by Wendy M Grossman | posted on 25 May 2007 (in newswireless.net.)
For a time in the late 1980s and early 1990s you hadn’t arrived as a skeptic until you’d been sued by Uri Geller. The person who bore the brunt of most of the lawsuits was, of course, James Randi, the escape artist, stage magician, and paranormal investigator.
I never got beyond threats – yet. On the first occasion, it was when I wrote a news story for New Scientist about the Randi/Geller law suits. I seem to recall a lawyer’s letter, but the details are hazy by now.
Geller’s brother-in-law, Shipi Shtrang, also wrote to the magazine objecting to my work on ethical grounds, calling me a promoter for Randi. That was a little sticky until the editor realized Shtrang’s connection to Geller. I am, of course, not now nor have ever been a promoter or publicist for Randi, though I admire much of his work.
The second time was the green room before a TV show on which Geller and I were both booked appearing. Practically Geller’s first words to me were: “If you print lies about me in your magazine, I will sue you for a quarter of a million pounds.” A researcher saw us and bustled over. “Everything all right?” he said. “Oh, yes,” said Geller. “We’re just having a friendly conversation.” (That’s his idea of friendly?)