A question about Acorah.

[Pauliesonne]

On BBCNorthern Ireland last year, a live programme called " Nolan live " had Acorah on it.

Someone rang in and Acorah said some things about the caller that had nothing in common with cold reading.

Now, with the scandals BBC has had with their phone-lines, I know I have good reason not to believe it.

But could there be other explanations?

[Darat]

Hearsay?

[Pauliesonne]

Sorry?

[Darat]

You are wanting an explanation for something that you (apparently) only know about through hearsay - the first step is to find out if an explanation is indeed even required.

[Pauliesonne]

I saw the programme, if that's what you mean.

[AgeGap]

Derek must have fans. If one of his fans rang up he could really go to town. The person who rang up may not be a stranger to Derek. Why was he in NI? Was he promoting a show?

May not be cold reading, it could be hot reading.

[Pauliesonne]

I can't remeber if he was promoting something.

[Darat]

I saw the programme, if that's what you mean.


OK then - so exactly* what was said that you think could not be explained by it being his usual spiel, which is indistinguishable from results obtained by using a range of techniques known as "cold reading" and "hot reading"?

*Can you provide a transcript or a video clip?

[Pauliesonne]

It's been a hell of a long time.

I can't find a video either.

[Darat]

(Your use of colour is making it hard to read your posts by the way.)

If you can't tell us what you want an explanation for how do you expect anyone to be able to give you an explanation?

[pmckean]

Hard to be sure without seeing it, but here's my thoughts in order of (my) probability:

1. He knew the caller, and cheated.

2. The caller just agreed, whether it was true or not.

3. Lucky guesses. Do readings every day and you'll eventually get some uncanny hits through sheer chance.

4. He has a psychic communications link with a spirit guide called Sam who can connect mentally with the caller and then remote view their life; past, present and future. Sam notes some past and future events which are key to the caller's current mental state and relays them to Acorah.

[EHocking]

It's been a hell of a long time.

I can't find a video either.So... This happened "a hell of a long time" ago and you can't recall the details, yet you insist that "Acorah said some things about the caller that had nothing in common with cold reading."

You ask, "But could there be other explanations? "

Poor recollection on you part may be an explanation, since you've not given any examples of extraordinary quotes about the caller by Acorah.

Oh, here's the Nolan site link (http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/nolan/catchuptv/derek_acorah.shtml), if that's any help to find video of the event.

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

Was that not the same programme where a caller started to give Acorah a hard time on the phone?

It rings a bell, but unfortunately is similarly vague in my mind.

[Lothian]

Someone rang in and Acorah said some things about the caller that had nothing in common with cold reading.

But could there be other explanations?How about;

You have an incomplete knowledge of cold reading. Have you ruled out all 38 techniques listed in Ian Rowland's book ?

[Pauliesonne]

How about;

You have an incomplete knowledge of cold reading. Have you ruled out all 38 techniques listed in Ian Rowland's book ?

Is the book still available?

[Big Les]

Yup! (http://www.ianrowland.com/ItemsToBuy/ColdReading/ColdReadingMain1.html)

[Pauliesonne]

Goody.