Don’t take this as a bash against Chip Coffey the man. I have never met Mr. Coffey and I do not know him. This article speaks to several issues; namely, psychics, mediums, the paranormal and over-inflated self-perception.
Recently, I read that Chip Coffey is coming to my home town of Chicago to conduct “Coffey Talk With Chip Coffey”, a “Chip Coffey Tour”, to be held at one of the more prominent (and expensive) hotels in downtown Chicago, the Congress Plaza Hotel.
I realize Chip has been featured on A&E’s Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal and Paranormal State, but as I continued through the article, my eyes bugged out when I got to the inflated prices and then when I read the small print, to tell the truth, it made me wonder who the heck Chip Coffey thought he really was? Does Mr. Coffey really have such an over-inflated view of himself?
The promoters make four claims, as follows; “chit-chat with Chip”, “Chip will conduct psychic and mediumship readings”, “Meet & Greet”, and lastly “Spirit communication – Paranormal investigation.”
However, when you read the fine print, the “disclaimer”, you are informed; “not every attendee will receive a reading”, the “paranormal investigation” is no investigation, but merely a “sit down event” and “no audio, video, or recording devices are allowed”. And to further matters the ad continues to inform readers that Chip Coffey cannot “forecast, diagnose, or provide information… with [any amount of] certainty.” I thought these were all qualities a psychic was suppose to possess? Isn’t that what you’re promoting?
Mr. Coffey is so assured of his results he offers, “no guarantees or assurances of any kind” and states he, “will not be held accountable for interpretations”. Really? I am an author and I am held accountable for each and every word I write. If someone purchases my book and has good reason to complain, without question I have committed myself to refund their purchase, it’s called good business ethics my friends.
Just to clarify, I have interviewed and conducted investigations with dozens upon dozens of psychics, mediums, channelers, sensitive’s, and so-called conduits of the spiritual realm. I can say that my experience is I have come across one individual who told me things she had no way of knowing, unless she was “connected”. I say she is authentic, the real deal. Perhaps the others were convinced of their abilities, but for whatever reasons they did not convince me.
A rambling of erratic words, an arbitrary shaking and “feeling” as though something is happening, a casting of a spell or a waving of aromatic scents just doesn’t do it for me. “Joe says he’s happy,” when nobody is aware of a Joe who is tied to the property, is as arbitrary as, “Today there is a 50% chance of rain and a 50% chance of sunshine.”
When a psychic says he or she has had a conversation with the deceased I must question the validity, as there is no absolute way to prove it is truth or if it is deception. Furthermore, spitting out a slew of words they read in a tabloid or book doesn’t qualify them anymore than reading a car magazine qualifies my next door neighbor as an authority on automobile mechanics.
If a psychic has psychic ability, why is the rate of unsolved murder crimes so high across the nation? Why are the psychics not talking to the deceased victims if they possess the ability to speak with the dead? They would be assisting the victim and be saving the public millions of dollars in revenue spent on missing persons cases and open case files.
I’ll tell you why. As you will see below, there is a great deal of money to be made by professing the unknown to be fact and having a naive audience believe in your self-professed abilities and ostensible psychic potential.
I think it is despicable when the public (and the person themselves) elevate an individual to the degree he or she is selective and alienates the less fortunate or the people who have to struggle to make ends meet. The tickets for this event are outrageous. Sure you can get in the door for the $49.00 ticket price and a $3.69 fee for a total of $52.69 (plus the credit card interest fee as you must pay by credit card), but what does the general entry level get you? Not very much! Back row seating – nosebleeds. Chip will “interact with the audience telling stories” and he will conduct “random psychic readings.” Who knows, will you be selected? Perhaps Chip knows!
So, for sake of naivety, spend nearly $60.00 and you get to hear someone talk about his childhood romps. I might be in the wrong business after all!
For $99.00 and a processing fee of $6.44, grand total of $106.43 (plus those nasty credit cards interest fees), you’ll be privy not only to the aforementioned childhood stories, but in addition, middle-section seating – no nosebleeds, just elbows and knee-bumps, a VIP laminate (WOW!), and a “meet and greet” where you get to shake Chip Coffey’s hand (from afar).
Now if that doesn’t do it for you, we have to all inclusive, well not really because we haven’t factored in travel expenses and a hotel room at the Congress Plaza Hotel, did I happen to mention it is one of the most expensive Hotels in downtown Chicago, “Super VIP” gives you “General” yes that’s correct “General seating” and in addition to the aforementioned, you are entitled to a signed copy of Chip Coffey’s new book, all for the not-too pricey cost (sarcasm) of $159.00 plus $9.74 processing fee, for a total of $168.74 plus the credit card interest we mentioned.
$170.00 in childhood stories, maybe a reading, but most likely not, no food, a sit-down “paranormal investigation” at a table of how many? Five, six, in a room of three hundred, perhaps a thousand? Chip don’t forget to bring the spirits (both kinds please)!
What boils my apples is paranormal investigation is not about capitalizing on the sensationalism of Hollywood or a certain cable channels ratings. It is scientific and it is serious, and those who dedicate themselves to investigating the hereafter get a bad name from those who use the paranormal field for their financial gain.
While writing a book on the paranormal, throughout my research, I have know both kinds of people in the paranormal field; those that are genuine and those who merely see individuals searching for answers to age old questions as weak and vulnerable and unfortunately, in many ways as we search for the answers we are at a disadvantage.
However, one thing I have come to realize is whether it is the paranormal or any other walk of life, the human condition allows people to prey on those who are less informed or unwilling to accept the facts for whatever their personal reasons. I feel a certain amount of obligation to expose injustice and wrongdoing. In doing so, I only hope it provides my readers with a certain amount of comfort in knowing there are people who care that others are out there exposing those who are attempting to take advantage of them.
Please understand, I do know there are authentic psychics with corporeal abilities. I do not believe a legitimate psychic, medium, channeler, or sensitive would consider capitalizing monetarily on an individual, or a situation, if he or she truly is genuine.
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