Derren Brown Investiagtes....

[Dan_1981]

Anyone else watch it last night?

Not as good as I was expecting - was a little half hearted really.

Seemed to tippy toe around not wanting to insult the "Medium"

[Japveesix]

Quite enjoyed it but felt Derren held back far too much. He could so easily have made the psychic look like an utter tit time and time again if he'd really pressed him and asked more awkward questions etc. It was surprisingly more balanced then I expected as I'd be fairly sure there's no way Derren Brown actually believed he was conversing with the dead.

[T89 Callan]

He could and should have made that 'psychic' look like the lying, cheating, theiving scum that he is.

I was very dissapointed with Derren, he did a similar thing in America a few years ago and showed them up for the liars that they are.

[Vladimir Pukin]

Turned out that the first person the psychic 'read' lived next to his sister!

And that was the only reading that seemed in any way convincing. I wonder why.

Edited by Vladimir Pukin on Tuesday 11th May 13:13

[Republik]

Really enjoyed it. After that I'm very sceptical of it all, even more so than before. It all seemed very convinient giving a perfect reading to his sisters neighbour.

[Halb]

Derren wanted a proper even handed approach, not some rabid, 'all psychics are shysters' rant. I liked it. I felt by holding back Derren allowed the miserable lil emotion grubber to hang himself by his own rope...which he did brilliantly, his mesmeric enrapture with stardom, his annoyance over the abilities of non-psychic Brown at Hollyoaks set, it was all superb.
http://www.joepower.co.uk/index.php

[Frankeh]

The only reason Derren Brown was so nice was because he didn't want his one willing medium to run away.
He couldn't go in and say "I'm going to expose you" because then none of them would do it!

I think he did a pretty good job exposing them for the charlatans they are.

It's just a shame anyone believes this bks to begin with.

[Halb]

Frankeh said:

The only reason Derren Brown was so nice was because he didn't want his one willing medium to run away.

I was amazed he found one to agree. This chap obviously wants to be the scouse Derek Acorah and either felt he was good enough to fool Brown or felt the publicity would outweigh any negative elements.

[Republik]

It was very brave of Joe Power to agree to do this show. This could effectvely end all credibility he had as a medium.

[Oakey]

Why is it that no one has picked up on the fact that when he did the reading for Pam (Roz) at the end that went terribly bad he basically used the exact same pitch as during the live show.

"I'm picking up on the number 5..."

"Is there a Jimmy?..."

There were some others I've forgotten now but it was literally the exact same thing he said in the pub.

[Dan_1981]

Republik said:

This could effectvely end all credibility he had as a medium.

Something wrong with that sentance.... can't quite put my finger on it

[Frankeh]

Cold reading is so fking easy. Anyone could do it if they don't mind being a con man.

Walk into room with 50ish looking woman. At least one of her parents will probably be dead.

Men die younger than women, go for the dad.

"I'm getting a man coming through.. A relative. Could...Could be your dad?"

"YES! MY DAD DIED!"

"He's saying something about... About a pet? With 4 legs"

"YES! WE USED TO HAVE A DOG!"

"He says this pet was important to him"

"YES! HE LOVED THAT DOG!" ..


Bog off. You're an idiot if you get taken in by this simple mind control.

Edited by Frankeh on Tuesday 11th May 16:07

[Vladimir Pukin]

Reminds me of Pheonix Nights

'I'm getting the word...... nonce"

[Gun]

I thoroughly enjoyed last nights episode, you could tell Derren was having to hold back at some points about what he really wanted to say but other than that he did make that guy look like a prize tt. The highlight for me was the revelation at the end, the psychic's sister living next door to that woman who featured at the beginning

I agree with T89 Callan, if you enjoyed that, make sure you see the show he did in America, it's still be best things he's done IMO.

Edit: this is the one you're after http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messiah_%28Derren_Bro...

Edited by Gun on Tuesday 11th May 16:29

[Oakey]

Apparently the medium always 'nipped to the loo' when he first arrived at the house of his 'clients'. I missed the start of the programme but read elsewhere that at the beginning when Brown first met him the first thing Brown did was ask to use the toilet, sort of a hint that he knew that's what the medium would do.

I expected them to have installed hidden cameras in 'Pams' house to see if he went noseying about whilst he was up there.

[JustinP1]

For those that naysay on how 'harsh' he was, it is a cornerstone of journalism that you give who you are investigating the chance to respond and a fair hearing - even if you don't believe it yourself.

For me, that gets an even more powerful insight and exposes a lot more as he was 'let in' and given the chance.

Think the difference between the 'Cook Report' where he gets the door slammed in his face and Louis Theroux which is perhaps the template of how to get on the side of who you are exposing very skilfully.

I watched that with the full knowledge that it was a big scam, and it is a practice that I am totally against because it is preying on the bereaved. What was interesting though was the fact that Derren's reading was hugely more accurate and impressive than the spiritualist - and his best comeback was that he saw the girl driving a Mini...

I thought overall it was pretty good, and a good insight in the Louis Theroux style with a twist.

[durbster]

Oakey said:

Apparently the medium always 'nipped to the loo' when he first arrived at the house of his 'clients'. I missed the start of the programme but read elsewhere that at the beginning when Brown first met him the first thing Brown did was ask to use the toilet, sort of a hint that he knew that's what the medium would do.

Ah good spot. I did wonder why they kept that in. I hadn't spotted that and having seen quite a lot of Derren Brown stuff, definitely intentional.

I couldn't really grasp why Power agreed to do it. He must have known he couldn't have convinced Brown (unless he didn't know he was involved before agreeing...?) or the TV audience. Was he so taken by the idea of being on TV that it affected his judgement? You don't need to be psychic to foresee it was going to put a massive question mark over your career.

Right, I might go and see if I can find out what the online 'psychic community' made of it

[khevolution]

I noticed that, he went to the Loo before the reading, however when derren brown did it, i thought nothing of it, only when you guy mentioned it did it click, i do enjoy watching derren brown he never claims to be phychic, he does say manys times that, he has developed skills to read people, but it does not mean he is phychic

[durbster]

In the interest of balance (something treasured on PH I know ), I've just found this statement from Joe Power:
http://www.joepower.co.uk/joe-power-news/99-joepow...

I'll save you bothering reading it - the only thing of note is that he says he told them the first reading was at his sister's neighbour's house. There's also a message from his solicitor who claims the show was not representative, and yet isn't quite convinced enough to take legal action

[Halb]

Frankeh said:

Cold reading is so fking easy. Anyone could do it if they don't mind being a con man.

Walk into room with 50ish looking woman. At least one of her parents will probably be dead.

Men die younger than women, go for the dad.

"I'm getting a man coming through.. A relative. Could...Could be your dad?"

"YES! MY DAD DIED!"

"He's saying something about... About a pet? With 4 legs"

"YES! WE USED TO HAVE A DOG!"

"He says this pet was important to him"

"YES! HE LOVED THAT DOG!" ..


Bog off. You're an idiot if you get taken in by this simple mind control.

Edited by Frankeh on Tuesday 11th May 16:07

I liked the Hollyoaks one.
Im getting something aboot riding a bike when you were 14?
aboot 99% of fellas ride bikes when they are 14? ace!!