SCORE ONE FOR RATIONAL DISCOURSE!

This morning's mail brings this personal follow-up from Barry Karr:

What an excellent way to start the day - seeing that they have put the show on hold. It is just wondeful to see that they caught the flak they deserved. Thanks!

Here's the text of his general announcement to the CSICOP ListServ:

Since I wrote to the list yesterday it seems a hailstorm of protest has erupted around the then plans for Studios USA's 'Crossing Over with John Edward' to attempt to communicate with victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in several episodes planned for the November sweeps.

I have received well over 100 e-mails from equally upset people - many with copies of letters they had written to Studio USA and the Sci-Fi Channel. It seems the story also outraged quite a number of others as well, for this morning news has been received that they will not be going ahead with the program.

By then, Studios USA publicists were being swamped with calls from reporters. And, according to one source, the company also started hearing from some station execs that carry the show ("What the [expletive] are you thinking of?!" is how one station suit said he planned to put it).

Not long after, a spokeswoman for "Crossing Over" called The TV Column to say Rosenberg "is now saying the show isn't put together" and he's "not sure when" the segments will air; it may be "later this year or next year."

A few hours later, the whole thing was scrubbed.

To all of you who wrote to us, to the Networks, and made your opinions felt on this we thank you - you were certainly part of the groundswell that helped put a stake in this black heart.

The formula is simple:

+ Skeptical Inquiry
+ Critical Scrutiny
+ Rational Discourse
x Many Voices
= The Good Guys Win!

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