Well, I caught a few minutes of Ms. Browne’s appearance on the Montel show, and I for one am convinced of her supernatural powers. Her performance was quite extraordinary, even shocking. That monstrously low, gravelly voice; those swollen, distorted features-- all classic symptoms of a medium in the throes of demonic possession. You just can’t fake that kind of thing.
Color me impressed. Where can I get a ticket to listen to her babble?
Something that has always struck me about Sylvia Browne is how unpleasant she is. Other scammers TRY to act concerned with the people they are ripping off, though they usually come across as oily and unctuous, but Browne makes little effort to hide how much she despises people.
If you read that Guardian article it’s probably part naturally how she is, and part schtick. That linked Guardian column has some good examples of her telling people appalling things, like bluntly telling some distraught parents that their child had been kidnapped into white slavery in Japan. A lot of her audience will watch because they are feeding off the drama of seeing the parents disintegrate. There will also be some who find her occasional grumpiness and bluntness more “real” than someone who always says nice things. I, for one, mistrust anyone who is 100% sweetness and light.
But anyone who thinks she is putting a “positive” spin on it when she pulls “kidnapped by Japanese white, preteen, slavers” out of her ass when the kid was “merely” raped and murdered is creepy, and it does not not reduce Sylvia Browne = Massive Bitch a whit. She is a horrid person who is completely uninterested in, and unpleasant to, the people who come to her for “answers.” And she is not “occasionally” grumpy. She has been that way every time I’ve seen her over the last 40 years.
Sure, I agree. That’s precisely what I’m saying. I’m also saying that her bitchiness adds to the drama, which some people are going to feed off, while her 'orribleness is going to add to “realism” for some people.