Blowing minds and bending spoons: A taste of Uri Geller
(Photo courtesy Bill McAuley | billmcauleyphotographer.com)
Self-proclaimed psychic and renowned illusionist Uri Geller became famous after displaying his spoon and key-bending "techniques" to the world. (Photo, 1975.)
I photographed him at the Sydney Opera House and after the shoot, I asked if he could bend a key for me.
Geller asked me if I had one. I didn’t, but the reporter I was with reluctantly handed over his house key. With my eyes just inches away, the showman started rubbing the key.
It was a sturdy Lockwood, but I watched it start to bend and curl around his finger. When he finished, he nonchalantly flipped the key to me and sure enough, it was bent at almost 45 degrees. I was impressed — no, amazed! But, as we walked back to our car, my colleague fumed, "How the fuck do I open my front door now?".
In 1982, scientific sceptic James Randi published The Truth about Uri Geller, debunking Geller’s claim that he performed paranormal feats. I read Randi’s ideas, but because I had seen Geller bend a key up close, I remained a true believer and told friends he was the real deal and that I had seen him bend a key with his finger.
Randi visited Australia on a promotional tour many years later and I photographed him during the interview when he opined that Geller was not a psychic but instead used simple conjuring tricks to simulate psychokinesis and telepathy. After the reporter had finished the interview, I had some private time with Randi and told him about my experience with Geller, which had me remained convinced.
Randi said, "Look, I can show you how to do that right now. Got a key?" I handed over my house key and Randi started to rub it with his finger, just as Geller had. The key began to bend.
"How did you do that?" I asked.
"Easy", Randi said, explaining how he sneakily bent the key before beginning the finger rubbing, then continued using sleight-of-hand to create the illusion.
As I walked back to my car, I experienced something like déjà vu — because how the hell was I going to open my front door now?
**These photographs are part of an IA series that looks at Australia through the lens of award-winning photojournalist, Bill McAuley.**
Bill McAuley's 40-plus-year news career began in 1969 as a cadet photographer at 'The Age' in Melbourne.
Bill has several published collections, including 'Portraits of the Soul: A lifetime of images with Bill McAuley'. To see more from Bill, click HERE.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License
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