# James Randi died at 92 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [October 21, 2020, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539 "2020-10-21T22:15:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/41 "2020-10-23T13:25:28Z")
Oh no! Not really a surprise, given that he was 92, but a definite loss to our species. Our collective national IQ just took a hit. Like a lot of people on this thread, his work helped me abandon my early superstitions and illogical beliefs, and showed me the value of a skeptical mind. Ogdammit, 2020, what’s your problem? ---
**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:** [October 23, 2020, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/42 "2020-10-23T14:42:15Z")
I read the JREF forums for a long time. I loved the million-dollar challenge. You have supernatural powers? Show me in an agreed to demonstration, and the $1 mill is yours. What you aren’t interested? Money has no real value to you? hmm? I think it did help shut up a lot of fakers who were more prevalent on TV at one time. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/43 "2020-10-23T14:54:22Z")
He left huge shoes to fill. I hope someone will assume the necessary role of Debunker in Chief. Goodby Randi, you did a great service to truth and reason. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/44 "2020-10-23T16:49:47Z")
I too wonder who will pick up the guidon and be the celebrity face of rational thinking. Perhaps Penn Gillette? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/45 "2020-10-23T17:00:56Z")
Seems like the likeliest one. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/46 "2020-10-23T17:09:24Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > I too wonder who will pick up the guidon and be the celebrity face of rational thinking. Perhaps Penn Gillette? IIRC, before the reward for anyone demonstrating paranormal activities in a scientific setting was ended, I think I read that Penn & Teller were mentioned as the judges of the trials of the paranormal activities if they took place. Randi acknowledged that he was getting too old to keep an eye for the expected shenanigans from the quacks. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/47 "2020-10-23T17:15:42Z")
I think Penn and/or Teller would be excellent in that position operating proactively. At this point not many con artists will step forward to be fairly tested. It will take someone(s) with the resources to seek out and expose the flimflammers. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/48 "2020-10-23T19:00:46Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Have you ever felt uncomfortable when someone formally posts a death notice of someone who is supposed to be famous, but yet you have no idea who he is? > > Well … … … LOL You should read Flim Flam, and then you’ll get it. Sadly even more relevant today than when it was published. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/49 "2020-10-23T19:11:39Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Ever since, I’ve caught him in The Skeptic, his website, his famous challenge, and in general skeptical events. A fascinating guy. I knew he was getting on in years, but he seemed capable of going on forever. I’m just glad he outlived Sylvia Browne, the psychic on Larry King who I remember telling him to get his heart checked because he had a cardiovascular issue(this was 20 years ago or so). He was, of course, fine and outlived her by quite a bit. > [@GuanoLad](#): > > Then I had my own experience that felt supernatural to me, which I couldn’t explain (an apparent shared dream) and emailed James Randi about it. Though he had no time for my nonsense, I nonetheless got a personal response from him. Terse in nature, but clear where I should look for explanation, that direct genuine response from the man himself was a new experience for me, which I have never forgotten. I know it is personal, but could you share the email he wrote you? I’d like to see what he had to say. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/50 "2020-10-23T19:43:50Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > I too wonder who will pick up the guidon and be the celebrity face of rational thinking. Maybe one of the people who knew what the hell a “guidon” is without googling… ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/51 "2020-10-23T20:30:28Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Maybe one of the people who knew what the hell a “guidon” is without googling… That would be anyone going through [basic training](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guidon_(United_States)) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/52 "2020-10-23T20:56:11Z")
I went through basic, I didn’t remember a guidon. Now admittedly it was navy Basic and a 35 years or so ago. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/53 "2020-10-23T21:03:10Z")
Didn’t know what it meant in that post because I had no idea how it was spelled. Thought it was two words ‘guide on’, and meant any flag used to _guide_ you _on_ to your destination. Sheldon should have done a whole episode on these. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/54 "2020-10-23T21:16:34Z")
Wow, now that sounds familiar. Doubt I ever saw it spelled out, just heard it a few times. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/55 "2020-10-23T23:34:08Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I know it is personal, but could you share the email he wrote you? I’d like to see what he had to say. Long since lost it, I’m afraid. This was 20 years and three email addresses ago. It’s probably on some backup hard drive, somewhere buried in boxes, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539/56 "2020-10-24T00:08:59Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Long since lost it, I’m afraid. This was 20 years and three email addresses ago. It’s probably on some backup hard drive, somewhere buried in boxes, though. On a private server? Impeach @GuanoLad! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-randi-died-at-92/923539.md?page=2)