ArtSpoken & Reviews
Is John Edward the real deal?Christina Kennedy11/19/2009 16:49:58 
Christina Kennedy: American celebrity psychic medium John Edward is currently in Joburg for a series of shows, and the question on a number of skeptics' lips is: Is this guy for real, or is he a greedy charlatan, preying on gullible people desperate to connect with departed loved ones? I managed to wangle a chat with him on the eve of his shows at Gold Reef City's Lyric Theatre, and can honestly say I'm none the wiser. Edward is an affable guy, as audiences will know from his popular TV show Crossing Over with John Edward. He's young, likeable (even though he says he has to maintain a certain emotional distance from audience members to ensure an effective "connection" with their relatives) and can perhaps be described as the psychic equivalent of a televangelist - the rock star of the paranormal realm, if you like. He's certainly far removed from the creepy-looking crones, mascara'd-to-the-hilt gypsies and bug-eyed loonies who usually spring to mind when we think of those who purport to talk to dead people. His TV show was a massive global hit, and he now enjoys a busy touring schedule that takes him around the world, doing live shows. It's a close encounter of the supernatural kind - and it's bizarrely entertaining while being borderline creepy. It's like playing glassy-glassy or Ouija board without the risk factor - a voyeuristic peek into the netherworld, minus the danger of being sucked into its deadly clutches. Much of our fascination stems from searching for "real-world" explanations when Edward gets it right, and crowing smugly if he gets it wrong. Of course, there's the "how did he know that?" befuddlement as well. Naturally, choosing such a career - and conducting it on such a high-profile global platform - inevitably comes with its fair share of cynics and naysayers, who are hell-bent on proving that a) he's faking it, and b) there is no spirit realm to speak of. It's a fair question, especially when you're charging audience members upwards of R485 to watch your show. But, as the avalanche of entries for the four tickets up for grabs on Jeremy Mansfield's Rude Awakening this morning attest, as well as the flood of bookings that came in after the show, it seems people are willing to put their faith in him and take the gamble. Such was the demand for tickets - even at such a ridiculous price, and in these recessionary times, nogal - that an extra show has been scheduled for Sunday as the others are sold out. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, non-believers! Edward is accustomed to people trying to call his bluff - accusing him of doing "cold" readings (having no knowledge of the person and making vague pronouncements or reading body language) or "hot" readings (soliciting information on the subject beforehand), which he denies. "I welcome opposing views," he says, reclining in a hotel suite with his cute young son Justin. "I respect what they bring to the equation, and I encourage conversation. And I'm respectful of their lack of belief - but that respect is not always reciprocated." He tells of a recent talk show he did in Australia where he ended up being subjected to a "confrontation" that was "dripping with cynicism". Clearly, he has developed a thick skin to criticism but strongly rejects being lumped with the many charlatans out there that peddle false hope to the credulous and impressionable. In response to allegations that his television shows are heavily edited to cut out all the "misfires", he says there is very little material from the tapings that is binned, and that it surfaces either as visuals, montages or voiceovers. In fact, he claims he often fights with producers who want to axe certain scenes because they are not sufficiently "compelling" to ensure ratings. "How can you tell someone that their dead son is not interesting enough? Even if they didn't emote, it will resonate for someone out there." In contrast to the little boy in The Sixth Sense who would always "see dead people", Edward likens his spiritual connections to "tuning in to a frequency ... and acting as an interpreter". These energy waves sometimes bounce around, he says, adding that he experiences them as clairvoyance, clairaudience and clairsalience - literally, seeing, hearing and sensing these shades from beyond death's velvet shroud. He says he seldom gets disturbed or upset during the "small window of opportunity" he has to get his message across, but can "fall apart later when I'm watching something emotional, perhaps on TV" - which happened when he watched The Time Traveller's Wife on the plane, and had a delayed emotional reaction totally out of proportion with the response the movie would ordinarily have elicited. Channelling takes its toll on his energy reserves as well, he reveals. He tends to stick to visiting English-speaking countries to avoid any confusion with messages, but relates that the country where he had the most trouble was Scotland - with the broad brogues proving a serious test for his interpretation skills. "I could understand the people on the other side better than the living!" he laughs. "I had to ask them to imitate their favourite US celebrities when they were talking to me." It will be interesting to see if he "gets" the multiple South African accents he is likely to encounter... Edward says that it is essential that he is "non-partisan" and "objective" when it comes to his work. That's why he usually resists trying to communicate with his own departed relatives, because he would be too subjective. "It would be like a surgeon trying to operate on himself." Naturally, some people's religious notions of heaven, hell, purgatory and so on may not gel with the beneficent messages he channels from the afterlife. But, this non-practising Roman Catholic points out, he merely presents "a portrait of energy, and how you frame that portrait is up to you - be it a stick frame, or no frame at all". In fact, he says his connections with people's loved ones have actually helped them in dealing with their faith. Much as people would like to believe death is not the end (in the words of a Nick Cave song), it's entirely possible they feel comforted when some sort of proof is provided. Is Edward essentially a conveyer of hope, then? "Hope is a by-product," he asserts. "It's an opportunity for people to ask themselves questions; it's a journey for them." He equates the quest for answers to spiritual and metaphysical questions with the notion of fitness and health: people often want others to supply easy, quick-fix solutions but can only truly reach their goals by taking the time and effort to embark on a personal journey. "As a medium, I see my role as empowering people; enabling them to plug in to themselves. I'm not a therapist and don't purport to be one. I'm about validation." He is taping his Joburg shows, and a DVD should be out soon. He predicts that another television show may be on the cards - this time, with broader global reach. Did you know, for instance, that he can even facilitate a connection if he's talking to you by phone, or via Skype? And it looks like he'll be back next year for an extended tour, so don't despair if you miss out on the chance to "cross over" this time around. In the mean time, you can satisfy your curiosity by checking out the Infinite Quest website - which deals with everything from astrology to numerology to tarot - to which Edward is affiliated. So, after 20 minutes with this personable psychic, am I now a believer? I'm afraid the jury's still out on that one. Only the spirits know for sure... Web site: http://www.goldreefcitycasino.co.za
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Comments
I think John Edward is fantastic, he is so blessed to have such a gift and I think he has been sent to help people on this earth. He does remarkable work wish I could meet him, I love him to bits.
Posted by Patricia Farrell on Friday, 19th February 2010 at 11:25:18 PM
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