Since I mentioned Happy Days in my most recent posts I thought I would mention the great magician The Amazing James Randi. I was first introduced to Randi when he appeared on Happy Days in the 1970's on the infamous episode where the Fonz performed Houdini's Milk Can escape. That was another episode in a long line of silly Happy Days episodes that permeated the late 70's episodes.

Randi's television appearances were not limited to his campy sojourn on Happy Days. He has appeared numerous times on television performing his favorite hobby...debunking frauds.

You really have to give James Randi a tremendous amount of credit. While most people in the media are willing to shill along with a ton of obtuse and dopey parapsychologists, psychics, faith healers and other charlatans, Randi has debunked them one another and done so quite easily. I remember once seeing Randi on the Oprah Winfrey Show about 20 years ago and he was the lone skeptic sitting side by side with a ton of psychics. Of course, Randi was portrayed as the "bad guy" and the curmudgeon. It is always sad to see television programs going along with such shilling. Recent episodes of the Montel Williams Show and Larry King Live have both invested quite a bit of time parading around a bunch of phonies claiming mystical powers. Oh well. At least you and I know better.