This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Robincantin (talk | contribs) at 03:33, 24 February 2019 (Adding info and citation to section on hot reading; changing subtitle to better reflect new text.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 03:33, 24 February 2019 by Robincantin (talk | contribs) (Adding info and citation to section on hot reading; changing subtitle to better reflect new text.)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) Psychic and drag queen (b. 1984) For other people with similar names, see Thomas John.| Thomas John | |
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| Born | Thomas John Flanagan (1984-07-08) July 8, 1984 (age 40) Boston, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Self-described Psychic medium |
| Website | www |
Thomas John Flanagan, known professionally as Thomas John, is a former Chicago drag queen, who claims to be a psychic medium with paranormal abilities. He currently stars in the reality TV show Seatbelt Psychic. In 2009, John was arrested and pleaded guilty to felony fraud for posting fake apartment ads on Craigslist and stealing the security deposits from renters.
Drag queen career
Prior to becoming a medium, John performed in drag around Chicago under the name Lady Vera Parker.
John is an official promoter of the 2019 Miss Gay New York America pageant, which uses the slogan "Where Boys Are Boys and Female Impersonation is an Art", and is scheduled to be held on March 19, 2019.
Mediumship
John first started working professionally as a medium in his mid-20s, and now divides his work between New York City and Los Angeles. He counts among his clients Julianne Moore, Jennifer Lopez, Stevie Nicks, Goldie Hawn, and Courteney Cox. Despite the scientific skeptic consensus that mediumship is a con, John has convinced some mass media reporters that he has paranormal powers:
- Vogue magazine published an article titled "How a Celebrity Psychic Turned One Proud Skeptic Into a Believer"
- The Hollywood Reporter asked John "When did you first realize you had a gift?"
- SF Weekly asked John "A lot of us are curious about the afterlife. What can you tell us about it?"
- WJBK said "Every time psychic medium Thomas John is on The Nine, he blows us away and makes everyone cry."
- WPIX said "Thomas John has made a career blowing minds with his gift for communicating with those who have passed. Honing in on his unique skill at an early age, the celebrity medium has become the go-to psychic with a track record that has even stunned skeptics."
Seatbelt Psychic
Lifetime produced a reality TV show staring John called Seatbelt Psychic. This show began its run on July 11, 2018, and stars John as a ride-share driver who surprises “unsuspecting” passengers when he delivers messages from their deceased relatives. It is produced by Zeb Newman, Ryan Simpkins, Sarah Happel, Emma Conway, Brie Miranda Bryant, and Ben Winston..
Several passengers were actually part-time actors suggesting that they had not been picked up at random. One, Wendy Westmoreland, played a character on "Stalked by a Doctor” which was also produced by Lifetime.
Use of "hot reading" techniques
In March 2017, John was found to have used information posted on social media by people coming to his shows, in order to accurately guess details about their lives while pretending to be communicating with the dead, a technique known as hot reading. He unknowingly used backstories from fake Facebook profiles previously prepared by a group of skeptics led by Susan Gerbic and Mark Edward. When John used that information while pretending to hear Gerbic's and Edward's dead relatives, the only possible way he could be aware of these details is if he or members of his teams read the fake profiles while preparing for their performance, since even Gerbic and Edward themselves were not aware of the specific information placed on the profiles that matches the aliases they were using when attending the show. During a private event after the show, John also disclosed that at least one of the people he selected among the audience was his own student. The sting operation, named Operation Pizza Roll, used techniques developed to catch other psychics using social media accounts to prepare interactions with guests.
Gerbic also questioned John's alleged psychic abilities in the context of his television show Beltway Psychic, where supposedly random members of the public receiving readings from John are actually actors.
Felony fraud conviction and challenges to veracity
On June 30, 2009 John was arrested and charged with two offences, of theft and theft by deception. It was alleged that he advertised and collected rent on properties that he did not own. He was found guilty on both counts, and sentenced to probation on July 2, 2009.
The Daily News article reported that John was being sued by a California-based public relations firm, ZTPR, because he hadn't paid their bill. John had hired ZTPR to repair his public relations image after the Daily News uncovered and reported on his fraud conviction. According to court papers, ZTPR "completed all the services of helping him build and exaggerate in the press his public profile as a believable psychic medium". Slattery reported that John "told The News he's worked out a settlement with ZTPR, but... ZTPR president Zack Teperman said the matter was still being reviewed by the company's lawyers."
Bibliography
- Never Argue with a Dead Person: True and Unbelievable Stories from the Other Side
See also
- Ann O'Delia Diss Debar ("One of the most extraordinary fake mediums... the world has ever known" -Houdini)
- Flim-Flam! (Psychics, ESP, Unicorns and other Delusions)
- Fortune telling fraud
- Houdini's debunking of psychics and mediums
- John Edward
- Long Island Medium
- Mark Edward
- Monica the Medium
- Psychic Blues: Confessions of a Conflicted Medium
- Rose Mackenberg (Historic investigator of psychic mediums)
- Sylvia Browne
- Tyler Henry
References
- ^ Shaff, Jay (6 July 2009). "Lady Vera Parker arrested and jailed". chicago.gopride.com. Go Pride. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)} - "Famous psychic, John Thomas,scandal that rocked the media world and Paranormal world". Paranormal Herald Magazine. 11 September 2015. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Slattery, Denis (25 July 2015). "'Manhattan Medium' Thomas John has celeb clientele — and shady past as scammer and drag queen". NYdailynews.com. NY Daily News. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Slattery, Denis (23 March 2016). "Manhattan psychic who ran Craigslist scam sued for owing money to PR firm hired to fix his image". nydailynews.com. NY Daily News. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - "Miss Gay New York America (A Standard Regional Preliminary)". Missgayamerica.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ ANDERSON, KRISTIN (15 October 2016). "How a Celebrity Psychic Turned One Proud Skeptic Into a Believer". Vogue.com. Vogue. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
- Propatier, Stephen. "Susan Gerbic: Vampire Slayer". Skeptoid.com. Skeptoid Media. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
- Swiss, Jamy Ian. "Jamy Ian Swiss - In Pursuit of Psychics: For Good Reason". Youtube.com. James Randi Foundation. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
- Pevos, Edward (16 November 2017). "We can't explain our encounter with psychic medium Thomas John: See for yourself". Mlive.com. Michigan Live. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Gardner, Chris (22 June 2018). "'Seatbelt Psychic' Thomas John on New Lifetime Show: "Skeptics are Definitely Welcome"". hollywoodreporter.com. Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - Quick, Quentin (29 June 2018). "Celebrity Medium Thomas John Breaks on Through (To the Other Side)". SFweekly.com. SF Weekly. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - "Psychic medium Thomas John returns for show in West Bloomfield April 12". Fox2detroit.com. Fox News. 12 April 2018. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ RAMOS, ANDREW (28 June 2018). "Renowned medium Thomas John spooks ride-share passengers in 'Seatbelt Psychic'". pix11.com/. PIX 11. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=requires|archive-url=(help) - Gerbic, Susan (February 21, 2019). "Buckle Up - Seatbelt Psychic". Skeptical Inquirer. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
- Gerbic, Susan (February 21, 2019). "Operation Pizza Roll- Thomas John". Archived from the original on February 23, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
{{cite news}}:|archive-date=/|archive-url=timestamp mismatch; February 24, 2019 suggested (help) - Gerbic, Susan (February 21, 2019). "Buckle Up - Seatbelt Psychic". Center for Inquiry. Archived from the original on February 23, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=/|archive-url=timestamp mismatch; February 24, 2019 suggested (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - Shaff, Jay (July 9, 2009). "Drag Queen Lady Vera Parker Arrested In Chicago". On Top Magazine. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- John, Thomas (25 February 2015). Never Argue with a Dead Person: True and Unbelievable Stories from the Other Side. Hampton Roads Publishing. ISBN 978-1571747242. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
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