Post by Mr. Jon Donnis on May 12, 2010 10:00:14 GMT
Do you expect to be public enemy No.1 with British mediums following the first episode of your new series which shows Liverpudlian psychic Joe Power in a very bad light?
The idea was never to make shows that were just out to debunk. It was about approaching the subjects sceptically but in the true sense of the word, which means reserving judgement and being open to evidence.
Do you hope the programme will make people think twice before giving their money to psychics?
I hope so but it’s not for me to tell anyone what to believe. If you can say, look, here’s where the evidence holds up or doesn’t hold up, then you hope people can make better, more informed decisions.
In the show you stand face to face with Power and ask him if he’s a fake. Were you worried he was going to lump you one?
It wasn’t scary as he was clearly very nervous, as I was. I don’t like people not liking me and it was uncomfortable. I felt bad having that conversation with him but people are watching an hour of television and if you don’t ask those questions at the end then you’ve wasted their time.
In the programme, you do a ‘reading’ for Hollyoaks actress Claire Cooper that appears to be spookily accurate. Did you research her beforehand?
No, not at all. I’m using exactly the same skills psychics use, although research is part of the skills psychics potentially may be using. A certain amount of luck helps too.
Mediums rely to an extent on the gullibility of the public but isn’t that true of your performances too?
I don’t think gullibility plays any role in what the psychics do or what I do. If you watch a magician and you don’t know how you can make a card disappear from the deck and end up in your pocket, it doesn’t matter how gullible you are, you just don’t have that knowledge. It’s a similar thing with psychics. Most people will go in a bit sceptical; it just depends on your emotional state at that time as to how well you can cling to that scepticism.
Is there a part of you that wants to believe in the paranormal?
Completely. I spend my working life replicating the paranormal and I have the same love for it as the people who say it’s real. That’s part of what drove me to do the documentaries – but the humanist, rational explanations are ultimately the more beautiful and compelling ones.
Do you think you’ll ever be able to top guessing the National Lottery numbers?
I’ve never seen it being about topping anything. I know the Lottery sounds huge but other magicians have done it before. It was marketed hugely by Channel 4 so it became this big thing but I didn’t for a moment sit down and think, right, let’s come up with a publicity stunt.
What can people expect if they come to see your latest theatre show?
It’s funnier than people might expect if they’ve only seen the TV show, which is generally quite dark and serious. It’s based on audience participation so it keeps me on my toes. For anyone who thinks the TV show must rely on camera tricks and stooges, which it doesn’t, then seeing a live show answers that because there’s no possibility of those things.
Some of your work draws inspiration from the great illusionists. When will we see your tribute to Paul Daniels?
I watched Paul Daniels when I was little and I suppose that started off my interest in magic so yeah, why not?
As well as being a magician you’re an accomplished artist.
It’s always been a hobby and over the last ten years or so I’ve taken it a lot more seriously. I had a book of portraits published recently and there was an exhibition. I’m working on a portrait of Rufus Wainwright at the moment. I’m a huge fan.
Derren Brown’s Enigma tour runs until June 28. See www.derrenbrown.co.uk
www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/825675-derren-brown-i-dont-exploit-the-gullible
The idea was never to make shows that were just out to debunk. It was about approaching the subjects sceptically but in the true sense of the word, which means reserving judgement and being open to evidence.
Do you hope the programme will make people think twice before giving their money to psychics?
I hope so but it’s not for me to tell anyone what to believe. If you can say, look, here’s where the evidence holds up or doesn’t hold up, then you hope people can make better, more informed decisions.
In the show you stand face to face with Power and ask him if he’s a fake. Were you worried he was going to lump you one?
It wasn’t scary as he was clearly very nervous, as I was. I don’t like people not liking me and it was uncomfortable. I felt bad having that conversation with him but people are watching an hour of television and if you don’t ask those questions at the end then you’ve wasted their time.
In the programme, you do a ‘reading’ for Hollyoaks actress Claire Cooper that appears to be spookily accurate. Did you research her beforehand?
No, not at all. I’m using exactly the same skills psychics use, although research is part of the skills psychics potentially may be using. A certain amount of luck helps too.
Mediums rely to an extent on the gullibility of the public but isn’t that true of your performances too?
I don’t think gullibility plays any role in what the psychics do or what I do. If you watch a magician and you don’t know how you can make a card disappear from the deck and end up in your pocket, it doesn’t matter how gullible you are, you just don’t have that knowledge. It’s a similar thing with psychics. Most people will go in a bit sceptical; it just depends on your emotional state at that time as to how well you can cling to that scepticism.
Is there a part of you that wants to believe in the paranormal?
Completely. I spend my working life replicating the paranormal and I have the same love for it as the people who say it’s real. That’s part of what drove me to do the documentaries – but the humanist, rational explanations are ultimately the more beautiful and compelling ones.
Do you think you’ll ever be able to top guessing the National Lottery numbers?
I’ve never seen it being about topping anything. I know the Lottery sounds huge but other magicians have done it before. It was marketed hugely by Channel 4 so it became this big thing but I didn’t for a moment sit down and think, right, let’s come up with a publicity stunt.
What can people expect if they come to see your latest theatre show?
It’s funnier than people might expect if they’ve only seen the TV show, which is generally quite dark and serious. It’s based on audience participation so it keeps me on my toes. For anyone who thinks the TV show must rely on camera tricks and stooges, which it doesn’t, then seeing a live show answers that because there’s no possibility of those things.
Some of your work draws inspiration from the great illusionists. When will we see your tribute to Paul Daniels?
I watched Paul Daniels when I was little and I suppose that started off my interest in magic so yeah, why not?
As well as being a magician you’re an accomplished artist.
It’s always been a hobby and over the last ten years or so I’ve taken it a lot more seriously. I had a book of portraits published recently and there was an exhibition. I’m working on a portrait of Rufus Wainwright at the moment. I’m a huge fan.
Derren Brown’s Enigma tour runs until June 28. See www.derrenbrown.co.uk
www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/825675-derren-brown-i-dont-exploit-the-gullible
