Everyone on London broadcasting has had to admit it was rather sneaky, on the other hand he had been asking for it. He being Uri Geller.
Uri was due to appear on the popular 'Love in London' phone-in show hosted by Adrian Love. You may know I had a long running series with Adrian on his previous show, 'Night-Line'. Predictions, book tests and that sort of thing.
it was natural, therefore for LBC to invite me along to get a close-up on the big man. However, Uri said no magicians, no way. He reckoned he could spot them a mile off as he could 'feel' their negativity. He didn't spot me though - in mufti and sitting at the consul in the control room - acting assistant engineer.
He arrived with two other men and a lady and started building up the excitement right from the start. He made two phone calls, one to France and one to Earl or Lord of somewhere or other - it was very impressive. Next he made a rapid trip around the studios bending things. Eventually he arrived in the control room.
Uri Geller is young, handsome and oozing with charm. Everyone fell for it - except the acting assistant engineer of course. My mind was on other things - What would he do - what methods would he use?
In the control room only one member of the staff showed any scepticism at all and he was handled beautifully - by the time the programme was over he was a convinced Gellerite.
Uri asked for keys and writing pads. He was told that these were all ready for him. Before the programme started he got Adrian Love to draw a simple design on the top sheet of a pad. Adrian did this, tore off the top sheet and placed it down beside him with a cigarette packet on top. He also kept the pad where Uri couldn't see it.
Once the program had started he asked listeners to bring broken watches and any other broken equipment to their radios. he asked them to phone-in if anything happened.
The first of the programme was all the usual chat about scientific investigations and so on. Suddenly he started building up the excitement again. He kept demanding to have telephone calls put through and then wanted people, lots of people. We all piled in - Adrian's a agent, friends, technicians, sports commentators and the acting assistant engineer. That's how I came within 3 feet of Geller performing! Possibly the first magician in the world to get so close.
Suddenly I knew what I had to do - I must read Uri Geller's mind!
Don't worry I haven't got Gelleritus too. What I mean is, by using empathy, I could see everything from his point of view. I even placed myself so that I could physically see what he could see. First some keys were put before him, only about six and very strong looking. I thought 'I want more keys!' He said 'I want more keys, bunches of keys'. We all tossed in bunches of keys. I thought 'I would choose the oldest key with the narrowest stem I could find'. Surprise, surprise, Uri chose an old, gold coloured, Yale key, that was less than one quarter of an inch across at one point.
He took the key, on its own, and laid it 'flat' on the studio table. He stroked it gently but the forefinger of his left hand and claimed it was bending. By this time several phone calls had been received to say broken watches were now merrily ticking away. the atmosphere had for some reached hysteria pitch. The key was now bent about ten degrees. fair enough I thought for starters, what would I do now. I will need some pretty hefty misdirection if that key is to be bent any more.
'Metal, I want metal' said Uri. A tape can was brought in, no good. 'Something big and metal'? What about the transmitter equipment in the control room? 'okay says Uri and leads everyone through the studio door - except me - I knew what was going to happen. In fact I saw it happen as he went through the door. he took the key in both hands and bent at about 45 degrees!
The believers were ecstatic, the phone calls kept coming in. abruptly there came a whining sound, typical feedback. but no headphones were too close to a mike. How come? I admit I don't know.
Some of the phone calls were apparently misrouted to Associated Press - quite a coincidence - I didn't pay much attention to this.
Next came Adrian's diagram. I should explain that my request Adrian had drawn a design on a blank visiting card before Uri arrived. He told Geller this, who asked him to draw it again on the pad as already described. Strange! But even stranger when he didn't manage to duplicate it. He had another go. Someone else was asked to draw a simple design while Uri 'hid' his eyes. I got behind him and saw what he could see - a reasonably clear reflection in the control room window. At first he couldn't get it and asked for the design to be revealed. It was a church complete with cross. Like me, Uri thought it was a house and turned his pad to reveal his drawing of a house with a matchstick figure beside it. Basically the figure was made of a cross. it was possible to detect what was drawn but not exactly where on the paper.
The worshippers were knocked out! 'Thank you Mr. Geller for your amazing performance but, by the way, we just happen to have a magician in our midst'.
I must admit I was taken aback, this hadn't been planned. Afterwards Adrian told me that he felt Uri Geller had had it his way for so long he thought the other side of the story should be introduced.
I didn't feel inclined to blow the whistle on him in public - after all it was only his word against mine, I could prove nothing, that is his secret. No gimmicks, nothing you can pounce on an hold out for all to see. I tried to dodge the issue but Geller himself insisted. I think he thought I didn't know my stuff and had been fooled. I simply stated that I could do what he had done and, what is more, could now state with certainty that I use exactly the same methods as himself. Show over.
Geller wouldn't leave it at that. He invited me into another studio, just the two of us. Once there he assured me that he is genuine. He said 'I suppose you think that I bent the key as I went through the door and I saw the reflection of the design in the control room window'. I said that is exactly what I saw you do. He assured me again that he is genuine and was prepared to try to give me proof of his sincerity.
He asked me to draw a simple design and make sure that he could not see by any trick means. I drew a pyramid.
Fortunately for me he didn't get it. if he had he could have made mincemeat of me. Instead he drew a dog and a pair of spectacles! I can't help thinking that I'm better reading his mind than he is at reading mine.
One thing I do know, he thinks like a professional magician even if he isn't one.