Banachek

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For the 1970s TV detective series, see Banacek.
Banachek
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Banachek at The Amaz!ng Meeting 8, Las Vegas, 2010.
Born Steven Shaw
(1960-11-20) November 20, 1960 (age 64)
Middlesex, England, UK
Nationality American
Occupation Mentalist, magician, writer, skeptic
Website http://www.banachek.com

Steven Shaw (born 30 November, 1960), known professionally as Banachek, is a mentalist.[1] He has written books on mentalism and has invented various magic and mentalism effects, including the Penn & Teller bullet catch and the original "buried alive"[citation needed] stunt. He is the Director of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge.[2]

Biography

Born in England and raised in South Africa and Australia, Banachek has been performing since his arrival in the United States in 1976.[3]

Banachek is often sought out by top entertainers and magic TV shows around the world as a consultant. His clients include Penn & Teller, David Blaine, Lance Burton, James Randi and Criss Angel.[4][5]

During the early-1980s Project Alpha hoax,[6][7] Banachek fooled scientists at Washington University into believing that his supposed psychic abilities were genuine. Even though "they had agreed should they ever be asked: Are you faking it?... that they would immediately admit the truth... They were never once asked.", as D. J. Grothe explains.[8] With James Randi, he took part in an investigation of alleged faith healer Peter Popoff's activities, which ultimately exposed Popoff's false claims.[9]

Banachek has appeared on several television programs, including CNN Live,[3] Mindfreak[5] and Unscrewed with Martin Sargent.[10] During Nightline's Beyond Belief program, reporter JuJu Chang described him as a "crusader".

In 2008, Banachek toured as part of the stage show Hoodwinked with Bob Arno, Todd Robbins and Richard Turner.[11][12]

On July 12, 2009, Banachek conducted a preliminary test of Connie Sonne's dowsing ability for the JREF One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge that was witnessed by hundreds in person and hundreds more via live webcast.[13][14]

File:SteveShawWithConfederate.jpg
Mentalist Steve Shaw (Banachek) with confederate at the 1983 CSICOP Conference in Buffalo, NY.

Opinion on psychics

As Director of the JREF Million Dollar Challenge, Banachek has stated that psychics like James Van Praagh have crossed the line when they claim to talk to the dead. He believes that claims to be talking to a person's dead relatives to "make [that person] feel better" prevent them from grieving: "I think these [psychics] are scum.... Grieving is a part of death." He has stated that there is no scientific evidence for psychic phenomena: "it's not science; it never has been science".[citation needed] According to him, the treatment of the children on A&E's show Psychic Kids "borders on child abuse".[15]

Awards

  • Psychic Entertainers Association Dave Lederman Memorial Award (for Creativity in Mentalism), 1997.[16]
  • APCA (Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities) Entertainer of the Year 1998, 1999.[17]
  • APCA College Campus Novelty Act of the Year, 2000.[citation needed]
  • Psychic Entertainers Association Dan Blackwood Memorial Award (for Outstanding Contribution to the Art of Mentalism), 2006.[16]
  • Psychic Entertainers Association Dunninger Memorial Award (for Distinguished Professionalism in the Performance of Mentalism), 2007.[16]
  • His book Psychological Subtleties 2 won the first place in The Magic Woods Awards for Best Book in 2007.[citation needed]
  • Awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership at PSYCRETS (British Society of Mystery Entertainers) Tabula Mentis VII in April 2010.[18]

Books and videos

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References

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External links

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  • Banachek on TwitterLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 28: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
  • Banachek at the Internet Movie Database
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