John Edward
From Free net encyclopedia
- This article is about the TV Psychic. For other uses, see John Edwards (disambiguation).
Image:EdwardFace.jpg John Edward McGee Jr., (born October 19, 1969 in Glen Cove, New York), better known as John Edward, is the creator and host of the television show Crossing Over with John Edward featured on the SciFi Channel [1], and on LIVINGtv [2] in the UK.
Contents |
Crossing Over
John appears on the show Crossing Over with John Edward in which he claims to communicate with the deceased relatives or friends of those in the gallery, or studio audience - this is often called a "reading". This involves John Edward standing before the audience, and speaking with its members, relaying the information he supposedly garners from their deceased acquaintances. The audience members then either confirm or deny aspects of the subject Edward is discussing. The show often employs a split screen, so that the viewer can witness John Edward continuing his reading without sound on one half of the screen, whilst on the other half the audience member being read discusses the accuracy of John Edward's claims. A voiceover is also implemented to help aid the viewer, giving a greater overview of what is occurring, and providing details which may be relevant to the context of the reading.
There are also instances where John Edward will conduct a private session away from the gallery, which is still filmed and commented upon. This is often the more "in-depth" part of the show, where those read, along with their families, talk in greater detail about the situation that lead up to their reading with Edward, and what conclusions they have drawn from the event. Periodically, Crossing Over will feature a part of the show that attempts to "catch-up" with those who have previously been read by John Edward.
Edward's Talent
While John Edward's ability to communicate with the deceased is disputed, there is no contest to his ability to comfort grieving and/or desperate people by giving inspirational messages to viewers and audience members. Many viewers of the show remarked that they watched not for the psychic readings—but instead for the kind messages its host conveyed about those who have passed on.
One fine example of these inspirational messages is from Crossing Over, when a woman who had lost her child was being read. Edward, at the end of the reading, said that the woman's mother (who had also 'crossed over') was taking care of the deceased child. At this, the woman began crying. In the interview afterward, she said that she had felt that 'a great weight' had been released from her, since she knew that her child was 'not alone on the other side'.
Edward in the media
South Park
A 2002 episode of the animated series South Park, entitled "The Biggest Douche in the Universe", focused primarily on Edward, portraying him as a cynical and exploitative fraud who knowingly manipulates the bereaved, but at the same time gets extremely upset if anyone questions his abilities. Stan works to expose him by mastering cold reading and repeatedly argues that Edward's actions are fraudulent, and more importantly, immoral, as they deceive the bereaved and vulnerable. At the end of the episode, aliens bring Edward to an intergalactic awards ceremony where he is honored with the Biggest Douche in the Universe Award, beating a literal giant douche for the award.
Daily Show
Jon Stewart of The Daily Show, on Comedy Central, called John Edward a "crazy TV psychic guy" when he stated his views on the Terri Schiavo case (about a woman in a coma and whether she could be allowed to die).
Royal Canadian Air Farce
On a 2002 episode of Royal Canadian Air Farce, a popular Canadian sketch comedy program, guest star Peter Keleghan portrayed John Edward on his show, trying to communicate with dead loved ones of guest Elizabeth Taylor (Luba Goy). Taylor was very uncooperative, and ended up giving John a headache, which Taylor tried to help with by giving John a massage.
Documentary
There are reports that a documentary, developed by a group of independent researchers, will demonstrate aspects of Edward's readings that have yet to be explained by the "cold reading" and "hot reading" hypothesis. This documentary has been rumored to come out in early 2006.
Will & Grace
Edward has also made a cameo appearance on Will & Grace.
Family Guy
Edward is the brunt of a joke in "The Cleveland-Loretta-Quagmire," an episode of Family Guy. The joke strongly implies that Edward is a fraud.
Penn & Teller: Bullshit!
Penn and Teller are skeptical of psychics' abilities in general, calling them frauds and hoaxes quite openly, and showing various examples to support these claims. They consider John Edward and his mediumship a part of this "art of deception", and have complained that he refused to allow them to tape his seminar and accompanying mediumship demonstration. Penn Jillette, much like in the abovementioned South Park episode, called him "the biggest douche in the universe."
Clutch
The hard rock band Clutch also makes a John Edward reference in "The Mob Goes Wild," a track off of their 2004 album, Blast Tyrant. The song's lyrics are critical of the current events, politics, and popular culture of the year in general. In relation to Edward, it features the following line: and that man on the T.V. who speaks to the dead, you know that man's a phony. There can be little doubt as to whom the band is referring to.
David Cross
In his comedy album It's Not Funny, David Cross states: "Oh man, so I was watching that show...uh...the fuck?...The show where the, uh...There's this guy on stage, and everybody in the audience believes he has contact with the dead and spirits talk to him? (audience respond to him, shouting back, "Crossing Over.") Crossing--? no, no, no, no, no, it was, it was church." Cross then launches an attack on George W. Bush and his Christian views, drawing a brief comparison between what he sees as the foolishness of religious belief and the foolishness of people who believe in Edward's abilities.
External links
- John Edward's official site
- A salon.com article claiming to debunk Edward
- A Time Magazine column claiming hot reading techniques are used.
- Greatest Hits and Misses of John Edward
- The Many Contradictions of John Edward
- South Park TV satire.
- Hyman on Schwartz
- Schwartz on Hyman
- Hyman rebuts Schwartz
- "How come TV psychics seem so convincing?" article on The Straight Dope
- Demystifying John Edward of Crossing Over