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{{Short description|American skepticism activist (born 1962)}}
{{BLP primary sources|date=October 2020}}
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{{Short description|American skeptical activist}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox person {{Infobox person
| name = Susan Gerbic | name = Susan Gerbic
| image = Susan Gerbic Aug 2016.jpg | image = Susan Gerbic Aug 2016.jpg
| alt = Head shot of Gerbic smiling with a black background. | alt = Head shot of Gerbic
| caption = Gerbic in 2016 | caption = Gerbic in 2016
| image_size =
| birth_date = 1962{{R|californian}}
| birth_place = ] | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1962}}
| nationality = American | birth_place = ], U.S.
| alma_mater = ] (])
| education = BA Social & Behavioral Studies
<!--| occupation = Portrait Studio Manager,{{R|californian}} | occupation = ]
| years_active = 1982–2016 | employer = ] Portrait Studios (1982–2016)
| known_for = ]
| employer = ] Portrait Studios --><!-- "Occupation(s) as given in the lead." Maybe change to skepticism? Use organization for the orgs she's with. -->
| known_for = {{hlist|Scientific skeptic activism|Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages}}
| website = {{URL|https://abouttimeproject.wordpress.com}} | website = {{URL|https://abouttimeproject.wordpress.com}}
| module = {{Listen | module = {{Listen
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| type = speech | type = speech
| description = Recorded in May 2015 | description = Recorded in May 2015
|embed=true | embed=true
}} }}
}} }}
'''Susan Gerbic''' (born 1962) is an American ] who became known as a ] activist, mostly for exposing people claiming to be ]s.<ref name=Northstrand2014/><ref name=Matsakis2018>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/story/guerrilla-wikipedia-editors-who-combat-conspiracy-theories/|title=The 'Guerrilla' Misplaced Pages Editors Who Combat Conspiracy Theories|last=Matsakis|first=Louise|date=July 25, 2018|magazine=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725171352/https://www.wired.com/story/guerrilla-wikipedia-editors-who-combat-conspiracy-theories/ |archive-date=25 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=NYT2019/> A columnist for '']'',<ref>. '']''.</ref> she is the co-founder of Monterey County Skeptics<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.meetup.com/Monterey-County-Skeptics/members/?op=leaders|title=Monterey County Skeptics|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102163608/https://www.meetup.com/Monterey-County-Skeptics/members/?op=leaders|website=meetup.com |archive-date=January 2, 2015|url-status=live}}{{pb}}{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Dennis L. |title=Skeptics take on God, psychics, even science |url=https://www.montereyherald.com/2015/01/03/skeptics-take-on-god-psychics-even-science/ |work=] |date=January 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611061358/https://www.montereyherald.com/2015/01/03/skeptics-take-on-god-psychics-even-science/ |archive-date=June 11, 2019}}</ref> and a fellow of the ].<ref name=csifellow/>
'''Susan Marie Gerbic''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɡ|ɜːr|b|ɪ|k}} {{Respell|GUR|bik}}){{R|GSOW1}} is an American ] living in ].{{R|californian}} Gerbic is the co-founder of Monterey County Skeptics,{{R|mcsmeetup}} founder and leader of the Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages (GSoW) project,{{R|csicop395}} a regular contributor to '']'',{{R|Articles }} '']'',{{R|SZ3}} and a ] of the ].{{R|csifellow}} Gerbic has focused much of her skeptical activism on people claiming to be ] ], such as ], ], and ], whom she calls "grief vampires".{{R|GVs}}
{{toclimit|limit=4}} <!-- This code controls max depth of TOC.-->


== Skeptical activism == == Life and career ==
The youngest of three children, Gerbic was raised as a ] in ].<ref name=Hale2018/> Her father was born in ], to parents from ]; he served during ] and after the war went to live in Salinas.<ref name=Gerbic2March2018>Gerbic, Susan (March 2, 2018). . '']''.</ref> Gerbic attended Fremont Elementary, El Sausal Junior High School,<ref name=Gerbicvoice>]. Susan Gerbic Voice.ogg.</ref> and ] in Salinas, graduating in 1980.<ref name=Northstrand2014>{{cite news|last=Nordstrand|first=Dave|title=Staying on the job during cancer treatment|url=http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/life/2014/07/05/staying-job-cancer-treatment/12202333/|work=]|date=July 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830002956/http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/life/2014/07/05/staying-job-cancer-treatment/12202333/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin=|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> She became an ] in her junior year. After high school, she studied at ], also in Salinas,<ref name=Hale2018/> obtaining ]s in general studies in 1993 and history in 1998,<ref name=Gerbicvoice/> while working and raising two sons. In 2002, she was awarded a ] in Social & Behavioral Studies by ].<ref name=Hale2018>{{cite web|url=https://voicesofmontereybay.org/2018/08/23/the-enthusiastic-life-of-a-happy-skeptic/|title=The enthusiastic life of a happy skeptic|last1=Hale|first1=Mike|website=Voices of Monterey Bay|date=August 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829023341/https://voicesofmontereybay.org/2018/08/23/the-enthusiastic-life-of-a-happy-skeptic/|archive-date=29 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
Gerbic was raised in ], as a ]. Her interest in ] and fringe topics began when she was frightened by reports of ], "the idea that you could be walking down the street and suddenly, boom!"{{R|"2nd bday"}} Her religious upbringing was challenged in her late teens, Gerbic told '']'' editor ], when she first encountered the term "]": during her junior year at ], thanks to her home-room teacher Mr. Borman. "I noticed one day that he never said the ‘under God’ part in the ]," she said. "I asked him why, and he said it was because he was an atheist. I had never even heard that word before."{{R|Happy}} Once she found out there were other people who felt the way she did, she read everything she could on the subject.{{R|Radford}} In 1996, '']'' magazine was pivotal in her transformation into a ].{{CN|date=February 2021}}


Gerbic worked at Lifetouch, a portrait studio in ] in the ] in Salinas, from 1982<ref name=Northstrand2014/> for 34 years, including as manager.<ref name=Hale2018/> She retired in 2016 when the studio closed.<ref name=Hale2018/>
In 2000, Gerbic attended her first conference, the ] in Eugene, Oregon.{{R|Radford}} Gerbic started editing for Misplaced Pages after experiences with three "Amazing Adventure" cruises put on by the ] and several of ]s. She wanted to do something more proactive, so she turned her attention to editing Misplaced Pages.{{R|skeptchal}}{{R|Pinter}} Her first contribution was a photo of ] of the Skeptoid podcast.{{CN|date=February 2021}}


==Activism==
Her work in founding and running the GSoW made her an influential member of the skeptical community, leading to her becoming a consultant for the ].{{R|Ten}} In February 2018, the ] appointed her a ].{{R|csifellow}}


===Guerrilla Skeptics===
{{Anchor|GSoW}} <!-- Do not delete this code as it is used to link to this location from other articles. Rp2006-->
] (left) and ] (right), receives the James Randi Award for Skepticism in the Public Interest at ], July 2013]]
Much of Gerbic's activism has consisted of organizing ]s against people claiming to be mediums. She and a group of volunteers calling themselves "Guerrilla Skeptics" would set up fake Facebook profiles, then visit mediums claiming to be receiving messages from the subjects of the profiles. Gerbic's team would record the session and post the evidence online.<ref name=NYT2019>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/26/magazine/psychics-skeptics-facebook.html|title=Inside the Secret Sting Operations to Expose Celebrity Psychics|last=Hitt|first=Jack|date=February 26, 2019|work=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190226133658/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/26/magazine/psychics-skeptics-facebook.html|archive-date=February 26, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>


In 2010, Gerbic founded "Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages" (GSoW),<ref name="Wikapediatrican CSICOP">{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=Wikapediatrician Susan Gerbic discusses her Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages project|url=http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/wikapediatrician_susan_gerbic_discusses_her_guerrilla_skepticism_on_wikiped|work=] |date=March 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830023844/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/wikapediatrician_susan_gerbic_discusses_her_guerrilla_skepticism_on_wikiped|archive-date=August 30, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> a group of editors who create and edit Misplaced Pages articles that reflect ].{{Anchor|GSoW}}<!-- Do not delete this code as it is used to link to this location from other articles. Rp2006--><ref name=Hale2018/><ref name=Plait2018>Plait, Phil (May 23, 2013). . '']''.</ref> '']'' reported in February 2019, in an interview with Gerbic, that GSoW had 144 editors who had worked on nearly 900 Misplaced Pages pages.<ref name=NYT2019/>
=== Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages ===
Gerbic is the founder and leader of "Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages" (GSoW), an organization dedicated to improving the content on Misplaced Pages by improving and creating articles that reflect the ideals of scientific ] and ]. {{As of|2021|01}}, the Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages project had written or fully rewritten over 1500 Misplaced Pages pages in multiple languages, which had collectively received over 78 million views.{{R|Happy}}


=== Awards and honors ===
Gerbic and ] came up with the name "Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages" (GSoW) to describe skeptical activism that is "more underground, more grass-roots, more mole-like".{{R|TAM9}}{{rp|(0:02:00)}} The idea for an organized effort came from ] after Gerbic was frustrated by typical ], finding them either dormant or not user-friendly, especially for new editors. Instead, she started communicating and training other Misplaced Pages editors directly on Facebook or using email.{{R|prism}} She stated that the formal beginning of GSoW is May 2010,{{R|"Wikapediatrican CSICOP"}} yet its birthday is celebrated in June.{{R|"2nd bday"}}{{R|Third}}
* "In the Trenches" award at the ]'s 2012 ] workshop<ref name=TAM2015/>
] in ], ].]]
* "James Randi Award for Skepticism in the Public Interest" at ] 2013<ref name=TAM2015>. TAM13.</ref>
Interest in the project grew after Gerbic made presentations at SkeptiCalcon, did a Sunday paper presentation at The Amaz!ng Meeting{{R|TAM9}}, and also created a blog on the subject.{{R|tamers}} In an interview with ], she states that this kind of project is "a perfect storm, we would never have been able to do this without ".{{R|skepticzone}}
* 2017 Award from ] (shared with "her team of 'guerrilla skeptics{{'"}})<ref>{{cite web|title=2017 JREF Award|url=https://web.randi.org/home/2017-jref-award|website=James Randi Educational Foundation|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328102358/https://web.randi.org/home/2017-jref-award|archive-date=March 28, 2018}}</ref>
* Appointed ] of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, February 2018<ref name=csifellow>{{Cite web|url=https://centerforinquiry.org/news/committee-for-skeptical-inquiry-elects-six-new-fellows/|title=Committee for Skeptical Inquiry Elects Six New Fellows |publisher=] |date=February 7, 2018}}</ref>
* 2019 Balles Award for Critical Thinking, ]<ref name=SI2022>{{Cite journal |last=Fidalgo |first=Paul |date=April 2022 |title=Timothy Caulfield, Susan Gerbic Awarded Balles Prizes for Critical Thinking |url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/2022/02/timothy-caulfield-susan-gerbic-awarded-balles-prizes-for-critical-thinking/ |url-status=live |journal=Skeptical Inquirer |volume=46 |issue=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220919142024/https://skepticalinquirer.org/2022/02/timothy-caulfield-susan-gerbic-awarded-balles-prizes-for-critical-thinking/ |archive-date=19 September 2022}}</ref>
* 2022 National Capital Area Skeptics Philip J. Klass Award for outstanding contributions in critical thinking and scientific understanding<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 April 2022 |title=April 2022 - NCAS Awards Philip J. Klass Award to Susan Gerbic |url=https://www.ncas.org/2022/04/april-2022-ncas-awards-philip-j-klass.html |website=National Capital Area Skeptics}}</ref>


== Personal life ==
Gerbic spends much of her time training the new members of the expanding team to perform basic tasks required to effectively edit the encyclopedia, tackling topics as diverse as Scientology, UFOs, and vaccines.{{R|prism}} Since its inception, the GSoW team has grown, with '']'' reporting in July 2018 that the project had more than 120 international editors.{{R|Matsakis}}
Gerbic married Robert Forsyth in 1983.<ref>"Marriages". ''The Californian''. 3 November 1983, p.&nbsp;15.</ref> The couple had two sons, and the marriage ended in 2002. As of August 2018, Gerbic was in a relationship with the ] ].<ref name=Hale2018/>


]
Members of GSoW are encouraged to identify noteworthy skeptical or science articles in the general media that could serve as significant references, and then cite these in any applicable Misplaced Pages pages. Gerbic calls such edits "backwards editing", which is the reverse of the more typical process where an editor will work on a single Misplaced Pages article, enhancing it with references from many sources.{{R|skeptchal}}{{R|messianicdrew}} GSoW editors seek out skepticism-related articles that are in need of improvement by the addition of references from popular writing, podcast, and other citations. They will share research and otherwise collaborate amongst the team. Sometimes they will directly interview notable persons to improve the citations and resources.{{R|skeptchal}} Gerbic used the example of psychic ]'s Misplaced Pages page during the Amaz!ng Meeting lecture, suggesting that people looking for information might prefer Misplaced Pages as a neutral, virus free, user-friendly site. She calls this the ] effect.{{R|TAM9}}
In 2013, Gerbic discovered she had ].<ref name=Norstrand2014>Norstrand, Dave (July 5, 2014). "Working during cancer treatments". ''The Californian'', pp.&nbsp;1C, 8C.</ref> By December that year, Gerbic had completed ], and by March 2014, ].<ref name=Saunders2014>{{cite web|url=http://skepticzone.libsyn.com/the-skeptic-zone-274-17-jan-2014 |title=An interview with Susan Gerbic |last1=Saunders|first1=Richard|author-link1=Richard Saunders (skeptic)|date=January 17, 2014|work=] podcast|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830030638/http://skepticzone.libsyn.com/the-skeptic-zone-274-17-jan-2014|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Gerbic continued to work throughout the treatment, and her follow-up ] revealed no cancer. She said the experience had made her tougher.<ref name=Norstrand2014/>


<gallery>
Gerbic states that the "We Got Your Wiki Back Project!" is a popular GSoW sub-project. The project's goal is to improve the Misplaced Pages pages of skeptical spokespeople, especially when they are in the media's eye and their Misplaced Pages page views tend to spike.{{R|"Wikapediatrican CSICOP"}} The intention is that people should find great, reliable information on Misplaced Pages.{{R|"Data Skeptic"}}
File:James Randi on JREF Gerbic prize 2017.webm|] announcing Gerbic has won the ] prize for 2017

File:Susan Gerbic European Skeptics Congress 2017.webm|Gerbic speaking about GSoW, 17th ], ], ]
In August 2012 Gerbic began recruiting and training multilingual editors. Beginning with the "Lets Start with Jerry" project, all teams were asked to translate the English ] Misplaced Pages page into as many languages as possible. Arabic, Afrikaans, Dutch, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Portuguese articles were completed under her guidance.{{R|"Wikapediatrican CSICOP"}}
File:SusanGerbicAtQEDcon2014-1.jpg|Gerbic (second left) at ] with ], Eran Segev and Samantha Stein

</gallery>
]
In late 2017 Gerbic toured Europe with the "About Time Tour" and spoke at many skeptical activist gatherings.{{R|escepticos}}{{R|theesp}} During this tour, she was a guest on ] Bulgaria, and the interview was documented in an October 6 article, "Can we trust Misplaced Pages?"{{R|BTV}}

Gerbic was a featured speaker at ] in 2017 where she presented "Beyond the Choir: The Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages Project (GSoW)" which focused on recruiting for the GSoW team.{{R|2017Schedule}}
{{Clear}}

=== Psychic activism ===
Gerbic focuses much of her skeptical activism on ] ], who she calls grief vampires because they prey on desperate families that would do anything to talk to their loved ones or pay anything to find their missing child.{{R|GVs}} Gerbic credits skeptic ] for being "super influential to my 'career' in the skepticism community" as well as specifically sparking her interest in exposing mediums as frauds."{{R|Lancaster}}

In an online 2018 '']'' article, Gerbic summarizes common techniques which psychics use to achieve their effects, ranging from taking advantage of how the human brain processes information, to using ] and ] techniques.{{R|TenTricks}} According to ], Gerbic's undercover operations "put ] back on the map".<ref name=SZP-541>{{cite web | authorlink= Richard Saunders (skeptic) |last1=Saunders |first1=Richard |title=The Skeptic Zone #541 |url=https://skepticzone.libsyn.com/the-skeptic-zone-541-3march2019 |website=The Skeptic Zone Podcast |publisher=The Skeptic Zone Podcast |access-date=23 December 2020}}</ref>

==== Sylvia Browne ====
{{Main| Sylvia Browne}}
In 2012, Gerbic and Edward organized a protest against ] when she appeared at the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on July 13 of that year. Joined by ], ], Bob Blaskiewitz, Jay Diamond, and others, the group stood outside the venue and handed out leaflets describing cold-reading techniques and describing some of so-called psychic predictions Browne has made over the years that have been proven to be incorrect.{{R|tssb}}{{R|"how-i-spent-my-weekend"}}{{R|sbyt}}

]

==== Chip Coffey ====
{{Main| Chip Coffey}}
In 2014, Gerbic organized a ] on well-known psychic ] which she code-named ''Operation Bumblebee''. She and two associates created false identities and false dead relatives, complete with backstories and pictures (of real, still living people), and attended a Coffey event in ]. Mingling with attendees before the show started, the three talked as much as they could about their supposedly dead relatives, hoping that some of Coffey's assistants might overhear. During the show, Coffey did indeed do readings on each of the three, claiming to be in contact with each of the supposedly dead relatives, confidently relating details about completely made up people, including some of what Gerbic and her associates had talked about before the show.{{R|ohlone}}{{R|slab}}{{R|Bumblebee}}{{R|SZ2}}{{R|mcsobb}}{{R|Prism_Helms}}

==== Tyler Henry ====
{{Main | Tyler Henry}}
In 2016, up-and-coming psychic ] came to Gerbic's attention. Henry had a new television show on the E! Network, and Gerbic noticed that a Google search on the show or Henry resulted in a return of mostly favorable, uncritical articles. In what she called ''Operation Tater Tot'',{{R|Tot}} Gerbic enlisted well-known ] to write about Henry, and provide an alternate point of view that would balance the uncritical perception being presented by the media services.{{R|GVs}} The activists who published on Henry as part of this operation included ],{{R|Hill}} ],{{R|Mehta2}} ],{{R|Coyne}} Caleb Lack,{{R|Newest}} Stephen Propatier,{{R|Propatier}} and ].{{R|Gorski}}

Beginning in 2016, Gerbic wrote a series of articles concerning Henry, which were published by '']'':
*''Grief Vampires Don't Come Out Only at Night'' {{R|Night}}
*''Operation Tater Tot: Following Up On A Grief Vampire'' {{R|Tot}}
*''Tip the Canoe of Tyler Too!'' {{R|Canoe}}
*''Return of the Grief Vampire Tyler Henry'' {{R|Return}}
*''Anatomy of a Reading'' {{R|anatomy}}
*''Eventually I'm going to piss off Tyler Henry'' {{R|Eventually}}
*''The One Where “Psychic” Tyler Henry Reads Alan Thicke'' {{R|CSI}}
*''] Should be Ashamed of Herself!'' {{R|Grace}}

==== Tim Braun ====
In 2015, Gerbic enlisted ] to help in a followup to the Chip Coffey sting. Gerbic's team, without Henderson's participation, created several interconnected fake ] accounts, several of which friended various well-known psychics. Then Henderson, posing as the bereaved mother of a deceased 13-year old, would get a private reading from psychic Tim Braun. Because Henderson knew none of the details of "her" Facebook page, this would be a ] test in that she would not be able to give Braun any feedback, inadvertent or otherwise, on his accuracy. With permission to record, Henderson had an hour reading with Braun, who claimed to be in communication with her non-existent sons, husband and family. ''Operation Ice Cream Cone'', as Gerbic calls it, did not establish that Braun used any information from the fake Facebook pages, but every statement that he made to Henderson was incorrect.{{R|"Ice Cream Cone"|"PretendRadio"}} The full audio of the reading is available on YouTube.{{R|Braun}}{{R|skepticallyyours}}

====Thomas John====
{{Main | Thomas John Flanagan}}

] produced a ] starring purported psychic medium ] called ''Seatbelt Psychic''. It stars John as a ] driver who surprises “unsuspecting” passengers when he delivers messages from their ] relatives.{{R|NYPix11}}{{R|HWReporter}}{{R|Bustle}} John's alleged psychic abilities in the context of the show have been challenged by Gerbic, who discovered that John's passengers are actually actors, several of which are documented in ]. Gerbic concluded that the riders were likely hired to ride with John, but were probably not acting when talking with him. She concluded that the details about their lives mentioned by John were easily found on social media sources, and likely fed to John, making the readings actually ]s. One rider, Wendy Westmoreland, played a character on ''Stalked by a Doctor'', a TV show also produced by Lifetime.{{R|Buckle}}{{R|Mehta}} As Gerbic pointed out in ], the show contains "a casting team" and there was "no disclaimer saying is for entertaiment only".<ref name=SZP-541/>

]) undercover, with unsuspecting John after their 2017 reading]]
In March 2017, ] was caught doing a ] in a sting operation named "Operation Pizza Roll", which was planned and implemented by Gerbic and ] ].{{R|"PretendRadio"}} The unmarried couple, Gerbic and Edward, attended John's show using ], and were "read" as a married couple Susanna and Mark Wilson by John. During the entire reading, John failed to determine the actual identities of Gerbic and Edward, or that they were being deceptive during his reading. All personal information he gave them matched what was on their falsified Facebook accounts, rather than being about their actual lives, and John pretended he was getting this information from Gerbic and Edward's supposedly dead—but actually nonexistent—relatives.{{R|Pizza}}{{R|HK1}}{{R|Mehta}}{{R|"PretendRadio"}}

As Jack Hitt reported in '']'':
{{Quote|text="Over the course of the reading, John comfortably laid down the specifics of Susanna Wilson’s life — he named “Andy” and amazingly knew him to be her twin. He knew that she and her brother grew up in Michigan and that his girlfriend was Maria. He knew about Susanna’s father-in-law and how he died."{{R|secret}}}}

These details were from the falsified ] accounts for the pair which were prepared by a group of ] in advance of the reading, and Gerbic and Edward were not aware of the specific information in these accounts. This blinding was done in order to avoid John later being able to claim he obtained the false information by reading Gerbic and Edward's minds.{{R|Pizza}}{{R|HK1}} In her article about this sting, Gerbic also revealed that during an after-show private event, John disclosed in a group setting that at least one of the people in the audience, for which he did a reading, was actually his own student.{{R|Pizza}}{{R|Mehta}}{{R|HK1}}

When Hitt reached out to John for comment, John insisted that he did not use Facebook, saying "I do remember her coming to an event... I recognized her because she was there with that other guy who wrote that book." He also told Hitt that "I have my eyes closed for an hour and a half when I'm doing readings. If she spoke up during that period of time, I don't remember that." John also argued that the entire experiment wasn't really scientific enough, saying "For Susan to come to a reading and get a two-minute reading and say, well, 'I made a fake post about my dog, Buddy, and my father who died,' it's really not any sort of scientific testing of psychic powers." He added, "First off, someone will have to be a scientist to do a scientific experiment, not someone who used to be a photographer at Sears."{{R|secret}} When asked whether psychics would change their behavior now that they knew her methods, Gerbic said: "I hope they see Gerbics in their audience every time they look out and wonder if we might be there."{{R|Hemant2}}

Operation Pizza Roll was summarized by Claus Larsen on SkepticReport.com in an article titled ''Is Thomas John a real psychic? Not a ghost of a chance!'', which also included an interview of Gerbic about the sting and its aftermath.{{R|SkepticReport}}

In a June 2019 '']'' article titled ''Thomas John Revisited'', Gerbic reported on the aftermath of the sting. This including a report of a "Facebook Live" stream, where John attempted to prove his paranormal powers to fans following the sting revelation by doing what was claimed to be a "scientifically controlled reading" of a supposed stranger. Gerbic dissected the performance, giving details as to why it was the opposite of scientifically controlled, and described how once again Facebook information could easily have been accessed, despite assurances otherwise. "One of my team members gave me a list of all the hits that Thomas John got during the reading... and then my team member gave me screenshots of Facebook page where she posts things that are the same as what Thomas John told her." Also, despite John's claims that "NO I do not Google people. NO I do not research people. NO I do not go onto people's obituaries. I do not go onto Ancestry.com." Gerbic's article includes screenshots of John's monitor captured during the live steam. These pictures contain saved reading lists from past Google searches, including searches for specific individuals as well as for intelius.com, a website which states that it is "a confidential way to find people so you can reconnect or just get more info on a person. People Search reports can include phone numbers, address history, age & date of birth, relatives, and more. Find a person you're curious about — search today!"{{R|Revisited}}

In a June 2019 '']'' article titled ''I'm Speechless! Thomas John Reads KJBK Fox2 Derek Kevrea'', Gerbic reported on an appearance by Thomas John on a daytime TV show where he gave a reading to staff ], Derek Kevrea, and claimed to deliver messages from his dead relative. Kevra's feedback was that what John told him was accurate. In a Facebook video, Kevra later said "I'm speechless ... Thomas John communicated with my grandpa ... He said he is proud of you ... it's a miracle I held it together." In her article, Gerbic reported that with a little research she discovered the information provided was available from social media and other sources available to John.{{R|Speechless}} Regarding Kevrea's proclamation, Gerbic says:

{{Quote|text=It isn’t the sitter’s fault when this kind of thing happens... Caught up in the moment, especially when your coworkers are sitting right there saying that this is real, it’s easy to see how someone might believe all this. Plus, this is live morning TV, everything needs to be happy and fun. He needs to play along.{{R|Speechless}}}}

In an August 2019, Gerbic followed-up ''Thomas John Revisited'' with another article, ''Three Parents Reveal The Truth About Psychic Thomas John'', which covered the aftermath of her sting operation. The article investigates a video uploaded by John on March 24, shortly after ''The New York Times'' sting article was published, in which John reads "three grieving women", and claims the results validate his paranormal powers. In her article, Gerbic does a point-by-point analysis of these readings, and offers evidence that the items claimed to have been "impossible" for John to know without supernatural help, were easily available online.{{R|ThreeParents}} Gerbic's conclusion included:
{{Quote|text=...when you make testable claims—as these grieving mothers did—that the information that TJ gave them is not located anywhere on the internet, then I hope you will think twice. This "unfindable" information was found and presented here, and it can be found by anyone in just a few minutes of online searching. It’s even quicker if you have an account on a website such as intellius.com—something we know TJ has because it was bookmarked on his computer.{{R|ThreeParents}}}}

====Matt Fraser====
{{Main | Matt Fraser (psychic)}}
Before The New York Times would run a story documenting Gerbic's successful sting operation against Thomas John, the paper wanted to have one of their journalists embedded in another sting operation to witness the entire process from the beginning. Thus, Jack Hitt observed what was called "Operation Peach Pit", a sting following a procedure similar to the one used against Thomas John. In this case, the target was medium Matt Fraser. According to Hitt, Fraser "is a young Long Island psychic who resembles Tom Cruise in the role of an oversharing altar boy. He has been on the circuit for years, has a book under his belt and works some Doubletree or Crowne Plaza back room every two or three days."{{R|secret}}

As with the Thomas John operation, Facebook accounts were created and populated with false data about fake people. In January 2018, paranormal investigator Kenny Biddle, his wife and a group of four friends, using aliases matching the faked Facebook accounts, attended Fraser's show at the Valley Forge Casino in ]. Hitt also attendend the meeting and sat behind the group.<ref name=SZP-541/> As Biddle reported in '']'':{{R|Undercover}}
{{Quote|text=Although there was a lot of work put into this operation, none of my team members had a chance to get a reading... As we made our way out of the theater, we did get the opportunity to speak with Fraser after the show... My team and Fraser chatted about who we were and our various reasons for coming to the show. Fraser accepted our stories without a hint of doubt—even while I was constantly thinking in my head “Tell me I’m a making this up … tell me you know we’re here undercover.” Alas, he did not.{{R|Undercover}}}}

Biddle also reported, "I went into this experience... willing to see if there was anything truthful to the claims made by Matt Fraser... he didn't seem to demonstrate any supernatural ability, just a knack for fast-talking his customers into believing he could talk to spirits." The New York Times reported on this sting in the same article in which it reported on the successful Thomas John sting.{{R|Undercover}}

====Jeanette Wilson====
{{Main | Jeanette Wilson}}
On May 28, 2020, Gerbic infiltrated an online event by purported psychic healer Jeanette Wilson and provided a recording of her interactions with Wilson to several media outlet. '']'' reported that Wilson had made numerous false and conspiratorial claims, including that the coronavirus was man-made and was accidentally released and was going to "miraculously disappear" by the end of 2020, and that the use of ventilators for COVID-19 treatment was misguided and patients just needed antibiotics. Wilson also said she had been told that by December 2020, "a lot more is going to be out in the open, a lot more people are going to know exactly what is happening and what's been behind it." She said the revelations will include that "money is being controlled by very few people. There's about 300 people that have basically been in charge of the world. And these people are going to be exposed, and their nefarious doings are being exposed as well..." Wilson also said "God created this body with an immune system, so I'm not a believer in vaccines...{{R|Spinoff}}

{{anchor|MCS}} <!-- Do not delete this code as it is used to link to this location from other articles. Rp2006 -->

===Monterey County Skeptics===
Gerbic attended the ] in Eugene, Oregon in 2002. ], the leader of the Toolbox, advised her to start her own local conference. In 2007 Steve Wheller, another skeptic who lived in a nearby city, messaged her on the JREF forum because of her profile. Together, they used Yahoo Groups to find other like-minded skeptical activists and formed the Monterey County Skeptics (MCS).{{R|AdventuresSkepticamp}}

The MCS participated in the "There's Nothing in it" ] by overdosing on many homeopathic tablets. To demonstrate the effects of homeopathy, Gerbic personally took 80 pellets (15 doses) of ] 30C ].{{R|mont1023}} In 2011, during SkeptiCal, Gerbic joined in with over 100 attendees to take an overdose (15 times recommended) of homeopathic ''caffea cruda'' which is used for sleepiness.{{R|newsrev}} On January 3, 2015, the Monterey County Skeptics had the first SkepticCamp in Northern California. The event was emceed by Mark Edward{{R|AdventuresSkepticamp}} and was a day of free presentations on skepticism, critical thinking, science, and related topics. Lectures included eight speakers, including Gerbic, whose presentation was reporting back on a 6 months long psychic sting.{{R|monther}} A ] reporter who attended the conference stated, "SkeptiCamp Monterey 2015, a gathering of people who choose to take just about everything with a grain of salt — and probably a whole tablespoon."{{R|skeptics-take-on-god}}

The MCS held its third annual "SkeptiCamp Monterey" in January 2017{{R|MCSSKEPTICAMP}} and it was covered by the Monterey Herald.{{R|MHerald}} In the article, Gerbic was quoted as saying: "This is our first year that we’re really trying to grow. And it's the first time we’re bringing a speaker here from farther away and bringing them to a bigger venue."{{R|MHerald}} She was referring to professional skeptic, author/speaker ] who is the author of “Bad Clowns” and who has investigated a variety of unexplained phenomena and written on a wide variety of topics of interest to skeptics.{{R|MHerald}} Speaking about the mission of people interested in ] in general and the MCS in particular, Gerbic also said "We're all on a path and all on a journey of trying to find out what is real, and scientific skepticism is a method of finding that out."{{R|MHerald}}

=== Conference promotion ===
] with ], ] and ]]]
The topic of skeptical conference attendance received much attention on Gerbic's bi-weekly segments on the Skeptic Society's '']'' podcast.{{R|"CFI Summit"}} In her November 2014 article for ''Skeptical Inquirer'' about the ], she describes the annual conference held in ], and discussed the importance of conference attendance, stating "we know our best asset is our people."{{R|sgr14st}}

In October 2015, Gerbic conducted a series of workshops in Australia, culminating with her appearance as a guest speaker at the ].{{R|skeptics-convention}}

In 2016 and 2017, to promote both ] events, Gerbic interviewed many of the scheduled speakers in advance of those conferences. These interviews, which were published by the ], included Bob Novella, ], Sheldon W. Helms, Evan Bernstein, Kavin Senapathy, ], Robert Brotherton, ], ], Natalie Newell (producer/director of '']''), Kenny Biddle, ], ], ], ], ], and conference MC ].{{R|InterviewArticles}}

In December 2019, She was also a speaker at the ], where she spoke about her ] on ] and some other psychic mediums. The talk itself was called "Grief Vampires".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://skepticon.org.au/speakers-schedule/|title=Speaker Schedule|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-10}}</ref>

==Reaction==
Gerbic's ] work has drawn criticism from ] and ] claim proponents.{{R|"Coyne 2014"}}

In an interview with ] about the Misplaced Pages controversy with ] and ], Gerbic stated that she understands the frustration that public figures must have over articles that change without their control, but that accusations of canvasing to recruit and train editors in a particular area have typically resulted from misinterpreting Misplaced Pages rules. "Misplaced Pages needs people to edit..." and "pseudoscience" must be well substantiated before it can be added to an article. Skeptics also have edits removed when not well cited. Misplaced Pages is too important to be vandalized... it is too important for us to ignore."{{R|"Farley 2014"}}{{R|Episode438}}{{R|statistics}}{{R|cheer}}{{R|Deepak1}}{{R|Creepy}}

In February, 2015, in an article for '']'' titled ''Considering a Complaint About Skeptical Tactics'', ] examined the controversy regarding Gerbic's various ], chronicling the opinions of ] as well as people in the ].{{R|"Daniel Loxton"}} This was the first of a series of articles in which Loxton examined the larger questions brought to the forefront by Gerbic's undercover sting activities, namely: "Should false claims in the paranormal realm be identified and the truth about them revealed? And, if so, what methods may be justifiably used to accomplish that end?"{{R|Gotcha}}

Reacting to Operation Pizza Roll, Thomas John criticized Gerbic's methodology: "For Susan to come to a reading and get a two-minute reading and say, well, 'I made a fake post about my dog, Buddy, and my father who died,' it's really not any sort of scientific testing of psychic powers. First off, someone will have to be a scientist to do a scientific experiment, not someone who used to be a photographer at Sears."{{R|secret}}

== Awards and honors==
* "In the Trenches" award at the 2012 ]{{R|SkepticalConnections}}
* "James Randi Award for Skepticism in the Public Interest" at The Amaz!ng Meeting 2013{{R|RandiAward}}
* 2017 Award from ] (shared with "her team of 'guerrilla skeptics'"){{R|2017Award}}
* Appointed ] of the ], February 2018.{{R|csifellow}}
{|
|] (left) and ] (right), receives the James Randi Award for Skepticism in the Public Interest at TAM 2013.]]
|]
|}

== Personal life ==
Gerbic's father died of cancer in 1989.

In 2013, Gerbic announced she had breast cancer. She completed twenty weeks of ] for stage II cancer in December 2013, and completed 33 radiation treatments in March 2014.{{R|skepticzone}}


== See also == == See also ==
Line 180: Line 62:


== References == == References ==
{{Reflist|refs= {{Reflist|26em}}
<ref name=Pizza>{{cite news |last1=Gerbic |first1=Susan|title=Operation Pizza Roll- Thomas John |url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/operation_pizza_roll_-_thomas_john|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224032143/https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/operation_pizza_roll_-_thomas_john|archive-date=February 24, 2019 |access-date=February 23, 2019 |url-status=live|date=February 21, 2019}}</ref>

<ref name=Mehta>{{cite web |last1=Mehta |first1=Hemant|title=Skeptics Set a Trap and a So-Called "Celebrity Medium" Fell for the Hoax |url=https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/02/23/skeptics-set-a-trap-and-a-so-called-celebrity-medium-fell-for-the-hoax/ |website=Friendlyatheist.patheos.com |author-link=Hemant Mehta|publisher=Patheos |access-date=24 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224045312/https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/02/23/skeptics-set-a-trap-and-a-so-called-celebrity-medium-fell-for-the-hoax/ |archive-date=24 February 2019 |date=23 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=NYPix11>{{cite web |last1=Ramos|first1=Andrew|title=Renowned medium Thomas John spooks ride-share passengers in 'Seatbelt Psychic' |url=https://pix11.com/2018/06/28/renowned-medium-thomas-john-spooks-ride-share-passengers-in-seatbelt-psychic/ |website=pix11.com/ |publisher=PIX 11 |access-date=29 June 2018 |date=28 June 2018}}</ref>

<ref name=HWReporter>{{cite web |last1=Gardner |first1=Chris |title='Seatbelt Psychic' Thomas John on New Lifetime Show: "Skeptics are Definitely Welcome" |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/rambling-reporter/seatbelt-psychic-thomas-john-new-lifetime-show-skeptics-are-definitely-welcome-1119960 |website=hollywoodreporter.com |publisher=Hollywood Reporter |access-date=30 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630205022/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/rambling-reporter/seatbelt-psychic-thomas-john-new-lifetime-show-skeptics-are-definitely-welcome-1119960 |archive-date=30 June 2018 |date=22 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=Bustle>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/p/how-do-you-get-on-seatbelt-psychic-the-contestants-on-lifetimes-reality-series-get-a-reading-in-addition-to-their-ride-9718324|title=How Do You Get On 'Seatbelt Psychic'? The Contestants On Lifetime's Reality Series Get A Reading In Addition To Their Ride|last=Blanton|first=Kayla|date=July 11, 2019|website=Bustle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224035035/https://www.bustle.com/p/how-do-you-get-on-seatbelt-psychic-the-contestants-on-lifetimes-reality-series-get-a-reading-in-addition-to-their-ride-9718324|archive-date=February 24, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=January 23, 2019}}</ref>

<ref name=Buckle>{{Cite web|url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/buckle_up_-_seatbelt_psychic|title=Buckle Up - Seatbelt Psychic|last=Gerbic|first=Susan|date=February 21, 2019|website=Center for Inquiry|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224032258/https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/buckle_up_-_seatbelt_psychic|archive-date=February 24, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=February 23, 2019}}</ref>

<ref name=secret>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/26/magazine/psychics-skeptics-facebook.html|title=Inside the Secret Sting Operations to Expose Celebrity Psychics|last=Hitt|first=Jack|date=February 26, 2019|website=New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190226133658/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/26/magazine/psychics-skeptics-facebook.html|archive-date=February 26, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=February 26, 2019}}</ref>

<ref name="Hemant2">{{cite web |last1=Hemant |first1=Mehta | author-link=Hemant Mehta|title=An Inside Look at How the Guerrilla Skeptics Expose Famous "Psychic Mediums" |url=https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/02/26/an-inside-look-at-how-the-guerrilla-skeptics-expose-famous-psychic-mediums/ |website=friendlyatheist.patheos.com |publisher=Patheos |access-date=24 February 2019}}</ref>

<ref name= HK1>{{cite web |last1=Westbrook |first1=Thomas |title=Thomas John (The Seatbelt Psychic) - Busted for Cheating! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faBIIFA5wng |website=Youtube.com |publisher=Holy Koolaid |access-date=1 March 2019 |date=28 February 2019}}</ref>

<ref name=Undercover>{{cite web |last1=Biddle |first1=Kenny |title=Undercover at a Psychic Group Reading |url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/undercover_at_a_psychic_group_reading |website=CSICOP.org |publisher=CFI |access-date=15 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190315011953/https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/undercover_at_a_psychic_group_reading |archive-date=15 March 2019 |date=25 February 2019}}</ref>

<ref name=californian>{{cite news|last=Nordstrand|first=Dave|title=Staying on the job during cancer treatment|url=http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/life/2014/07/05/staying-job-cancer-treatment/12202333/|work=The Californian|publisher=Gannett|date=July 5, 2014|department=Life|location=Salinas, California|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830002956/http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/life/2014/07/05/staying-job-cancer-treatment/12202333/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin=|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=mcsmeetup>{{cite web|url=http://www.meetup.com/Monterey-County-Skeptics/|title=Monterey County Skeptics|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830012113/http://www.meetup.com/Monterey-County-Skeptics/|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=csicop395>{{cite journal|title=Is Misplaced Pages a Conspiracy? Common Myths Explained|url=http://www.csicop.org/si/show/is_wikipedia_a_conspiracy_common_myths_explained|journal=]|publisher=]|first=Susan|last=Gerbic|date=September 2015|series=39|volume=5|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011171044/http://www.csicop.org/si/show/is_wikipedia_a_conspiracy_common_myths_explained|archive-date=October 11, 2016|url-status=live|access-date=February 28, 2017}}</ref>

<ref name = Articles>{{cite web|title=Articles by Susan Gerbic|url=http://www.csicop.org/author/susan_gerbic|work=]|publisher=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830005208/http://www.csicop.org/author/susan_gerbic|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 29, 2015}},</ref>

<ref name=csifellow>{{Cite web|url=http://www.centerforinquiry.net/news/cause_effect_99/|title=Center for Inquiry News: Cause & Effect: The CFI Newsletter - No. 99|website=www.centerforinquiry.net|language=en|access-date=2018-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208134003/http://www.centerforinquiry.net/news/cause_effect_99/|archive-date=8 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=GVs>{{Cite web|title = Grief Vampires Don't Come Out Only at Night|url = http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/grief_vampires_dont_come_out_only_at_night|date = January 20, 2016|website = www.csicop.org|access-date = 2016-02-04|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160731120101/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/grief_vampires_dont_come_out_only_at_night|archive-date = July 31, 2016|df = mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="2nd bday">{{cite AV media|last=Gerbic|first=Susan|title=GSoW 2nd Bday video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efU-2yw0U58|work=]|date=June 8, 2013|type=Motion picture|access-date=August 29, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312230038/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efU-2yw0U58|archive-date=March 12, 2016|df=mdy-all}}{{plays audio}}</ref>

<ref name = Radford>{{cite journal|last1=Radford|first1=Ben|author-link=Benjamin Radford|title=Skepticism One Wikipage at a Time: Talking with Wikiskeptic Susan Gerbic-Forsyth|journal=]|date=March 2012|volume=36|issue=2|pages=32–33|url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/2012/03/skepticism_one_wikipage_at_a_time_talking_with_wikiskeptic_susan_gerbic_forsyth/|access-date=January 19, 2020|url-access=subscription|issn=0194-6730|oclc=779564757|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name=skeptchal>{{Cite podcast|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUCwKG1n9zc|title=Skeptically Challenged 2014/06/19|last1=Balch|first1=Ross|work=Skeptically Challenged|date=June 19, 2014|access-date=August 29, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309230832/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUCwKG1n9zc|archive-date=March 9, 2016|df=mdy-all}}{{plays audio}}</ref>

<ref name = Pinter>{{cite podcast|title=Susan Gerbic/Lei Pinter/Nix Dorf|url=http://skepticallyyours.net/episode-74/|date=July 10, 2014|publisher=Skeptically Yours|first1=Emery|last1=Emery|author-link1=Emery Emery|first2=Heather|last2=Henderson|author-link2=Heather Henderson|access-date=August 29, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205110705/http://skepticallyyours.net/episode-74/|archive-date=February 5, 2016|df=mdy-all}}{{plays audio}}</ref>

<ref name = Ten>{{cite web | url=http://www.csicop.org/si/show/ten_distinguished_scientists_and_scholars_named_fellows_of_committee_for_sk | title=Ten Distinguished Scientists and Scholars Named Fellows of Committee for Skeptical Inquiry | publisher=Center for Inquiry | work=Skeptical Inquirer | access-date=13 October 2015 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016122711/http://www.csicop.org/si/show/ten_distinguished_scientists_and_scholars_named_fellows_of_committee_for_sk | archive-date=October 16, 2015 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

<ref name = Happy>{{cite web|url=https://voicesofmontereybay.org/2018/08/23/the-enthusiastic-life-of-a-happy-skeptic/|title=The enthusiastic life of a happy skeptic|last1=Hale|first1=Mike|website=Voices of Monterey Bay|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829023341/https://voicesofmontereybay.org/2018/08/23/the-enthusiastic-life-of-a-happy-skeptic/|archive-date=29 August 2018|url-status=live|access-date=29 August 2018}}</ref>

<ref name=TAM9>{{cite AV media|title=TAM 9 Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpUd9uwVjqA|type=Motion picture|first1=Susan|last1=Gerbic|access-date=August 29, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309052222/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpUd9uwVjqA|archive-date=March 9, 2016|df=mdy-all}}{{plays audio}}</ref>

<ref name=prism>{{Cite podcast|url=http://www.prismpodcast.com/the-prism-podcast-episode-11/|title=Episode 11|last1=Luchtefeld|first1=Jason|last2=Ritchey|first2=Grant|work=The Prism Podcast|publisher=The Prism|date=December 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903024652/http://www.prismpodcast.com/the-prism-podcast-episode-11/|archive-date=September 3, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="Wikapediatrican CSICOP">{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=Wikapediatrician Susan Gerbic discusses her Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages project|url=http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/wikapediatrician_susan_gerbic_discusses_her_guerrilla_skepticism_on_wikiped|work=]|publisher=]|date=March 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830023844/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/wikapediatrician_susan_gerbic_discusses_her_guerrilla_skepticism_on_wikiped|archive-date=August 30, 2015 |url-status=live|access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=Third>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3avtYFkvsJA|title=Third Bday GSoW|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705214835/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3avtYFkvsJA|archive-date=July 5, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=January 17, 2015|df=mdy-all}}{{plays audio}}</ref>

<ref name=tamers>{{cite AV media|last1=Guttormson|first1=Joel|title=Meet the Amazing TAMers: Susan Gerbic|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdV2WD2P3dE|publisher=]|date=November 5, 2013|type=Motion picture|access-date=August 29, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307082521/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdV2WD2P3dE|archive-date=March 7, 2016|df=mdy-all}}{{plays audio}}</ref>

<ref name=skepticzone>{{cite web|url=http://skepticzone.libsyn.com/the-skeptic-zone-274-17-jan-2014|title=The Skeptic Zone #274 - 17.Jan.2014|last1=Saunders|first1=Richard|author-link1=Richard Saunders (skeptic)|date=January 17, 2014|work=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830030638/http://skepticzone.libsyn.com/the-skeptic-zone-274-17-jan-2014|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=messianicdrew>{{cite web|url=http://messianicdrew.blogspot.com/2014/01/what-christians-can-learn-from-skeptics.html|title=What Christians Can Learn From Skeptics: Editing Misplaced Pages|author=Drew|date=January 13, 2014|work=The Messianic Drew|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830025314/http://messianicdrew.blogspot.com/2014/01/what-christians-can-learn-from-skeptics.html|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="Data Skeptic">{{cite web|last1=Polich|first1=Kyle|title=Guerilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages with Susan Gerbic|url=http://dataskeptic.com/epnotes/ep012.php|work=Data Skeptic|access-date=August 29, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023233738/http://dataskeptic.com/epnotes/ep012.php|archive-date=October 23, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = escepticos>{{cite web|title=Vídeo "Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages" - Susan Gerbic en Escépticos en el Pub Madrid|url=http://www.escepticos.es/node/5386|website=Escepticos.es|publisher=Escepticos|access-date=12 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705214834/http://www.escepticos.es/node/5386|archive-date=July 5, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = theesp>{{cite web|title=Episode #92|url=http://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/episode_92.html|website=theesp.eu|publisher=The European Skeptics Podcast|access-date=6 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006175842/http://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/episode_92.html|archive-date=6 October 2017|quote=András is now on the road with Susan Gerbic, Mark Edward and Liubomir Baburov, networking across Europe with the 'About Time Tour'.}}</ref>

<ref name = 2017Schedule>{{cite web|title=Schedule|url=https://new.centerforinquiry.net/conferences/csicon/schedule.html|website=New.centerforinquiry.net|publisher=CFI|access-date=9 February 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20171121080104/https://new.centerforinquiry.net/conferences/csicon/schedule.html|archive-date=November 21, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="PretendRadio">{{cite podcast|url=https://pretendradio.org/s407-the-psychic-vampires/|title=The Psychic Grief Vampires|host=Javier Leiva|publisher=Pretend Radio|date=2 July 2019|access-date=3 July 2019}}</ref>

<ref name=BTV>{{cite web|last1=Ayvaz|first1=Hulia |title=Can We Trust Misplaced Pages?|url=http://www.bloombergtv.bg/v-razvitie/2017-10-06/mozhem-li-da-se-doverim-na-wikipedia|website=Bloombergtv.bg|publisher=Bloomberg TV|access-date=6 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006161355/http://www.bloombergtv.bg/v-razvitie/2017-10-06/mozhem-li-da-se-doverim-na-wikipedia|archive-date=6 October 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name = Matsakis>{{cite web|url=https://www.wired.com/story/guerrilla-wikipedia-editors-who-combat-conspiracy-theories/|title=The 'Guerrilla' Misplaced Pages Editors Who Combat Conspiracy Theories|last=Matsakis|first=Louise|date=July 25, 2018|website=wired.com|publisher=]|access-date=July 25, 2018 }}</ref>

<ref name=AdventuresSkepticamp>{{cite web|url=https://www.csicop.org/sb/show/adventures_in_skepticamp|title=Adventures in SkeptiCamp|first=Susan|last=Gerbic|date=2015|author-link=Susan Gerbic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620220009/http://www.csicop.org/sb/show/adventures_in_skepticamp|archive-date=20 June 2017}}</ref>

<ref name=mont1023>{{cite AV media|title=10:23 Homeopathy Challenge ~ Monterey, CA, USA|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVy79Izu05U|first1=Susan|last1=Gerbic|date=February 6, 2011|type=Motion picture|access-date=August 29, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151115182829/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVy79Izu05U|archive-date=November 15, 2015|df=mdy-all}}{{plays audio}}</ref>

<ref name=newsrev>{{cite news|last1=Munger|first1=Kel|title=Drugs, not bugs|url=http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/drugs-not-bugs/content?oid=5825955|work=]|publisher=]|date=April 26, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830031846/http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/drugs-not-bugs/content?oid=5825955|archive-date=August 30, 2015 |url-status=live|access-date=August 25, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=monther>{{cite news|last1=Evers|first1=Jeannie|title=Skeptics gather in Seaside for first local SkeptiCamp|url=http://www.montereyherald.com/general-news/20141231/skeptics-gather-in-seaside-for-first-local-skepticamp|work=]|date=January 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830032156/http://www.montereyherald.com/general-news/20141231/skeptics-gather-in-seaside-for-first-local-skepticamp|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name =skeptics-take-on-god>{{cite news|last1=Taylor|first1=Dennis|title=Skeptics take on God, psychics, even science|url=http://www.montereyherald.com/science/20150103/skeptics-take-on-god-psychics-even-science|work=]|date=January 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830032620/http://www.montereyherald.com/science/20150103/skeptics-take-on-god-psychics-even-science|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=MCSSKEPTICAMP>{{cite web|title=Local Skeptical Outreach & Activism: Monterey County Skepticamp |url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/mcs-skepticamp/|first=Susan|last=Gerbic|author-link=Susan Gerbic|date= 3 Feb 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916183314/https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/mcs_skepticamp|archive-date= 16 September 2017}}</ref>

<ref name=MHerald>{{cite web|last1=Mayberry|first1=Carly|title=National author to keynote Monterey County Skeptics' third annual SkeptiCamp|url=http://www.montereyherald.com/events/20170106/national-author-to-keynote-monterey-county-skeptics-third-annual-skepticamp|website=Montereyherald.com|publisher=Monterey Herald|access-date=7 January 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170108142020/http://www.montereyherald.com/events/20170106/national-author-to-keynote-monterey-county-skeptics-third-annual-skepticamp|archive-date=January 8, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = TenTricks>{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=Ten Tricks of the Psychics I Bet You Didn't Know|url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/ten_tricks_of_the_psychics_i_bet_you_didnrsquot_know|website=CSI|publisher=Committee for Skeptical Inquiry|access-date=23 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324101552/https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/ten_tricks_of_the_psychics_i_bet_you_didnrsquot_know|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=tssb>{{cite web|last1=Sturgess|first1=Kylie|author-link1=Kylie Sturgess|title=Sylvia Browne Welcoming Committee At #TAM2012|url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/tokenskeptic/2012/07/sylvia-browne-welcoming-committee-at-tam2012/|work=Token Skeptic|publisher=]|date=July 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830040826/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/tokenskeptic/2012/07/sylvia-browne-welcoming-committee-at-tam2012/|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 30, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="how-i-spent-my-weekend">{{cite web|last1=Edward|first1=Mark| author-link=Mark Edward|title=How I Spent My Weekend|url=http://www.skepticblog.org/2012/07/17/how-i-spent-my-weekend/|website=SkepticBlog|publisher=Skeptic magazine|access-date=4 September 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910225909/http://www.skepticblog.org/2012/07/17/how-i-spent-my-weekend/|archive-date=September 10, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name=sbyt>{{cite AV media|title=Sylvia Browne Las Vegas Protest July 13, 2012|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3YC0U2ZRWQ|type=Motion picture|first1=Susan|last1=Gerbic|date=July 13, 2012|access-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307175523/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3YC0U2ZRWQ|archive-date=March 7, 2016|df=mdy-all}}{{plays audio}}</ref>

<ref name=ohlone>{{cite news|last1=Walther|first1=Mitchell|title=Ohlone Professor 'Stings' TV Pschic|url=http://issuu.com/ohlone-college/docs/allpages_9fb80cc2cbabe4/5?e=8017878/9990857|work=Ohlone College Monitor|date=October 30, 2014|access-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320042702/https://issuu.com/ohlone-college/docs/allpages_9fb80cc2cbabe4/5?e=8017878%2F9990857|archive-date=March 20, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name=slab>{{cite web|last1=Colanduno|first1=Derek|author-link1=Derek Colanduno|title=Sting Like A...|url=http://www.skepticality.com/sting-like/|work=]|publisher=]|date=October 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830042221/http://www.skepticality.com/sting-like/|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 30, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name = Bumblebee >{{cite web|last1=Helms|first1=Sheldon|title=Operation Bumblebee stings psychic medium Chip Coffey|url=http://web.randi.org/swift/operation-bumblebee-stings-psychic-medium-chip-coffey|website=James Randi Educational Foundation|publisher=James Randi Educational Foundation|access-date=4 September 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160901003626/http://web.randi.org/swift/operation-bumblebee-stings-psychic-medium-chip-coffey|archive-date=September 1, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name=SZ2>{{cite web|last1=Saunders|first1=Richard|author-link1=Richard Saunders (skeptic)|title=The Skeptic Zone #310 |url=http://skepticzone.libsyn.com/the-skeptic-zone-310-28sept2014|work=]|date=September 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830041703/http://skepticzone.libsyn.com/the-skeptic-zone-310-28sept2014|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=mcsobb>{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=Operation Bumblebee|url=http://montereycountyskeptics.blogspot.com/2014/09/operation-bumblebee.html|work=Monterey County Skeptics|date=September 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830040412/http://montereycountyskeptics.blogspot.com/2014/09/operation-bumblebee.html|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 30, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=Prism_Helms>{{cite web|last1=Ritchey|first1=Grant|last2=Jones|first2=Clay|title=The Prism Podcast – Episode 52|url=http://www.prismpodcast.com/52-sheldon_helms/|website=prismpodcast.com|access-date=18 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318120723/http://www.prismpodcast.com/52-sheldon_helms/|archive-date=18 March 2018|format=MP3|date=8 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name = "Ice Cream Cone">{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=Operation Ice Cream Cone|url=http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/operation_ice_cream_cone|website=The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry|publisher=CSI|access-date=4 September 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414060221/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/operation_ice_cream_cone|archive-date=April 14, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = Braun>{{cite web|title=Tim Braun Audio Nov 18 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKh2rQrUCRY|access-date=April 27, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307065139/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKh2rQrUCRY|archive-date=March 7, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = skepticallyyours>{{cite web|title=Episode 86 - February 2, 2015|url=http://skepticallyyours.net/episode-86/|publisher=Skeptically Yours|access-date=April 28, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429165453/http://skepticallyyours.net/episode-86/|archive-date=April 29, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = Tot>{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=Operation Tater Tot: Following Up On A Grief Vampire|url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/operation_tater_tot_following_up_on_a_grief_vampire|website=csicop.org|publisher=Center For Inquiry|access-date=24 September 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620220109/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/operation_tater_tot_following_up_on_a_grief_vampire|archive-date=20 June 2017}}</ref>

<ref name = Hill>{{cite web|last1=Hill|first1=Sharon|author-link=Sharon A. Hill|title=Real-deal "boy next door" medium? Or Hollywood hype?|url=http://doubtfulnews.com/2016/01/real-deal-boy-next-door-medium-or-hollywood-hype/|date=January 20, 2016|website=Doubtful News|publisher=Lithospherica, LLC|access-date=5 September 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811120458/http://doubtfulnews.com/2016/01/real-deal-boy-next-door-medium-or-hollywood-hype/|archive-date=August 11, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = Mehta2>{{cite web|author-link=Hemant Mehta|last1=Mehta|first1=Hemant|title=Hollywood "Medium" Tyler Henry, Whose Show Premieres Sunday, Wants to Specialize in Suicide Victims|url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/01/21/hollywood-medium-tyler-henry-whose-show-premieres-sunday-wants-to-specialize-in-suicide-victims/|date=January 21, 2016|website=Patheos|publisher=patheos|access-date=5 September 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160718021254/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/01/21/hollywood-medium-tyler-henry-whose-show-premieres-sunday-wants-to-specialize-in-suicide-victims/|archive-date=July 18, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = Coyne>{{cite web|last=Coyne|first=Jerry|author-link=Jerry Coyne|title=E! about to debut new show starring a psychic "grief vampire"|url=https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/e-about-to-debut-new-show-starring-a-psychic-grief-vampire/|date=January 21, 2016|website=Why Evolution is True|access-date=4 September 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311221029/https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/e-about-to-debut-new-show-starring-a-psychic-grief-vampire/|archive-date=March 11, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = Newest>{{cite web|last1=Lack|first1=Caleb|title=Tyler Henry, Hollywood's Newest MEDIUM|url=http://www.skepticink.com/gps/2016/01/21/tyler-henry-hollywoods-newest-medium-and-fake/|date=January 21, 2016|website=Great Plans Skeptic|publisher=Great Plans Skeptic|access-date=4 September 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160901210040/http://www.skepticink.com/gps/2016/01/21/tyler-henry-hollywoods-newest-medium-and-fake/|archive-date=September 1, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = Propatier>{{cite web|last1=Propatier|first1=Stephen|title=Susan Gerbic: Vampire Slayer|url=https://skeptoid.com/blog/2016/01/22/susan-vampire-slayer/|date=January 22, 2016|website=Skeptoid|publisher=Skeptoid Media|access-date=4 September 2016}}</ref>

<ref name = Gorski>{{cite web|last1=Gorski|first1=David|author-link=David Gorski|title=The rise of a new grief vampire|url=http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2016/01/22/the-rise-of-a-new-grief-vampire/|date=January 22, 2016|website=ScienceBlogs|publisher=ScienceBlogs LLC|access-date=4 September 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215143353/https://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2016/01/22/the-rise-of-a-new-grief-vampire/|archive-date=February 15, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = Night>{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=Grief Vampires Don't Come Out Only at Night|url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/grief_vampires_dont_come_out_only_at_night|website=Csicop.org|publisher=Center For Inquiry|access-date=24 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808153654/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/grief_vampires_dont_come_out_only_at_night|archive-date=8 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name = Canoe>{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=Tip the Canoe of Tyler Too!|url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/tip_the_canoe_of_tyler_too|website=csicop.org|publisher=Center For Inquiry|access-date=24 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808155105/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/tip_the_canoe_of_tyler_too|archive-date=8 August 2017}}</ref>

<ref name = Return>{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=Return of the Grief Vampire Tyler Henry|url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/return_of_the_grief_vampire_tyler_henry|work=Committee for Skeptical Inquiry |publisher=Center For Inquiry|access-date=24 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808155054/https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/return_of_the_grief_vampire_tyler_henry|archive-date=8 August 2017}}</ref>

<ref name = anatomy>{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=Anatomy of a Reading|url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/anatomy-of-a-reading/|website=Csicop.org|publisher=Center For Inquiry|access-date=24 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808155117/https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/anatomy_of_a_reading|archive-date=8 August 2017}}</ref>

<ref name = Eventually>{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=Eventually I'm going to piss off Tyler Henry|url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/eventually_im_going_to_piss_off_tyler_henry|website=csicop.org|publisher=Center For Inquiry|access-date=24 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704212653/https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/eventually_im_going_to_piss_off_tyler_henry|archive-date=4 July 2017}}</ref>

<ref name = CSI>{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=The One Where "Psychic" Tyler Henry Reads Alan Thicke|url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/the_one_where_psychic_tyler_henry_reads_alan_thicke|website=CSICOP.org|publisher=Center For Inquiry|access-date=24 September 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170924144700/https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/the_one_where_psychic_tyler_henry_reads_alan_thicke|archive-date=24 September 2017|date=September 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=Grace>{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=Nancy Grace Should be Ashamed of Herself!| url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/nancy_grace_should_be_ashamed_of_herself|website=CSICOP.org|publisher=CFI|access-date=20 April 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420203551/https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/nancy_grace_should_be_ashamed_of_herself|archive-date=20 April 2018| date=20 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Coyne 2014">{{cite news|last=Coyne|first=Jerry|author-link=Jerry Coyne|title=Pseudoscientist Rupert Sheldrake Is Not Being Persecuted, And Is Not Like Galileo|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/115533/rupert-sheldrake-fools-bbc-deepak-chopra|work=]|date=November 8, 2013|access-date=September 2, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911115512/http://www.newrepublic.com/article/115533/rupert-sheldrake-fools-bbc-deepak-chopra|archive-date=September 11, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="Farley 2014">{{cite web|last=Farley|first=Tim|author-link=Tim Farley|title=The right way and the wrong way to file skeptic complaints|url=https://skeptools.wordpress.com/2013/10/12/right-wrong-complaints-craigslist-sheldrake-wikipedia/|date=October 12, 2013|work=SkepTools|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902210228/https://skeptools.wordpress.com/2013/10/12/right-wrong-complaints-craigslist-sheldrake-wikipedia/|archive-date=September 2, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=July 24, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name = Episode438>{{cite web|title=SGU Episode 438|url=http://www.theskepticsguide.org/podcast/sgu/438|work=]|first=Tim|last=Farley| author-link=Tim Farley|date=December 7, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903022149/http://www.theskepticsguide.org/podcast/sgu/438|archive-date=September 3, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=September 2, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name = statistics>{{cite web|last=Farley|first=Tim| author-link=Tim Farley|title=When you're not here to create an encyclopedia, your Misplaced Pages statistics show it|url=https://skeptools.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/nothere-wikipedia-craig-weiler-rome-viharo-tumbleman-rupert-sheldrake/|work=SkepTools|date=April 16, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903022657/https://skeptools.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/nothere-wikipedia-craig-weiler-rome-viharo-tumbleman-rupert-sheldrake/|archive-date=September 3, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=September 2, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name = cheer>{{cite web|last=Farley|first=Tim| author-link=Tim Farley|title=Misplaced Pages founder responds to pro-alt-med petition; skeptics cheer|url=https://skeptools.wordpress.com/2014/03/25/wikipedia-jimmy-wales-responds-change-org-alt-med-alternative-medicine-cam/|date=March 25, 2014|work=SkepTools|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903022826/https://skeptools.wordpress.com/2014/03/25/wikipedia-jimmy-wales-responds-change-org-alt-med-alternative-medicine-cam/|archive-date=September 3, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=September 2, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name = Deepak1>{{cite web|last=Farley|first=Tim| author-link=Tim Farley|title=Quantum variations in Misplaced Pages rules – Deepak Chopra and conflict of interest|url=https://skeptools.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/quantum-wikipedia-rules-deepak-chopra-coi-conflict-interest/|work=SkepTools|date=December 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924052930/https://skeptools.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/quantum-wikipedia-rules-deepak-chopra-coi-conflict-interest/|archive-date=September 24, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=February 28, 2017}}</ref>

<ref name = Creepy>{{cite web|last=Gage|first=Greg|title=A Creepy Neuro-Revolution!|url=http://www.skepticality.com/creepy-neuro-revolution/|work=]|publisher=]|date=October 22, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903023335/http://www.skepticality.com/creepy-neuro-revolution/|archive-date=September 3, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=September 2, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="Daniel Loxton">{{cite web|last1=Loxton|first1=Daniel|author-link=Daniel Loxton|title=Considering a Complaint About Skeptical Tactics|url=http://www.skeptic.com/insight/considering-a-complaint-about-skeptical-tactics/|website=Skeptic.com|publisher=Skeptic Magazine|access-date=13 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421214950/https://www.skeptic.com/insight/considering-a-complaint-about-skeptical-tactics/|archive-date=April 21, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = Gotcha>{{cite web|last1=Loxton|first1=Daniel|author-link1=Daniel Loxton|title=Gotcha! Thinking About Skeptical "Stings"|url=http://www.skeptic.com/insight/gotcha-thinking-about-skeptical-stings/|website=Skeptic.com|publisher=Skeptic Magazine|access-date=13 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417121638/http://www.skeptic.com/insight/gotcha-thinking-about-skeptical-stings/|archive-date=April 17, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="CFI Summit">{{cite journal|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=CFI Summit: Impressions|url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/susan-gerbic-reports-on-the-2014-skeptics-toolbox/|journal=]|publisher=]|date=March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830043832/http://www.csicop.org/si/show/cfi_summit_impressions/|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 30, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=sgr14st>{{cite journal|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|title=Susan Gerbic Reports on the 2014 Skeptics Toolbox|url=http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/susan_gerbic_reports_on_the_2014_skeptics_toolbox/|journal=]|publisher=]|date=November 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830044329/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/susan_gerbic_reports_on_the_2014_skeptics_toolbox/|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 30, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name = skeptics-convention>{{cite web|title=2015 Skeptics Convention – Schmidt, Gerbic, Nickell|url=http://www.skeptics.com.au/2015/03/01/2015-skeptics-convention-schmidt-gerbic-nickell/|publisher=Australian Skeptics Inc.|access-date=17 October 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229035921/http://www.skeptics.com.au/2015/03/01/2015-skeptics-convention-schmidt-gerbic-nickell/|archive-date=February 29, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = InterviewArticles>{{cite web|title=Special Articles - CSICon|url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/archive/category/csicon|website=Csicop.org|publisher=CFI|access-date=19 November 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171119144556/https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/archive/category/csicon|archive-date=19 November 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=SkepticalConnections>{{cite web|url=https://skepticalconnections.wordpress.com/susan-gerbic/|title=Susan Gerbic|work=Skeptical Connections|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502093123/http://skepticalconnections.wordpress.com/susan-gerbic/|archive-date=May 2, 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name = RandiAward>{{cite web|url=http://www.skepreview.com/2014/03/a-jam-at-tam.html|title=A JAM AT TAM|author=Howard "Nigel St. Whitehall"|work=The Skeptical Review|date=March 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830044743/http://www.skepreview.com/2014/03/a-jam-at-tam.html|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live|access-date=August 30, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name = 2017Award>{{cite web|title=2017 JREF Award|url=https://web.randi.org/home/2017-jref-award|website=James Randi Educational Foundation|access-date=27 March 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328102358/https://web.randi.org/home/2017-jref-award|archive-date=March 28, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

<ref name = Revisited>{{cite web |last1=Gerbic |first1=Susan |title=Thomas John Revisited |url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/thomas-john-revisited/ |website=Skeptical Inquirer |publisher=CFI |access-date=7 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607165259/https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/thomas-john-revisited/ |archive-date=7 June 2019 |date=4 June 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=Speechless>{{cite web |last1=Gerbic |first1=Susan |title=I'm Speechless! Thomas John Reads KJBK Fox2 Derek Kevrea |url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/im-speechless-thomas-john-reads-kjbk-fox2-derek-kevrea/ |website=skepticalinquirer.org |publisher=CFI |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190629184822/https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/im-speechless-thomas-john-reads-kjbk-fox2-derek-kevrea/|access-date=29 June 2019 |archive-date=29 June 2019 |date=26 June 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=SkepticReport>{{cite web |last1=Larsen |first1=Claus |title=Is Thomas John a real psychic? Not a ghost of a chance! |url=https://www.skepticreport.com/is-thomas-john-a-real-psychic-not-a-ghost-of-a-chance/ |website=Skepticreport.com |publisher=Skeptic Report |access-date=2 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702190352/https://www.skepticreport.com/is-thomas-john-a-real-psychic-not-a-ghost-of-a-chance/ |archive-date=2 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name = GSOW1>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cpOaVHfaLA|title=Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages &#124; Susan Gerbic|access-date=7 July 2019}}</ref>

<ref name=ThreeParents>{{cite web |last1=Gerbic |first1=Susan|title=Three Parents Reveal The Truth About Psychic Thomas John |url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/three-parents-reveal-the-truth-about-psychic-thomas-john/ |website=Skepticalinquirer.org |publisher=CFI |access-date=28 August 2019 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190828180441/https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/three-parents-reveal-the-truth-about-psychic-thomas-john/ |archive-date=28 August 2019 |date=28 August 2019}}</ref>

<ref name=Lancaster>{{cite web |last1=Gerbic |first1=Susan |title=Robert S. Lancaster: February 11, 1958 – September 7, 2019 |url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/robert-s-lancaster-february-11-1958-september-7-2019/ |website=Skepticalinquirer.org |publisher=CFI |access-date=11 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911192011/https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/robert-s-lancaster-february-11-1958-september-7-2019/|url-status=live|archive-date=11 September 2019 |date=11 September 2019}}</ref>

<ref name=SZ3>{{cite web |last1=Saunders |first1=Richard|author-link1=Richard Saunders (skeptic) |title=The Skeptic Zone Podcast #561 |url=http://skepticzone.libsyn.com/the-skeptic-zone-561-21july2019 |website=The Skeptic Zone Podcast |publisher=The Skeptic Zone Podcast |access-date=17 November 2019}}</ref>

<ref name=Spinoff>{{cite web|last1=Manhire|first1=Toby|title=NZ 'psychic healer' promotes dietary supplement as Covid-19 'preventative'|url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/science/05-06-2020/nz-psychic-healer-promotes-dietary-supplement-as-covid-19-preventative/|website=The Spinoff|publisher=Hex Works Ltd|location=Auckland, NZ|archive-url=http://archive.today/fuiYl|archive-date=2020-06-05|date=2020-06-05|quote=When approached by The Spinoff Jeanette Wilson denied having told participants in an online session that the product 'lined the lungs', despite clear evidence to the contrary.|url-status=live}}</ref>

}}


== External links == == Further reading ==
{{Commons category|Susan Gerbic}} {{Commons category|Susan Gerbic}}
* .
*
* . ''Skeptical Inquirer''.
* by Susan Gerbic.


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Latest revision as of 12:48, 25 November 2024

American skepticism activist (born 1962)

Susan Gerbic
Head shot of GerbicGerbic in 2016
Born1962 (age 61–62)
Salinas, California, U.S.
Alma materCalifornia State University, Monterey Bay (BA)
OccupationStudio photographer
EmployerLifetouch Portrait Studios (1982–2016)
Known forScientific skepticism
Susan Gerbic's voice Recorded in May 2015
Websiteabouttimeproject.wordpress.com

Susan Gerbic (born 1962) is an American studio photographer who became known as a scientific skepticism activist, mostly for exposing people claiming to be mediums. A columnist for Skeptical Inquirer, she is the co-founder of Monterey County Skeptics and a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.

Life and career

The youngest of three children, Gerbic was raised as a Southern Baptist in Salinas, California. Her father was born in Euclid, Ohio, to parents from Slovenia; he served during World War II and after the war went to live in Salinas. Gerbic attended Fremont Elementary, El Sausal Junior High School, and Alisal High School in Salinas, graduating in 1980. She became an atheist in her junior year. After high school, she studied at Hartnell College, also in Salinas, obtaining AAs in general studies in 1993 and history in 1998, while working and raising two sons. In 2002, she was awarded a BA in Social & Behavioral Studies by California State University, Monterey Bay.

Gerbic worked at Lifetouch, a portrait studio in JC Penney in the Northridge Mall in Salinas, from 1982 for 34 years, including as manager. She retired in 2016 when the studio closed.

Activism

Guerrilla Skeptics

Gerbic, with D. J. Grothe (left) and James Randi (right), receives the James Randi Award for Skepticism in the Public Interest at The Amazing Meeting, July 2013

Much of Gerbic's activism has consisted of organizing sting operations against people claiming to be mediums. She and a group of volunteers calling themselves "Guerrilla Skeptics" would set up fake Facebook profiles, then visit mediums claiming to be receiving messages from the subjects of the profiles. Gerbic's team would record the session and post the evidence online.

In 2010, Gerbic founded "Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages" (GSoW), a group of editors who create and edit Misplaced Pages articles that reflect scientific skepticism. The New York Times Magazine reported in February 2019, in an interview with Gerbic, that GSoW had 144 editors who had worked on nearly 900 Misplaced Pages pages.

Awards and honors

Personal life

Gerbic married Robert Forsyth in 1983. The couple had two sons, and the marriage ended in 2002. As of August 2018, Gerbic was in a relationship with the mentalist Mark Edward.

Gerbic in December 2013

In 2013, Gerbic discovered she had breast cancer. By December that year, Gerbic had completed chemotherapy, and by March 2014, radiation treatments. Gerbic continued to work throughout the treatment, and her follow-up mammogram revealed no cancer. She said the experience had made her tougher.

See also

References

  1. ^ Nordstrand, Dave (July 5, 2014). "Staying on the job during cancer treatment". The Salinas Californian. Archived from the original on August 30, 2015.
  2. Matsakis, Louise (July 25, 2018). "The 'Guerrilla' Misplaced Pages Editors Who Combat Conspiracy Theories". Wired. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018.
  3. ^ Hitt, Jack (February 26, 2019). "Inside the Secret Sting Operations to Expose Celebrity Psychics". The New York Times Magazine. Archived from the original on February 26, 2019.
  4. "Author: Susan Gerbic". Skeptical Inquirer.
  5. "Monterey County Skeptics". meetup.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2015.Taylor, Dennis L. (January 3, 2015). "Skeptics take on God, psychics, even science". Monterey Herald. Archived from the original on June 11, 2019.
  6. ^ "Committee for Skeptical Inquiry Elects Six New Fellows". Center for Inquiry. February 7, 2018.
  7. ^ Hale, Mike (August 23, 2018). "The enthusiastic life of a happy skeptic". Voices of Monterey Bay. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018.
  8. Gerbic, Susan (March 2, 2018). "Skeptical Adventures in Europe, Part 5". Skeptical Inquirer.
  9. ^ School details. Susan Gerbic Voice.ogg.
  10. Gerbic, Susan (March 8, 2015). "Wikapediatrician Susan Gerbic discusses her Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages project". Skeptical Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 30, 2015.
  11. Plait, Phil (May 23, 2013). "'Bad Astronomy' on the Front Page of Misplaced Pages Today. Literally". Slate.
  12. ^ "The Amaz!ng Meeting 2015: Susan Gerbic". TAM13.
  13. "2017 JREF Award". James Randi Educational Foundation. Archived from the original on March 28, 2018.
  14. Fidalgo, Paul (April 2022). "Timothy Caulfield, Susan Gerbic Awarded Balles Prizes for Critical Thinking". Skeptical Inquirer. 46 (2). Archived from the original on September 19, 2022.
  15. "April 2022 - NCAS Awards Philip J. Klass Award to Susan Gerbic". National Capital Area Skeptics. April 20, 2022.
  16. "Marriages". The Californian. 3 November 1983, p. 15.
  17. ^ Norstrand, Dave (July 5, 2014). "Working during cancer treatments". The Californian, pp. 1C, 8C.
  18. Saunders, Richard (January 17, 2014). "An interview with Susan Gerbic". The Skeptic Zone podcast. Archived from the original on August 30, 2015.

Further reading

Categories: