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Ted Serios

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Psychic/Fraud

The Resume

    (November 27, 1918-December 30, 2006)
    Chicago bellhop
    Claimed to produce 'thoughtographs' on Polaroid film using psychic powers
    Subject of the book 'The World of Ted Serios' (1967) by psychologist Jule Eisenbud

Why he might be annoying:

    He was a heavy drinker and smoker.
    Eisenbud wrote, 'His psychopathic and sociopathic personality manifests itself in many other ways. He does not exhibit self-control and will blubber, wail and bang his head on the floor when things are not going his way.'
    For some reason, his supporters do not seem to find it suspicious that he liked to place a plastic tube (his 'gizmo') between his forehead and the camera to 'focus his thoughts.'
    When two photographic experts from 'Popular Photography' who doubled as working magicians investigated him, he failed to produce any images and refused to let them inspect his gizmo.
    Magician Persi Diaconis claimed to have witnessed Serios sneaking a marble with a photograph printed on it into the gizmo.

Why he might not be annoying:

    According to his supporters, he sometimes produced images without the gizmo and/or while several feet away from the camera.
    James Randi turned down a challenge to duplicate Serios' results. (Although this probably had a lot to with Eisenbud's demands that Randi perform the challenge while drunk and wearing a rubber suit.)
    Chris Carter expressed interest in making a film based on his life.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 17 Votes: 88.24% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 25 Votes: 56.00% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 30 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 15 Votes: 73.33% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 17 Votes: 94.12% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 23 Votes: 65.22% Annoying