Mind over Matters

Kirk Baird

Friday, May 3, 2002 | 2:37 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION: May 5, 2002

When it comes to mind tricks, the Amazing Kreskin has carved out a niche all his own.

For 40 years Kreskin, 67, has amazed and baffled with his ability to seemingly read the thoughts of others.

Perhaps his most famous trick is his "check test," where random members of his audience hide a check made out to Kreskin -- his fee for the show -- somewhere in the theater or auditorium where he is performing.

Relying solely on his apparent skills to read minds, Kreskin has a limited time in which to locate the check. If, however, he is unable to find the check, the money is donated to charity.

Out of 6,000 check tests, Kreskin claims he has failed only nine times.

A favorite of both radio and TV talk-show hosts (it's been said that Johnny Carson based his Carnac the Magnificent character on Kreskin after seeing him trip and fall on "The Steve Allen Show"), Kreskin is appearing through June 9 at Silverton.

Calling from the Newark, N.J., airport, Kreskin (whose real name is George Joseph Kresge Jr.) recently spoke to the Sun about his ability to read thoughts, whether that gives him an advantage while gambling and his prediction that the biggest-recorded UFO sighting will occur soon somewhere in Nevada:

Las Vegas Sun: You are billed as a "mentalist." What is the difference between that and a psychic?

AK: First of of all, I don't claim any supernatural powers. If you sit up in the audience, I might say your initials and then say you're planning on a vacation next Oct. 10. You would say yes. But if you asked me where you were going, but you hadn't decided yet, I couldn't tell you because I'm not a fortuneteller. You really have to hold the thought patterns in your mind, otherwise there's nothing I can do.

I don't mean this about all psychics, but I can figure out why more psychics don't spend more time at racetracks.

Sun: How is it that you have this ability?

AK: You've got to understand, I've been doing this since I was 9 1/2 years old. I played a game called "Hot and Cold" when I was a kid, where they would hide something and you would walk around (searching) and they would say, "You're getting warmer," (or,) "you're getting colder."

In third grade I started finding things with nobody saying anything. Teachers went wild. So it's been all my life and I've learned to sensitize myself. At the same time, I can't do a thing unless people cooperate. People have to cooperate, otherwise I'm lost.

Sun: What are your thoughts on the popular syndicated show "Crossing Over with John Edward"?

AK: During wars there's always been a great interest in spiritualism, people who communicate with the dead. There's only one problem I have: I just saw (missing Washington intern) Chandra Levy's parents, whose daughter disappeared. So many of these psychics and channelers said that she's dead.

But they would answer anyone doubting them at all if they would simply contact her (Chandra), talk to her if she's dead and ask her where her body is. My God, what a contribution they would make. All you have to do is talk to a dead person who's been murdered and ask them, "Where is your body?" Would that not answer every single skeptic from now until doomsday?

Sun: How do you address critics who claim you're a hoax?

AK: Well, my answer is this: I've offered $50,000 to anyone who can prove I employ paid assistance or confederates in any phase of my program. A friend said the reason I don't hear much from skeptics anymore is that I've been doing this for 40 years. He said, "Kreskin, if somebody were secretly involved, they would have blown the whistle a long time ago. No one keeps secrets anymore."

Sun: With your thought-reading abilities, wouldn't you be a casino's worst nightmare?

AK: Years ago, I forget where I was headlining, I went over to see Siegfried and Roy when they were at the (old) MGM Grand. I sat down at the blackjack table and I was suddenly banned. The crew comes in and said, "You know, you can work here, but don't approach any game of chance." And I said to them, "I didn't think this was chance because I'm winning." Since then, most casinos love to have me around because they say it gets better PR ... and I usually leave after a short time. I relax playing blackjack.

As a mentalist I have no advantage at blackjack, because the dealer never looks at their down card anymore, so they don't know what their cards are. And how can you read the mind of a deck of playing cards? So I've got no advantage at all, if you think about it. Poker is another thing. Oh, my God, I would have a field day. That's the one game I can't play anywhere in the world.

Sun: Although you don't claim to be psychic, you still make a lot of predictions.

AK: I have steadfastly said I am not a fortuneteller or a prophet, but for nine years in a row CNN has had me as the first guest on New Year's Day reflecting on what changes I think are going to happen around the world. I have, on those occasions, made some dramatic statements.

On New Year's Day 2001 -- and this has been played back hundreds of times in interviews and on other talk shows -- my prediction was that we were already at war, the war of terrorism, and that it possibly could develop into biological warfare. And then -- and it came back to haunt me -- something will happen in the month of September, a major disaster involving three or four airlines.

Sun: I know you offered to read O.J. Simpson's mind to determine his innocence or guilt. What are your impressions of Robert Blake, now that he has been charged with murdering his wife?

AK: I don't know, it's such a tragedy. In the case of O.J., I did it because the case (was) such a sideshow. But Blake, I don't know. I'm not really into meeting with suspects of crime. I work on crime cases in helping to develop evidence that was unconsciously in the minds of witnesses.

I was given an award for a case in Reno of a coed that was murdered, where two drivers just glanced out the window and didn't realize they had seen the murderer. And by speaking with them, we were able to build up a composite image of the murderer. The newspaper in Reno had printed composite drawings of what we developed. Three or four weeks later a person fitting that description was spotted in Los Angeles, California, and it turns out he was already a suspect for another murder.

But as far as people who are on trial, I'm not involved in that.

Sun: What about your recent prediction of a massive UFO sighting in the next two months somewhere in the Nevada desert?

AK: My statement was this: The next great sighting, one of the largest sightings in recorded history, will take place ... I believe in the desert of Nevada sometime in either the month of May or June. I'm so certain of this, that I have turned over a statement to the Fox Network news people that if I fail, I will then deposit in their hands $50,000 to be turned over to charity.

To be honest, I'm not one to throw away money, but I am so absolutely, positively certain of the prediction, that I put $50,000 (on it). It will happen specifically in the desert outside Las Vegas. I believe, while there will be scores and scores of people, the number of UFOs reported will be three or four in the sky.

When I first made this prediction, I hadn't even been scheduled to perform in Nevada, but I hope I'm in (Las Vegas) because I would like to hold a press conference the next day and I explain how I came to the conclusion as early as March that this would happen.

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