Sylvia Browne: Oracle or charlatan?

[begin_within]

Poll question: Sylvia Browne: Oracle or charlatan?

The blond-haired woman in her 70s who appears on the Montel Williams show every Wednesday, and answers audience member's questions about family members who died, or what will happen to them in the future, etc. Do you believe in Sylvia?

[blondeatlast]

1. For someone who's supposedly clairvoyant, she has a damn hard time meeting publisher deadlines.

You'd think her "contacts" (snicker) could give her a hand occasionally, but noooooo...

Many of her announced titles never see print, either.

I find that so ironic somehow.

[flamingyouth]

3. Yeah, that is funny.

And she was in Seattle the day before our last big earthquake in Feb. 2001. Oddly, she didn't bother to mention, "Hey, everyone, you're having a 6.8 magnitude earthquake tomorrow!" :D

[blondeatlast]

4. Now THAT I must pass on to my library colleagues!

I might also add that a great many of her books seem to never be returned to the library--I'll have to check when we began issuing library cards to the dearly departed!

At least they seem to pass the Tattlegate with no difficulty...

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Bunny]

2. I'm not terribly impressed with Sylvia's alleged psychic skills, but

I've read a couple of her books regarding the afterlife and reincarnation, and I find them very interesting.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

5. I wish that one of her predictions had come true

She predicted that Bill Bradley would become President in 2000. I wouldn't have objected if that prediction had come true:)

I'm quite skeptical about pyschic powers and everything per se but I try and keep an open mind and balanced perspective. Like another poster here, however, I've read her books about her interpretations of the afterlife and the spirit world and I find them quite interesting and intriguing and in fact she is the only psychic whose writings and works I will seek out to read. I'm willing to give her the time of day

[trof]

8. She also predicted assassination of the president elected in 2000.

I worried about Al Gore.

[idgiehkt]

6. I believe in the powers she says she has

but I don't know if she has them. I don't think she should even answer half of the questions she fields on that show. I like the ones that Johny Edward and James Van Pragh did, about dead people. But 'when will I get married, should i leave my job', etc. Some things I just don't think she knows. I also think her beliefs she expresses are a tad inconsistent, and too informed by Christianity. I think she's a bit of a huckster.

[Left Is Write]

7. I think people who have true psychic powers don't answer questions like...

"When will I get married?" or "Should I leave my job?"

I also don't think they can control what types of visions or premonitions or precognitions they have, and they can't necessarily get the types of impressions people ask them for.

If people could see into the future anything they wanted to see, more psychics would be winning lotteries.

[idgiehkt]

10. wow.

that is a good point about control, and I hadn't thought of that. I have to say, it drives me crazy when a woman will stand up and ask 'when will I get married' and she will go, "in seven year" with no hesitation whatsoever.

[begin_within]

13. If they asked me when they are getting married, or should they quit their job, I would say,

"That's up to you, honey! Why are you even asking me? Ask me about stuff that's not up to you!"

[Orsino]

9. Indistinguishable from a charlatan.

Her "predictions" are either wrong or so vague as to render them meaningless.

[Whoa_Nelly]

11. Other

She's just another classless whore :rofl:

[wildhorses]

12. other--

a very shrewd business woman

[mockmonkey]

14. When is she going to pick up her million?

http://www.randi.org/sylvia/index.shtml

[MrSandman]

15. Other...She is the ...

Blind squirrel that finds the occasional nut.

[diamidue]

16. I used to think she was the real thing

but not any more. Her latest books are just terrible. She is not an educated woman, and some of her statements are laughable. Her predictions record is dismal, and her stints on Montel are embarassing: "You will get married in 5 years to a dark haired man". lol

But, as one poster noted, she is a good business woman and getting very, very rich.

[Evoman]

17. She's a fake. They are all fakes.

I don't believe in this psychic stuff at all.

[begin_within]

18. I knew you were going to say that.

[spacelady]

19. I knew you were going to say that.

I knew I was going to misspell that.

[begin_within]

20. Aha! You're a fake.

[BarenakedLady]

21. Crap

It's all crap, imo.

[philosophie_en_rose]

22. Creepier than John Edward and just as corrupt.

I've seen this woman a million times on previews for Seattle's putrid "Northwest Afternoon" talk show. I've seen her on that show a few times over the years. She clearly pulls things out of her ass. NW Afternoon is live, so she's been called on her shit by the audience.

[Broken_Hero]

28. Everytime I hear the name John Edward, or

S. Browne, I remember a very good South Park episode.....:D

[u4ic]

23. Huckster

Having had some very strange experiences myself, I do not doubt that some people have either incredible intuitive capabilities, or perhaps even some telepathic or precognitive abilities.

I think she's a p.o.s., as far as I'm concerend. A lot of them are. I don't have any problems, quite frankly, with someone who goes to a psychic after a loved one dies, and hears the deceased is 'okay', 'at peace', 'no longer suffering', etc. I think it truly can be comforting for some to hear that.

But when it's every few weeks, major decisions by your psychic/tarot card reader, etc, then it gets a bit too much.

[Ian David]

24. Famous TV Psychic Makes Miner Mistake (Also, The Sylvia Browne Clock is at 279 Weeks and Counting)

Thursday, January 05, 2006
By Roger Friedman
Sylvia Browne | Russian Tea Celebs

Famous TV Psychic Makes Miner Mistake

Controversial TV psychic Sylvia Browne made a major mistake about the West Virginia miners tragedy on a Tuesday night radio show.

<snip>

Maybe Browne was thinking the same thing when she was a guest on George Noory’s live syndicated radio show, "Coast to Coast" at around 3 a.m. on Wednesday. She had the bad luck to be commenting on a developing news story — the mining disaster in West Virginia —- which took a surprise turn.

<snip>

Browne, who had just announced that John McCain would run against John Kerry in the next presidential campaign, was relieved to hear from Noory that all but one of the miners was alive.

Noory: "Had you been on the program today, would have felt if — because they heard no sound — that this was a very gloomy moment — and that they might have all died?"

Browne: "No. I knew they were going to be found. I hate people that say something after the fact. It’s just like I knew when the pope was dead. Thank God I was on Montel’s show. I said, according to the time, it was 9-something and whatever Rome time was. And I said he was gone, and he was."

But the situation was fluid, something Browne — ahem! — obviously didn’t sense despite her claims of being able to speak to the dead, among other things. She couldn’t have imagined that within a short time, the entire story of the miners would change completely — and make her look very foolish indeed.

Noory soon announced that there were new reports that all but one of the miners was dead.

Browne — who was still in the studio taking questions from listeners — had to say something. Now she was just riffing: "I don’t think there’s anybody alive, maybe one. How crazy for them to report that they were alive when they weren’t!" Then she added: "I just don’t think they are alive." She cleared her throat, and there was a deafening pause.

Noory went to a commercial.

But that wasn’t all. Hanging over the show was a feeling of dread that Browne had shown herself to be without psychic ability, just the good sense to be quick and respond to news reports.

More:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,180681,00.html



See also:

The Sylvia Browne Clock is now at 279 Weeks and counting

On September 3, 2001, Sylvia Browne accepted the specific protocol for a definitive test for the JREF million-dollar challenge, on Larry King Live. The box shows the number of weeks since that date. And, it has been more than 303 weeks since she first agreed to be tested on March 6, 2001!

Click here to see video of Sylvia agreeing to be tested. (Quicktime Required)
http://www.randi.org/media/sylviabrowneagrees.mov

More:
http://www.randi.org/sylvia/index.html

[Ian David]

25. Mailbox Funnies - Psychic Edition (From Newshounds

Mailbox Funnies - Psychic Edition
Reported by Nancy - July 21, 2005 -

Last time I compiled the emails we get that are obviously intended for someone else (usually Fox, although sometimes it's hard to tell *who* these writers are trying to contact), a number of them mentioned getting a psychic to investigate the Natalee Holloway case. Well, that flood has not abated. In fact, it's gotten worse.. Herewith, for your reading enjoyment, a batch of these -- as usual, with the original "spelling" & "punctuation" intact, & only the names deleted to protect the ignorant.

Comment: Note how many times the name "Sylvia Browne" comes up. I find it fascinating that writers who can't be bothered sending their emails to the correct people & whose spelling, puncutation & grammar is generally ... well, atrocious (to be kind), can still remember to add an "e" to the end of this psychic's name. And I can't help but wonder if the propensity of Fox Fans to believe in psychics is somehow linked to the propensity of Fox Fans to believe the rubbish Fox feeds them.

<snip>

Date: Jun 30, 2005
Subect: Natalie Holloway
Attn: Geraldo Riviera: There is a legitimate psychic named Sylvia Browne. She is on Montel once a month and on our ABC station in Seattle (Ch.4) once a month. Year after year I have heard her direct people to find a body or person and almost always describe the person or persons who committed the crime. While the Holloways have all these experienced searchers please check on Sylvia Browne - you can check with Montel as to her abilities. She charges for her work and she will not be looking for a trip to Aruba. If you think she may be helpful please tell Beth Twitty about Sylvia Browne. She has a web site also. I have no connection with Mrs. Browne but I would like to help Beth Twitty. Sincerely, *** ***

Date: Jun 24, 2005
Subject: Attn: Greta van Susteren
Please, while Beth has all the sophisticated searchers mention the psyhic "Sylvia Browne" to Beth. Sylvia Browne has a web site. Mrs. Browne is on our local ABC station once a month and every time she is questioned about a missing person she tells the questioner very specific directions as to where to look. I enjoy your show and you are an excellent attorney and friend for Mrs. Twitty. Sincerely, *** ***

More:
http://www.newshounds.us/2005/07/21/mailbox_funnies_psychic_edition.php

[Left Is Write]

26. Gee, I guess they should have consulted her on the Green River Killer case.

Washington authorities and the FBI could have saved themselves 22 years of police work!

[judaspriestess]

27. I had a reading with her son Christopher

nothing has come true yet, BUT I must add that what they see in our future is not necessarily what will happen. Simply put, we can make a decision that will send our lives in a different direction and void everything that was forcasted to us. Same thing with the tarot cards which I am a big fan of.

on edit: I can still see what her son and I talked about happening though, who knows........