On the July 25, 2007 broadcast of Coast-to-Coast AM with George Noory, he was scheduled to conduct an on-air Ouija board experiment. The show had been hyped for many weeks, and in the space of those previous weeks he had been encouraged by a few to go ahead with the experiment and warned by many more to forego it. When it came down to the night of the experiment, George backed out. Why? Here's what forces really won out that night.
Coast-to-Coast's Ouija Experiment in Fear - feature article
By Stephen Wagner, About.com GuideJuly 29, 2007
On the July 25, 2007 broadcast of Coast-to-Coast AM with George Noory, he was scheduled to conduct an on-air Ouija board experiment. The show had been hyped for many weeks, and in the space of those previous weeks he had been encouraged by a few to go ahead with the experiment and warned by many more to forego it. When it came down to the night of the experiment, George backed out. Why? Here's what forces really won out that night.
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Comments
I have to agree with your assessment.I think the mistake George made was hyping up the surrounding, but not necessarily related, events taking place in his life. Someone, somewhere would walk away with the feeling the show was to blame for their problems. In that sense, I can see he may have realized this a little late and had no choice but to cancel. Disappointing though.
Bravo. This ridiculous to-ouija-or-not-to-ouija thing has been hyped on C2C for months now, and I didn’t need a ouija board to predict from the very beginning it would never take place. George never ever misses a chance to relate his personal views of the Ouija–warns everyone to stay away, and reminds us over and over that he has never heard a positive Ouija story. That’s likely because, for whatever reasons, the strong mythological narratives developing around the Ouija do not center around positive experiences. The ideas that it is a ‘portal’, that ‘protection’ needs to be summoned correctly, that lower or negative astral energies are usually engaged, and also scenarios involving ‘demons’ and ensuing negative experiences, are very strong and powerful, and very mythic in all aspects. It’s difficult to argue logically with the breadth of and deeply rooted, collective belief systems involved within such a structure. The fact is, the Ouija Board is taking on a trickster persona itself (I don’t mean summoning up a trickster–I mean the board itself is becoming personified as such), which is perhaps a necessary and inevitable role in the huge ‘ghost hunting’ realm. I agree that the hype was silly and pedestrian–fabulous article.
Roger that.
George did not have to give any reasons…it is a bad idea to use those…no one quite understands the mechanisms or phenomena underlying the process…Do not be so naive to think all the mysteries of space and time are apparent to our limited sensate understanding…No amount of positive energy projection can necessarily ensure a positive experience. Just beacuse Parker Brothers makes it does not mean it is a toy to be tampered with willy-nilly…George was absolutley right.
Jeff — One cannot ensure a positive experience for ANY activity. Exactly what are you afraid might happen? Please try to be specific.
Here’s the thing, folks. If just one thing goes wrong during that Wee-jee Poker Game—if just ONE subsurface party crasher decides he wants some boogie oogie action—
then Mr. George Noory becomes PURINA DEMON CHOW and all the sincere Wee-jee fans in the world won’t be able to pull him out of the resulting train wreck! Skrrrriiiittch all the way, baby!
So cut Mr. Noory some slack. In the supernatural domino game, you BETTER make sure you’re not stuck with Double-Blank at the end of the hand!
Essentially what Booboo Magoo said — tampering with forces we know so little about and with a litany of well documented firsthand cases of negative “reactions” and phenomena associated with ouija (hauntings, etc.)
And let’s make this abundantly clear…we are not talking ANY activity here…”Monopoly” doesn’t have the same negative track record as this force of nature. The fact is, the majority of “practitioners” are inexperienced slumber party dabblers who are wholly unprepared and spiritually “unprotected” for such engagement. Heed the message these firsthand horror stories (too exhaustive to illuminate here…do your own research) are trying to tell you or reap the consequences. That’s all. (stick to Monopoly)
I guess what it comes down to is: if you believe demons or “evil spirits” are involved, that will always be at the heart of your side of the debate. I have just never seen any evidence for them.
I absolutely concur. Kudos to anyone who is afraid to “misuse” a ouija board, however I myself have never been made aware of any realistic reason to be afraid. I have quite a few friends who have used them, and I myself own one. Several times I have been in a bad place in life and I have tried to use to board for what might be considered evil purposes. Never have I received any indication that a ouija board is more than a toy with a needless stigma attached. I am not arguing for or against anyone, everyone is entitled to and SHOULD have their own beliefs. I support any and all, and I would sincerely enjoy being made aware of evidence that goes against my opinion. I am always a fan of learning everything I can.
Do you all remember the movie, ‘the Exorcist’ (allegedly based on a true happening)? The little girl unleashed ’something’ from her use with the ouija board she found in her house. Scary thought. I’m sure it was embellished by Hollywood (special effects and the like), but if even a smidgen is true, that’s enough to deter me.
freespirit34 — Glad you raised the point of “The Exorcist.” This Hollywood MOVIE (not reality, folks) was instrumental in “demonizing” the Ouija board. Other movies like “Witchboard” contributed to this. Was “The Exorcist” based on a true story? Sort of. And an article in “Strange” magazine — http://www.strangemag.com/exorcistpage1.html — did an excelent job of debunking that as a case of real possession.
I don’t believe in demons, and certainly not the Devil (a construct organized religion has devised to instill fear and allegiance in their followers). I do HOWEVER believe there are negative or ‘evil’ presences just as there are good ones. In practicing the ouija, who knows which presence/consciousness one is really communicating with. I mean, we’d all like to believe we just made contact with our long dead Uncle Merle, but how can we be sure it’s not some nasty thing that wants us to slice our face up? Wouldn’t an evil presence naturally masquerade as something nice and friendly and good (AKA, the ‘harmless’ encounters one has with the board), while secretly wishing us harm? It seems reasonable if one believes the board actually contacts an other-worldly presence.
Also, if one is interested enough to actually practice ouija-ing (sp?), don’t you think they would be open to the notion of communicating with the supernatural: the morbid fascination that they might actually contact something that goes bump in the night? Unless of course they’re just skeptics who only want to debunk the contraption because they can. If that’s the case, where is the fun in that?
To freespirit34- In response to your comment about believing a “smidgen” of the Exorcist; where would it end? Should people believe a smidgen of Independence Day and start getting our armed forces prepared for an alien invasion? Should we believe a smidgen of Godzilla and start preparing for giant monster attacks? I could go on for hours, but I think the point is already made. Never make the mistake of assuming a fictitious movie might be real. It just isn’t true, it came from an author’s imagination.
By all means, stay away from a ouija board if that is your wish. Do not, though, use what is plainly known to be fiction as a reason for that fear. That only hurts yourself.
I have been reading the True Tales section on About.com for a few years now, and quite a few of the “ouija” accounts end in something frightful or horrible happening to the people who use it…bottomline is, that should be an immediate red flag to anyone considering using one. It’s kind of like Bigfoot. There is not conclusive proof they exist, but I would not discount the many thousands of eyewitness testimony screaming out that yes, they do in fact exist. I don’t think that many people are liars or attention-seekers. Then again, ouija could be like cigarettes…we’re told they’re bad for you, but people use them anyway. I guess the lesson is proceed at your own risk.
Of course you never know with whom or what you may be in contact. Just like living in the world. Are you dead or posessed yet? Do you REALLY know what kind of intent that guy at the checkout has, when he asks to see your ID? Oh god, maybe he is a serial killer memorizing your address!
Come on. Spiritual ‘evil’ mirrors day to day evil. So you believe in ‘demons’? Nice. Good luck with that. This is not a Benny Hinn world, guys. I have never one time seen a ouija narrative that does not follow the tired old myth-in-progress. Wake up. Think for yourself. Stop parroting what you’ve heard. Do you really want join the herd of sheep, swallow the blue pill?
Richelle – you seem to be pretty skeptical for a man (or is it a woman, what is Richelle?) that frequents and discourses on a PARANORMAL website. I’ve gotta believe part of you believes in the phenomena itself, or you wouldn’t be so passionate and opinionated about the material. Sounds like you might fare better on a sports forum…something more mundane and down to your level.
Or maybe you’re one of those wet blanket skeptics the guy mentioned earlier…here to rain on everybody’s parade because you know all the secrets of the universe, and we’re all stupid parrots who can’t think for ourselves…huh?
Tell you what…if you’re such a tough guy, try it some night by yourself, in the dark, and get back to us…if you can’t DISPROVE it for yourself, then you can join the rest of the hypocritical sheep you profess to despise.
Ouch! — But I gotta admit, Richelle had it coming: don’t just piss on someone’s beliefs because you don’t believe in them.
Folks, I think the point of all this is, some of us believe and others don’t. The uncertainty of exactly what ‘ouija boarding’ entails is the reason this debate is even in question. That being said, I can understand why George Noory decided to call the thing off – and maybe it’s better yet – look at the emotion it has generated just TALKING about it.
woah, this ouija board has brought up more comments than that picture of the angle in the ray of light. anyway, I can easily see where richelle was coming from but what hes saying to everyone thats reads this is just like someone walking up to a religious person and saying ‘your god doesnt exist and your stupid for thinking it does’
I have never in my entire life been mistaken for a man–how is ‘richelle’ a masculine sounding name? And all I referred to as nonsense are demons. How are demons paranormal? That belongs to the religious side of things. Obviously, I was FOR the coast to coast ouija board experiment–how does that translate to being a ‘wet blanket’? Proposing that people stop believing everything they hear (re: the tired old ouija board is evil narrative) is being a wet blanket? My disbelief in demons somehow ruins all the fun. The conclusions you have come to about my beliefs and non-beliefs are as ridiculous as your assuming the name richelle is masculine.
I am with Richelle actually; I also frequent this paranormal website because I do believe in certain paranormal phenomena. However, I also believe heavily in science and the scientific method, and in every science course I have ever taken, we were taught to perform experiments that have been performed thousands, if not millions, of times throughout history. Why? Because there is something to be said about finding out/experiencing things for one’s own self. Are ouija boards dangerous? No, I doubt it, but sure, it is a possibility. Just because I admit that possibility does not mean that I would avoid a ouija board; much the opposite, in fact.
If anyone is afraid to try a ouija board because of heresay evidence, that is their prerogative. All stories about evil ouija boards tend to be third-hand evidence; I honestly have never run across a ouija board story that seemed all that credible, and I certainly do not know anyone who has had a bad experience with one. I do, however, “know people who know people” who have had such experiences, which, in my opinion, is strong evidence in favor of “evil” ouija boards being nothing more than an urban legend the likes of Bloody Mary or Candyman.
you take a piece of paper,you write the alphabet,yes and no answers and take a glass or another piece of paper with circular hole in,and there you have a home made oujia board.Does it work?I think that we would be very stupid if we think that only the world we see with our eyes and concious minds exist,there is lot more to it,if you go in some forgotten mountain village in macedonia youll see that the people living there accept the ghosts,feries,and the supernatural as part of they every day lifes not being afraid of them,because theres no tv,no radio,no electricty,they live like the people were meant to live in contact ith the nature.So yes the principe of ouija works,no matter if its the toy,or you made it on a piece of paper,there are forces lurking waithing for their chance….tottaly true
I am not saying ouija boards do not work, I am simply saying that there is no proof that they work. You or anyone just saying that they work just does not constitute hard evidence, it just means that you personally believe in them. By dismissing the opinion of people who disbelieve, you are being just as stubborn as you believe they are being.
Maybe a ouija board works in Macedonia (although I doubt it, because I have been there and I do not recall any mention of a ouija board), but I have never met anyone for whom it has worked, and I have known quite a few people who have tried it.
If you have summoned a spirit, kudos to you. I will believe it when I see and experience it for myself, and despite what anyone might think, there is nothing “ignorant” about that. We have sensory perceptions so we can use them, not so we can disregard them and listen to the claims of others.
And I wasn’t suggesting ouija boards didn’t ‘work’, either. I actually think they do work, and that is from my own experience. Perhaps elena’s ‘they do work’ comment wasn’t directed at me. But, from rico’s bizarre rant on my comment, there seems to be an idea that because I don’t believe demons are responsible, or exist as christian/evangelical/bible thumping/exorcist style entities, that I don’t believe the ouija board works. I just don’t accept the rigid, tired old stories and narratives developing around Ouija. And Elena–I believe you are right about the piece of paper possibly working, but I also think it’s silly to dismiss the importance of actual board itself in this story. SO much has been built up around it–so much fear, demonization, and strong feelings, that it is taking on an iconic form.
richelle my comment wasnt directed at you,i think you have every right to say your opinion and not being hated about it,i was talking about the state of mind of people who live on the verge of civilazation,who live like our ancectors,and no russel i wasnt saying that the people in the villages in macedonia use ouijas,i was saying that they beleive in the supernatural like its a part of they everyday lives,im not ranting on anybody,i dont judge others opinion
A vast majority of EVERY country in the world believes in the supernatural, Macedonia is not alone in this. Every religion, including the main three, involve aspects of the supernatural. The point was that we have no direct evidence that ouija boards specifically are a gateway to the supernatural world. The only documented evidence we have is that a ouija board is a fun game that is safe for people of all ages. Case closed. The fact that most people believe in the supernatural has little to nothing to do with whether or not ouija boards actually work.