Denton grills TV “Healer”
Updated: Denton takes a skeptical approach to television healer, who hits back on radio later.
- Published by David Knox
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Andrew Denton last night presented his most contentious Interview so far this season when he spoke to Australian “energy healer,” Charlie Goldsmith.
Melbourne-based Goldsmith fronts his own US-produced series The Healer which has screened in Australia on TLC.
As the series reveals, Goldsmith was 18 years-old he discovered he had an ability to heal people, including those with chronic injuries, auto immune conditions, viruses, infections, severe body pain, inflammation, allergies and more – often taking less than 60 seconds to do so.
On Interview he was grilled by Denton as to his medical experience and testing. A lengthy discussion included cases, placebos, payment and producers.
Denton took aim at his taking part in a University of Arizona study under the supervision of Professor Gary Schwartz, an art professor in New York who also believes in ghosts and is developing a “soul phone” to communicate with the dead.
“What you’re claiming to do is mysterious and unknowable and almost impossible to measure and what he’s interested in are things that are mysterious, unknown and almost impossible to measure, so he’s non-objective observer of what you do.” Denton said, “Where you’re talking and where you’re walking are different places. You’re talking you want credible but you’re not walking that space.”
“What I like about him… the fact that he has spent a large part of his career interested in this area gives him insight into how to test things, now that doesn’t make it wrong,” said Goldsmith.
But Denton disagreed, saying: “I would argue it makes him predisposed to show that you’re right as opposed to having a scientific, neutral credible method.”
Updated: Goldsmith expressed disappointment this morning on radio.
Kyle is obsessed with @charlegoldsmith's show and believes in it all! pic.twitter.com/YU2XMdrAbV
— Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo) May 22, 2018
'Why do people need to attack something that helps' @charlegoldsmith pic.twitter.com/Vw0XZMZG8e
— Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo) May 22, 2018
Via: Who
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11 Responses
Um, there’s very little balance you can have when somebody is lying to people.
If the guy was on there promoting child rape, and cannibalism, would you expect Denton to be ‘balanced’ on the matter? The guy has told people to forgo mainstream treatments in order to take his magic juice. Those people have died.
As far as I’m concerned, if he’s telling people he can heal them, he should be held to the same standards as a doctor, and he should be charged with manslaughter.
Is he Tottie Goldsmith’s brother and Olivia Newton-John’s nephew?
google takes you to a piece in the Telegraph dated April 2017 and it says he is ONJ’s nephew.
Yes.
At the end of the day, whether it is a placebo effect or genuine healing, if the people are no longer in pain, that’s a good thing.
If it’s a placebo, the client needs to be fully aware that it’s a placebo. Otherwise, they are selling / promoting snake oil.
The issue is that if people are aware they are getting a placebo they may well not have the same outcome. Placebo’s are usually more successful in blind testing where the mind assumes it is getting the treatment it requires, hence the phrase.
Denton is usually a phenomenal interviewer because of his balance between light and shade, but I felt last night he mainly threw shade. I admit I’ve never seen Charlie’s show but I didn’t see the need to go so hard on the guy, it’s not like he’s a Belle Gibson defrauding people out of their money.
Agree. Had never heard of Goldsmith but found him very impressive: kind, open and honest. It was just awful watching Denton attack him.
I like Andrew Denton, but I found this interview uncomfortable.
You were very aware of Andrew’s opinion on the content, which didn’t make it feel balanced.
It was so different from the Daniel Johns interview the week earlier, and even the mullet interview that followed.
Denton is an advocate for euthanasia laws. He probably thinks it is wrong for someone to promise to ‘heal’ someone who is in pain – when euthanasia is the better option. Thats probably why he was biased in this interview.