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SYFY WIRE Bad Astronomy

Britain’s “Best Loved Psychic” and the Very Definition of Irony

By Phil Plait
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File this under “Too Ironic to Describe Without Making Your Head Asplode”:

Briefly, Sally Morgan is a self-proclaimed “psychic” who says she can to talk to the dead, and so on. However, reports on her readings make me extremely skeptical of them, as they sound an awful lot like cold reading. She sells out theaters, charging a fairly healthy sum for tickets (as well as for telephone readings).

Recently, a British skeptic named Mark Tilbrook handed out fliers outside some of Morgan’s shows, simply asking people to think about her methods critically. He never says she’s a faker, fraud, scammer, or anything like that; the wording is polite and matter-of-fact.

After doing this at a few shows, Tilbrook was accosted by Morgan’s husband and son. They threatened Tilbrook physically, made death threats, and used homophobic slurs in their confrontation. There’s video of the whole thing.

Since that went public over the weekend, Morgan has had to go on the defensive (and the offensive, claiming Tilbrook has "targeted" her, though by his own account his actions have not been pushy). She’s made a public statement on her site, saying she has “sacked” her husband and son, who no longer will hold the positions of personal manager and tour manager, respectively. In the statement she apparently doesn't perceive any self-imposed irony, saying:

I have come from a family background that has always been very accepting, many of my friends are gay and I have always felt happy that I am often referred to as a gay icon through my work. I am utterly ashamed and devastated at the behaviour of my husband John and Son in Law Daren and neither of them will have anything to do with my work, my business and right now I honestly have no idea what is going to happen to my marriage.

(Emphasis mine.)

If she really doesn’t know what the future holds for her, maybe she should consult a psychic.

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