Today, Dr Chris French, professor at Goldsmith’s Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at the 
University of London announced that:
“The Guardian online’s science pages will, from this week onwards, be featuring regular monthly columns by Simon Singh, PZ Myers of Pharyngula blog, Andy Miah and me. Further details at The Guardian’s page at ‘And Now For Something Completely Different‘”
The same day that Dr Krissy Wilson, former student of Dr Chris French, did her part in Australia to challenge anti-scientific thinking!
A mother claims her eight year old daughter is psychic. There’s tales of imaginary voices. Australia’s Today Tonight current affairs TV show broadcasts it… and we hear all about the little girl who says she can talk to dead things.
Naturally, there’s an associated website, book, links to seminars… but thankfully, the official Today Tonight page doesn’t demonstrate total ignorance of the factual side of these kinds of stories. They feature links to Australian Skeptics and the James Randi challenge -- and have a chance for viewers to learn what the skeptical side is. But there really should be more people talking out about this. See the video for yourself after the page break:
Emily Poynton is her name and Jodiann Poynton is her mother. They weave a pretty, tinkly-music tale of misconception, manipulation and delusion. You’d almost feel empowered enough by all the catch-phrases they use to use some “magical” psychokinesis to throw the strategically-positioned buddah-like icons at the producer of this segment, let alone the mother -- especially around about the point she announces that her child is denied an education ‘because of her magic’.
Thankfully, we can also see how Dr Krissy Wilson of the University of Tasmania, forthrightly speaks out against this practice and gives the skeptical side a hearing too.
Check the 2.37 min mark where a hat-tip to John Edward appears! Eurgh. Thankfully, there’s 3.25, 5.10, 5.36 and 6.08 min appearances of Dr Wilson (including a nice hat-tip to Dr Robert Todd Carroll’s book The Skeptic’s Dictionary):
“We can all talk to dead people. Um, getting them to talk back is the trick!
I’m skeptical of anyone who claims to be psychic. I mean, all the years I’ve been studying and investigating belief in the paranormal and ostensibly paranormal experiences, I’ve never yet come across anything that remotely convinces me -- that any of this is actually real.
The dead always seem to be so happy! You know, why aren’t the dead even remotely annoyed or vexed at being dead? These messages are always so positive!
In this particular case, what I think we’ve got here is the bargain basement of mediumship. I mean, all psychics like to have a gimmick, and this is the perfect gimmick, this is the BINDI IRWIN of the paranormal.
We must never forget, the power of human self-deception. We can be convinced of anything, if we want to believe in it.”
Naturally, Emily has an associated website, book, links to seminars that you saw being touted on the show (complete with OVERT prompting by the mother to do obvious psychic-parlor tricks…) -- and thankfully, you can see for yourself that the official Today Tonight page also features links to Australian Skeptics and the James Randi challenge.
You can leave your comments and queries about the show -- and what you think of it all.
AND you should also send some congratulations to the Guardian newspaper for choosing such excellent additions to their Science writing team at the same time!
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
I can sympathize with that girl. When I was a kid, the carpet in the living room used to turn into invisible quicksand so I had to jump across it and sometimes get help from invisible superman.
One difference: my parents were not insane.
I watched the vid first, then read what you wrote & it’s amazing that we made note of EXACTLY the same things (even the Carroll book!). I just about spit out the water I had in my mouth when she said she was the Bindi Irwin of the paranormal!
Ugh. Poor girl. I remember when My oldest was about that age and insisted that he’d seen a Sea Monster. Imagine if we’d encouraged it rather than let him have a little fun, then remind him that reality & fantasy are not the same.
Thanks for posting this Kylie. It’s something we’re following closely in the Aussie, Kiwi and South Pacific Atheists Group on Atheist Nexus, too. Suggestions are to complain to Today Tonight about running a story which assists a child being exploited for commercial gain, and also to contact Media Watch. What concerns me most is that the child has been so indoctrinated that she is unable to attend a normal school because she is ‘too sensitive’. It is appalling! I hope the Australian Skeptics might join with us in protesting the abuse of this child.
As far as I was concerned the instant Jon Edwards was mentioned without a preceding “that complete bastard” any minimal credibility that they possessed evaporated.
Even with the positive editing that T/T put on this, this isn’t even a particularly good trick. Without the “8 year old” gimmick even the credulous would be leaving this one alone.
Oh, Gazza, they lost me at “guardian angels.” John Edward is easy pickings with a BB gun following that.
Is there a way to investigate Jodianne for child abuse and exploitation?
Hey I am posting on this tonight
@ Khristy, you must have read my mind, very similar to my as yet unpublished post content.
I saw the promo before leaving for work this morning and pondered what I might do with it after watching tonight. Then I found the article at Seven and blogged on that.
Then I find that you’ve already covered it, complete with links to video and everything. Show off
Well, after watching the video (from your link) I had to write a second article.
My favourite line is actually from Matthew White’s introduction:
“We’ve had many psychics and natural healers on Today Tonight. Some have been fair dinkum, but most haven’t”
Can anyone recall the fair dinkum ones? Richard? Anyone?
Is there a way to investigate Jodianne for child abuse and exploitation?
I can’t see how. It’s effectively an issue of “faith”. Hell, if the mother plays her cards right, she might be able to claim a religious tax-free status.
I’ll join the chorus and post the Media Watch and contact form links on my articles too.
Oh, and she spells it “Krissy”.
Sorry, had to do that because you beat me to the story. I won’t be at all surprised if this comment doesn’t make it through moderation though
Oh bugger! Considering I wrote this blog at 1am, after being out all day in the office working and then catching up with two friends (for the first time in… oh, two months?) – well, the message is the same. I’ll correct it in the body of the post. Thanks!
Creepy ethereal shots of the kid…
The mother is also “psychic”?
“Idol” John Edward?
This kid has been deeply socialised into this belief.
It’s child abuse with smiles and protestations of “love”.
Let’s play psychic bingo boys and girls. “Beautiful person”, “Always take care of yourself”, “Perfect person”, “Don’t judge others”, “Do you understand?”
I pity Emily, it’s obvious that Jodiann is a deluded “showbiz mom”, it’s also clear that the girl is being coached and using all the stock answers from Psychics for Dummies.
As for the seminars, clearly a game of Guess Who?, at $25 a head? I wonder if she has an ABN
Apparently the guy that she “reads” at 4.28 in th youtube video is her father this is from an unverified source, but if true, I can not believe how bad the performance was considering it was essentially a play?
People get quite odd when they have the chance to be on the telly, sometimes. I mean, have a look at everyone who bombs out on those reality TV shows? It kind of reminds me of that… :/
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