Free Real-Life X-Files by Joe Nickell Page B

around here.”
    References
    Hynek, J. Allen. 1972. The UFO Experience . New York: Ballantine.
    Nickell, Joe. 1989. The Magic Detectives . Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus.
    ———. 1994. Camera Clues: A Handbook for Photographic Investigation . Lexington: Univ. Press of Kentucky, 15.
    ———. 1995. Entities: Angels, Spirits, Demons, and Other Alien Beings. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus, 190–92.

Chapter 8
A Study in Clairvoyance
    On March 16, 1992,1 appeared on The Jerry Springer Show with what were billed as “today’s outrageous psychics.” They included an “aura” photographer, a pet prognosticator, and the self–proclaimed ”world’s greatest psychic,” who was introduced as “Mr. B of ESP.” Mr. B, Springer promised, would “use his extraordinary powers” to peer clairvoyantly inside a locked refrigerator. A uniformed security guard, baton in hand, stood dramatically beside the chained–and–padlocked appliance. After engaging in a bit of banter with Springer and boasting further of his psychic prowess, Mr. B approached the refrigerator. He asked “everybody to concentrate on the power of my eyes,” adding with braggadocio that provoked smirks and giggles from some members of the audience, “If you can see these eyes, they penetrate through you, and I will now do the same thing with the refrigerator, and then I will come back and read you people like a book…. This I promise you.”
    As he began, he said, “It’s kind of weird, ladies and gentlemen, because I’m not getting a clear vision, but what I’m getting here is—I’m looking at—looks like some apples are in here.” Also he said there was what “looks like a cantaloupe.” (There was some more banter as Springer, who had begun writing a bold list of Mr. B’s pronouncements, admitted he was unsure how to spell the last word and wrote “c–a–n–t–e–l–o–p–e.”) Mr. B continued, stating that he could see what “looks like jewelry, so I’m looking at some carrots,” he said; “I would relate that to jewelry” (apparently making a pun on carats). He went on to say that he saw a carton of low–fat milk and jars of spaghetti sauce. Then he stated, “Basically, the last thing I’m going to say—which is totally incredible—is, I’m looking at a skull which looks to be almost like a human head.” Springer respondedby announcing (to applause), “If you’re right, we’ve got another show!” And Mr. B made a punning quip that” [I] t’s also a good way to get ahead in this world,” adding, “Anyway, I do see something that looks like a human head.” When Springer suggested, “Maybe it’s a head of lettuce,” Mr. B replied, “It could be. And this is basically—at this moment this is all I’m able to pick out.”
    Springer then unfastened the padlock, removed the chain, and opened the refrigerator. Reaching in and holding up each item in turn, to applause, he brought out “the milk, low fat, two percent,” next an apple, a honeydew melon (not a cantaloupe but “pretty close,” Springer noted), then a bunch of carrots. Impressively, he next extracted a grotesque novelty head! During the hubbub that followed, he also discovered a jar of sauce. Displaying the head, Springer gushed to Mr. B, “I swear to God, unless the staff is lying to me, you really didn’t know what was in here!” He added, “This guy’s special.” After a commercial break he stated, “I have to tell you, I’m blown away. I’m very, very impressed!”
    After Mr. B had done readings for the audience and after the other psychics had given dubious performances, I was brought on. My anger showed: unknown to the audience, backstage I had had an exchange with a producer; I had expressed my suspicions about the refrigerator test, and his response was what I interpreted as a guilty look. After Springer introduced me, I made a skeptical statement about the lack of evidence for psychic ability and disparaged the readings that had been