In the 1970’s the American government received word that Russia was investing heavily in the research and development of para-psychological phenomena. Not only that, but their intelligence – which was likely intended to mislead them – suggested that they were increasing their budget from an already whopping 60 million rubles. Keep in mind, these were Cold War times, so the U.S. was determined to beat Russia at everything.
The United States government began funding CIA projects to invest in ESP testing and uncover paranormal abilities. They launched a program called “Scannate” at Stanford University where they brought in well known psychics and tested their claims.
One of the most popular psychics was rocketing to stardom – his name was Uri Geller, a soft-spoken Israel who invoked the help of God to perform his stunts.
The common feats Uri performed involved bending spoons and visualizing images that a subject known as a “sender” concentrated on. In a 2017 interview with Good Morning Britain, Geller claimed that the CIA had requested him to investigate a Russian embassy using remote viewing and solve the mystery of JFK’s assassination.
The most infamous moment of Uri Geller’s career, however, occurred during his appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Unknown to Geller, Carson had contacted former magician and skeptic James Randi.
Carson himself had experience with magic and doubted Geller’s psychic claims. He contacted James Randi and asked for instruction on how to keep Geller honest. James Randi insisted that Johnny provide the instruments for the tricks and keep Geller and his crew away from them prior to his performance. Randi believed Geller was performing cheap magic – and the spoons were already bent before he went on stage.
Johnny Carson’s control of the objects prior to Geller’s appearance seemed to pay off – Geller was unable to demonstrate a single telepathic ability during his 20 minutes of onscreen time. It was unforgettably awkward and put the brakes on Geller’s exploding popularity. Nonetheless, Uri Geller continues to be known worldwide as a legitimate psychic and convince many of his paranormal abilities.
My short film “Doctor with the Red Houseware” involves a cult that employs the use of astral projection for communication with an otherworldly being. Feel free to check out the trailer below if that’s of interest to you.
Thomas M. Watt 