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Register for TAM 2013 Now Do not wait! TAM 2013 is only a few weeks away, so if you haven’t registered yet, do so as soon as possible! Tickets are selling fast and registration prices will increase after June 30. We are expecting over 1,000 attendees again this year and if we fill up will be forced to close registration.

The Amaz!ng Meeting (TAM) is the leading conference focused on scientific skepticism. People from all over the world come to TAM each year to share learning, laughs, and the skeptical perspective with their friends and a host of distinguished guest speakers, panelists, and workshop presenters.

This annual gathering of critical thinkers is an unparalleled opportunity to make like-minded friends, enjoy some of the brightest minds on issues important to us, and leave with tools for spreading a helpful and skeptical message to those who might be hurt by charlatans and unfounded belief. TAM is like a vacation from the nonsense we confront every day, and a time to celebrate skepticism.

TAM is organized by the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). Now in its 11th year, TAM began when members of the JREF’s online community had the idea for a small gathering in Ft. Lauderdale. More than 150 attendees came to the first TAM in 2003, and since then, the JREF has sponsored fifteen such such events. In recent years, TAM has grown to attract well over 1,000 attendees.

JREF and its team of volunteers and staff are proud to bring you talks, panels, workshops, and entertainment featuring some of the brightest and most engaging people in science and skepticism. But the best thing about TAM is still the community and camaraderie.

The theme of this year’s program is “Fighting the Fakers,” focusing on scientific skepticism. The inimitable musician, skeptic, and Geologic Podcast host George Hrab will once again be returning as Master of Ceremonies.

A major motivation for going to TAM is that skeptics care deeply about people and they know that when people believe in nonsense, they often get hurt. And at TAM 2013 we will explore ways to fight back. This is central to the mission of the James Randi Educational Foundation— Randi has been fighting the fakers for decades, and the JREF works to continue and expand that impact.

The Amaz!ng Meeting has become the “must attend” event for everyone who loves science and skepticism, with TAM 2013 being our biggest event yet with more presenters than ever before.

Many of our stellar speakers this year have never been on the TAM stage before. Leading thinkers, science communicators, and best-selling authors like Susan Jacoby, Dan Ariely, Susan Blackmore, Jerry Coyne, Sanal Edamaruku, Susan Haack, Marty Klein, Cara Santa Maria, Michael E. Mann, and so many more are joining us for the first time this year, all focusing on scientific skepticism, and how to best respond as skeptics to harmful anti-scientific, paranormal or pseudoscientific belief. 

All this even while many of our old friends — so many of the celebrities and skeptical figures featured at past TAMs like Penn Jillette, Michael Shermer, Jamy Ian Swiss, Steve Novella, and Todd Robbins — will be joining us again on the program, too. The level of expertise and knowledge that all of our generous speakers bring to the event makes us this one of our best programs ever — it is nothing short of, well, amaz!ng.

But just in case our incredible lineup of speakers hasn’t won you over yet, here are six more reason not to miss TAM:

1. See skepticism in action (and $1 Million on the line!) with a live paranormal challenge on stage — JREF’s 2012 Live Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge last year was one of the most popular aspects of the event.
2. Roll up your sleeves for science and skepticism. Get the training you need to Fight the Fakers with our ten hands-on education and activism skepticism workshops!
3. Witness demonic possession and a live exorcism, provocative stand-up comedy by some of the brightest comedians working today, dumbfounding magic, mind reading and sideshow feats, and more at TAM’s popular evening shows.
4. Hey, hey, they’re the NoGodBand – Dance the night away with your fellow heathens at Penn Jillette’s Private Rock & Roll, Doughnut and Bacon Party. Be forewarned: There will be obscenity. There will be scantily-clad people. You will learn nothing. And everyone is invited.
5. Commune with the diverse and vibrant skeptical community—come and share learning, laughs, and the scientific skeptic perspective with fellow inquirers and a host of distinguished guest speakers. You’ll be at the largest gathering of scientific skeptics in the world!
   and…
6. TAM 2013 is actually cheaper than other similar skeptic conferences when hotel, travel, and meals are factored in.

This annual gathering of critical thinkers is an unparalleled opportunity to make like-minded friends, enjoy some of the brightest minds on issues important to skeptics, and leave with tools for spreading a helpful and skeptical message to those who might be hurt by charlatans and unfounded belief. TAM is like a vacation from the nonsense we confront every day, and a time to celebrate skepticism.

TAM has become the largest conference to focus on science, skepticism and critical thinking over the past ten years, and has become the must-go-to event for skeptics and science advocates.

Register for TAM Today Join the more than 1,000 like minded people for four days of fun, fellowship, and critical thinking in Las Vegas!

The following preliminary schedule is for planning purposes. Blue events are included with TAM registration, while Orange events require an additional ticket purchase. Gray events indicate breaks in programing for meals not included with registration. A more detailed schedule will be will be made available closer to the event.

* Program subject to change.

Susan Jacoby

Website
FRIDAY KEYNOTE – Susan Jacoby is the author of The Age of American Unreason, Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism, and many other books. She has been the recipient of many grants and awards, including those from the Guggenheim, Rockefeller, and Ford Foundations, as well as the National Endowment for the Humanities. In 2001-2002, she was named a fellow at the Center for Scholars and Writers at the New York Public Library. Her articles and essays have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Washington Post Book World, Los Angeles Times Book Review, Newsday, Harper’s, The Nation, Vogue, The American Prospect, Mother Jones, and the AARP Magazine, among other publications. She also writes a weekly column at the On Faith website published by The Washington Post.

James Randi

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James Randi has an international reputation as a magician and escape artist, but today he is best known as the world’s most tireless investigator and demystifier of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. Randi has pursued “psychic” spoonbenders, exposed the dirty tricks of faith healers, investigated homeopathic water “with a memory,” and generally been a thorn in the sides of those who try to pull the wool over the public’s eyes in the name of the supernatural. He is the author of numerous books, including The Truth About Uri Geller, The Faith Healers, Flim-Flam!, and An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural.

George Hrab

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George Hrab has gained international notoriety in the skeptic community with his award-winning weekly show The Geologic Podcast. A multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, producer, composer, and heliocentrist, Hrab has written and produced six independent CDs; performed for President Clinton; shared the stage with Elton John, Bernie Worrell, and many others; and has traveled across the country both as a drummer for the nationally recognized Philadelphia Funk Authority and as defacto President for Life of The Geologic Orchestra.

Dan Ariely

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Dan Ariely is the James B Duke Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University. He is the author of a number of books, including Predictably Irrational and The Honest Truth About Dishonesty.

Susan Blackmore

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Sue Blackmore is a psychologist and writer researching consciousness, memes, and anomalous experiences, and a Visiting Professor at the University of Plymouth. She is the is author of a number of books, including The Meme Machine and Zen and the Art of Consciousness.

Russell Blackford

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Russell Blackford is an Australian attorney, philosopher, science fiction writer, and critic. He is the author of a number of books, including Freedom of Religion and the Secular State and 50 Voices of Disbelief.

Bob Blaskiewicz

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Bob Blaskiewicz is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Writing at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, where he specializes in extraordinary claims (especially conspiracy theories), among other topic. He co-edits the blog skepticalhumanities.com, edits a series about skepticism in education for randi.org, and appears on the weekly live web show The Virtual Skeptics.

Peter Boghossian

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Peter Boghossian is a Philosophy professor at Portland State College, where his main focus is bringing the tools of professional philosophers to people in a wide variety of contexts. Dr. Boghossian’s primary research areas are critical thinking and moral reasoning. His is the author of the forthcoming book A Manual for Creating Atheists.

Elisabeth Cornwell

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Dr. R. Elisabeth Cornwell is Executive Director of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (US). In addition to her work with the Foundation, she is an evolutionary psychologist whose research includes examining the underlying mechanisms of human mate selection.

Jerry Coyne

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Jerry Coyne, Ph.D is a Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago and a member of both the Committee on Genetics and the Committee on Evolutionary Biology. His work is focused on understanding the origin of species: the evolutionary process that produces discrete groups in nature.

Barbara Drescher

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Barbara Drescher taught cognitive psychology and quantitative research methods, primarily at California State University, Northridge, for a decade. She developed award-winning material and text for teaching science and critical thinking. As a National Science Foundation Fellow and Phi Kappa Phi Scholar, Barbara studied visual attention, perception, learning, and reasoning.

Sanal Edamaruku

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Sanal Edamaruku is an Indian skeptic and founder of Rationalist International. He is the acting president of both Rationalist International and the Indian Rationalist Association, as well as editor of the internet publication Rationalist International. He has exposed numerous frauds, mystics and superstitions in India. In 2012, the Catholic Church filed a complaint against Edamaruku and he was criminally charged with hurting religious sentiments after he debunked a weeping Jesus statue in Mumbai. He has been forced into exile until the charges are dropped.

Faye Flam

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Faye Flam is a science journalist who has spent years in the trenches battling intelligent design, global warming denial and pseudoscience of all stripes. She has also challenged questionable claims emanating from the scientific community – from “arsenic bacteria” to “fine tuning as evidence for God”. She has a degree in geophysics from Caltech and has written for The Economist, Science, New Scientist and the Washington Post. She is currently a journalism critic for the Knight Science Journalism Tracker, a writer-in-residence at Ursinus College, and the voice of Higgs the Science Cat for Parade.com.

David Gorski

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David Gorski is an academic surgeon at Wayne State University School of Medicine, where he specializes in breast cancer surgery and serves as the Medical Director of the Alexander J. Walt Comprehensive Breast Center at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. When not actively engaged in breast cancer research or taking care of patients, he is also the managing editor of the Science-Based Medicine blog.

D. J. Grothe

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D. J. Grothe is President of the James Randi Educational Foundation. Formerly a “mind-reader” and magician, he studies the processes of deception and self-deception. He lectures and debates frequently on topics surrounding science and central beliefs at colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Susan Haack

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Susan Haack is professor of philosophy and law at the University of Miami. She is the author of Putting Philosophy to Work: Inquiry and Its Place in Culture, and Defending Science: Within Reason Between Scientism and Cynicism, among many other books.

Harriet Hall

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Harriet Hall, MD, aka “The SkepDoc,” is a retired family physician and former Air Force flight surgeon who writes prolifically about science, critical thinking, alternative medicine, and quackery. She is a CSI fellow, a contributing editor to both Skeptic and Skeptical Inquirer magazines, an editor of the Science-Based Medicine blog, an adviser to the Quackwatch website, a founding fellow of the Institute for Science in Medicine, and is on the editorial review board of the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database.

Sharon Hill

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Sharon Hill is a geologist and policy specialist. She has a Masters degree in education, specializing in Science and the Public, and runs the popular critical thinking newsblog, Doubtful News. She writes on topics relating to the paranormal, pseudoscience, cryptozoology, anomalous natural phenomena, and skepticism.

Marty Klein

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Dr. Marty Klein has been a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Certified Sex Therapist for 31 years. He has aimed his entire career toward a single set of goals, among them, telling the truth about sexuality and debunking widely held sex myths. He has written a number of books on human sexuality, and speaks frequently on the psychology, science and pseudoscience of human sexuality.

Michael E. Mann

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Michael E. Mann is Distinguished Professor of Meteorology at Penn State University, with joint appointments in the Department of Geosciences and the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute (EESI). He is also director of the Penn State Earth System Science Center (ESSC). Dr. Mann is author of more than 160 peer-reviewed and edited publications, and has published two books including Dire Predictions: Understanding Global Warming in 2008 and The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars: Dispatches from the Front Lines in 2012. He is also a co-founder and avid contributor to the award-winning science website RealClimate.org.

Max Maven

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The great movie director Orson Welles wrote that Max Maven has “the most creative mind in magic.” He has published more than 2,000 articles and has been a consultant to the California ScienCenter, numerous universities, and to the magicians David Copperfield, Doug Henning, and Penn & Teller. In addition, he is the author of The Book of Fortunetelling.

Sara E. Mayhew

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Sara E. Mayhew, is a writer and illustrator that the prestigious Applied Arts magazine called “young blood commanding our attention”. The world renowned TED conference accepted Sara into their TED Fellowship program, a class of young world-changers on the cutting edge of their fields, for her work to promote science education through manga.

Steve Novella

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Founder and currently Executive Editor of Science-Based Medicine, Steve Novella is a JREF senior fellow and academic clinical neurologist at the Yale University School of Medicine. He is also the president and co-founder of the New England Skeptical Society, the host and producer of the popular weekly science podcast, The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe, and the author of the NeuroLogicaBlog. He is the author of two courses by The Teaching Company, including Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills.

Massimo Pigliucci

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Massimo Pigliucci is the chair of the Department of Philosophy at the City University of New York. He is also the editor in chief for the journal Philosophy & Theory in Biology. An outspoken skeptic and critic of creationism and advocate of science education, his most recent books are Answers for Aristotle: How Science and Philosophy Can Lead Us to A More Meaningful Life and Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk.

Massimo Polidoro

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Massimo Polidoro is an Italian psychologist, writer, journalist, television personality, and the co-founder and executive director of the Italian Committee for the Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CICAP). He is the editor of Scienza & Paranormale, and has investigated and tested numerous alleged psychics, astrologers, clairvoyants, dowsers, mediums, prophets, psychic detectives, psychic healers, psychic photographers, telepaths and many others, and has been the host of a number of Italian television shows. He is the author of numerous books, including Final Séance, and Secrets of the Psychics.

Edwina Rogers

Website
Edwina Rogers is Executive Director of the Secular Coalition for America. She has spent two decades on Capitol Hill as a lobbyist and attorney, including roles as General Counsel for several high profile politicians. Rogers has extensive experience as a public policy expert and has worked for two Presidents and four Senators, and speaks about the role of nonbelievers and skeptics in our society.

Cara Santa Maria

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Cara Santa Maria is not your typical science journalist. From cheerleader to jazz vocalist, model to tattoo enthusiast, she traveled many paths before pursuing her interest in all things related to the brain. Currently, Cara works as the Senior Science Correspondent for The Huffington Post, where she produces and hosts a science web series called “Talk Nerdy To Me.”

Richard Saunders

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Richard Saunders is the producer of The Skeptic Zone podcast and can be seen on national TV in Australia as the Skeptical Judge on THE ONE. Richard is also President of Australian Skeptics. In 2009 Richard exposed the trickery behind the PowerBalance wrist band fad.

Joe Schwarcz

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Joe Schwarcz is the Director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society and teaches a variety of courses in McGill’s Chemistry Department and in the Faculty of Medicine with emphasis on health issues, including aspects of “Alternative Medicine”. Using stage magic to make scientific points is one of his specialties. Professor Schwarcz has received numerous awards for teaching chemistry and for interpreting science for the public, including Royal Society of Canada’s McNeil Award and the American Chemical Society’s prestigious Grady-Stack Award. He is the author of numerous books and articles, including Science, Sense and Nonsense.

Michael Shermer

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Michael Shermer is the Publisher of Skeptic magazine, Executive Director of the Skeptics Society, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, host of the Skeptics Distinguished Science Lecture Series at Caltech, and an Adjunct Professor at Claremont Graduate University and Chapman University. Shermer is the author of The Believing Brain, The Mind of the Market, Why Darwin Matters, and Why People Believe Weird Things among others.

Karen Stollznow

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Dr. Karen Stollznow is a linguist, Bad Language columnist for Skeptic magazine, and author of the forthcoming books Language Myths, Mysteries and Magic, and Red, White and (True) Blue. She is a long-term investigator of paranormal and pseudoscientific beliefs and practices, a co-host of Monster Talk, and is a Research Fellow for the James Randi Educational Foundation.

Jamy Ian Swiss

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Jamy Ian Swiss is a senior JREF Fellow. He has appeared internationally for presenters ranging from Fortune 500 companies to the Smithsonian Institution. He is the author of books including The Art of Magic, and two collections of essays, the most recent is Devious Standards. His U.S. television appearances include CBS’ 48 Hours, PBS’ Nova, The Today Show, and repeat appearances on The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

These hand-on educational workshops and activist training sessions are separately ticketed events held before the main program begins on Thursday, July 11. Attendees may register for workshops separately or purchase an All Workshop Pass.

Note: An All Workshop Pass entitles you to enter any of the ten workshops, but because workshops run in concurrent tracks, you will not be able to attend each one.

Workshop 1A: How Your Camera Lies to You
First, we’ll take you through a brief history of photography, from daguerrotypes to polaroids to cameras around Mercury, to learn about how images are taken and processed. In the next phase, we’ll show you processing tips and tricks and what Photoshop is really doing when you tell it to “Reduce Noise” or “Auto-Levels” and how every processing step can introduce more anomalies. During the last third of the workshop, we’ll go through numerous examples of claimed paranormal, supernatural, or alien images and take you through how to analyze them to figure out what’s really going on. This workshop will be interactive with the audience being asked to guess what manipulation has been applied and how they would start to analyze each new image for what may be really shown. Presenters include Stuart J. Robbins and Bryan Bonner.

Workshop 1B: Blogging Skepticism (Sponsored by Skeptic Ink)
In this workshop, some of the top skeptic bloggers will offer share their tips and tools of the trade on how to move skepticism forward in the blogosphere. This workshop will introduce the audience with some of the common challenges involved blogging skepticism and ways to help avoid them. In addition, the workshop leaders will help you work through real-world workshop exercises and a panel will help answer your questions. Presenters include Edward Clint, Caleb Lack, Maria Myrbeck, Russell Blackford, Jacques Rousseau, and John Loftus.

Workshop 2A: Skepticism Across the Curriculum
While many skeptics seem to conflate science and skepticism, the two terms are not equivalent. Science, it turns out, is just one form of skeptical inquiry that encompasses many academic disciplines, including those in the humanities. This workshop will introduce the audience to scholarship confronting extraordinary claims across the disciplines. Skepticism may be profitably applied to everything from Ancient Aliens’ mangling of art and art history, literary and folklore studies, mythology, and archeology, to young-earth creationists’ vandalism of all forms of textual scholarship, from Beowulf and Arthurian legend to Biblical studies. These and other extraordinary claims can also be used in classrooms to teach the critical thinking skills needed in all contexts and to introduce the disciplines to popular audiences. Presenters include Robert Blaskiewicz, Miranda Hale, and Eve Seibert.

Workshop 2B: Crowd-Sourcing Skepticism
Increasingly, people are getting their information off the internet. If we can help make that process even a little more skeptical, we might be able to break the cycle of misinformation being spread from one generation to the next. We can help save people and society as a whole, time, money and even lives. With a concerted effort, we may be able to usher in a new age of global skepticism, where all beliefs are actually formed through rational processes backed by evidence. With tools like rbutr and @SkepticAction, and projects like Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia, this workshop will show you how you can participate in making this happen. Get involved, and help us make the world a more skeptical place. Presenters include Shane Greeup, Susan Gerbic, and Tim Farley.

Workshop 3A: Physicists, Metaphysicists and Frauds
Skeptics have been trying to sort the para from the normal for over 200 years. Often it has been a challenge to properly account for physics, metaphysics and the possibility of fraud. In this workshop, we will review some classic investigations from the heyday of Spiritualism. Participants will work in groups to propose their own tests of more modern esoterica. Presented by Chip Denman.

Workshop 3B: Supporting Skepticism Around the World
Skeptical activists from Africa, Australia, Europe, and India will show how belief in pseudoscience and the paranormal cause harm all over the world. In this workshop, you will learn how you can support international skeptical activism from right where you are..
Presenters include D.J. Grothe, Sanal Edamaruku, Leo Igwe, Massimo Polidoro, Richard Saunders, and Nakul Shenoy.

Workshop 4A: Science Based Medicine
This science-based medicine workshop will explore the most common recurring themes in unscientific or so-called “alternative” therapies. Since there are too many individuals claims, products, and therapies to cover each individually, understanding the common and frequently recurring underlying themes of such therapies will help attendees evaluate new dubious medical claims for themselves.
Presenters include Steve Novella, MD; David Gorski, MD, PhD, FACS; Harriett Hall, MD; and Mark Crislip, MD

Workshop 4B: Preserving Skeptic History
This workshop will dig down to the roots of the modern skeptical movement and its paranormal counterparts, with the help of people who were there. Participants will gain tools for conducting their own research into the history of skepticism and paranormal claims, and learn how to share that historical understanding with the public. Presenters include Daniel Loxton, Tim Farley, Susan Gerbic, Bob Sheaffer, and Ray Hyman.

Workshop 5A: How Rational Are You?
How rational are you? Take our mini-RQ test and find out! This workshop will provide practical ways to become more rational, why rationality is more valuable than intelligence, and why smart people sometimes do stupid things. Presenters include Barbara Drescher and Kyle Hill.

Workshop 5B: Skeptics in the Dojo: Taking On The Martial Arts
The world of martial arts is all around us. Millions of people of all ages around the world participate in some form of martial art. Millions more know someone who is actively practicing. But do martial arts really work? What are the benefits, and what are the risks? Are the martial arts a proven means of self-defense? Or are they just clever and sometimes elaborate scams? Fortunately, the wonderful filters of science and skepticism can be applied to any aspect of life, and the martial arts are no exception. Presenters include Brent Weedman, Evan Bernstein, David Jones, John Rennie, and Jennifer Ouellette.

Our evening shows are among the most talked-about and memorable aspects of TAM. We offer skeptic-themed comedy, magic, and other top-notch entertainment every night of the program.

This year, evening events will include:

Thurs. 9:00 p.m.

What “THEY” Don’t Want You To Know

An Evening of Humor from Skepticism’s Leading Dis-Information Agents. Find out if hypnosis works on skeptics. See the world’s most convincing “proof of aliens” evidence. Watch audience members be transformed into psychics. Witness demonic possession and a live exorcism. See Banachek turn into his own worst nightmare.

What others are saying about Bryan and Baxter:
“They are disinformation agents working for a secret government black ops program.” – Jeff Peckman in the Wall Street Journal
“Hideously irresponsible and borderline criminal” – Fr. Daniel Gargullio III aka Dr. Gargoyle
“The Laurel and Hardy of the paranormal” – J. Allen Danalek (A Case For Ghosts)
“The Greatest Show on Earth!” – Lloyd Kaufman (The Toxic Avenger)

Fri. 9:00 p.m.

¡SATIRISTAS! — Live in Concert

Paul Provenza, the celebrated comic and social critic, presents a cadre of provocateurs and proud comic voices targeting hypocrisy, media distortion and the institutionalized ignorance infecting America. These skeptical comedians are distinguished by the savage bite of their wit, virtuosic command of irony and finely tuned bullshit detectors. Celebrating the spirit of the book of the same name, ¡SATIRISTAS! will chew the fat of traditional credulity and leave you wanting more.

Fri. 11:00 p.m.

Penn Jillette’s Private Rock & Roll, Doughnut and Bacon Party

Be forewarned —

This really is Penn’s private party. He’s paying for everything and JREF has nothing to do with it. This party will be whatever Penn wants; it’s not a JREF event.

there will be stupid rock and roll
there will be obscenity
there will be scantily clad people
there will be 1200 Krispy Kreme doughnuts and tons of bacon
you will learn nothing

Everyone at TAM is invited, and it is free to attend. There is a suggested donation to the JREF at the door of $20.00 or more.

Note: This event is neither paid for nor sponsored by the JREF.

Sat. 9:00 p.m.

Magic, Mayhem and Mentalism!

Produced by Jamy Ian Swiss, MAGIC, MAYHEM and MENTALISM! will feature a variety of literally amazing performers – magicians, mentalists, and more – in an all-star line-up. Our first foray into “Magic, Mayhem and Mentalism” at TAM 7 was a great success. This year we will be presenting an all-new lineup – featuring none other than the great Todd Robbins, the King of the Coney Island Sideshow, and star of the hit Off-Broadway show, “Play Dead!” We’re thrilled to have Todd back at TAM after several years, and this show promises to be a great one.

Performers include:

Jon Armstrong

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Jon Armstrong has performed for some of the world’s most prestigious audiences in over 30 countries worldwide, he has been featured on A&E, USA Network, Fox Television, and ABC’s “Bachelorette.” He has been the subject of stories in The New York Times, LA Magazine and Harpers, and has been named Close-up Magician of the Year by The Academy of Magical Arts. He also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Academy of Magical Arts, the youngest person ever to be elected to this prestigious group.

Krystyn Lambert

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Krystyn Lambert is one of the most recognized young women in the world of professional magic, thanks to national television appearances, international performance schedule, and critical acclaim within the magic community. Krystyn was featured in the award-winning documentary, Make Believe, now available on Netflix, and the Magic Castle and Academy of Magical Arts recently named her “a magical ambassador throughout the world.

Jonny Zavant & Caroline Gayle

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Jonny Zavant & Caroline Gayle first crossed paths during the Amaz!ng Meeting of 2009, and the results have been spectacular. Jonny first began working at the JREF handling applications for the $1 Million Challenge in 2003, which inspired his career in mentalism. Caroline was raised by wild scientists in the backwoods of Rhode Island and so, naturally, became an actress. Together, they’ve have become the country’s easiest-to-like mentalism team, regularly performing at colleges and universities throughout the United States. As a duo, Jonny & Caroline share thoughts, predict decisions, have fun, and show every audience a time they’ll remember forever!

Jamy Ian Swiss

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Jamy Ian Swiss has appeared internationally for organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to the Smithsonian Institution. His U.S. television appearances include CBS “48 Hours,” PBS “Nova,” “The Today Show,” and repeat appearances on “The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson.” Renowned for his skills as a close-up magician, Swiss has also performed his stage show of mind-reading and mentalism, “Heavy Mental,” for theater and corporate audiences across the United States. As a speaker, Swiss has addressed subjects including creativity, risk management, design, user experience and other aspects of corporate and creative concern to firms as diverse as Publicis, Schlumberger, Adobe, Intuit, Electronic Arts, Shufflemaster, and Evernote. In a lengthy profile, The New Yorker magazine declared,  “Swiss is widely thought to have one of the most masterly sleight-of-hand techniques in the world today!”

Ethan Brown

Website
Ethan Brown is a 14 year old “Mathemagician.” After watching an online video of Professor Arthur Benjamin’s performance at TED, Ethan was inspired to learn the art and science of performing “Mental Mathematics” on stage. He began with a 5th grade talent show in May of 2010, and just one month later joined Dr. Benjamin onstage at The World Science Festival in New York City. Since then, he has performed throughout the United States at events including the Chicago Toy and Game Fair, Gathering 4 Gardner, NECSS, and as far away as New Delhi, India, where he was the opening speaker at a TEDx conference. He currently holds the world record for memorization of the number tau at 2012 digits.

Todd Robbins

Website
If Todd Robbins looks familiar to you, it’s probably because you have seen him on one of the more than 200 TV shows he has done.  These include all the major network morning shows, the late night talk fests of Letterman, Leno and Conan O’Brien and the NBC special, Extreme Variety.  Howard Stern has said about Todd, “This is truly an amazing talent” and Penn & Teller say, “Todd Robbins is a god!” Todd has created two Drama Desk nominated theater pieces that have been presented off-Broadway. The first one, Carnival Knowledge, was a behind-the-scenes look at the world of the American sideshow and chronicled his experiences working in places like Coney Island.  The second show, Play Dead, was co-created by Teller (of Penn & Teller) and was a spooky evening of ghost stories and startling phenomenon.  Teller also directed this acclaimed production.  A film of this stage show is now playing the film festival circuit around the county. You can see Todd on the Modern Con Man series of instructional DVDs: How to Scam Your Way to a Free Beer, Poker Night Scams and Cons and Work Place Pranks.  He is also the author of The Modern Con Man: How to Get Something for Nothing. He has been the host of the Ripley’s Live! show that has been presented in numerous venues.  He has also performed in every place imaginable, from the stage of Sideshows by the Seashore in Coney Island to the stage of Carnegie Hall.  He is a regular performer at Feinstein’s: The Nightclub of New York at the Loews Regency Hotel and this gig has earned him the title, “The Park Avenue Sword Swallower.”

Sat. 11:00 p.m.

Skeptics’ Poker Tournament

Don’t miss this opportunity to compete against TAM speakers and other notable skeptics! Every round you survive seats you at another skeptic’s table. This special TAM event includes private cocktail servers and an open bar for the duration of the tournament.

The fundraising luncheons and SGU dinner are separately ticketed meals that are offered in addition to the meals included with conference registration.

Enjoy a private luncheon with James Randi and other VIPs from the program!

Don’t miss the opportunity to have an intimate catered luncheon with James Randi and other selected TAM luminaries. As a fundraiser for the JREF, we are offering an exclusive luncheon limited to 20 people.

Or how about Dinner with the cast of The Skeptics Guide to the Universe?

Join Dr. Steve Novella, and Jay, Bob, and Evan for this fundraiser dinner, a portion of the proceeds of which go to support the show.

We are back this year in the fantastic South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa. This 2500+ room resort on Vegas’s growing South Strip offers a wide array of amenities. Along with the expected casino, pools, restaurants and lounges, South Point also houses a premium movie theater, bowling and even an equestrian center. Located a few miles south of the Strip, this hotel has all the convenience of Vegas without the hassle, and for folks driving from California, you arrive before the traffic gets heavy on the strip!

South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa
9777 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas, NV 89183
Phone: (866) 791-7626

Alternative Hotel

Grandview Resort (next door to the Southpoint)
9940 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas, NV 89183
Phone: (866) 752-9834

Other Hotel Options

No block of rooms are held at these hotels. Rates fluctuate. Please call or book online.

Emerald Suites (1 mile from the Southpoint): 702-948-9999
Silverton Casino (3 miles from the Southpoint): 702-263-7777
The M Resort (4.5 miles from the Southpoint): 702-797-1000

Register for TAM today!