"Psychic Idol"

[Ringo]

Here's an idea I've had for a television program! I hope this is the correct forum - I'm a skeptic, and given that this has a paranormal/psychological/mathematical element, I hope this is the correct forum. Apologies if not!

With the popularity of Pop Idol and X Factor, my idea is "Psychic Idol". It begins like X-Factor, with hundreds of thousands of people attending auditions all over the country. These auditions will be tests of "psychic ability" - maybe guessing how a coin will land, or picking a selection from a small choice of random events. Just enough to whittle the applicants down to the next round.

Of all the applicants that got the first round right, these progress to the next round, where similar tests narrow the field even more - just like X Factor. This continues until one person has guessed correctly how 30+ coins will land, or guessed correctly many random events using their "intuition".

The beauty is, that with so many people entering, _someone_ will get an astounding number correct - a very convincing "proof" of their psychic ability. Dammit, even the person themselves will be convinced that they really are psychic.

Like X-Factor, the winner will be "owned" by contracts - think how much could be made from psychic telephone readings, promotions, appearances and branding.

With the current popularity of psychic shows and cold reading, etc, combined with how many people think they have some gift, etc, is this feasable?

Also, have I just shafted myself by actually telling people about this idea? :-)

Ringo

[MtDon]

I think the idea of Psychic Idol is good. But I'd have the Psychic contestants do whatever psychic type thing they wanted to. Such as fourtune telling, Taro card readings, spoon bending, mind reading, predictions, etc. Anything that they can do in a studio within a reasonable time. ( This would rule our blind fold drives, being buried alive, etc).

Same format as American Idol - panel to narrow the field, then veiewers voting to narrow the field and for the winner.

Only thing bad about it is that it would popularize psychics even more, even though they are all knowing or unknowing frauds.

The Amazing Randi has a good article about his testing of so-called psychics in this month's Skeptical Inquirer.