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[SPECIAL REPORT Medium Allison DuBois Is Tested —and Fails—in the Real World

Allison DuBois, the best-selling author who inspired the recently cancelled television show Medium, claims to have amazing psychic abilities. But when her skills are tested in the real world—first with a missing-child case and then at a dinner party on reality-TV—they prove less than stellar.

RYAN SHAFFER

sychic Allison DuBois has built an industry around her Texas Rangers, and has said that she is “used for jury selection in rape/homi- claims of helping law enforcement. A primetime net- cide cases, in order to obtain the sen- Pwork television show was based on her. She has three tence the prosecution wants” (DuBois best-selling books and an army of devoted fans. But despite 2005). Yet these claims have never been verified, and the Texas Rangers deny DuBois’s celebrity power, the evidence for her supposedly any involvement with her (Radford accurate predictions is less robust than her profits. She has 2005). Medium, the network television made several claims that are hard to accept—even for those show based on DuBois, has highlighted the character Allison DuBois “using her who believe in psychic abilities. Even still, DuBois has psychic smarts to help the DA in his ef- walked a careful line in order not to re- forts to find twelve people happy to veal too much information. That strat- send Mr. Psycho to the chair” (Bell egy, until recently, has worked for her. In 2005). The real-life DuBois claimed to 2010, DuBois was asked by KPHO-TV, be working on 150 cases in 2005 and a Phoenix, Ari zona, CBS affiliate, about says she’s “never worked a case and not a missing baby. The case marks the first provided them with specific informa- publicly reported event in which Du - tion” (MSNBC 2005). Bois has been specific in her predictions When a crime story grips the nation, and offered a timeline for a criminal DuBois will typically discuss the event in case. As it turns out, DuBois’s predic- an interview or claim involvement. In her tions not only failed to solve the crime 2005 book Don’t Kiss Them Goodbye, Ryan Shaffer is a PhD can- but were completely wrong. DuBois wrote that she correctly de - didate in the Department DuBois was raised in Arizona and scribed the man involved in the Eliza beth of History, State University of New York at Stony Brook. still lives in Phoenix with her husband. Smart kidnapping. Dubois wrote that her His articles have appeared In 2005 she told Dan Abrams of “friend Catherine” (no last name given) in several magazines, in- MSNBC that she has “read over 1,200 asked for a profile of the kidnapper, cluding Free Inquiry, Skep- people”; in 2006 she claimed to have which DuBois gave, offering vague de- tic, and the Humanist. He performed 2,000 readings (with a wait- tails that matched the kidnapper—that cowrote the article “Psy- ing list of 3,000) (Pierlioni 2006). She he was “a grounds keeper/handyman. He chic Defective: Sylvia Browne’s Record of Failure” has long claimed to use psychic powers was a transient, but he managed to func- in the March/April 2010 issue of SI. to help law enforcement, including the tion in society.” DuBois notes, “These

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details could have helped much sooner Interviewer (voice-over): It’s some- if they had been used.” In the middle of thing we all feel and why Allison this narrative, she writes, “All the infor- feels investigators will find this baby boy, but not, she says, in a San mation I provided is on record and ver- Antonio landfill. ifiable.” The problem is that her claims DuBois: I feel like he’ll be found. are not verifiable because she supplies no It does feel like helicopters are names beyond her friend’s first name. overhead. It’s a place they’re already There is no mention of who she talked looking. Interviewer (to DuBois): Do you to or what law enforcement agency or feel like we will find him soon or volunteer group had the information. later? The only public details of DuBois mak- DuBois: Sooner than later. I feel ing a prediction about Smart in 2002 like he’ll be found within the year, within 2010. The people working

came from her 2005 book. In addition, .

this will make sure he’s found. m o

DuBois’s own passage points out that c s w e

her reading was not used in the high- Much of what DuBois states early N / s o profile Smart case. Smart’s family had in the interview—which took place t o h P suspected Brian Mitchell was involved more than two months after the events N N E

with the kidnapping. Mitchell was cap- in question—had already been re ported W

1

in the press. The reporter said that she H

tured in the company of his wife and K Smart on a Salt Lake City street after his planned to share DuBois’s reading from Allison DuBois image was broadcast on America’s Most the ninety-minute interview with the fate and location of the baby, but Wanted in 2003. Gabriel’s father. However, what the sta- she didn’t. It is reasonable to think that Similarly, during Natalee Hollo way’s tion aired was general information: de- a baby who is missing will be found— disappearance a few years later, DuBois tails already reported about the mother’s based on police interviews, a plea bar- appeared on MSNBC’s Rita Cosby Live text messages to the father, the ongoing gain with the mother, or finding the to claim, “You have the right suspects. I custody dispute, and the actions of the child’s body—as has happened in other mother. DuBois revealed the mother’s mean, they’re completely guilty.” Du - high-profile missing-child cases. In any Bois’s information was incorrect. The motive during the KPHO-TV interview, case, DuBois was wrong. Gabriel was case remains un solved and those sus- saying, “I think she did it because she not found in 2010. In January 2011, as pects were not charged. More recently, wanted to hurt the father like she said” police continued to look for him, the a story about a missing baby garnered (emphasis added). As KPHO-TV re- Tempe, Arizona, Police De partment re- national headlines, and Du Bois made a ported, “What she can’t read from leased documents detailing its search, in- prediction that finally put her claims to Gabriel, Allison said she can read from cluding unconfirmable claims from an the test. this video of Elizabeth in court and the unnamed psychic about the baby. The In December 2009, Elizabeth sound of her voice on tape... and she mother had been charged with kidnap- John son took her eight-month-old also looked to the text messages Eliza- ping, child abuse, and custodial interfer- son, Gabriel, from his father in a cus- beth sent Gabriel’s father Logan Mc- ence, with a trial scheduled for later in tody dispute. For the next five days, Queary just after the boy was last seen.” 2011. Her son is still missing. DuBois Eliza beth spent nights in two different The Phoenix New Times pointed out, has emphasized that her statements are hotels with the baby. In the process, “In the final analysis, after devoting based on psychic “feelings” and “impres- she texted messages to the father, nearly four minutes of airtime and a sions.” In particular, Du Bois explained Logan McQueary, saying that she ninety-minute interview to the claims how she feels about the case is based, in killed the baby and threw his body in of a psychic, CBS 5 has told us nothing part, on looking at “a picture of Gabriel, a trash can after wrapping him in a di- we didn’t know a week ago” (King first thing I do is look in his eyes that’s aper. She was arrested on December 2010). my window in to him.” 30 but refused to help police locate the However, DuBois’s prediction that DuBois had a rough start to the new baby. As national interest in the case Gabriel would be found “within” 2010 year. First, CBS cancelled Medium, and grew, police interrogations and inter- was something that no one could have its last show aired in January 2011. Then views with friends and family mem- evaluated at the time. It is important to DuBois received criticism about her De- bers were reported in the news. On note that DuBois made no statement cember appearance on The Real House- March 3, 2010, Allison DuBois spoke about whether Gabriel would be found wives of Beverly Hills, a reality television to CBS 5 (KPHO-TV) about Gabriel alive or dead or where the baby boy show aired on the cable channel Bravo, John son. This is one exchange that was might be. If DuBois is psychic, one in which she visited her friend Camille televised: would expect her to correctly predict Grammer, now ex-wife of famed Cheers

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[SPECIAL REPORT

actor Kelsey Grammer (Phillips 2011). pump’s deceased grandmother. As ported with evidence if they are to be Sipping on a drink and smoking what DuBois started giving Vanderpump a accepted. In response to questions appeared to be a cigarette, DuBois traded reading, the video cut to Taylor Arm - about skeptics, DuBois told the Sacra- insults with other members of the show. strong, who pointed out that what mento Bee: “I’m very proud of what I One of the insults was aimed at Kyle DuBois was saying “didn’t make any do.” Perhaps DuBois is proud of what Richards, who Du Bois said “was every sense.” The show then cut back to Van- she does, but that doesn’t change the girl in a high school that made somebody derpump saying to DuBois, “you don’t lack of proof for her claims and her in- kill herself.” While holding her cigarette, know if she’s with me.” In re sponse correct prediction in baby Gabriel’s DuBois said, “I’m gonna shove this up DuBois told Vanderpump, “You’re case. The evidence, not pride, speaks for her [censored] ass just to prove a point. thinking, I’m feeling; that’s how we are itself. Although the character of Allison Except I think she’d need a bigger one different.” DuBois then followed with DuBois on CBS’s Medium solves crimes by using psychic ability, evidence for DuBois’s ability in the real world is sorely lacking. CBS cancelled Medium, but Viewing Allison DuBois as a case study there is little doubt that the real-life Al- lison DuBois will continue to claim that in psychic ability, we can see that her she helps law enforcement even if she paranormal claims are not backed can’t supply evidence for her claims. n References by evidence. When an incorrect Abrams, Dan. 2005. The Abrams Report. MSNBC (February 8). prediction is made, even considering Anaya, Catherine. 2010. Allison DuBois: ‘Baby Gabriel will be found.’ KPHO-TV (March 3). Available online at www.kpho.com/news/ its likelihood, the psychic fails. 22727234/detail.html. Bell, Ian. 2005. The psychic with a bad memory who prompted a mass superstition. The Her- ald (Glasgow) (September 14). Bravo TV. 2011. Allison’s full rant (video). Feb- just to feel it. Oh yeah, I went there.” In “She was the mother that raised you or ruary 16. Available online at www.bravo tv.com/the-real-housewives-of-beverly- response to questions about her behavior, that was the mother you needed and so hills/season-1/videos/allisons-full-rant. DuBois blamed the show’s editing and do you.” The segment cut to Vander - ———. 2011. Lisa takes on the psychic (video). denied being intoxicated. In early Janu- pump telling the camera, “As soon as February 16. Available online at www.bravo ary 2011, DuBois told The Ex aminer she she said my grandmother raised me I tv.com/the-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills/ season-1/videos/lisa-takes-on-the-psychic. smoked an electronic cigarette, not a real lost interest because she didn’t.” Van- DuBois, Allison. 2005. Don’t Kiss Them Good-bye. cigarette, and added, “I had two to three derpump disputed other claims DuBois New York: Fireside Books. cocktails in four hours and was most def- made by bluntly saying “no” to her as- Gonzalez, Nathan. 2011. Baby Gabriel report re- leased by Tempe police. Arizona Republic initely not intoxicated. If it offended any sertions, causing DuBois to look down ( January 18). Available online at www. fans I apologize.” and nervously laugh at one point. In re- azcentral.com/community/tempe/articles/ Then in February, Bravo aired the flection, Adrienne Maloof said the 2011/01/18/20110118baby-gabriel-tempe- now infamous dinner party in a much “reading sounds like a canned state- police-report.html. King, James. 2010. Baby Gabriel will be found, longer format and made clips of the ment.” Clearly, a reading with DuBois psychic claims; glad that’s cleared up. Phoenix show, including “Allison’s Full Rant,” convinced neither Vanderpump nor New Times (March 3). available online. The longer video was Maloof that DuBois is psychic. Phillips, Cheryl. 2011. Allison DuBois speaks about Real Housewives of Beverly Hills dinner more revealing but probably not in the Viewing Allison DuBois as a case party. Examiner.com ( January 3). Avail able o way DuBois wanted. During one part study in psychic ability, we can see that line at www.examiner.com/celebrity-social- of the “full rant,” DuBois angrily told her paranormal claims are not backed media-in-national/allison-dubois-speaks-up- about-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills-dinner the women at the table about Richards, by evidence. When an incorrect predic- -party. “I don’t give a [censored] what she tion is made, even considering its like- Pierleoni, Allen. 2006. The medium has a mes- thinks about me. She can [censored] off. lihood, the psychic fails. Not only have sage; hosting encounters with ghosts comes I can tell you when she’s going to die her claims about working with law en- (super) naturally for Allison DuBois. Sacra - mento Bee ( June 19). and what’s going to happen to her fam- forcement been denied, but third-party Radford, Benjamin. 2005. Psychic detectives fail ily. I love that about me.” evidence supporting the assertion that in the real world but succeed on TV. Skeptical In another clip, appropriately titled she has psychic powers is lacking. This Inquirer 29(2) (March/April). Wilson, Kelly. 2005. Allison DuBois’ ability to “Lisa Takes on the Psychic,” Lisa Van- scenario should be construed as a lesson talk to dead people is taking her on the ride derpump asked DuBois about Vander- to the public: claims should be sup- of her life. East Valley Tribune (April 21).

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