A psychic ( /ˈsaɪkɪk/; from the Greek ψυχικός psychikos—"of the mind, mental" some times spelled phycics) is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception (ESP), or who is said by others to have such abilities. The word "psychic" is also used to describe theatrical performers, such as stage magicians, who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot reading to produce the appearance of such abilities. It can also denote an ability of the mind to influence the world physically using psychokinetic powers such as those professed by Uri Geller.

Psychics appear regularly in fantasy fiction, such as in the novel The Dead Zone by Stephen King, or as the Marvel Comics telepath Jean Grey. A large industry exists whereby psychics provide advice and counsel to clients. Some famous contemporary psychics include Miss Cleo,John Edward, Danielle Egnew, Jose Ortiz El Buen Samaritano, and Sylvia Browne.

Critics attribute psychic powers to intentional trickery or to self-delusion. In 1988 the U.S. National Academy of Sciences gave a report on the subject and concluded there is "no scientific justification from research conducted over a period of 130 years for the existence of parapsychological phenomena." Even so, psychic powers continue to be asserted by psychic detectives and in practices such as psychic archaeology and even psychic surgery.

John Edward McGee, Jr. (born October 19, 1969) 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.

Born in Glen Cove, New York, Edward says he was convinced at a young age that he could become a psychic. After writing his first book on the subject in 1998, Edward became a well-known and controversial figure in the United States through his shows broadcast on SCI FI Channel beginning in July 2000 and We TV since May 2006.

The only son of an Irish-American policeman and an Italian-American working mother, Edward was raised Roman Catholic. Although Edward later stopped practicing that faith, he has said he never stopped feeling connected to God and is still closely connected to his Catholic roots. Edward once said, "This is something that is driven by a belief in God. It's the energy from that force that I think allows us to create this energy."

According to Edward, when he was 15 and "a huge doubter" (in psychic abilities), he was "read" by a New Jersey woman who convinced him that he could become a medium.

Marisa Ryan (born November 20, 1974) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Elizabeth Cooper McGillis in the television sitcom Major Dad, she also co-starred as Det. Nell Delaney in the police drama television series New York Undercover, during the show's fourth and final season.

Her other television credits include The Pretender, Sex and the City, The Practice, Promised Land, Boy Meets World, Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

She has also appeared in the films Brooklyn Lobster, Riding in Cars with Boys, Wet Hot American Summer. In 1997, she made directorial debut with the independent short film Three Women of Pain which she also co-wrote.

In 1993, Ryan was married to actor Jeremy Sisto. They were divorced in 2002, after nine years of marriage.

Tony Stockwell is a British author, television personality and psychic medium. He was born in Walthamstow, East London.

Stockwell was born on London's East End. His career as a medium began at the age of 16 when he was invited to a local Spiritualist church by a friend to see another medium at work. After this experience, Tony decided that he wanted to become a medium. In his early years he demonstrated mediumship at the Spiritualist Association of Great Britain.

Stockwell has worked extensively in the media and has had three of his own television series: The Psychic Detective, Street Psychic, and Psychic School. He has also had two one-off specials: Street Psychic San Francisco and The National ESP Challenge.^{[unreliable source?]} He has regularly appeared as a guest on 6ixth Sense with Colin Fry. In 2009 he toured the UK with the American medium James Van Praagh.

In addition to his tours and media appearances, Stockwell has written four books about his experiences as a Spiritualist medium, and released four audio CDs on communication with spirits, angels, and spirit guides. He also runs a training school for aspiring mediums.

James Randi (born Randall James Hamilton Zwinge; August 7, 1928) is a Canadian-American stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). Randi began his career as a magician named The Amazing Randi, but after retiring at age 60, he began investigating paranormal, occult, and supernatural claims, which he collectively calls "woo-woo".

Although often referred to as a "debunker", Randi rejects that title owing to its perceived bias, instead describing himself as an "investigator". He has written about the paranormal, skepticism, and the history of magic. He was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and was occasionally featured on the television program Penn & Teller: Bullshit!. The JREF sponsors The One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge offering a prize of US$1,000,000 to eligible applicants who can demonstrate evidence of any paranormal, supernatural or occult power or event under test conditions agreed to by both parties.