What's entertaining about being deceived?

[kerfer]

There's a lot that's entertaining about being deceived, and Randi, of all folks should know that!

That's part of what I find so entertaining about magic and magicians. I know that they are trying to fool me, and they always do, even though I sometimes try to watch them trying to deceive me to see if I can catch them. But alas, I never do, they always fool me, and I wonder "How did they fool me like that? That's amazing, and funny." :cool:

So there is entertainment in being deceived...but I guess part of it is know that you are being tricked.

[Monketey Ghost]

Asked and answered!

Yah, I love magicians, and have always wanted to figure out the tricks. At the same time, there's a part of me that enjoys not knowing. That part of all of us that is passive, I suppose.

[thaiboxerken]

Originally posted by kerfer

So there is entertainment in being deceived...but I guess part of it is know that you are being tricked.

Magicians tell their audience that they are being decieved, so most people don't believe that it's all a trick. For some reason, many people believe that John Edward and other "gifted" people really do have superpowers. The strange thing is, John Edward and others DO tell their audience that the show if "for entertainment purposes only." So, like the magicians, the "psychics" tell people that it's a trick. Why people believe it's not is rather weird.

[Segnosaur]

Originally posted by thaiboxerken

So, like the magicians, the "psychics" tell people that it's a trick. Why people believe it's not is rather weird.

Could be because when they are "told" its a trick, its via a note very small print for a very short amount of time in the middle of a list of credits that nobody ever reads. (At least on TV anyways.)

However, I wonder... When JE or Syliva appear on somthing like Larry King or Montel, do they ever give the same "for educational purposes" warning?

[Temporal Renegade]

Sort of like the Psychic Hotlines advertised on late-night TV...they put in small print it's 'for entertainment purposes only', but the people on screen lead you to believe that they're for real.

Does anyone feel sorry for someone who *knows* they're being misled, but still follows them anyway? For example, someone on JE's show, who state they're not really fooled by this, but who still cry & act all surprised when he 'gets the call from beyond'?

[Psi Baba]

I don't think the "for entertainment purposes only" disclaimers are any admission that these psychic's performances are merely "tricks." They are most likely instructed by their legal counsel to state that as a way to cover their butts if they are sued because someone acted on their advice or statements and came to some harm. That gives them an out.

[thaiboxerken]

Originally posted by Psi Baba
I don't think the "for entertainment purposes only" disclaimers are any admission that these psychic's performances are merely "tricks." They are most likely instructed by their legal counsel to state that as a way to cover their butts if they are sued because someone acted on their advice or statements and came to some harm. That gives them an out.

You're reading into something that is not apparent. "For entertainment purposes only" is a clear admission that it is just a show for fun.

[Stumpy]

In the UK there are television guidelines that prevent mediums being shown on the terrrestrial channels (mercifully!). They are allowed on cable TV but there is no requirement to issue a disclaimer.
Is there any similar guideline in the US? Are the JE production company legally obliged to issue the "entertainment only" guideline? Does Van Praagh feature the same disclaimer? Has the validity of the email from the production company been checked?
I highlighted the production company email regarding the JE show on a UK based woo-woo message board - OUCH!! Apparently the article is invalid because it is featured on the Randi Site! The same rules don't apply to material sourced from the Zammit site, which apparently has inpeachable credentials!!?!

Stumpy

[reprise]

When "psychic" shows air here, they have the "for entertainment purposes only" disclaimer attached. They also have a "portions of this programme may have been edited" disclaimer.

My guess is that as they are produced for an international market, the general disclaimer stops them running into problems in those nations where "fortune-telling" and the like is legally restricted.

And yes, ads for psychic hotlines (and feng shui hotlines, and astrology hotlines - but not phone sex hotlines) all have the "entertainment" disclaimer featured in same small print which discloses the cost.

[thaiboxerken]

Is there any similar guideline in the US? Are the JE production company legally obliged to issue the "entertainment only" guideline? Does Van Praagh feature the same disclaimer? Has the validity of the email from the production company been checked?


I don't think they are legally required to have the "entertainment only" disclaimer at all. The reason they do have it is to cover their asses just in-case someone is stupid enough to believe the show and gets hurt because of it.

Think of it like this, you run a scam or a con on someone and they get angry.. they sue you and you lose lots of money. Now, you add a disclaimer to your con/scam and inform your victim that what you do is for entertainment only. Now the victim has no case, as the victim was informed that it's all make-believe.