Long Island Medium star Theresa Caputo predicts having no problem channelling spirits in a hockey arena.
While Red Deer’s Centrium is neither private, nor particularly atmospheric (no word on whether overhead flood lights will be dimmed), Caputo is undaunted: “I’ll be coming out on stage with my hair and my nails done, wearing fabulous shoes…”
"If nothing else, we can always talk about my shoes!” she joked.
But Caputo is sure she will make contact with some dearly departed souls when she performs at the Red Deer arena on Thursday, June 2 — and she ought to be sure.
The reality-TV star is selling tickets to live shows next month at a series of cavernous venues, from St. Catharine’s Ont. to Abbotsford, B.C. And fans are expecting to hear her deliver messages from the Great Beyond.
The New York native, who’s already toured in Eastern Canada, is excited about her first-ever Western Canadian tour. “Canadian audiences are amazing!” said Caputo.
While she has “no idea what will happen” in Red Deer, she added, “the spirits will guide me…”
She explained her ‘gift’ doesn’t work on a first-come basis, but according to priority. While anyone seated anywhere in the Centrium might get a spiritual visitation, Caputo said she expects to be directed to those with a more urgent need to hear from a long lost loved one.
These people “are left with a lot of burdens and guilt and negative emotions,” she added, which will hopefully be alleviated by her always-positive channelled messages. Caputo maintains she doesn’t hear from negative spirits. “It’s like what I tell my children, ‘If you don’t have anything positive to say…’”
She cautions that everyone in the arena audience can’t expect a reading. “It will be impossible to get personal messages to all my fans. I hope people will understand…”
Along with whatever unseen forces might be at play in the Centrium, two camera operators will be following her to film interaction with fans and project this onto big screens so everyone can see what’s happening.
Caputo claims to have always had the ability to hear messages from dead people. “It’s always just been normal for me.”
But others are unconvinced. Her claims of being a medium have been challenged by many sources, including news programs like Inside Edition and print publications like Wired Magazine. In 2012 she was given the Pigasus Award by the James Randi Educational Foundation that seeks to expose paranormal or psychic frauds.
Critics say she’s an entertainer, using staff interviews and social media profiles linked to seat purchases to gain information about particular people in the audience.
Caputo doesn’t mind the skeptics, saying “I don’t care if people don’t believe in what I do…” She believes she helps people put their guilt and regret behind them. “If you’ve lost someone, if you feel stuck, you come to a live show and you feel rejuvenated.”
Caputo added some fans have described her shows as “life-changing.”
The married mother of two insists she isn’t alone in receiving messages from the dead: “Young children who have imaginary friends…sometimes that’s a (spirit) child looking after your family…” Or if a piece of music that was your deceased grandfather’s favourite comes on the radio, it could be his way of reaching out to you...
By minding the details, Caputo said everyone can draw comfort from the spirit world.
Tickets to her 7:30 p.m. show are $35-$90 from Ticketmaster.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com