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Yeah, they didn't just walk up to Theresa Caputo one day and ask her if she wanted to be on a show and play a psychic. She was a known psychic with many people very satisfied with her readings.
The thread title asks the question: "real or a fraud?", and people are responding to that. It makes sense that someone who watched it and think she's a fraud wouldn't watch it again. But that person certainly is staying well within the parameters of the thread.
I've watched several episodes and don't think she's a fraud but as I said, from what I've seen she's just your everyday run-of-the-mill psychic with a gift for gab. I'll likely watch future episodes only when I stumble across them, it's nowhere near a must-watch for me.
Regardless, one doesn't need to watch the entire series to form an opinion and respond to the OP. And watching every episode of a tv show in no way makes one an expert on that person's abilities.
I finally got to watch some of the episodes that are available on Netflix. I know it's "reality TV" but the I get the sense that she is genuine. I certainly didn't get the same "vibe" from Sylvia Browne.
She really reminds me of some of my father's family, who are also NY Italians.
There was one episode where it was a question and answer session, and she answered some of the questions brought up here, like the difference between a medium and a psychic.
At any rate, I do enjoy the show and will continue to watch it now that I know I can see it on Netflix.
What seals the deal for me is her clients reactions. Obviously this is a subjective observation, but her clients are having genuine responses. She is saying stuff that is triggering them on a deep level that she couldn't possibly have known would have that affect. She also has this affect on random people she runs into when she's out in the world.
If she was a fraud I don't think that would happen. Plus, she just seems genuine.
Does anyone else watch this show? Teresa seems so real & I would love to believe in her, but I guess my natural skeptism is just too strong. What do you think?
Quote:
Originally Posted by NorasMom
Well yeah, if you want to be a con artist this is one of the greatest cons, but, that doesn't mean they're con artists... When Collette picked me out of the audience she was just rapid fire saying stuff and barely asked me any questions - she was slightly off on one situation but the rest was accurate, it was interesting.
True, I think that's why so many well known ones have such long waiting lists. I don't agree though about making money off it - I really think that for some people that's their purpose, and I've got no problem with them making it their full time job. I'm not crazy about the people who charge insane amounts of money for it though.
Nope, don't watch but I am familiar with who she is. I think she is fake like all the rest. I remember when she was on Dr. Oz and he was all like "...she doesn't lead the audience like all the other mediums...could she be real?" You better believe she led the audience. She just started saying random stuff and waved her arm over a very general section of the audience. I'm getting a vibe from someone over here...a lady...with grey hair...she's been through some hard times....Some 50 year old guy stands up on the other side of the room and says, "that sounds like my grandmother". Audience cheers.
I know, I know, those who believe in her or in others like her will claim that she gives specific information. But does she really? Everybody goes through the same stuff through life. Everybody is going through some sort of angst. Everybody knows someone who has died.
"I'm getting this vision...of a man on a Navy ship...or some kind of ship...perhaps...he is wearing a uniform...he smells like cigarette smoke and Old Spice..." Chances are high, that despite age, I just described every American City-Data user's father, grandfather, perhaps great grandfather, or uncle.
Quote:
Originally Posted by goldengrain
Well, again, if it is a 'gift' like an ability in math or science or art, shouldn't she make as much money on her talent as anyone else?
But that teacher whom I had the greatest respect for did mention that little problem that not every psychic believed in, but many did - that once they start commercialization of the gift it would gradually dissipate. This guy was no 'head in the air' touchy feely sort of person. He was solidly grounded.
That could be Sylvia's problem. I will bet if you met people who knew her 'back when' they would swear by her abilities.
Could also be why we don't hear much anymore of John Edward.
I would like to take one of those cruises with James Van Praagh, though. Of all of the popular psychics, he seems to put the most effort into getting you to be your own psychic, and he seems to have the most sincere personality. Out of all of them, I could see myself most having him as a friend. He's not full of himself nor is he an air head.
The longer you do it, the greater the chance someone is going to "prove you wrong". It is a numbers game: you might get 1000 "right", but all it takes is to read one person the "wrong way" and you are done. This makes even more sense if you read what you wrote: once they start commercializing their "gift"...
I am new to this thread but I hope that my opinions will be read and considered. It seems that we consider scams and frauds such as "ponzi schemes", pyramids, insider trading etc. to be illegal and punishable under the law, but when "psychics" and "mediums' separate millions of dollars from gullible "sitters" it's considered harmless entertainment. The only time a Physic is prosecuted is when they place a "curse" on someone and charge $10,000+ to remove it. (BTW-This happened this past Fall 2013 in New York City and Florida.)
That is what they call people (sitters) who permit scam artists such as: palm readers, Tarot card readers, astrologists and psychics to take their money. Showman P.T. Barnum was quoted as saying:"...there is a sucker born every minute...and I have something for everyone." There is no such thing as someone "talking to the dead." as Theresa Caputo would lead us to believe. Then again, if she does talk to the dead; it is a one way conversation. Dead people can't and won't talk back. I am amazed at the comments in this thread that support a rational explanation of why physics exist? We know why they exist; to separate people from their money. This has been going on for over 2000 years! The bible even warns us about "false prophets."
Theresa Caputo will be exposed eventually just like Sylvia Browne, John Edwards and James Van Praagh but not until she has scammed millions of dollars with her act. I am not going to even try to refute the many first hand examples of The Long Island Medium's miraculous "hits" mentioned in this thread. Simply, they are all explainable through rational and logical examination. Through the use of "cold reading. on-line research (Intellius, Ancestry.com, People Finder, My Life etc.) and show registration cards; it is very easy to "discover" facts about a person's life. In addition, careful editing allows Theresa Caputo's producers to create a very believable show on TLC. But hows can she be exposed.
1. Give her a lie detector test.
2. Give every member of her production staff a lie detector test
3. Gain access to the "raw footage" of all her TV episodes.
4. Allow access to her production meetings before each of her shows.
5. Allow her "road shows" to be videoed by an independent agency (she does not allow this now!)
6. Verify that she does not use any hidden microphones during her "stage shows".
I know Ms. Caputo says she has "...nothing to prove..." but I believe she does especially since she is receiving millions of dollars for her act. I also know that it is said "...she helps many people through their grief." That comfort comes at a high price; she needs to show us why she is continuing this scam.
She's a charlatan. Her abilities are about as real as her platinum blonde hair. She's been exposed several times. Plus she's obnoxious, I can barely tolerate listening to her.
This magician shows how the psychics get away with seeming to read people's mind when in reality it's just a big trick (if you don't want to watch the whole thing fast forward to around 8:00-9:00 where he does a convincing, but entirely fraudulent, reading on one of the hosts)
I don't doubt that there are true psychics out there but Theresa Caputo is not one of them.
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Born Again Skeptic
