Criticism of Sylvia Browne

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Sylvia Browne is a bestselling American author on the subject of spirituality who describes herself as a psychic and medium. She has been involved in numerous controversies regarding her claims and predictions. Her critics claim that she is a cold reader. She has had a long running feud with noted skeptic James Randi who has pointed out that her readings are indistinguishable from those achieved by mentalists using cold reading and hot reading techniques.

Contents 1 Introduction to predictions 2 Criticism by Gary Dufresne, Browne's first husband 3 Psychic detective 4 Sago Mine controversy 5 Criticism by James Randi 5.1 Browne's responses to Randi 6 The Montel Williams Show controversies 6.1 Missing persons 6.1.1 Opal Jo Jennings 6.1.2 Lynda McClelland 6.1.3 Ryan Katcher 6.1.4 Shawn Hornbeck 6.2 Misc. 6.2.1 9/11 Firefighter 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Introduction to predictions

Although Browne has made many public predictions, according to James Randi her accuracy rate has been no better than educated guessing.^[1] Among her predictions, that Bill Clinton was falsely accused in the Lewinsky scandal (proved incorrect), that George H. W. Bush would defeat Bill Clinton in the 1992 U.S. presidential election (Bush lost), that Bill Bradley would win the 2000 U.S. presidential election with the Reform Party coming in second,^[2] the "hiding in caves" of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein (found in a spider hole in the ground), the death of bin Laden (later reported by the Central Intelligence Agency as incorrect), a verdict of "guilty" in the 2005 child molestation trial of Michael Jackson^[3], and the cure and prevention of breast cancer by the end of 1999, ^[4]. Browne appeared on CNN's Larry King Live eight days before the September 11, 2001 attacks and failed to predict the event,^[5] but after the fact claimed she had disturbing dreams involving a lot of fire in the week preceding the attack. She also stated on The Montel Williams Show's New Years Predictions that Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston would have a baby, that year.

Of her predictions that might be considered accurate, many look like "no-brainers" (Examples from the list of predictions for the 21st century cited above: "Elizabeth Taylor ends up back at the Betty Ford Center."; "Neither Warren Beatty nor Donald Trump has any success in politics."; "Air travel reaches an all-time high, but because of overbookings and poor service, the airlines will need to revamp their scheduling practices.").

[edit] Criticism by Gary Dufresne, Browne's first husband

Gary Dufresne was married to Sylvia Browne from 1959 to 1972, and is father of their son, Christopher Dufresne, who also claims psychic ability. On February 10, 2007 Dufresne was interviewed by Robert Lancaster, curator of StopSylviaBrowne.com, and said he does not think Sylvia or Christopher have any paranormal abilties.^[6] Moreover, he says both have admitted to lacking the abilities they claim, but both Christopher and Sylvia said the gullible deserve to be taken advantage of.^[6] Dufresne has called in question her claims about the development of her claimed abilities, her alleged master's degree saying her claim is "a fraudulent lie!," and says the two are only bilking money out of desperate people in crisis.^[6]

[edit] Psychic detective

Browne has often spoken of working with the police and FBI as a psychic detective. The Skeptics Dictionary offers a rebuttal to this claim, ^[7] quoting an article which appeared in the media watchdog magazine, Brill's Content, which examined Browne's work as a psychic detective over a span of 35 cases.

In 21, the details were too vague to be verified. Of the remaining 14, law-enforcement officials or family members involved in the investigations say that Browne had played no useful role.

—Brill's Content

[edit] Sago Mine controversy

An incident involving Browne on January 3, 2006, on the U.S. radio program Coast to Coast AM with George Noory, is evidence of her deception and fraud.^[8] The incident, which was broadcast live, involved Browne making her predictions for 2006. Browne and Noory were discussing the nature of her psychic premonitions, when Noory brought up the topic of the then unfolding 2006 Sago Mine disaster.

At the time it was believed, due to erroneous news reports, that 12 of the 13 trapped miners had been found alive. When Noory asked Browne if she had had any psychic premonitions regarding the men, she stated that she had known they would be found. Later in the program it was revealed that the earlier news reports has been incorrect, and only 1 of the men was now believed to have survived. At this point Browne contradicted her earlier statement, stating that "I don't really think there's anybody alive".^[9]

Browne later claimed that she never specifically stated that the miners would be found alive, only that they would be found, and insisted that she was referring to the bodies of the dead miners being found.

Critics, however, did not buy this argument and were scathing in their attacks on Browne, with FOX News reporter, Roger Friedman, reporting the story in a highly critical piece entitled, "TV Psychic Misses mark on Miners".^[10] Skeptic James Randi wrote on his website "For anyone not familiar with the methods of these charlatans, this would appear to be a calamitous failure, a blow-out, a total screw-up - but not to anyone familiar with the callous lies of Sylvia Browne".^[11]

[edit] Criticism by James Randi

James Randi has been a frequent critic of Browne. On September 3, 2001, Browne stated on Larry King Live that she would accept the James Randi Educational Foundation's $1,000,000 challenge to demonstrate supernatural abilities in a controlled scientific test.^[12] However, as of 2007, Browne has failed to contact the Foundation or respond to Randi's enquiries.

Over subsequent years Browne has claimed several reasons for not taking part in the challenge:

• She was unable to contact Randi.^[13]
• She does not need or want the money. ^[14]
• Neither Randi nor the JREF has $1,000,000. ^[15]
• Randi would not put the money in escrow. ^[15]

In support of her final claim, Browne often quotes Randi as saying that he'll never have to pay the money because "I always have an out." Randi, in turn, responds that this quote is taken out of context and his actual words were "I always have an out—I'm right", referring to his belief that no one can win the challenge because no one possesses any kind of paranormal ability.

Some have questioned the logical inconsistency of her statements that she is not interested in the money, yet at the same time requires proof of its existence.^[14] In addition, Randi demonstrates that the money is held by an independent investment firm, Goldman Sachs, and proof of its existence ^[16] can be obtained by requesting a copy of the most recent account statement from the JREF, by telephone, fax, letter, or e-mail. Though a few persons have requested and received copies of the documentation, no request has ever come from Browne.

Browne retorts that the JREF refuses to put the money into escrow with the implication that this is because it doesn't exist. Randi originally defended the decision, highlighting the fact that the challenge rules clearly state the money will not be placed in escrow. However, as of November 2003, Randi decided to make an exception for Browne, and declared that the money will be placed in escrow, proposing either Larry King^[17] or Montel Williams, both supporters of Browne, as suitable escrow agents. Though formal letters were mailed to both King and Williams notifying them of their nomination as possible escrow agents, neither person ever answered. And Browne never accepted nor acknowledged Randi's exception concerning the escrow matter.

After making this announcement, Randi stated on his website, "We have now met each and every objection made by Sylvia Browne, except that she does not like me."^[18]

[edit] Browne's responses to Randi

Browne's website posted a message sometime after August 1, 2005, which appeared to be directed at Randi. It claimed that Browne has never seen confirmation of the existence of the million dollars (which Randi said he sent by certified mail), suggesting it may be due to Randi sending the package to a previous business address. However, Randi's May 30, 2003, weekly newsletter indicates the documents were mailed over two years before the date Browne said she relocated.^[19] Randi said he has a certified mail receipt from the U.S. Postal Service (Certified Mail item #7003 0500 0002 3034 8133) to confirm the package was refused by Browne at 12:08 p.m. on May 22, 2003.

[edit] The Montel Williams Show controversies

Browne has been a weekly guest on The Montel Williams Show for many years. In the episodes she appears in, known as "Sylvia Wesnesdays", she takes questions from audience members asking for advice about health, love, and finance, as well as information she may have about deceased or missing loved ones. Recently her predictions have come under tremendous scrutiny after the high profile missing person's case of Shawn Hornbeck made headlines and revealed that Browne had given a reading to Hornbeck's mother and step-father four years prior on the show where she told them their son was dead, knew where he was buried and the person who had abducted him had murdered him, which turned out to be all wrong. Since then other readings Browne have been proven incorrect and are documented below.

[edit] Missing persons

[edit] Opal Jo Jennings

Six-year-old Opal Jo Jennings was abducted in March 1999 from her grandparents' front yard in Tarrant County, Texas, USA. Jennings' grandmother, Audrey Sanderford, appears on the Montel show to ask Browne for information. The episode was first broadcast on April 29th, 1999. Browne told Sanderford her granddaughter was not dead but that she had been forced into prostitution and taken to Japan, in a town called either "Kukouro" or "Kukoura". No such town exists. In August of that same year, convicted child molester Richard Lee Franks was arrested and charged with Jennings' abduction and murder. He was convicted of the crimes in September 2000 and sentenced to life in prison.

In December 2003 the skeletal remains of a small child were found 13 miles away from Jennings' home. DNA determined it was the remains of Opal Jo Jennings and an autopsy showed she had been killed due to trauma to the head within hours after being abducted.^[20]

[edit] Lynda McClelland

44-year-old Lynda McClelland was reported missing from her home in Forrest Hills, Pennsylvania on July 27, 2000 but subsequent searches turned up nothing. On March 13, 2002 McClelland's two daughters and son-in-law appeared on The Montel Williams Show for information regarding McClelland.

Browne told McClelland's daughters, Marci and Amanda, their mother was alive and was abducted by a man with the initials "MJ" and taken to Orlando, Florida. McClelland's body was found buried less than two miles from her home in Pennsylvania. The man charged^[21] and convicted^[22] for the murder, David Repasky, McClelland's son-in-law, does not have the initials "MJ". Repasky was in studio when Browne did her reading and Browne failed to detect the murderer mere feet away from her.^[23]

[edit] Ryan Katcher

On November 5, 2000, 19-year-old Ryan Katcher disappeared and his truck along with him. Three years later The Montel Williams Show contacted Katcher's mother, Linda Katcher, to ask if she would like to appear on an episode featuring Sylvia Browne to see if she could help. She appeared in December 2003.

Browne told Linda Ryan was inside a "metal shaft" in Indiana, 25 to 27 miles away from his home and that his truck was no longer near Ryan's body. She further claimed that someone else had driven the truck and two other males had been involved in his disappearance.

Six years after Ryan's disappearance and three years after Browne's reading his body was found 40 feet under water inside his truck. He was less than six miles away from his home and his death was determined to have been due to drunk driving which caused Ryan to drive his truck into a pond in Kickapoo State Park in Illinois.^[24]

[edit] Shawn Hornbeck

11-year-old Shawn Hornbeck was reported missing from his Missouri home on October 6, 2002. On February 6, 2003, Browne appeared on The Montel Williams Show with the boy's parents during which Browne told Pam and Craig Akers their son "is no longer with us" but she had the impression his body was in a wooded area about 20 miles southwest of Richwoods. She said it would be near two large, jagged boulders that seem out of place in that area. She also described the man as being very tall, having long black dreadlocks, and being not "black, more like Hispanic" as well as describing his vehicle as an older model blue sedan with fins. Her claims led to a refocusing of search efforts of numerous people calling in with tips regarding possible spottings of the rock formations Browne had mentioned. ^{[25] [26]}

In January 2006 Anderson Cooper reported on Browne's 2003 claims and interviewed the Hornbeck parents, James Randi, and Robert Lancaster (Browne declined to be interviewed).^[27] The Hornbeck parents reported that Browne offered to "tell them more" if they booked a private meeting at $700 for 20 minutes. Browne denied having ever asked such a thing of grieving parents.

Hornbeck was found alive four years later, having been abducted by a Caucasian man with short brown hair who drove a small white Toyota pickup. Browne told the Daily News, "I'm terribly sorry that this happened, But I think my body of work stands by itself. I've broken case after case."^[28] She was scheduled to be a guest on the Larry King show to further address the issue. However, she was replaced at the last minute by fellow psychic Rosemary Altea and skeptic James Randi.^{[citation needed]} King, a long-time supporter and promoter of Browne's work, was somewhat critical of the absent Browne, but he also remarked that Browne had described Devlin "pretty well." Randi disputed this, comparing her description (that mentioned dreadlocks on a Hispanic man) with an arrest photograph of Devlin (a white man, average height, with no dreadlocks).

On January 30, 2007 Browne's business manager for 35 years, Linda Rossi, appeared with Randi on CNN's Anderson Cooper. In a 15-minute interview, Randi proposed that Browne under go a test consisting of doing "...readings for ten people, ten people that would be chosen because they believe Sylvia Browne and they believe she has powers, and they believe in psychic powers of that sort. ... We would then shuffle those ten readings and give them all to the people who had the readings done for them and ask them to sort them out, which one is your reading? It should be pretty evident that you could take the reading that was made for you, and you could single that out."^[29] Rossi replied "Absolutely not" with Randi noting Browne previously agreed to undergo a test.

[edit] Misc.

[edit] 9/11 Firefighter

On May 24, 2006 a woman appeared on The Montel Williams Show to ask Browne about the whereabouts of her deceased boyfriend's remains.

Browne tells the woman she can not find her boyfriend's remains because he is underwater. After Browne tells her this she informs Browne that her boyfriend was a New York City firefighter who had died on September 11, 2001 during the World Trade Center terrorist attack. Browne then informed the woman her boyfriend might have drowned while fighting the fire.^[30] Aside from the obvious difficulty one might encounter drowning while in a high rise building, it is not impossible to do so. However the facts of the actual situation eliminate any possibility of this prediction being accurate because the water system of both buildings was severely damaged by the impact of the aircraft as stated by the NIST.^[31]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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• Sylvia Browne official website
• StopSylviaBrowne.com, a site critical of Sylvia Browne
• Chronology of the feud between Browne and Randi from the Skeptic Report
• Sylvia Browne and James Randi's challenge from James Randi Educational Foundation