# James Randi comes out... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 21, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278 "2010-03-21T23:03:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/41 "2010-03-22T21:21:37Z")
No cite available other than I promise you I’m telling the truth: He actually came out several years ago at a Skeptics Convention. I wasn’t there but a friend was, and the reason he did it was that one of the Fundies he was at war with who had some kind of evidence was threatening to out him in a book he was writing if he didn’t cease and desist from his “attacks” on the church. Randi basically said to the conference “Out of curiosity, how many of you would this bother?” and literally nobody raised a hand, so he said “Well, I’ll tell the guy what Wellington said to his mistress- publish and be damned!” and got a huge ovation. He said at the lecture and also on his podcast that the reason he never came out before was 1- Who cares? 2- There was a time it would have hurt his career 3- Who cares? 4- It could have been used against his foundation 5- Who cares? 6- After it became more socially acceptable it would have seemed like he was just jumping on a bandwagon No idea if the minister ever published the book or not. I can see how if he did publish it and it only sold in Christian bookstores (and even then barely) where most readers had no clue who Randi was it wouldn’t make much of a stir, and unless there’s a way more sordid angle involving 15 year old hitchhikers or goats and foam parties he’s not enough of a celebrity for the mainstream media to give a damn. I’ll bet that Henry Winkler and Ron Howard are trying to remember if maybe he hugged them a little too tight or too close on that episode of _Happy Days_ though… ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/42 "2010-03-22T21:23:21Z")
> [@Tim R. Mortiss](#): > > No need to get all in a huff. It wasn’t intended as either mean-spirited or a sneer. Okay, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/43 "2010-03-22T21:24:29Z")
Never thought about it, but can’t say I’m surprised. Not a big deal either way. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/44 "2010-03-22T21:28:05Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > No cite available other than I promise you I’m telling the truth: > > He actually came out several years ago at a Skeptics Convention. I wasn’t there but a friend was, and the reason he did it was that one of the Fundies he was at war with who had some kind of evidence was threatening to out him in a book he was writing if he didn’t cease and desist from his “attacks” on the church. Randi basically said to the conference “Out of curiosity, how many of you would this bother?” and literally nobody raised a hand, so he said “Well, I’ll tell the guy what Wellington said to his mistress- publish and be damned!” and got a huge ovation. I would be pretty surprised if skeptics as a group weren’t some of the most gay tolerant people on the planet - people who are held together by the interest of purging themselves of irrational beliefs and biases would most likely figure out that they can’t come up with rational reasons to sustain anti-gay beliefs. I can’t imagine this is going to upset anyone who liked and respected him. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/45 "2010-03-22T21:33:57Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Never thought about it, but can’t say I’m surprised. Not a big deal either way. Same here; it was unexpected, but mostly because I’d never considered he could be gay - on the other hand, for all I knew he could have been out for decades already. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/46 "2010-03-22T21:35:48Z")
Lance Bass, Doogie Howser, Clay Aiken, now Randi- what is it with so many tweener idols being gay? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/47 "2010-03-22T21:48:09Z")
My gaydar’s pretty weak, but it seemed pretty obvious to me. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/48 "2010-03-22T22:15:03Z")
Don’t care, but I was curious. However I remember stories from way back when that he was involved in some sort of police investigations (helping them) where it was fairly clear he was gay. Always assumed he was since then. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/49 "2010-03-22T22:15:52Z")
On his outcoming podcast he was asked if he planned to marry his longtime companion (no idea if longtimeme means 6 months or 60 years.) He said the same thing a lesbian couple I’m friends with in Georgia who’ve been together 30 years said, which is “No, why bother? The property we own is in Florida, we don’t plan to move, and they don’t recognize gay marriage so there’s no real reason.” ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/50 "2010-03-23T01:59:17Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > In the sense that he says “look, here’s how Uri Gellar bends spoons and claims to have magic powers” - he’s a magician and avid skeptic who likes to attack bullshit claims. He’s probably most well known for the [Million dollar paranormal challenge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Million_Dollar_Paranormal_Challenge#The_One_Million_Paranormal_Challenge) which is an open invitation for anyone to demonstrate any sort of supernatural powers under controlled conditions. Strangely enough, no one has qualified. 1. It’s Uri **Geller**. 2. The precise details of the ‘Million Dollar Challenge’ have been modified in recent times. As things stand at the moment, I believe it is not the case that ‘anyone’ can apply, only those who have established a reasonably high media profile. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/51 "2010-03-23T11:54:12Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > In the sense that he says “look, here’s how Uri Gellar bends spoons and claims to have magic powers” It’s actually pretty well known in the magic community that he and Uri are an “act” - they keep each other in the spotlight, and Gellar shares Randi’s sexual persuasion. no cite, other than being married to a magician for 23 years. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/52 "2010-03-23T12:42:33Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > It’s actually pretty well known in the magic community that he and Uri are an “act” - they keep each other in the spotlight, and Gellar shares Randi’s sexual persuasion. That’s a gross misrepresentation of the situation, at least with regards to the “act” statement. About Geller’s sexual preference I have no idea. And Geller claims he is a pyschic, not a conjurer. That’s where the two part company philosophically. In fact, Geller sued Randi for libel once. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/53 "2010-03-23T13:45:39Z")
It matters, if for no other reason that biographers can list this detail without someone else saying it is completely unfounded. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/54 "2010-03-23T13:48:52Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > It’s actually pretty well known in the magic community that he and Uri are an “act” - they keep each other in the spotlight, and Gellar shares Randi’s sexual persuasion. > no cite, other than being married to a magician for 23 years. Nothing more than nasty rumors spread by sleazy magicians that like to blur the line between stage magic and “real” magic. Some of them have tried to beat the Million Dollar Challenge through trickery, and have spread these (and other rumors and lies) when their rather obvious cheats have been exposed. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/55 "2010-03-23T19:05:01Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > I think Randi would be more amused than anything else. > > I’d be on the look out for hit squads from Gellar, though. Hit squads? Uri Gellar don’t need no stinking hit squads – not when he can fray your brake cables or tie your shoelaces together with his [amazing telekinetic powers](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/660/how-did-uri-geller-bend-spoons)… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/56 "2010-03-23T19:54:21Z")
It is hard to tell whether some of the posts on this page are intended to be funny, or whether they are sincere attempts to ‘fight ignorance’. If I’ve been whooshed, fair enough. On the other hand, if anyone wants some accurate information, here we go. (I know both of these men very well, and have done for many, many years.) 1. It is fair to suggest that James Randi and Uri Geller have, to some extent, helped to keep each other in the media spotlight over the years, ever since they first met back in the 1970s. One could say the same of any great rivalry: the claims and counter-claims both fuel media coverage. To people who care about such things as the skeptical analysis of psychic claims, Randi and Geller are both significant figures. However, this is certainly not an ‘act’ or mutually-agreed arrangement of any kind. To say that such an ‘arrangement’ is ‘well-known in the magic community’ is simply incorrect. 2. Not that it matters in any way, but **singular 1** is incorrect. Uri Geller is heterosexual. He has been happily married to his wife, Hanna, for over 30 years, and has two grown-up children. He is very much a contented family man. 3. I don’t think it’s accurate to suggest that any magicians have tried to win the Million Dollar Challenge through trickery, although this does depend on your working definition of ‘magician’. This would be largely futile and impractical, given that Randi is himself an experienced and knowledegable magician. I don’t think many magicians have expressed caustic views about Randi. He’s very popular in the magic world, although not all magicians share his views about psychic and psychic claims. 4. In general, the people who have tried for the Million Dollar Challenge have not been magicians but people who claim some sort of paranormal gift or ability, usually being sincere but deluded and only rarely being knowingly deceptive. It is true that some of those who have not won the million dollars have proceeded to criticise Randi and slur him, but I’d be surprised if any of these people were magicians, or if any sought to make capital out of his sexual orientation. The criticisms generally concern what they _perceive_ to be inadequacies or unfairness concerning the rules of the Million Dollar Challenge itself. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/57 "2010-03-23T20:12:58Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > 1. I don’t think it’s accurate to suggest that any magicians have tried to win the Million Dollar Challenge through trickery, although this does depend on your working definition of ‘magician’. This would be largely futile and impractical, given that Randi is himself an experienced and knowledegable magician. I don’t think many magicians have expressed caustic views about Randi. He’s very popular in the magic world, although not all magicians share his views about psychic and psychic claims. > > 2. In general, the people who have tried for the Million Dollar Challenge have not been magicians but people who claim some sort of paranormal gift or ability, usually being sincere but deluded and only rarely being knowingly deceptive. It is true that some of those who have not won the million dollars have proceeded to criticise Randi and slur him, but I’d be surprised if any of these people were magicians, or if any sought to make capital out of his sexual orientation. The criticisms generally concern what they _perceive_ to be inadequacies or unfairness concerning the rules of the Million Dollar Challenge itself. The very recent example of “The Professor” comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/58 "2010-03-23T22:07:59Z")
Gay, not gay. Who cares! I’ve admired Randi for over 30 years and his personal life is irrelevant to me. One of my prized possessions is a copy of _Flim Flam!_ which Randi autographed for me 25 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/59 "2010-03-23T23:30:53Z")
I don’t care. I admire the man’s brain. As long as only other consenting adults are involved, I don’t care what he does sexually. ---
**Author:** ![Eternal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278/60 "2010-03-24T04:09:07Z")
This really changes my opinion about him. I used to think he was a shameless egoist but now it turns out he had some shame after all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-comes-out/533278.md?page=4)