In other words, woman claiming to be “psychic” rattled off a long list of prominent celebrities on a death list and got one lucky hit. Here’s Psychic Nikki’s list in its entirety.
First, there are a bunch of very old people, including, but not limited to:
Kreskin: born 1935
Loretta Lynn: 1932
Tippi Hedren: 1930
Clint Eastwood: 1930
Shirley Temple: 1928 – Feb 2014: a “hit” not mentioned in the article. Maybe they didn’t know.
Hugh Hefner: 1926
Cloris Leachman: 1926
Lauren Bacall: 1924 – Aug 12, 2014 (died at home, suspected stroke.)
Betty White: 1922
Nancy Reagan: 1921
Mickey Rooney: 1920
Zsa Zsa Gabor: 1917
Arlene Martel (1936) also died on the 12th. She wasn’t on the list.
Second, there are a bunch of people listed who are already known for their risky behaviour and history similar to Robin Williams with his addictions and depression. And some of them probably already have chronic/acute diseases that they won’t recover from. Something she could have easily looked up before compiling her list.
Nik Wallenda (1979) who is a high wire act kind of guy so any sort of risk the man takes could be his last.
Kim Jong-un (1983) — how stable is North Korea?
Lindsay Lohan (1986) — how stable is she these days? I’ve blogged about the train wreck that’s been her career, although not lately. Search my posts if you’re curious.
Melanie Griffith (1957) — rehab in 2000 and 2009 for painkiller addiction.
“Leaders in Syria and Iran” — she doesn’t even bother to name any of them but it’s a war zone. What are the chances people will die in those countries? Leaders might blow up or get shot. It’s pretty likely and shouldn’t count as psychic prediction given all the history we have on this planet with war and deaths resulting from them. May as well predict rain will fall down the next time it pours.
Justin Bieber (1994) who’s one punch in the head away from a coma, probably, but it’s not nice to speak ill of the living, even if he seems to be a tool of astronomical proportions. How come she didn’t predict that his godawful music might deter bears? Now that would have been proof she’s psychic. Who’d make that up?
Fidel Castro is listed. He has a history of being unkillable, a man with extraordinary good luck in avoiding assassinations. Did the US government quit trying?
The list is only names, no details of what fate would befall each of these people or the date on which it would happen. I could just as easily tear a page out of the phone book, claim they’re all going to die and then look for their obituaries. I suspect the law of large numbers would guarantee a hit or two. Would I consider that a win? No. I’d know it was all coincidental and ultimately worthless as proof that I’m a psychic.
I don’t know about you, but I call fraud.
Filed under: skepticism Tagged: celebrities, death, psychics, skepticism 
