Tampa Bay Skeptics Report - vol 13 no 3 - INCOMPLETE

Magazine Overview

Title: TBS Report Online
Issue: Vol. 13 - No. 3
Date: Winter 2000-01
Publisher: Tampa Bay Skeptics
Document Type: Magazine Issue

An all-too-unpleasant Encounter With the Unexplained by Gary P. Posner, M.D.

This article expresses profound disappointment with the PAX-TV series "Encounters With the Unexplained," specifically its October 6th program "Is There Power in Prayer?" Gary P. Posner, M.D., a featured skeptic, recounts his experience being interviewed for the show. He had been assured by field producer/director David W. Balsiger of Grizzly Adams Productions that the series would be balanced with skepticism. Posner agreed to drive from Tampa to Orlando for the interview, even accepting a $250 honorarium (half of which he donated to TBS), to counter claims about the scientific evidence for prayer's healing powers.

Balsiger's questions, pre-faxed to Posner, were designed to elicit responses for inclusion as balance. Posner was later invited to participate in additional specials on "Heaven and Near-Death Experiences" and "End Times [Prophesies]." However, when the "Prayer" episode aired, Posner's extensive contribution was reduced to a single, 17-second snippet. He observed that another skeptic also received minimal airtime, rendering the show's claim of balance superficial, akin to a "church-sponsored function."

Further compounding Posner's dissatisfaction, his on-screen graphic misidentified him as the "Editor" of "The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine" instead of his actual role as a contributing editor. Additionally, his "M.D." credential was omitted, while that of author Larry Dossey was intact, raising suspicions of intentional slight.

Posner communicated his concerns to Balsiger via email. He learned from Barry Karr of CSICOP that David W. Balsiger had a history of producing programs advertised as balanced but lacking in actual skeptical content. Karr pointed to past articles in "Skeptical Briefs" and "Free Inquiry" concerning Balsiger's 1993 two-hour special, "The Incredible Discovery of Noah's Ark," which aired on CBS. An "Open Letter to CBS" by Dr. Ivan Stanko criticized this program for giving skeptics a mere 20 seconds of airtime, effectively drowning out their statements.

An article by anthropology professor Richard A. Fox in "Free Inquiry" highlighted similar issues with the "Noah's Ark" program. For instance, a proponent named Don Shockey was labeled a "Dr." and "professor of anthropology" despite not being listed in the relevant professional directory. Dr. Henry Morris was presented as a "hydraulic engineer" without mention of his leadership role at the "creation science" organization, the Institute for Creation Research.

An actor named George Jammal tested Balsiger's credulity by presenting a piece of wood he had baked in his own oven as a fragment of Noah's Ark. Despite being warned six months prior to the broadcast by David Fasold, who had reviewed Jammal's interview tapes and stated "Jammal is lying through his teeth," Balsiger proceeded to present the story as fact. Furthermore, another piece of wood, claimed to be from the Ark and found in 1969, was carbon-dated by independent labs to only about 700 A.D.

Following these events, Balsiger issued an "Open Letter" in December 1993, accusing secular humanists of orchestrating a hoax to get his shows canceled. He claimed that an interviewee had executed a "clever hoax" against them, leading CBS to cancel all shows in production, including an upcoming UFO special. Balsiger characterized this as an example of "ethical humanists" being unethical and dishonest.

In response to Posner's complaints, Balsiger stated his own disappointment with the editing of Posner's segment, claiming he urged management to give critics more time. He acknowledged that his suggestions were not always heeded and that some shows aired without his review. Posner concludes that Balsiger's "most Grizzly sin" is not the lack of skeptical balance, but the "pretense/pretext of such."

An addendum notes that Jim Lippard wrote two articles for "Skeptic" magazine in 1994 regarding the "Noah's Ark" hoax.

Snippets

This section presents several brief news items:

• King of the "Psychics"?: TBS received a call from Scott Frank, a self-proclaimed "psychic" from Homosassa, who offered to read auras and cure medical ills for $1,000. The call was cut short when Frank ran out of pocket change.
• Abraham, Carl and Steve: A tribute to Steve Allen, remembering him as a friend of the skeptical movement and an advocate for critical thinking. Allen passed away on October 30th.
• Letters to the Editor: Terry A. Smiljanich seeks permission to quote an excerpt from his "Chairman's Corner" column about a magician exposing psychic fraud, for use in a glossary of argumentation he is preparing for students in Hong Kong.
• Gregory James from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology requests permission to use a photo for an exhibition catalogue on images of the Virgin Mary, noting the similarity to James Randi's work but clarifying it pertains to Harry Houdini.
• Rebecca Mongeon from Davis Museum and Cultural Center at Wellesley College requests permission to use a photograph of the 1996 Clearwater apparition for an exhibition catalogue.

Telephone Psychics Regulation

In an agreement between the Florida Attorney General's office and Access Resource Services, individuals seeking to work as "telephone psychics" in Florida must now sign a sworn statement affirming their psychic abilities. Assistant Attorney General Bob Buchner stated this is to ensure consumers have the right to expect psychics to possess such abilities. However, employment-law attorney Bill Amlong believes the regulation will be "virtually unenforceable." The action was prompted by complaints from former psychics who allegedly lacked experience and were hired off the street, often needing jobs due to substance abuse issues.

Brenda Dupre, a "fifth-generation psychic" who has assisted law enforcement, has moved to St. Petersburg and offers Tarot card readings.

Psychic Predictions and Election Fiasco

The article humorously notes that the Florida recount fiasco and its aftermath were accurately predicted three months earlier by Jacqueline Stallone's miniature pinschers, who allegedly "channel messages from the spirit world." The dogs predicted a "Bush, by a razor-thin margin of a couple of hundred votes" victory in the presidential election.

TBS in the Media

Gary Posner was scheduled to appear on ABC-TV's "20/20" in a report by producer Caron Shapiro on medical studies about intercessary prayer. Posner also appeared on the October 6th episode of PAX-TV's "Encounters With the Unexplained." Additionally, Posner was invited by Ronald Story to contribute entries on "Face on Mars" and "Philip Klass" for "The Encyclopedia of Extraterrestrial Encounters," to be published in 2001.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Tampa Bay Skeptics Report Online consistently champions skepticism and critical thinking, actively debunking pseudoscience and exposing media bias. The publication appears to be a platform for disseminating research and commentary that challenges unsubstantiated claims, particularly those presented in popular media. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of scientific rigor and evidence-based reasoning, often highlighting instances where media outlets have failed to uphold journalistic standards of balance and accuracy when covering controversial or paranormal topics. The critique of David Balsiger's productions serves as a prime example of this ongoing effort to hold media accountable for its portrayal of skeptical inquiry.