The Amazing Kreskin offers to read the premier's mind
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Updated: October 13, 2009 10:23 AM
It's on Gordo.
One of the world's most recognized mentalists has offered to use his talent to determine whether B.C.'s premier planned the Harmonization Sale Tax before the provincial election.
"It's a formal offer," The Amazing Kreskin says.
Kreskin is confident he can weed the truth out of Gordon Campbell.
It's no biggie, the 74-year-old has been reading people's thoughts since he was nine – back when his name was George Kresge.
It all started with a simple game involving a red beanbag.
His Grade 3 teacher in his hometown of Montclair, N.J., asked a classmate to leave the classroom while the remaining children hid the beanbag.
When the girl returned, she had to find it and her fellow classmates were only allowed to help her with the directions "hot" and "cold."
Little Kresge didn't get a turn. Eager to play he begged his brother to conceal a penny in his grandparents' house.
Once his brother had done the deed, Kresge climbed the basement stairs, went through the kitchen, passing his grandmother and the old coal stove, and walked straight into his grandparents' bedroom. There he climbed up a big maroon chair and, on his tippy toes, reached for the penny on top of the curtain railing. It was no problem, he recalls.
The problem was his brother had not once called out the words "hot" or "cold" and his Greek grandmother was now convinced Kresge had the devil's eye. It was only a matter of minutes before all his relatives heard the tale.
By the age of 12, Kresge was reading thoughts full-time and became know as "The World's Youngest Hypnotist."
Later, he dropped his first name and changed his last. He couldn't or wouldn't recall when it happened, but now on his credit cards are the initials T.A. Kreskin.
"The Amazing Kreskin," he says.
With that name came a four-year television series The Amazing World of Kreskin which was shown throughout Canada in the early 1970s. He's also had numerous appearances on The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
When he's not in front of the camera, Kreskin's spends much of his time in front of the spotlight touring with his live show.
He's performed in Ireland, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, and a slew of other countries, logging more than five million kilometres — equal to traveling around the world 784 times. On Friday, Oct. 16, he's coming to North Vancouver for a show at Centennial Theatre.
It's a busy life, he admits, being able to read minds gets exhausting and complicated. When he was in his twenties, Kreskin's friends would hesitate to call him, knowing he'd know who was calling and why as soon as he picked up the phone, he says.
"I realize this is not the way to relate with people," Kreskin says. "I don't do this in everyday life or otherwise people couldn't and I couldn't stand myself."
His talent is one reason Kreskin is drawn to the isolation of night. He does most of his thinking during the dark hours and sometimes his jogging too, Kreskin says.
It's unadulterated and empty.
Although Kreskin believes his skills can't be taught, he thinks there are other people in the world who share them. But as schedules get crammed with more deadlines and events, less people have the time to discover their talents, he says.
It's a shame, Kreskin continues, as there is so much in life worth slowing down for, things that even his talent can't dissect. Love is one, he points out.
"The human mind is an amazing instrument," Kreskin says.
The Amazing Kreskin's show starts at 7:30 p.m. For more information visit www.centennialtheatre.com or call 604-984-4484.
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