|
Welcome to the International Skeptics Forum, where we discuss skepticism, critical thinking, the paranormal and science in a friendly but lively way. You are currently viewing the forum as a guest, which means you are missing out on discussing matters that are of interest to you. Please consider registering so you can gain full use of the forum features and interact with other Members. Registration is simple, fast and free! Click here to register today. |
26th April 2011, 10:35 AM | #1 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,519
|
So what does James Randi do for a living?
Is he a carpenter like Jesus, or does he make his entire living by being a sceptic? If he is not working, how long has it been since he has had a real job? Personal response only please.
|
26th April 2011, 10:40 AM | #2 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,482
|
|
26th April 2011, 10:42 AM | #3 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,187
|
I think he has some sort of educational foundation or some such nonsense.
|
__________________
Don't argue with me. Don't you know who I think I am? |
|
26th April 2011, 10:50 AM | #4 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,519
|
He doesn't occasionally appear like some slumming deity?
|
26th April 2011, 10:51 AM | #5 |
Nitpicking dilettante
Administrator Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Berkshire, mostly
Posts: 57,668
|
|
__________________
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.Bertrand Russell Zooterkin is correct Darat Nerd! Hokulele Join the JREF Folders ! Team 13232 Ezekiel 23:20 |
|
26th April 2011, 10:55 AM | #6 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,333
|
He's in his 80s, so most people would consider him "retired." For decades he was a working magician earning his living in show business. He probably now receives pensions from the various performing unions to which he belongs. I assume he also receives social security. I don't know what kind of speaking fees he gets, but he could probably command a pretty high price. Perhaps he was financially smart and made good investments that are paying off.
After giving up the presidency of JREF, it seems like he's living in semi-retirement. I hope that explains things. I don't speak for Randi or the JREF. It just seemed pretty obvious. Ward |
__________________
~~Na eth'er aa, ammre' en ank'aar'eith, d'emner'aa-, asd'reng'aather, em'n'err-aae...~ - Alenara Al'Kher'aat, aged 347 |
|
26th April 2011, 10:55 AM | #7 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,519
|
|
26th April 2011, 11:05 AM | #8 |
Acolyte of Víðarr
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 50,572
|
Don't know; don't care. Is there some reason I should?
|
__________________
As Einstein once said, "If you can't think of something relevant to say, just make something up and attribute it to some really smart dead guy." "I find your lack of pith disturbing," - Darth Rotor .......... Don't be offended. I'm not calling you a serial killer. -- Ron Tomkins. |
|
26th April 2011, 11:09 AM | #9 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,519
|
|
26th April 2011, 11:11 AM | #10 |
Philanthropic Misanthrope
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Space, The Final Frontier
Posts: 2,556
|
|
__________________
Sandra's seen a leprechaun, Eddie touched a troll, Laurie danced with witches once, Charlie found some goblins' gold. Donald heard a mermaid sing, Susie spied an elf, But all the magic I have known I've had to make myself. - Shel Silverstein |
|
26th April 2011, 11:31 AM | #13 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,333
|
MNBrant,
Thanks for reminding me about the books he wrote, some of which are still in print and making money. I assume that TAM makes money and other conferences like TAM UK and TAM Australia and there are skeptical cruises. So, yes he makes money by being a professional skeptic now that he's retired from work-a-day showbiz. But I'm guessing that he still gets much of his income from the same places as other retirees. Ward |
__________________
~~Na eth'er aa, ammre' en ank'aar'eith, d'emner'aa-, asd'reng'aather, em'n'err-aae...~ - Alenara Al'Kher'aat, aged 347 |
|
26th April 2011, 11:34 AM | #14 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,519
|
|
26th April 2011, 11:35 AM | #15 |
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,060
|
In another thread it was said that Randi lifts a salary of some 150,000 a year (or how much was it) from JREF organization. On top of that, he might get revenues from some book copyrights etc. Donating to JREF is no alms to the poor actually, it is a lucrative business.
|
26th April 2011, 11:41 AM | #16 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,519
|
|
26th April 2011, 11:41 AM | #17 |
Master Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,333
|
I'm not 100% sure how social security works, but I think once you reach a certain age, you start receiving it no matter how rich you are. I think Randi's well past that age. This, of course, assumes that you paid into SS, which I think Randi must have with his many jobs over the years before his retirement.
Ward |
__________________
~~Na eth'er aa, ammre' en ank'aar'eith, d'emner'aa-, asd'reng'aather, em'n'err-aae...~ - Alenara Al'Kher'aat, aged 347 |
|
26th April 2011, 11:47 AM | #18 |
Acolyte of Víðarr
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 50,572
|
He's a retired minor celebrity. I rarely care what even A-list celebrities do when they're not retired. I've not read his books. I've not seen him perform. I rarely visit the JREF homepage. I do like his forum, but I've not seen any evidence that he has much to do with it other than his name at the top of the page.
I'm actually more curious about you than I am about him, since as of today I've had considerably more personal contact with you than I have with him. |
__________________
As Einstein once said, "If you can't think of something relevant to say, just make something up and attribute it to some really smart dead guy." "I find your lack of pith disturbing," - Darth Rotor .......... Don't be offended. I'm not calling you a serial killer. -- Ron Tomkins. |
|
26th April 2011, 11:54 AM | #19 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,519
|
|
26th April 2011, 11:58 AM | #20 |
Nitpicking dilettante
Administrator Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Berkshire, mostly
Posts: 57,668
|
|
__________________
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.Bertrand Russell Zooterkin is correct Darat Nerd! Hokulele Join the JREF Folders ! Team 13232 Ezekiel 23:20 |
|
26th April 2011, 12:09 PM | #21 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,519
|
|
26th April 2011, 12:46 PM | #22 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,583
|
I don't think Randi would be considered rich by most people but I could be wrong. I don't get the impression he makes huge money but he probably does ok.
He's pretty much mostly retired at this point, certainly from his main job of performance. He probably has a few different income streams coming in but saying that the JREF is a lucrative business I think is a bit of a tall order. How much time and money did Randi invest in JREF before it got off the ground? He's obviously been personally working hard on this for many many years. |
26th April 2011, 12:54 PM | #23 |
Crone of War
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,262
|
He's past 80. Most people around that age don't do anything for a living, since they're, you know, retired.
But hey, Randi is actually one of the rare ones who isn't completely retired. He still attends conferences and lectures, and he's currently writing a book. How about that! |
26th April 2011, 12:56 PM | #24 |
Lackey
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: South East, UK
Posts: 113,982
|
Randi doesn't read the Forum very often so if you want a response from him (to your question) you would be better sending an email to jref@randi.org.
|
__________________
“If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?” Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago |
|
26th April 2011, 01:05 PM | #25 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 10,293
|
I think these days Randi is mostly occupied with giving talks on skepticism around the world and writing (the last couple of times I saw him speak he said he's working on his next book--A Magician in the Laboratory). He retired from performing years ago. Not sure how involved he is in running the day-to-day operations of the JREF, but I think he still draws a salary.
|
__________________
As long as people believe in absurdities they will continue to commit atrocities. - Voltaire. |
|
26th April 2011, 02:42 PM | #26 |
Thinker
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 150
|
|
26th April 2011, 03:16 PM | #27 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,264
|
He's definitely a hoopy frood. Very pleasant and down to Earth. I met him when he came to the Lake Hypatia Freethought Advance and also a skeptic's conference in Tampa which also had Martin Gardner. At the former, he was resplendent in his black jeweled battle shorts. Although TAM is expensive, these were both nearly-zero-budget events, and so I do not think that he has made his fortune by the blood of the exploited working class.
He's written books, some of which are illustrated very prettily, and so I'm sure he still gets royalties. There's some money from the interest on the Million Dollar Challenge. And he's had a successful career as a conjurer. |
__________________
"It probably came from a sticky dark planet far, far away." - Godzilla versus Hedora "There's no evidence that the 9-11 attacks (whoever did them) were deliberately attacking civilians. On the contrary the targets appear to have been chosen as military." -DavidByron |
|
26th April 2011, 05:07 PM | #28 |
Insert something funny here
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Norway
Posts: 10,816
|
|
26th April 2011, 05:32 PM | #29 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,257
|
|
26th April 2011, 05:45 PM | #30 |
beer-swilling semiliterate
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Connecticut, or King Arthur's Court. Hard to tell sometimes.
Posts: 25,791
|
JREF is a nonprofit, so its finances are public record. The Form 990 is posted every year here. IIRC, Randi makes $175,000 a year from the Foundation. And frankly, he's cheap at twice the price.
|
__________________
A møøse ønce bit my sister |
|
27th April 2011, 08:17 AM | #31 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,634
|
wow, how clueless. I also once thought of Randi as some sort of diety. And then, to my shock, I met him. Over the years, we've become friends. The weird part is the entire family has come to know him over the years and we're all his friends now. We're not important, not rich (far from it!), not famous...and get this...I'm one of those "God believers" (and open about it with him) and my husband isn't even much of a skeptic at all. My one daughter was an intern with Randi, and the funny thing is when I would call down to talk to her, guess who usually answered the phone? Randi. Because he would come in to work every weekend.
Hard to believe, but he's just a really nice person. I feel humbled that he is my friend, but I also feel happy that I am friends with someone that really is just darn nice. ...unless you charge people so that they can talk to their dead children...because he's not ok with that "oh, you can speak to your dead child, but I'm only going to have time to do it with a $600 an hour donation to my church...". Ripping off the bereaved and poor and uneducated and ill is a good way to bring out his not nice side. Also my not nice side. And that of most people with any sense of morality and fairness. Randi, he never blames the victim, he knows who is at fault. |
27th April 2011, 11:37 PM | #32 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,519
|
Yeah, I get it. Thanks for the info all.
|
28th April 2011, 10:52 AM | #34 |
Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 179
|
|
__________________
That's it! You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college! -Homer Simson |
|
28th April 2011, 01:12 PM | #35 |
Unimpressed Female
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: 8th level of Hell - Maleborgia
Posts: 3,267
|
he's attempting to troll himself into a ban, me thinks. Not going to stellar either.
|
__________________
If anyone told you that I'm a nice person, they were either from a different level of existance, lying through their teeth or mentally instable. "We? That better be you and that invisible aardwarck in your pocket you are talking about, because I KNOW you are not stupid enough to open a giant can of whoop ass by claiming you know what I think." Stop Sylvia Browne |
|
28th April 2011, 02:07 PM | #36 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,583
|
It would have been nice if the OP had tried to make some sort of point instead of just asking a question with no reason attached.
My general impression is he's trying to say something like "see see! I told you so Randi makes ***money*** and therefore that means he's wrong, or not a skeptic or driven by some conspiracy". Maybe that's just my read on it though |
29th April 2011, 04:23 AM | #37 |
Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 179
|
|
__________________
That's it! You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college! -Homer Simson |
|
29th April 2011, 01:11 PM | #38 |
Satan's Helper
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 44,024
|
|
__________________
"I am a collection of water, calcium and organic molecules called Carl Sagan" Carl Sagan |
|
29th April 2011, 01:35 PM | #39 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 8,694
|
Not trollin at all, eh op?
How i could have ever thought that he is just taking the piss is beyond me. |
29th April 2011, 02:49 PM | #40 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,001
|
I'll say "troll" if you say "crazy" or equivalent.
He's either someone with serious mental issues who doesn't like atheists much, so he's trolling, or He's someone with serious, serious anger & maturity issues who doesn't like atheists much, so he's trolling, or He's an unemployed actor/sociopath who is constructing an elaborate persona over a period of years in order to, whatever... or, He's someone with serious mental issues and anger issues who half-wants to reach out to people and half-wants to dominate them and confound them. (like I've discussed.) And it all comes out to the same thing, in a way, for us. No-one's going to stick around, or give him money, or even give him that much advice, or pity. But he ain't funny. Oddly enough, it's easy enough to fool psychiatrists in person, as various documentaries have shown. Actors pretending to be mentally ill have gotten admitted to mental hospitals, only to really feel like they were going crazy. These are doctors who have the person directly in front of them, to talk to. How can we do any better than that? We can't. Prisoners (in jail) simulate mental illness, sometimes, thinking that they will get transferred some place. It really doesn't matter to us, since we're not responsible. But whatever the case, it goes beyond just taking the piss. Maybe we can all agree on that. ========================= Look, to go on a tangent about acting: I've never seen an actor actually simulate mental illness (or neurological damage) in a convincing, naturalistic way. Not DeNiro. Not Christian Bale in The Fighter. The actual guys that movie is based on, shown at the end of that movie, are a lot scarier. Same with autism. Rain Man? No. Of Mice and Men? No. Malkovich has way too much of a gleam in his eye. With actors, there's a lot more spark, a lot more presence. Joie de vivre. They are way more interesting, and well, dramatic. Counter-examples? |
Thread Tools | |
|
|