Con artist James van Praagh says he can talk to dead people once they’ve “crossed over”… but for some reason, he has trouble speaking to zombies when they’re a few feet away from him.
The James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) brought a small horde of costumed ‘zombies,’ carrying signs reading “Van Praaaaaaagh” and “talk to us, we won’t bite.” The zombies shambled up to the building where Van Praagh’s “Spirit Circle” was set to begin, and asked to speak with him. Led by JREF President D.J. Grothe, the groups asks why Van Praagh is dodging questions about whether he’ll accept the Foundation’s million-dollar challenge to prove his claimed abilities.
Of course, van Praagh has everything to lose by putting his “powers” to the test since the people who visit him care little for “evidence.” These are people who are clinging to any possible hope there’s some way to communicate with their deceased loved ones and van Praagh thinks the best response to them is to take their money instead of being honest with them. It’s despicable.
