Rob Lancaster sees Sylvia Browne

The title of this post should have been, “Rob Lancaster sees Sylvia Browne in Las Vegas and all he got was thrown out by security” – but that would have been too long a title. It sums up what happened, though.

Rob (owner of StopSylviaBrowne.com), his wife, and skeptic Claus Larsen got tickets to see Browne this week at the Excalibur in Las Vegas. Read the full report at Rob’s site - I attend Browne's Las Vegas show, and words are exchanged. Of note about the actual readings Browne performed is that she offered mostly generic answers to questions, except where specific questions were asked that only a real psychic would be likely to get right – in which cases she bombed. No real surprise there. Rob got to ask Browne a question, and Browne recognized him and verbally attacked him at the end of her show. It’s a long but interesting post, and what stands out is Rob’s integrity and his lack of aggression or meanness towards Browne or her acolytes.

But the same can not be said about Browne. If you scroll down to the section headed “Talk With Other Patrons”, you’ll read about how Rob was having a discussion after the show with some of the attendees (many of whom were less than impressed with Browne), just outside the theater, when Browne appeared behind him, and told him:

[pointing at me angrily] “Someone is going to deal with you!!”

That certainly sounded like a threat. Exactly what it meant was unclear, but a few minutes later the security guards appeared, questioned Rob, suggested that he (Rob) had been causing a “disturbance”, and (ultimately) told him to leave the building. Read Rob’s full report – it doesn’t sound like he was causing any kind of disturbance. But I guess that’s all Sylvia Browne could do. She can’t refute any of the facts listed on Rob’s site. She can’t take Randi’s challenge that she knows she’d lose. She can’t even convince a bunch or people who paid to see her, that she really is psychic. Like all cowards, all she is able to do is use her power to call security and have her critic thrown off the premises.

What a nasty little piece of work you are, Sylvia Browne. And you were just totally outclassed by Rob Lancaster.

Comments

[Susan B.]

So…she's been taking tips on dealing with critics from Mark Mathis?

[Bourgeois_Rage]

Mr. Lancaster represents all that a good skeptic should strive for. Bravo.

[Thomas]

The story says he was talking with some of the attendees "just outside the theater", so how could the security people tell him to leave the building? I am confused!

[DY]

I don't know this woman except from this and a few other blogs, (I live in Germany), but reading Lancaster's description the defense strategies sound like those used by snake oil fans everywhere. Especially "how can you judge her if you haven't seen her in person", and "why does it bother you..." and "why don't you just go somewhere else if you don't like it".

I hear those sentences so often - "why are you so full of rage" is another one. But as far as I'm concerned if someone enters the public arena and spouts bullshit, they deserve to be exposed and opposed publicly.

I thought the new age movement had positive aspects when I was younger, but it hasn't developed because it doesn't tolerate any form of criticism. Quality control is carried purely by market forces.

The big names write sickly sweet books, but in person are often horrid people who play horrid power games when challenged. It sounds like Lancaster handled himself with dignity and has made a good point.

[specious_reasons]

Thomas:
'The story says he was talking with some of the attendees "just outside the theater", so how could the security people tell him to leave the building? I am confused!'

I don't remember the Excalibur, but it's most likely that the theater entrance is inside the casino.

[Jurjen]

Frak me, is the admission price for Browne's show seriously $82.50? This for a matinee that was practically not advertised, and in (apparently) one of the smallest auditoria in Las Vegas?

[Moxiequz]

"Frak me, is the admission price for Browne's show seriously $82.50?"

I think I saw Cirque du Soleil's "O" at the Bellagio for not much more than that. And that was a late evening show, _second row_ seat.

What really saddens me is that the theater was as much as half full (even taking into account investigating skeptics and reluctant attendees). Especially since the "VIP" tickets were even more expensive.

[Robert S. Lancaster]

Thanks for the plug, Skeptico!

[[ The story says he was talking with some of the attendees "just outside the theater", so how could the security people tell him to leave the building? I am confused! ]]

The theater was a smallish nightclub located inside the Excalibur Hotel & Casino.

We were asked to leave the Excalibur.

[Joseph]

Where have I heard a similar story before? Oh yeah, Expelled!, and of course, Expelled!.

[Skeptico]

No Robert, thank you. That was a fascinating and very entertaining write-up. I don't know how you do it.