Uri Geller (Hebrew: אורי גלר‎; /ˈʊri ˈɡɛlər/; born 20 December 1946) is an Israeli illusionist, well known internationally as a magician, television personality, and self-proclaimed psychic. He is known for his trademark television performances of spoon bending and other supposed psychic effects. Throughout the years, Geller has used simple conjuring tricks to simulate the effects of psychokinesis and telepathy. Geller's career as an entertainer has spanned more than four decades, with television shows and appearances in many countries.

Biography

Geller lives in the village of Sonning-on-Thames, Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. He is trilingual, speaking fluent Hebrew, Hungarian and English. In an appearance on Esther Rantzen's 1996 television talk show Esther, Geller declared that he had suffered from anorexia nervosa and bulimia for several years. He has written 16 fiction and non fiction books.

Geller owns a 1976 Cadillac adorned with thousands of pieces of bent tableware given to him by celebrities or otherwise having significance to him. This includes spoons from such people as John Lennon and the Spice Girls, as well as those with which Winston Churchill and John F. Kennedy supposedly ate.
His friend Michael Jackson was best man when Geller renewed his wedding vows in 2001. Geller also negotiated the famous TV interview between Jackson with the journalist Martin Bashir: Living with Michael Jackson.

Geller is president of International Friends of Magen David Adom, a group that lobbied the International Committee of the Red Cross to recognise Magen David Adom ("Red Star of David") as a humanitarian relief organisation. In 1997 he tried to help the Second Division football club Exeter City win a crucial end of season game by placing "energy-infused" crystals behind the goals at Exeter's ground (Exeter lost the game 5–1); he was appointed co-chairman of the club in 2002. The club was relegated to the Football Conference in May 2003, where it remained for five years. He has since severed formal ties with the club. He had also been involved with Reading F.C. and claimed in 2002 that he had helped them to avoid relegation by getting the club's supporters to look into his eyes and say "win, Reading, win". Reading manager Alan Pardew however dismissed Geller's role in the club's survival - which was achieved thanks to a draw in the crucial match rather than a Reading victory - stating "as soon as we get a bit of joy, thanks to all the hard work and efforts of my staff and players, he suddenly comes out of the blue and tries to claim the limelight."

Following the death of Michael Jackson, the British television station ITV announced plans to screen an interview with Geller regarding his relationship with Jackson, entitled My Friend Michael Jackson: Uri's Story.