# Does menalist Lior Suchard have psychic powers?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [May 28, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474 "2014-05-28T16:50:35Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/1 "2014-05-28T16:50:35Z")
No? Do you know how I can prove it to someone I know?
A friend of mine has been trying to convince me that some people have psychic powers and can predict the future. Her latest attempt to convince me had her sending me a [video of Lior Suchard on Larry King Now.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf4I9R4YFTQ&feature=youtu.be)
I have no idea how he’s doing his tricks, but I know he can’t read minds. Any help?
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### Author:  [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/2 "2014-05-28T16:55:38Z")
The first part he handwrote “Larry Will Say” with the pen/pencil, then he wrotein 27 with his thumb that is hidden behind the paper that he’s holding up. It’s an old trick.
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### Author:  [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/3 "2014-05-28T16:59:02Z")
I don’t know about anyone else but I’m not interested enough to watch a 20 minute video. Is there a particular time stamp you feel is a good point to jump in?
My question would be, if he’s so awesome, why hasn’t he won the JREF challenge? Without knowing anything about the tricks he’s performed, Penn and Teller, Randi and I want to say Derren Brown have all made careers out of demonstrating the fakery behind it all.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/4 "2014-05-28T17:18:36Z")
Is this guy even claiming to be a psychic? He’s listed as a mentalist who use tricks.
Sheesh. Not even a very original trick. Your friend is far too easily impressed.
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### Author:  [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/5 "2014-05-28T17:31:59Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#):
>
> Is this guy even claiming to be a psychic? He’s listed as a mentalist who use tricks.
>
> Sheesh. Not even a very original trick. Your friend is far too easily impressed.
According to his website:
[Lior Suchard is a supernatural entertainer and mentalist with an extraordinary talent for mind reading, thought influencing and telekinesis.](http://www.liorsuchard.com/)
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/6 "2014-05-28T17:33:29Z")
> [@stpauler](#):
>
> According to his website:
> [Lior Suchard is a supernatural entertainer and mentalist with an extraordinary talent for mind reading, thought influencing and telekinesis.](http://www.liorsuchard.com/)
So many lies in such a short sentence.
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### Author:  [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2014, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/7 "2014-05-28T17:47:23Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#):
>
> I don’t know about anyone else but I’m not interested enough to watch a 20 minute video. Is there a particular time stamp you feel is a good point to jump in?
Here are the time stamps for his six tricks if you want to avoid the rest of the interview where he talks about his psychic energy:
1:10 - 1:40: Guesses a number Larry is thinking of.
3:20 - 5:25: Guesses the name of Larry’s first girlfriend.
7:20 - 10:00: Guesses the names of two audience members’ first girlfriends.
10:20 - 11:20: Guesses the first two digits of an audience member’s PIN.
13:40 - 14:40: Guesses the dice number Larry is looking at.
16:40 - 20:20: Has ten people draw a random object. Most of them draw the same thing which he guesses.
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/8 "2014-05-28T18:04:40Z")
Suchard was the winner, back in 2006, of an Israeli reality show hosted by Uri Geller, about the search for Geller’s “heir”. Sort of like the Apprentice, only headed by an even bigger douchebag.
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### Author:  [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/9 "2014-05-28T18:25:29Z")
“You’re thinking of an S in his name…you’re thinking of an R in the name…Dustin”.
8:09-8:41
“I’ll give you a hint, I’ll give you a hint… Is it five letters?”
“No.”
“Four. Four letters”
9:29-9:40
It’s crappy cold reading.
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### Author:  [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/10 "2014-05-28T18:54:13Z")
He specifically says at ~6:00 “I am not a psychic”.
Didn’t watch the whole thing - and guessing Larry’s first girlfriends name is impressive - if he never mentioned it before in any interview ever - and if Larry had any skepticism about these things and avoided giving any clues before hand (which it is obvious when he tells him how many letters he is not!)
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### Author:  [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/11 "2014-05-28T19:23:35Z")
Try this argument: If someone could read minds and had psychic powers, why would they resort to doing cheap tricks on talk shows to amuse the rubes? Someone with real mind reading powers would be cleaning up in Vegas or Wall Street.
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### Author:  [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2014, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/12 "2014-05-28T20:58:30Z")
Of course, I don’t know how he guesses the names, because I wasn’t there monitoring the audience…Typically these types of guessing games involve some background clandestine research. Larry and the others have told someone recently about their first loves and that information got back to Lior before the game began (possibly even months before).
I’m perplexed by the spiral stunt, however it looks pretty rehearsed to me. Imagine directing 2 groups of 5 people to do things simultaneously…and only telling them once quickly, then have them all follow the instructions flawlessly: count off every other one, now every other one turn around, draw a simple symbol…(no time given for them to stutter around or think or spend 5 seconds about what they want to draw) put it up to their chest simultaneously.
I’m pretty sure, that was rehearsed and edited, which leaves it open for all sorts of shenanigans.
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### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/13 "2014-05-28T23:16:36Z")
The best debunking of cold readings was the South Park episode 'Biggest Douche In The Universe":
> **[South Park - The Biggest Douche in the Universe | South Park Studios US](https://southpark.cc.com/episodes/h70xwl/south-park-the-biggest-douche-in-the-universe-season-6-ep-15)**
>
> When a famous psychic fails to help him exorcise Kenny from his body, Cartman and Chef travel to the moors of Scotland, where Chef's mom tries a little of her voodoo magic on him.
Perhaps watching this might help?
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### Author:  [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2014, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/14 "2014-05-29T00:05:23Z")
> [@Lakai](#):
>
> 16:40 - 20:20: Has ten people draw a random object. Most of them draw the same thing which he guesses.
Most of them drew the same thing ? Seems rigged…
I suppose if you offer fruit, most take apples.
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### Author:  [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2014, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/15 "2014-05-29T00:10:10Z")
> [@Lakai](#):
>
> … Lior …
So … how do you actually pronounce that? :dubious:
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2014, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/16 "2014-05-29T01:13:28Z")
> [@Isilder](#):
>
> Most of them drew the same thing ? Seems rigged…
> I suppose if you offer fruit, most take apples.
Many “mentalists” can “rig” those “experiments” just by doing some research, QI showed how most people in Britain when using only memory end up drawing the image of the queen in a British coin facing the wrong way.
> **[QI: Series H, Episode 2 - Hanatomy - British Comedy Guide](https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/qi/episodes/8/2/)**
>
> A guide to Hanatomy, Episode 2 from Series H of QI.
> [@](#):
>
> The panellists are each given a cardboard two pound coin and are asked to draw the Queen’s head onto it. Each of them gets it wrong when they draw the Queen as facing left (except Bill he draws her looking out). All coins featuring the Queen have her facing right. 88% of people think the Queen faces left.
>
> Each monarch (except Edward VIII) alternates between facing left and right, so the Queen’s father George VI and (if he becomes king) Prince Charles did or will face left. This has happened ever since Charles II. The Queen however does face left on stamps and this is one theory was to why people think she faces left on the coins. Another is to do with the dominance of right-handedness.
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2014, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/17 "2014-05-29T04:23:08Z")
> [@njtt](#):
>
> So … how do you actually pronounce that? :dubious:
Lee-ORR.
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### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2014, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/18 "2014-05-29T11:02:05Z")
No.
Off to read the OP, and possibly, the thread.
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### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2014, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/19 "2014-05-29T11:10:21Z")
To the OP: how do you PROVE it to your friend? That’s easy. Point out to her the fact that psychic powers do not exist. Q.E.D.
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### Author:  [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-menalist-lior-suchard-have-psychic-powers/689474/20 "2014-05-29T19:20:19Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#):
>
> To the OP: how do you PROVE it to your friend? That’s easy. Point out to her the fact that psychic powers do not exist. Q.E.D.
I knew you were going to say that.