Shouldn't He Have Known This Was Coming?

[Ksyrup]

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Celebrity psychic Uri Geller said Thursday he would try to take legal action to stop U.S. television station ABC going ahead with a "reality" show in which five couples compete to adopt a baby.

Geller claims the ABC "20/20" show is an exact rip-off of his yet-to-be published novel "Nobody's Child" which follows a reality TV game show where five couples compete to win a baby.

"I'm outraged and angry. I can't believe that such a show will go on," he told Reuters.

The Israeli-born spoon bender, who now lives in Britain, began his book in 2001, publishing chapters weekly on a subscription Internet Web site. It has not yet been printed.

At the same time, he ordered lawyers in the United States to take out a worldwide copyright ban to prevent any show being made in which people competed to win babies. He has a patent application pending with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

"I was afraid that an unscrupulous producer in TV reality land would steal the idea," he told Reuters.

"I will speak to my patent attorney -- I own the idea."

The ABC "20/20" show, titled "Be My Baby," which is due to be broadcast Friday night, follows pregnant 16-year-old Jessica as she goes through the adoption process, whittling down prospective candidates to five couples.

The program shows Jessica interviewing all five as they try to convince her they would make the best parents for her unborn son.

Geller said he was friends with the show's host Barbara Walters and was puzzled why she had decided to do it.

Walters admitted on the program's Web site that the show's publicity might have given people the wrong impression.

"Some of that may be due to overly zealous promotion on our part; frankly, some of our initial on-air promos went a little over the top," she said.

"For the record, we should say that '20/20' simply reports what happened: we did not choose the participants nor exert any influence on what they did. This is not one of those scripted 'reality shows' -- it IS reality!"

Geller shot to fame in the 1970s with his apparently science-defying psychic powers and maintains a high profile in Britain with television appearances and a newspaper column.

He counts embattled pop star Michael Jackson, who is facing trial over child molestation charges, as a personal friend.




I saw a commercial for this last night, and Wa-wa's right - they did go overboard. They made it sound like it was a competition, like The Batchelor. Only at the end of the promo did they come clean about it not being an actual reality show (which is debatable). I distinctly remember this, because I stopped in mid-sentence and watched the promo in disbelief that they would make such a show, and then the ending explained that it was just a "20/20 story."

So this is great. Instead of "reality TV" shows, we now get reality shows pawned off as stories on a news magazine.

[IMetTrentGreen]

i think more people should stop this horrible show, even if it doesnt rip them off

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

The Israeli-born spoon bender

Is it me or does this sound like some sort of ethnic insult?

"Go home, spoon bender!"

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Is it me or does this sound like some sort of ethnic insult?

"Go home, spoon bender!"

I wouldn't read too much into it. If he'd originally been from somewhere in the states it would have said, for example, "the Tennesee-born."

And, yeah, competing over an unborn child really seems to take it to another level.

[Ksyrup]

Reminded me instantly of this great song by Toad the Wet Sprocket:



I can't believe you
You bend your words like Uri Geller's spoons
Not quite safe here
When every judgement
Seems to smack of doom

Are you OK?
I'm just fine
You take Nanci
For me Loretta's fine

A legal precedent
Could set us straight
But no one's brought up suit
And I'm assuming
That if they did
The point would still be moot

And are you just joking?
No I'm just fine
You take Nanci
For me Loretta's fine
No I've changed my mind
I'll take Nanci
For you Loretta's fine

And still we walk without quite seeing things
And I'll admit there's not that much to see
And I will follow through
And expect that you will follow suit

[QuikSand]

Uri Geller is a self-aggrandizing phony.

I don't really have any comment about the merits of his case though.

(I'm sensing parallels with Maurice Clarett here, and am trying to avoid hypocrisy)

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

I wouldn't read too much into it. If he'd originally been from somewhere in the states it would have said, for example, "the Tennesee-born."

Oh yes, I realize that. It just sounded funny to me. "Spoon bender". I'm going to start using that in daily conversation.

[Hurst2112]

"there is no spoon"

[corbes]

Just for the record, it's not the spoon that bends. That would be impossible.


edit: Hurst beat me.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Uri Geller is a self-aggrandizing phony.

I don't really have any comment about the merits of his case though.

(I'm sensing parallels with Maurice Clarett here, and am trying to avoid hypocrisy)

I wonder if Maurice Clarett counts Michael Jackson as a personal friend.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

And, yeah, competing over an unborn child really seems to take it to another level.

Well, this kind of thing does happen all the time. 20/20 did not invent it. They merely documented a single case. Yes, I find the concept of televising this somewhat sick, but upon reflection, not more so than when it happens off camera.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by corbes

Just for the record, it's not the spoon that bends. That would be impossible.


edit: Hurst beat me.

Sorry man.

[Glengoyne]

If the show is cancelled will this turn into an abortion thread?

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Samdari

Well, this kind of thing does happen all the time. 20/20 did not invent it. They merely documented a single case. Yes, I find the concept of televising this somewhat sick, but upon reflection, not more so than when it happens off camera.

What's your point? I didn't claim that they did. All I said was that they took reality television to another level.