edward transcript - the mind boggles...

Anna Karenina

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Dec 15, 2008
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I didn't know about cold reading until watching the Penn & Teller and then the Richard Dawkings pieces on psychics, before then I would watch and be impressed by the psychic's 'ability' but never believed that it was paranormal - I always thought there was a rational explanation. Now I know about cold reading I can't believe I never picked it up before!! The more I watch the more it is obvious. I also realised that if me, a complete skeptic never picked up the cold-reading before it was pointed out to me then what chance do these grieving and desperate people have.

I took the time to type up a short transcript of a reading with Ronn Moss (some guy from Bold and Beautiful..)..which Ross was very impressed with. No idea why. I counted only ONE thing that Edward didn't cold read and even this was just a good general guess.

* apologies in advance for the typos with spelling and grammar in here but Edward talks so damn fast I couldn't be bothered editing it :)

I couldn't post the youtube link but just go and type in john edward ronn moss and it's the first hit.

E - Edward
M - Moss

E: Biological Father has passed..your dad's passed?

M: Yes

E: Cause your dad’s coming through first [well then why didn't Edward just say that, why did he ask him], he’s making me feel like, I don’t know if he had a chance to see some of your success, was he not a supportive man when it came to your work?

M: No

E: No right [acting like it was his idea], he wanted u to go in a completely different direction, or he thought you were to go in a completely different direction [well obviously, if he wasn't supportive which Moss has already indicated, he would have wanted him to go in a different direction]

M:He always said, something else was goin...

E: He’s making me feel pink roses, and when I see pink roses it’s a way of expressing their love to you..but he’s got thorns on them..so when I see thorns on the roses it lets me know that in life your dad might not have been able to express himself to you emotionally, i don’t feel like he gives enough, i just don’t feel like he gives the ‘good job...I’m proud of you’ [Obviously again, Moss has already indicated that his father was not supportive, clearly someone who isn't supportive isn't going to talk about being proud of you]. Instead of feeling like the ‘that’s my son’ feeling, there was the ‘well what about me’ now..now all that sounds very negative, your dad wasn’t that negative a person but im just giving you the feelings of how he’s coming across to me.

M: Ok

E: He’s almost met up with either his sister or your mum cos he’s bringing through the female figure who’s coming through [Well who is it Edward..you are psychic after all...he is hedging his bets here because statistically either the mother or the auntie would possibly have also passed away, given the age - Moss is in his mid 50s]. This woman has a different energy for me, as your family is coming through to me they’re actually impressing upon me that as connected as you are they’re still disconnected, and I think that’s not just a them thing, I think that’s a you thing, i think you’ve insulated yourself so much..literally [nothing more than a good guess...Moss seems quite shy and reserved if this interview is anything to go by..people like that tend to insulate themselves]

M: Oh absolutely.

E: That you sometimes don’t get the energy coming through to you and you question it when it’s already there but their concern, specifically your mothers concern, is the disconnect that maybe you had from the brother figure or the disconnect that maybe you might be having within relationships here [nice out - if it's not his brother then he has idenitifed that it might just be other relationships...what a load of general crap, and most people have problems with either their siblings or other relationships]..that’s the big issue..the big issue is about relationships now..but there’s such a fear you have about people leaving you that you keep them almost over there or over there (motions) right where you can see them, never behind you, never never behind you, because then you can’t see what theyre doing and u have to be on top of everything at all times because you need to know emotionally and mentally exactly where you stand, be very careful of that because the universe will trip you up in a big, big way because we’re here as a lesson and the big message here is to be connected in the moment of it [connected in the moment of it? Nice vague new age babbling *******] so that you learn from it so that you don’t have to complete the same thing over again...did somebody just pass? [Again, Moss is in his mid 50s chances are he has a relative who has passed recently..auntie, uncle, friend etc...]

M: In my life?

E: Somebody just passed..is that the brother figure?

M: No..? [lol..statistical guess fail]

E: Who is the most recent passing for you?

M: Darlene..on my show

E: I’ll have to put her on hold for one second [he says put her on hold like he has made a spiritual connection with her, he didn't even know about her he had to be told]...did you come with somebody else? [oh just in case his driver or his assistant or whoever has someone who has recently died..so lame]
Like bring anyone with u?

M: Yes

E: Did they just recently lose somebody?

(girlfriend Devon called in)

E: Is this in the last year? [obviously, because you asked about recently..recently would mean in the last year]

Devon: yeah..six months

E: And he’d be responsible for this then correct?

Devon: yes..

E: He was driving or ??..[notice the framed question]

Devon: Yes, he was driving, it was an accident

E: But when somebody goes like this to me (motions) it’s like they’re taking on the responsibility for how it happens...so it’s as if he’s letting me know that, you know, speeding or whatever the case was that he takes on the responsibility like, how this takes place. [not really getting it right so he changes track quickly] The person on your show that just passed, this was someone who just passed like in the last couple of months right?

M: Mumble... weeks

E: Can I ask you something personal? [doesn't pause to see if he can]..Was it very uncomfortable for you to go see her? [Again, hedging his bets, obviously it is often uncomfortable in some way to see someone who is dying...uncomfortable could also be extended to mean painful, not just awkward]

M: Not really... [lol]

E: Let me say this then, I’m getting the feeling about somebody having fear..and being very uncomfortable about confronting this person while they’re ill. I feel like I’m supposed to say it’s ok, it’s ok

M: I got that one [again, very general. good chance that SOMEONE was scared and uncomfortable about this cast member dying...it's a death!!!]

E: Like an authority person on ur show, not on camera, but somebody behind the scenes...she’s making me feel like u need to thank them for what they’re doing..not what’s been done... what they’re doing...I don’t know if they’re dealing with the character in some way differently [well obviously..the frigging actor is DEAD]..or if they’re creating a whole other storyline as a result of that [again...obviously...she's dead!! they'll have to change the storyline] but she’s very excited that her essence is gonna open up the door for something completely different.

M: That’s very cool. They’re gonna keep her on as if they haven’t gone away, they’re gonna keep her in the story..that was a wonderful thing and I think she may not have known that.

E: They’re not recasting the role? [another question...]

M: They’re not gonna say she’s passed on, and she’s just gonna be off somewhere doing something so that character will still be present

E: The feeling that I have, is that I'm gonna have some better storylines now that I'm dead than I did when I was here (laughter) [no way of verifying this..all complete speculation..also interesting that this spirit can make jokes but couldn't say her own name or tell Edward who she was at first]...I will kind of go out a little bit further than where they are now and say that they are going to write this character out but in a very very big way [just a guess..any tv columnist could speculate the same], and I feel that’s what’s going to open up something else, something else, I don’t think that they’re going to replace this character in some way.

M: They can’t...

E: If you can let the kids/cast? know that she came through...
And again going back to your dad as best as I can say is that hopefully you will be able to find a little closure in letting that go and knowing that there he can look at things differently and that he’s not playing the same role as when he was here and that he can have a level of appreciation and understanding and acceptance that he didn’t jave when he was here..and he understands and he gets that.


So..I counted one hit (about the car accident..and really, it was just a good guess), three complete misses, and the rest was really like a second rate therapy session about getting closure from his dad.

The strangest thing was that when they did the post-reading interview of Moss he seemed really, really happy with the reading.

Anyway..these people make me really F*&^ing angry. I want them all to be exposed, when I see people break down over their dead children on these shows I just want to stab these self-proclaimed psychics in the frontal lobes for pissing all over these people's memories.

Anyway, this is my first post although I've been reading for a while and am I massive fan of Randi...nice to meet you all

Anna
 
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Welcome!

Nice transcript, and nice commentary (and it's in purple, my favorite color, whee!).
 
Walk-throughs of psychic readings are very effective: People have time to see what is actually happening, instead of trying to keep up with the often speedy delivery of cold reading that phonies like John Edward is particularly good at.


11 Techniques To Talk To The Dead, Part 1
Analysis of Transcript Excerpts of James Van Praagh (JVP) "readings" done on the "Larry King Live" show.​

11 Techniques To Talk To The Dead, Part 2
Continuing examination of techniques possibly used by "psychic mediums" in their performances, this time of 19 of John Edward "readings" done on the "Larry King Live" show.​

11 Techniques To Talk To The Dead, Part 3
Continuing examination of techniques possibly used by "psychic mediums" in their performances, this time of some of Sylvia Browne's "readings" done on the "Larry King Live" show.​
 
This is probably a good place to link to something I mentioned earlier with respect to that individual who calls himself John Edward:
I am reminded of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part I, (Act 3, Scene 1) in which Hotspur is trying to forge an alliance with Glendower. Hotspur is something of a hot-head, and Glendower is something of a blowhard. Glendower makes a series of claims, and Hotspur basically labels them as B.S. Although Hotspur may have been on good skeptical ground, he angered a person he was trying to make his ally:
GLENDOWER. ... [A]t my nativity
The front of heaven was full of fiery shapes,
Of burning cressets; and at my birth
The frame and huge foundation of the earth
Shaked like a coward.

HOTSPUR. Why, so it would have done at the same season, if
your mother's cat had but kittened, though yourself
had never been born.
...
GLENDOWER. I can call spirits from the vasty deep.

HOTSPUR. Why, so can I, or so can any man;
But will they come when you do call for them?
So a person says he can talk to the dead. Why, so can I, or so can any man; but will they answer when I do talk to them?
It is also appropriate, I expect, to make reference to an April Fools post I made, John Edward Forms JERF, in which I suggested what kind of information Edward might be able to convey if he REALLY could do what he claims:
Instead of getting messages from the great beyond such as "I'm happy," "Forgive me for making your life miserable," and "Don't worry about the money," it would be peachy if Edward were to receive some information that actually was useful. Personally, I think he ought to talk to some of the great minds in chemistry and atomic physics to find an efficient technique for using sunlight to produce hydrogen by hydrolysis. (Current techniques are not very efficient or easy to implement.)

If he were to do this, he would be entitled to the full profits earned from the discovered technique, as dead people have no rights.... The rewards to Edward would be enormous; the Nobel prize would be a virtual lock; and the JREF prize would be chicken feed in comparison.
 
After having read Ian Rowlands "Full Facts Book of Cold Reading", vanishing negatives scream out from cold reading transcripts. Very clever method of ensuring 100% accuracy for the particular question posed.

In case anyone missed it, here it is in the John Edward transcript:


E: Cause your dad’s coming through first, he’s making me feel like, I don’t know if he had a chance to see some of your success, was he not a supportive man when it came to your work?

M: No

E: No right , he wanted u to go in a completely different direction, or he thought you were to go in a completely different direction


And here's what I'm sure it would have looked like if the answer to the question were "Yes, he was":


E: Cause your dad’s coming through first, he’s making me feel like, I don’t know if he had a chance to see some of your success, was he not a supportive man when it came to your work?

M: Yes, he was.

E: Because, I get the impression he feels like he did as much as he could as a father and tried to support you as much as he could.


As long as the correct subtle phrasing of the initial question is ambiguous, you could take it in either direction. A little difficult to express in text, but if you read the initial question out loud and play around with the tone and emphasis on specific words, you can change the impression of what it is you are asking. Fascinating technique in practice!
 
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Ronn Moss's Wiki page.

I'm amazed that celebrities fall for psychics' scams. Their lives are an open book yet they probably think "How could he have known that?"

You don't even need to be a celebrity. This past summer I was trying to get in touch with a woman who is a casual acquaintance of mine. She lives next door to a friend of mine. Rather than calling my friend to get her number, I just Googled her name. In addition to her phone number, I got a treasure-trove of info about her. I got her maiden name, where she works, the high school she and her husband both went to (they were probably high school sweethearts) and the fact that they were originally from out of state. And I got it all in a matter of seconds. A psychic could use this info to put together a pretty convincing reading.

Steve S.
 
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And if anyone pays for their tickets in advance with a credit card (the usual method), thus revealing to the "psychic" weeks in advance the precise names and addresses of who will be in the audience at any performance, it becomes a case of simple hot reading. Combined with the fact most audience members want to be there because they have some serious issue needing resolution (a death, someone missing, etc), that gives even more clues to the research team. For example, Google the credit card name and look for recent death notices. Find a match, cross-check to ensure it does indeed relate to the correct person, note a few relevant personal details from the eulogy, etc, and we have the basis of an "amazing crossing-over to a dear departed".

All too easy...
 
I've found that actually explaining cold reading and showing students how its done in schools is a fantastic way to prep them for this. I always preface it with 'I don't know if he does it this way, or if he really is psychic...but if nobody can tell the difference between the two, what use are psychic powers?'. It proves to be a strong wake-up call for the kids.

Nice to see another Aussie on board. Bris-vegas, too, hey? Queensland does seem to breed some good skeptics.

Athon
 
Combined with the fact most audience members want to be there because they have some serious issue needing resolution (a death, someone missing, etc)...


Psychic: I'm being drawn over here <vaguely points to a quarter of the studio audience, about 80 people who have paid good money to be connected to a lost loved one>, I'm getting a male figure who passed from cancer.

Person in audience: My father died of cancer.

Audience: Gasp!


:jaw-dropp
 
I remember seeing Ian Ziering (he was on 90210 and some daytime soap) with one of these "psychics". The psychic asked if his mother was in Florida, and Ziering replied "no, my mother has passed".

Even after that major screw-up, Ziering commented that he had received a great reading. I was truly stunned.
 
Lol I first watched the south park episode that ridicules psychics and john edward in particular last night - it's from season 6 and called the biggest douch in the universe. I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it because it quite cleverly rips the method they use to shreds (and is also damn funny). The website surfthechannel has links to it.

also - Hi Athon fellow brisbanite :) Where abouts in Bris are you from??
 
Western suburbs. *ahem* Although I escaped, and now live in Canberra working for CSIRO (see link in my signature). I only return to Queensland a couple of times a year, for Xmas etc.

I'm always interesting in seeing how people progress into the skeptic subculture. Hope you stick around.

It's a shame Australia has to borrow so many whack jobs like JE. You'd think we'd have our own fair share of scam artists, and we wouldn't have to import.

Athon
 
Hi Anna Karenina I love reading these transcripts. I've done several articles myself and the readings are usually the best. I once counted how many questions JE asked in several short readings. From between 3 and 6 minutes (depending on reading) he asked twenty something questions. All these were asked within a short space of the reading time as well. And he definitely deserves the award for speed talking too.

I just don't understand why people cannot see through this man at all. I mean there are many frauds out there but this guy is at the top of the worst ever. Mind you anyone who takes advantage of the grieving and vulnerable are among the lowest in my opinion anyway.
 
At the top of the page you'll see a section labeled "Tags". Currently it has one tag - "John Edward". If you click on that, you will go to a screen that shows all threads that have the same tag.
 
Welcome Anna. Really good post. I'm often in Brisbane, but the humidity is a killer right now. Stick around the forum. We aussies have quite a presence here, particularly when it's late at night in the USA.
 

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