Aibu to think that anyone who believes is derren brown is daft?

[TENDTOprocrastinate]

I have no belief in derren browns psychic ability. his usual hypnosis shows are blatantly all set up with actors/actresses. I have had many an argument about this in the past with dh. His current 'apocalypse' show- if it were real- would be a Jeremy beadle gone (far) too far. However, this apocalypse show is mildly entertaining. At least he is admiting that there are actors involved- though clearly guy who is supposed to be hypnotised is an actor too. (Dh thinks otherwise)

Ensured, gah

Isn't it possible that he is just an utter failure and layabout i.e.what everyone claims he is, but has signed onto an acting agency like thousands of people do? It doesn't mean he's an actor acting in Derren Brown's show. He's appalling if he is! Also wouldn't people who know him be tweeting this morning if he really was an actor? Agree about no toilet stops though!

I'm sure if he took a wee in the corner of the room they'd just cut it out, it's not claiming to be shot it real time!

Whats odd about not seeing him wee?
Its not a real-time broadcast, so why would we see him wee.
.

Or...what kate said!

I don't know how much I believe, I try not to think about it too much. It's entertaining and enjoyable, and that's all I want from my Friday night tv
Also, I think he seems absolutely lovely! It's a shame I'd be too scared of what he'd discover about me to ever see him live though

I totally believed that this was going to be real. Questions like "would a waiver agreeing to allow him to do something that cause cause potential psychological damage" even stand up? But it's what he relies on - that we don't ask too many questions.

What clinched it for me that this too, was just illusion was the fact the main character was clearly a bad actor. None of dialogue seemed to flow like normal conversation would.

Ok, let's say the people chosen at his live shows aren't actors. How do you suggest his does the things he does? He's not psychic. The psychology spiel he used to give (less so these days) is a red herring, he's using psychology to replace the word magic. I've never seen him hypnotise on a live show recording. What is the other option?

I would like it to be psychology, I enjoy his shows and can play along but during a serious conversation in the real world there is nothing (other than experiencing it myself) that would convince me they're not actors.

My brother's friends wanted it to be "real". They bought tickets to go again! They were a bit disappointed it was all so simple.
He is doing the same tricks magicians were doing years ago and we happily accept they used stooges, why is the same not true for DB? Because he uses the cover of science (psycology) and we believe in science.

Of course you can practise and train to throw a ball, frisbee or monkey to certain people in an audience. I would also speculate that the performances recorded for television could very easily have elements redone for the camera (with the cover story of sound issues etc) if the wrong person got the frisbee.

I agree with OP. He must be an actor and its all pretend, or its a horrible horrible thing to do to someone.

On the other hand, bottleofbeer, I have no idea how I'd eact if I woke up in a hospital bed, in green pyjamas with an empty drip attached to me, on an empty ward, with no recollection of how I got therre, to discover that I have apparently been there for two weeks, to find a lost girl, lots of weird things happening, and all that.

He could be in shock in which case he wouldn't be conducting normal conversation but his mind would be blank (that's how mine goes, anyway!) while it desperately tries to process what is happening.

The point at which zombies appear is the dangerous one from the point of view of the trick. At some point you're bound to think "this is just like being in a film" and it's not a big step from there to "this can't be true, it must be some sort of trick". However, if they can keep him busy enough with not much downtime for reflection then it could be kept going for longer.

This is assuming that Derren didn't implant some reinforcing suggestions when he put the guy bakc to sleep on the bus, along the lines of "everything that happens to you from now on will be true and you will believe it completely", but that is pretty hard to do.

(Yes, I have ms, btw, and I would love db to sort out my malfunctioning immune system!)

Derren Brown isn't a psychic.

They've taken down a lot of references to Steve, but his brother, Barry Brosnan, is all over the web as a working actor. He's doing The Revenger's Tragedy at the moment, has a listing on models mayhem etc, went to drama school. I think the choice of participants is disingenuous at best. I think the only 'experiment' Derren is doing is to see how gullible we are as an audience.

i'm really curious about the programme. i think there is an element of truth in it. the fact that steve doesn't run around saying "omg there are zombies!!!" is irrelevant. no one know how they would react in that sort of extreme situation.
he also at times look genuinely terrified, in a way that i have NEVER seen an actor do.
I would imagine at the auditions he had to sign summat to say that he agreed to whatever would happen in the future, cept of course he thinks that he was then rejected by the show.
however, what would make db so sure that he would NOT suffer future harm??

anyway, the programme has generated much debate, and so, from that point of view, is a success for db.

Haha I totally believed it was real. Then I saw this. The 'victim' is an actor and currently filming for a BBC pilot: www.davidicke.com/forum/showthread.php?s=28843f7ee2af37d876878bdd4690202d&p=1061106428#post1061106428

I remember watching that show a few years back where he promised he could hypnotise people through the TV and make us all be glued to our seats and I felt distinctly stiff and wobbly when he did it! Great powers of suggestion. He's a pure showman and he makes no bones about it.

I've been to a few of his shows and earlier this year was actualy hypnotised. It was very weird and a little scary but I definately wasn't a stooge. I have also been hypnotised for a medical condition so I think I am just quite susceptible to suggestion.

Gutted that it's not real, was really enjoying it.

on this thread we are judging whether we believe STEVE was genuinely duped or whether the show was duping US. the show is mirroring our reactions. Great entertainment either way! I don't believe the truth is as simple as whether steve is an actor or not; if he is, then there may be another twist at the end of the final episode.

best keep your baseball bat close by you then, were [hsmile]

He's a smug prick.

If Steve is an actor, which he must be I think, then why on earth did he leave his details all over the Internet? I wonder if this is part of the trick. We 'figure out' Steve is an actor and then there's another twist... Otherwise it just doesn't seem clever enough for DB.