James Underdown
Encyclopedia
James Underdown has been the executive director of The Center for Inquiry (CFI
) Los Angeles since 1999. The Center for Inquiry is a non-profit educational organization with headquarters in Amherst, NY, whose primary mission is to foster a secular society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist
values. CFI Los Angeles is the largest branch in the organization outside Amherst.
Underdown founded the Independent Investigations Group IIG, a volunteer-based organization, in January 2000 at the Center for Inquiry
-West (now Center for Inquiry-Los Angeles) in Hollywood, California. The IIG investigates fringe science
, paranormal
and extraordinary claims from a rational, scientific
viewpoint, and disseminates factual information about such inquiries to the public. There are Independent Investigation Groups in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Denver, and Alberta, Canada. Altogether, the Independent Investigations Groups are the largest paranormal investigations team in the world.
The IIG offers $50,000 to anyone who can prove paranormal or supernatural ability under test conditions, and has in the past administered preliminary demonstrations for the James Randi Educational Foundation JREF's $1,000,000 Paranormal Challenge.
Underdown is a 1982 graduate of DePauw University
in Greencastle, IN, where he received his B.A. in English with an emphasis in composition. He was also the starting defensive end for the DePauw Tiger football team which recorded a 9–1 record in 1981. Between 1982 and 1999, he worked as a school teacher, truck driver, painter, limo driver, hotel clerk, furniture mover, football coach, carpenter, and bouncer.
After moving to Los Angeles in 1992, Underdown taught comedy traffic school for the Improv Traffic School, and worked as a carpenter until joining the Center for Inquiry in May of 1999. During his time in Los Angeles, He wrote and directed 2 short films: A Day in the Life of Frank Sinatra, a docushort about a homeless man with a famous name, and Dear Father, a black comedy about a priest who gets a letter from a man he molested 20 years before. He also wrote and directed a one-act play called Party of 13, a secular retelling of the Last Supper. Party of 13 has run 3 times in Los Angeles. He is also the host and creator of "The Peep Show", a humorous roundtable discussion that ran for 2 dozen episodes on public access TV in the mid-1990s.
James is lead singer of "The Heathens", a rock and roll band dedicated to freethought and skeptical themes. Band members include lead guitarist and musical director Craig Else
, keyboardist Dino Herrmann, bassist Joel Pelletier
, and drummer John E. Skaare. The Heathens have played at The Steve Allen Theater
in Hollywood, CA, and at Patriot Hall in downtown Los Angeles.
In 1988 James declared himself Poet Laureate
of Calumet City, IL, and began touring Midwest comedy clubs as Jim U-Boat, a moniker from high school. In response to Underdown's claim to being Calumet City's poet laureate, its mayor Robert Stefaniak stated that Underwood was "a lousy poet" who was "not recognized by the community". Interviewed by WKQX radio station in front of City Hall, Underdown states although he has never lived or worked in Calumet City, it "reflects the blue-collar nature of my poems".
Notable shows Underdown performed in during the late 1980s/early 1990s include the Serious Art Comedy Show at the Roxy (Chicago), "The Best of Blue Collar Art" at the Elbo Room (Chicago), and "Mr. Saigon" also at the Elbo Room which featured Matt Walsh and Matt Besser of the Upright Citizen's Brigade. In the play written by Terry Curtis Fox, Underdown played a uniformed police officer in Cops. NoHo LA writes "one wishes his role was a bit longer".
Underdown created the Steve Allen Theater in 2002 and hired Amit Itelman to be its founding artistic director soon after. According to the NY Times, "...the Steve Allen Theater is not just any theater...it is known for its willingness to embrace controversy. (In June -- 6/6/06 to be exact -- it held a Satanic High Mass for leather and tuxedo-clad devil-worshippers.)"
who were featured on Discovery Channel
's episode of Weird or What?
"Mind Control War". He has made two appearances on Penn & Teller
's Showtime series Bullshit!, Yoga and Tantric Sex where he scams the Tarot Card readers by changing his appearance and behavior. And on the "Talking to the Dead" episode of Season One.
On the Oprah Winfrey Network Miracle Detective show Underdown was called in to investigate an angelic apparition that people claim cured a 14 year old severely disabled child at Presbyterian Hemby Childrens Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina
. The "angel" was shown to be sunlight from a hidden window, and the little girl is still severely handicapped.
Lecturing at skeptical events, Underdown recently spoke on the topic “Are there similarities between the paranormal claims people make today and the miracles found in the Bible?” Underdown takes a look at 5 miracles in the Bible and relates them to real-life paranormal investigations at ReasonFest May 2011. And using only invisible thread, a very long pole and a Mr. Coffee pot lid Jim Underdown shows the audience at JREF, The Amaz!ing Meeting: TAM9 From Outer Space how to fake their own UFO photographs.
Center for Inquiry
The Center for Inquiry is a non-profit educational organization with headquarters in the United States whose primary mission is to encourage evidence-based inquiry into paranormal and fringe science claims, alternative medicine and mental health practices, religion, secular ethics, and society...
) Los Angeles since 1999. The Center for Inquiry is a non-profit educational organization with headquarters in Amherst, NY, whose primary mission is to foster a secular society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
values. CFI Los Angeles is the largest branch in the organization outside Amherst.
Underdown founded the Independent Investigations Group IIG, a volunteer-based organization, in January 2000 at the Center for Inquiry
Center for Inquiry
The Center for Inquiry is a non-profit educational organization with headquarters in the United States whose primary mission is to encourage evidence-based inquiry into paranormal and fringe science claims, alternative medicine and mental health practices, religion, secular ethics, and society...
-West (now Center for Inquiry-Los Angeles) in Hollywood, California. The IIG investigates fringe science
Fringe science
Fringe science is scientific inquiry in an established field of study that departs significantly from mainstream or orthodox theories, and is classified in the "fringes" of a credible mainstream academic discipline....
, paranormal
Paranormal
Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...
and extraordinary claims from a rational, scientific
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
viewpoint, and disseminates factual information about such inquiries to the public. There are Independent Investigation Groups in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Denver, and Alberta, Canada. Altogether, the Independent Investigations Groups are the largest paranormal investigations team in the world.
The IIG offers $50,000 to anyone who can prove paranormal or supernatural ability under test conditions, and has in the past administered preliminary demonstrations for the James Randi Educational Foundation JREF's $1,000,000 Paranormal Challenge.
Underdown is a 1982 graduate of DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
in Greencastle, IN, where he received his B.A. in English with an emphasis in composition. He was also the starting defensive end for the DePauw Tiger football team which recorded a 9–1 record in 1981. Between 1982 and 1999, he worked as a school teacher, truck driver, painter, limo driver, hotel clerk, furniture mover, football coach, carpenter, and bouncer.
After moving to Los Angeles in 1992, Underdown taught comedy traffic school for the Improv Traffic School, and worked as a carpenter until joining the Center for Inquiry in May of 1999. During his time in Los Angeles, He wrote and directed 2 short films: A Day in the Life of Frank Sinatra, a docushort about a homeless man with a famous name, and Dear Father, a black comedy about a priest who gets a letter from a man he molested 20 years before. He also wrote and directed a one-act play called Party of 13, a secular retelling of the Last Supper. Party of 13 has run 3 times in Los Angeles. He is also the host and creator of "The Peep Show", a humorous roundtable discussion that ran for 2 dozen episodes on public access TV in the mid-1990s.
James is lead singer of "The Heathens", a rock and roll band dedicated to freethought and skeptical themes. Band members include lead guitarist and musical director Craig Else
Craig Else
Craig Else is a guitarist, composer, vocalist, and music producer.-1970s and 1980s:In 1978 after years of music lessons given by his Grandmother, Craig discovered punk rock and formed his first band, Twisted Minds...
, keyboardist Dino Herrmann, bassist Joel Pelletier
Joel Pelletier
Joel Pelletier is a contemporary musician, painter, and writer.-Life:Born in Massachusetts in 1961, Pelletier received a degree in Music Composition from the Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford, CT. Residing in Los Angeles since 1988, he has been active as a musician/songwriter/performer,...
, and drummer John E. Skaare. The Heathens have played at The Steve Allen Theater
The Steve Allen Theater
The Steve Allen Theater at the Center for Inquiry Los Angeles is a multidisciplinary resident fringe theater and theater of the absurd in Hollywood developed and helmed by Founding Artistic Director, Amit Itelman....
in Hollywood, CA, and at Patriot Hall in downtown Los Angeles.
In 1988 James declared himself Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
of Calumet City, IL, and began touring Midwest comedy clubs as Jim U-Boat, a moniker from high school. In response to Underdown's claim to being Calumet City's poet laureate, its mayor Robert Stefaniak stated that Underwood was "a lousy poet" who was "not recognized by the community". Interviewed by WKQX radio station in front of City Hall, Underdown states although he has never lived or worked in Calumet City, it "reflects the blue-collar nature of my poems".
Notable shows Underdown performed in during the late 1980s/early 1990s include the Serious Art Comedy Show at the Roxy (Chicago), "The Best of Blue Collar Art" at the Elbo Room (Chicago), and "Mr. Saigon" also at the Elbo Room which featured Matt Walsh and Matt Besser of the Upright Citizen's Brigade. In the play written by Terry Curtis Fox, Underdown played a uniformed police officer in Cops. NoHo LA writes "one wishes his role was a bit longer".
Underdown created the Steve Allen Theater in 2002 and hired Amit Itelman to be its founding artistic director soon after. According to the NY Times, "...the Steve Allen Theater is not just any theater...it is known for its willingness to embrace controversy. (In June -- 6/6/06 to be exact -- it held a Satanic High Mass for leather and tuxedo-clad devil-worshippers.)"
James Underdown in the media
James Underdown has appeared in various media, including with Mentalist Mark EdwardMark Edward
Mark Edward is an American psychic entertainer and mentalist, author of 14 books on mentalism, séance theory and production. Also a Steering Member of the Center for Inquiry's Independent Investigations Group West and a noted critic of pseudoscience...
who were featured on Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
's episode of Weird or What?
Weird or What?
Weird or What? is a series on the Discovery Channel and History Television hosted by William Shatner. Each episode contains three separate stories of the bizarre and unexplained. As the show unfolds, it attempts to find logical and scientific answers or reasoning to back up the story...
"Mind Control War". He has made two appearances on Penn & Teller
Penn & Teller
Penn & Teller are Las Vegas headliners whose act is an amalgam of illusion and comedy. Penn Jillette is a raconteur; Teller generally uses mime while performing, although his voice can occasionally be heard during their performance...
's Showtime series Bullshit!, Yoga and Tantric Sex where he scams the Tarot Card readers by changing his appearance and behavior. And on the "Talking to the Dead" episode of Season One.
On the Oprah Winfrey Network Miracle Detective show Underdown was called in to investigate an angelic apparition that people claim cured a 14 year old severely disabled child at Presbyterian Hemby Childrens Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. The "angel" was shown to be sunlight from a hidden window, and the little girl is still severely handicapped.
Lecturing at skeptical events, Underdown recently spoke on the topic “Are there similarities between the paranormal claims people make today and the miracles found in the Bible?” Underdown takes a look at 5 miracles in the Bible and relates them to real-life paranormal investigations at ReasonFest May 2011. And using only invisible thread, a very long pole and a Mr. Coffee pot lid Jim Underdown shows the audience at JREF, The Amaz!ing Meeting: TAM9 From Outer Space how to fake their own UFO photographs.
Articles
- "State Sponsored Quackery" Article in the November/December 2009 issue of Skeptical InquirerSkeptical InquirerThe Skeptical Inquirer is a bimonthly American magazine published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry with the subtitle: The magazine for science and reason....
magazine. Owen Hammer & James Underdown report on the IIG's on-going investigation into California nursing standards concerning teaching therapeutic touchTherapeutic touchTherapeutic touch , also known as Non-Contact Therapeutic Touch , is an energy therapy which practitioners claim promotes healing and reduces pain and anxiety. Practitioners of therapeutic touch state that by placing their hands on, or near, a patient, they are able to detect and manipulate the...
as continuing education units (CEUs).
- James Underdown summarizes the 2011 National Academy of SciencesNational Academy of SciencesNational Academy of Sciences commonly refers to the academy in the United States of America.National Academy of Sciences may also refer to :* National Academy of Sciences of Argentina* Armenian National Academy of Sciences...
Summit on Science, Entertainment and Education in this article for Skeptical InquirerSkeptical InquirerThe Skeptical Inquirer is a bimonthly American magazine published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry with the subtitle: The magazine for science and reason....
magazine. With a $225,000 grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore FoundationGordon and Betty Moore FoundationGordon and Betty Moore Foundation seeks to develop outcome-based projects that will improve the quality of life for future generations. The private foundation focuses upon portfolios of large-scale initiatives and encourages collaboration so as to achieve the most significant and enduring outcomes...
, the symposium asked scientists and media representatives from PixarPixarPixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
and Disney to brainstorm creative ways to empower student learning in science. Underdown writes that “many a false belief rests on a poor understanding...of how the universe works” improving science education now will demystify public misunderstandings in the future. Some of the luminaries included Ralph CiceroneRalph CiceroneRalph J. Cicerone is an American atmospheric scientist, a former chancellor of UC Irvine, and currently president of the National Academy of Sciences....
, Charles Vest, Neil DeGrasse TysonNeil deGrasse TysonNeil deGrasse Tyson is an American astrophysicist, a science communicator, the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space, and a Research Associate in the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History...
and Brian GreeneBrian GreeneBrian Greene is an American theoretical physicist and string theorist. He has been a professor at Columbia University since 1996. Greene has worked on mirror symmetry, relating two different Calabi-Yau manifolds...
.
- "Mother (Nature) Dearest" OpEd in the August/September issue of Free InquiryFree InquiryFree Inquiry is a bi-monthly journal of secular humanist opinion and commentary published by the Council for Secular Humanism, which is part of the Center for Inquiry. Philosopher Paul Kurtz is the editor-in-chief and Thomas W. Flynn the editor. Feature articles cover a wide range of topics from a...
magazine. Can three hardcore atheists have a spiritual experience while hiking into the Grand Canyon?
- "They See Dead People: Or Do They?" Article in the September/October 2003 issue of Skeptical InquirerSkeptical InquirerThe Skeptical Inquirer is a bimonthly American magazine published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry with the subtitle: The magazine for science and reason....
magazine. How do TV mediums John EdwardJohn EdwardJohn Edward McGee, Jr. is an American television personality and professional psychic medium. He is best known for his TV shows Crossing Over with John Edward and John Edward Cross Country....
and James Van PraaghJames Van PraaghJames Van Praagh is a self-proclaimed medium who has written several books on spirituality and spirit communication.-Early life and career:Van Praagh was born in Bayside, New York and is the youngest of four children...
appear to be talking to the dead? The IIG discovered that what was actually said on the tape day, and what was broadcast to the public were "substantially different in the accuracy. They're getting rid of the wrong guesses... Once you pull back the curtain and see how it's done, it's not impressive at all."
- "The Evolution of Thought" OpEd in Spring 2001 issue of Free InquiryFree InquiryFree Inquiry is a bi-monthly journal of secular humanist opinion and commentary published by the Council for Secular Humanism, which is part of the Center for Inquiry. Philosopher Paul Kurtz is the editor-in-chief and Thomas W. Flynn the editor. Feature articles cover a wide range of topics from a...
magazine. Is secularism making progress? Seen through the lens of history, yes, it is!
- ReligulousReligulousReligulous is a 2008 American comic documentary film written by and starring comedian Bill Maher and directed by Larry Charles. The title of the film is a portmanteau derived from the words "religion" and "ridiculous"; the documentary examines and mocks organized religion and religious...
Movie review in the January 2009 issue of "Free InquiryFree InquiryFree Inquiry is a bi-monthly journal of secular humanist opinion and commentary published by the Council for Secular Humanism, which is part of the Center for Inquiry. Philosopher Paul Kurtz is the editor-in-chief and Thomas W. Flynn the editor. Feature articles cover a wide range of topics from a...
" magazine.
- "Mixing Religion and Humor" Article in the May 1998 issue of Freethought Today, a publication of the Freedom From Religion FoundationFreedom From Religion FoundationThe Freedom From Religion Foundation is an American freethought organization based in Madison, Wisconsin. Its purposes, as stated in its bylaws, are to promote the separation of church and state and to educate the public on matters relating to atheism, agnosticism and nontheism. The FFRF publishes...
.
- "Nonsectarian Prayer is Oxymoronic" OpEd in Daily Breeze newspaper, July 20th, 2000. How can the act of praying be nonsectarian when it assumes a religious perspective?
- He also contributed to The Chicago Reader's December "Year in Review" issues in 1995 and 1998.
- James Underdown is a regular guest on Senior AstronomerAstronomerAn astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
Seth ShostakSeth ShostakSeth Shostak is an American astronomer. He grew up in Arlington, VA and earned his physics degree from Princeton University and a Ph.D...
's "Skeptical Sunday" episodes of SETISETIThe search for extraterrestrial intelligence is the collective name for a number of activities people undertake to search for intelligent extraterrestrial life. Some of the most well known projects are run by the SETI Institute. SETI projects use scientific methods to search for intelligent life...
's weekly radio show and podcast Are We Alone?Are We Alone?Are We Alone? is the SETI Institute's weekly science radio program, hosted by Senior Astronomer Seth Shostak and Molly Bentley, the Executive producer of the radio show....
.
- He is also a regular on Bear Down: The Chicago Bears Podcast as Jim U-Boat and Fireman Pete.
- James Underdown once wrestled Victor the Wrestling Bear at the International Amphitheater in Chicago. Victor was there with trainer Tuffy Truesdale as a part of the Outdoors and Sportsman's Show. Underdown was one of the few challengers who knocked Victor to the mat, though the bear eventually won the match.