Tyler Henry, known as the "Hollywood Medium," has gained fame for his claims of being able to communicate with the dead. However, many skeptics question the authenticity of his abilities. Henry's journey began when he allegedly predicted his grandmother's death at the young age of ten. Since then, he has appeared on his reality show, where he visits celebrities and attempts to connect them with deceased loved ones. But is he really as gifted as he claims, or is it all just a clever act?
Critics of Tyler Henry argue that he employs the same techniques as other mediums, relying on vague predictions and emotional manipulation. It raises a significant question: how could someone who professes to have such extraordinary abilities not know anything about the celebrities he meets? Considering the influence of television, radio, and the internet, it seems unlikely that he would be completely in the dark about his high-profile clients.
In this article, we'll explore several compelling reasons why many believe that the "Hollywood Medium" is nothing more than a well-crafted illusion. From his questionable methods to the lack of groundbreaking insights during readings, we will dissect the claims surrounding Tyler Henry and his supposed psychic gifts. Here are the reasons why the Hollywood Medium is seen as a fraud!
Biography of Tyler Henry
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Tyler Henry Koelewyn |
| Date of Birth | January 13, 1996 |
| Profession | Medium, Television Personality |
| Notable Work | Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry |
| Claimed Abilities | Mediumship, Clairvoyance, Medical Intuition |
Table of Contents
- The Carrot Top of Clairvoyance
- Not Digging Up Ancient Memories
- ESP and You
- Ghosts and NDAs
- Branding Efforts
- Google Spirits?
- Critics' Take
- Vague Predictions
- Studying the Past
The Carrot Top of Clairvoyance
When Tyler Henry did a reading for Matt Lauer on the "Today" show in August 2016, he was given an old pocket knife to assist his senses. Hmm ... who’s likely to carry one of those? An older relative, perhaps? Henry proceeds to reference declining health — an easy guess — then says this person wanted to die at home, which is also a very common request. Lauer reveals that Henry must be referencing his father, who passed away in 1997 at home in hospice care.
Next, Henry brings up a coin collection. "I have a couple of silver dollars from him, but not a lot," Lauer offers. Henry then conveniently changes the collection to three coins and says one coin might be missing. "How many do you have?" he asks Lauer. "I think I have two," Lauer replies. Let’s keep in mind this veteran news anchor knows they need to put on a good segment.
Not Digging Up Ancient Memories
Tyler Henry met up with some staffers on the "Today" show in January 2016, including plaza producer Alex Ficquette. Henry talks to Ficquette about his deceased father and brother, quickly reducing the producer to tears. Keep in mind, on the aired segment, Henry mentions only a man’s unexpected heart attack, followed by an individual involved in a tragedy and a "reference to a name being passed down." Ficquette voluntarily fills in the gaps, explaining that his dad died of a heart attack; his brother passed away from a drug overdose; and his deceased brother was named after his dad.
The Chamber Brothers YouTube channel had a field day ripping this reading apart, noting the father’s death, the brother’s death, and the fact that their name connection was very easy to unearth online, particularly since both tragedies had occurred within roughly six months of Henry's reading. The YouTube show speculates all Henry needed to know in advance was the name of the staffer to easily research enough information to formulate a seemingly accurate intuition.
ESP and You
When Tyler Henry met with reality star Khloe Kardashian for a reading on an episode of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" in 2015, she claimed she had "a very great intuition" and felt "energies and spirits really well." She asked if she’d ever be able to see visions like him. Henry told her if she didn’t fear her psychic abilities than she, too, could be a medium. "It’s one of those things that you don’t have to embrace," he said, "but if you choose to embrace it, and kind of connect, not be afraid of it, that’s the biggest thing. Fear is the quickest way to shut something down." You definitely have that really keen intuition.
Khloe then points to her sister, Kourtney Kardashian, asking if she also has special powers. Henry says Kourtney and Khloe have the "strongest" intuition in the room, leaving Kim Kardashian out of the psychic club.
Ghosts and NDAs
If you actually had the ability to communicate with the dead, wouldn’t you ask some big questions? For instance, let’s say you could speak directly with deceased defense attorney Robert Kardashian. You’d probably want to ask him about his friend and former client, O.J. Simpson, who stood trial for the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Tyler Henry did no such thing when he met with the Kardashians in 2016. Instead, he focused on Caitlyn Jenner’s deceased dad’s tree trimming business.
Henry tends to only tell clients either things they already know, or gives them vague, comforting sentiments, such as assuring subjects that deceased family members are together and watching over the living.
Branding Efforts
Tyler Henry’s psychic readings don’t just help other people. They also help him publicize his books, "Between Two Worlds" and "Here & Hereafter," as well as promote his TV show, which brings in upwards of 3 million viewers a night. The network ordered extra episodes in its first season and picked it up for a second season.
Henry has been hard at work promoting his products on talk shows such as "Today" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." By the way, you can also book the Hollywood Medium for events or personal appearances via his stellar and stylish website. One could argue that, at this point, Henry seems more focused on communicating with your wallet than actually corresponding with the dead.
Google Spirits?
In this episode of "Hollywood Medium," Tyler Henry attends a party and is "trying to unwind" when he "randomly" gets a "pull in the direction of this girl." The "random" girl is former Disney superstar Bella Thorne, but Henry supposedly has no idea who she is. He talks to her about a man "in the fatherly kind of a realm" passing in a "vehicular-related accident" and a reference to 2007. Thorne eventually reveals that her dad died in a motorcycle accident in 2007, which is right at the top of her Wikipedia entry.
Henry then attempts to dig beyond Google’s first page of search returns, referencing a plush gift that has significant value. Thorne draws a complete blank on the teddy bear references. Henry concludes by advising her to talk with other family members. "It will make sense to someone," he says. "I would ask around about it."
Critics' Take
Tyler Henry tends to play on people’s sorrows in order to demonstrate his "gift." According to Susan Gerbic of the Skeptical Inquirer, by telling clients he’s communicating with their loved ones, he’s exploiting their pain as a "grief vampire," feeding off others’ sorrow. Jezebel writer Bobby Finger expanded on this concept, describing it as an exploitative practice by dubious figures who almost always pass on the same message of "I’m fine" from deceased loved ones.
This "doesn’t just con their desperate, mournful targets out of a few hard-earned dollars," Finger continues, "it does a disservice to the memories of those they lost." Henry told Out magazine his goal was "ultimately to work with parents who have
