My Memories of The Amazing Randi: Part Two

Banachek reflects on his experiences with James Randi, highlighting his brilliance as a publicity generator, investigator, and educator who exposed frauds such as faith healer Peter Popoff and consistently challenged paranormal claims through demonstrations and the Million Dollar Challenge. The tribute emphasizes Randi's enduring legacy as a champion of critical thinking and skepticism, whose influence continues through organizations like the James Randi Educational Foundation and the broader skeptical movement. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/my-memories-of-the-amazing-randi-part-two/ About the Author: Banachek was born in England on November 30, 1960. He was schooled in South Africa and the United States. It was while living in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, that Banachek saw his first magician at a high school function at the age of fourteen. He was intrigued but not enough to delve much further into that secret world. In 1976, the bicentennial year of the United States, Banachek moved to the United States. It was at the end of this same year that he picked up a worn copy of James Randi's book The Truth about Uri Geller. Banachek performed Mind Games Live in Las Vegas at the prestigious Strat hotel, Casino and Skypod. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/