Banachek

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For the 1970s TV detective series, see Banacek.
Banachek

Banachek at The Amaz!ng Meeting 8, Las Vegas in 2010.
Born Steven Shaw
November 20, 1960 (1960-11-20) (age 51)
Middlesex, England, UK
Nationality American
Occupation Mentalist, Magician, writer, skeptic
Website
http://www.banachek.com

Banachek (30 November 1960, as Steven Shaw) is a mentalist.[1] Banachek has written books on mentalism, such as Psychological Subtleties, and invented various magic and mentalism effects, including the Penn & Teller bullet catch and the original "buried alive." Banachek is also the Director of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF)'s Million Dollar Challenge.[2]

Contents

[edit] Biography

Born in England and raised in South Africa and Australia, Banachek has been performing since his arrival in the United States in 1976.[3]

Banachek is often sought out by top entertainers and magic TV shows around the world as a consultant. The entertainers include Penn & Teller, David Blaine, Lance Burton, James Randi and Criss Angel.[4][5]

Banachek fooled scientists at Washington University into believing that his supposed psychic abilities were genuine during the Project Alpha hoax in the early 1980s.[6][7] He also took part in an investigation with Randi exploring Peter Popoff, which ultimately exposed Popoff's false claims.[8]

He has appeared on several television programs including CNN Live,[3] Mindfreak[5] and Unscrewed with Martin Sargent.[9] On the Nightline Beyond Belief program, reporter JuJu Chang called him a "crusader."

In 2008 he toured as part of a stage show called Hoodwinked with Bob Arno, Todd Robbins and Richard Turner.[10][11]

On July 12, 2009 he conducted a preliminary test of Connie Sonne's dowsing ability for the James Randi Educational Foundation's Million Dollar Challenge that was witnessed by hundreds in person and hundreds more via live webcast.[12][13]

[edit] Opinion of psychics

Banachek, as the Director of the JREF's Million Dollar Challenge, has stated that psychics like James Van Praagh have crossed the line when they claim to talk to the dead. "I think these people are scum.... Grieving is a part of death." He believes that talking to a person's dead relatives to "make them feel better" is not allowing them to grieve. About psychic phenomena, he stated that there is no scientific evidence, "it's not science, it never has been science". According to him the treatment of the children on A&E's show Psychic Kids "borders on child abuse".[14]

[edit] Awards

  • Psychic Entertainers Association Dave Lederman Memorial Award (Awarded for Creativity in Mentalism) 1997 [15]
  • APCA (Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities) Entertainer of the Year 1998, 1999.[16]
  • APCA College Campus Novelty Act of the Year 2000.[citation needed]
  • Psychic Entertainers Association Dan Blackwood Memorial Award (Awarded for Outstanding Contribution to the Art of Mentalism) 2006[15]
  • Psychic Entertainers Association Dunninger Memorial Award (Awarded for Distinguished Professionalism in the Performance of Mentalism) 2007[15]
  • His book Psychological Subtleties 2 won the first place in The Magic Woods Awards, for best book in 2007.[citation needed]
  • Awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership at PSYCRETS (British Society of Mystery Entertainers) Tabula Mentis VII in April 2010 [17]

[edit] Books and videos

  • Atmore, Joseph; Dunninger, Joseph; Banachek; Palmer, Bill (2001). Dunninger's Brain Busters. Humble, TX: H&R Magic Books. pp. 111. OCLC 65215584. 
  • Banachek; Burlingame, Hardin J.; Wells, Scott R.; Gillett, S. Christopher (2002). Psychophysiological Thought Reading, or, Muscle Reading and the Ideomotor Response Revealed. Houston, Texas: Magic Inspirations. pp. 73. ISBN 9780970643810. OCLC 60349209. 
  • Banachek; Dyment, Doug; Wells, Scott R. (2007). Psychological Subtleties 2. Houston, Texas: Magic Inspirations. pp. 206. ISBN 9780970643827. OCLC 310366497. 
  • Banachek (Featured Performer) (2004). Banachek's Psi Series (Motion picture). United States: L&L Publishing. 

[edit] References

  1. ^ Randi, James (1992). Conjuring. New York City, NY: St. Martin's Press. p. 229. ISBN 0-312-09771-9. 
  2. ^ "Randi Challenges Top "Psychics" After Nightline Episode". Randi.org. August, 18 2011. http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/1388-randi-challenges-top-qpsychicsq-after-nightline-episode.html. Retrieved 2011-09-08. 
  3. ^ a b Crement, Kelly (October 9, 2006). "Mentalist showcases his 'sixth sense'". The Daily Eastern News. http://media.www.dennews.com/media/storage/paper309/news/2006/10/09/News/Mentalist.Showcases.His.sixth.Sense-2337984.shtml. Retrieved July 31, 2009 
  4. ^ Nickell, Joe (July 30, 2009). "Thought-Reader Banachek". Amherst, NY: Center for Inquiry. http://www.centerforinquiry.net/blog/thought-reader_banachek/. Retrieved July 30, 2009. 
  5. ^ a b Banachek at the Internet Movie Database
  6. ^ Randi, James (Summer 1983). "Project Alpha Experiment: Part I, The First Two Years". Skeptical Inquirer (Committee for Skeptical Inquiry) 7 (4): pp. 24–33. ISSN 0194-6730 
  7. ^ Randi, James (Fall 1983). "Project Alpha Experiment:Part 2, Beyond the Laboratory". Skeptical Inquirer (Committee for Skeptical Inquiry) 8 (1): pp. 36–45. ISSN 0194-6730 
  8. ^ Randi, James (1989). The Faith Healers. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books. p. 141. ISBN 0-87975-535-0. 
  9. ^ Bernhard, Brendan (August 14, 2003). "YOUR FUTURE, 24/7: The dystopian delights of TechTV". LA Weekly. http://www.laweekly.com/2003-08-14/film-tv/your-future-24-7/. Retrieved July 31, 2009 
  10. ^ Greenaway, K (July 10, 2008). "If it weren't onstage, it'd be illegal". The Montreal Gazette. http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=bf16353a-b91a-48a5-8d26-e528e3076710. Retrieved July 31, 2009 
  11. ^ Smith, Alison (November 25, 2008). "Woo in Review: HOODWINKED". SWIFT (James Randi Educational Foundation). http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/314-woo-in-review-hoodwinked.html. Retrieved July 31, 2009 
  12. ^ Smith, Alison (July 17, 2009). "Connie Sonne Preliminary Challenge Test at TAM 7". SWIFT. James Randi Educational Foundation. http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/641-connie-sonne-preliminary-challenge-test-at-tam-7.html?widthstyle=w-fluid. Retrieved July 30, 2009. 
  13. ^ "Connie Sonne Paranormal Challenge Videos". James Randi Educational Foundation. July 22, 2009. http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=69834122A1B75D4C. Retrieved July 30, 2009. 
  14. ^ "Primetime Nightline: Beyond Belief Psychic Power". ABC Nightline. August, 17 2011. http://abc.go.com/watch/primetime-nightline-beyond-belief/SH55131205/VD55140044/psychic-power. Retrieved 2011-08-19. 
  15. ^ a b c "Awards". Psychic Entertainers Association. http://www.p-e-a.org/awards.html. Retrieved July 30, 2009. 
  16. ^ Brinck, Chad (October 8, 2001). "Steve Banachek- Mentalist of the Millennium-performed Friday". Clarkson Integrator (Clarkson University). http://media.www.clarksonintegrator.com/media/storage/paper280/news/2001/10/08/Entertainment/Steve.Banachek.Mentalist.Of.The.MillenniumPerformed.Friday-113817.shtml. Retrieved July 31, 2009 
  17. ^ , http://www.psycrets.org.uk/html/honorary_members.html 

[edit] External links

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