Latest news with #ScottSilven
The Age
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
‘Lean into the unknown': A mentalist on how he ‘reads' minds
This story is part of the June 21 edition of Good Weekend. See all 15 stories. Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects we're told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics they're given. This week he talks to Scott Silven. The Scottish mentalist, illusionist and performer, 36, studied hypnosis in Milan, Italy, as a teenager before going on to sell out three world tours. His latest show is called The Lost Things. RELIGION You grew up in the windswept lowlands of Scotland. Was there religion – and church? Well, when you hear 'the windswept lowlands of Scotland', you know it's going to be the fire-and-brimstone type of religion! In those small communities, the church is a big part of life. I remember being dragged to church every Sunday and having strong faith as a kid. Later, when I leaned into the skills that I use today – hypnosis and manipulation – I realised there were parallels between what I was hearing the preacher say and the things I would end up doing in my shows. Oh, what were those parallels? [Preachers] use stories and evocative language to make you think of certain things, so you feel that you're having a genuine emotional response. Weirdly, I began studying [those techniques] to try to bolster my faith. But in researching them, I sort of talked myself out of it. By the time I was 13 years old, I was an atheist. Sometimes, people wrongly assume atheists mustn't believe in anything … You're right to bring this up because I now believe that there's no such thing as 'atheism'. There's no way to prove that God doesn't exist: the best you can be is agnostic. That's sort of my mantra for my life: not to discredit other beliefs, or something that you don't understand or think to be true. Explore it a bit. Lean into the unknown. BODIES When we see your illusions, it looks like mind-reading. What are you actually tapping into? Part of it is building rapport, cognitive behavioural processing, and tapping into those parts of our minds that we don't realise are there. My job is to crack those open. None of the techniques that I'm using is secret or hidden in some vintage tome somewhere. They're a variety of psychological and hypnotic techniques, and some traditional magic techniques, too. Do you have any gnarly scars? I've got a scar on my left knee, which most people also have, actually. This is one of the things that 'psychics' use: most of us have a scar on our knee or elbow. When do you feel most comfortable in your own skin? When I'm on stage and connecting with an audience in a really deep way. I'm also big on yoga and I try to do it morning and evening.
Sydney Morning Herald
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Lean into the unknown': A mentalist on how he ‘reads' minds
This story is part of the June 21 edition of Good Weekend. See all 15 stories. Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects we're told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics they're given. This week he talks to Scott Silven. The Scottish mentalist, illusionist and performer, 36, studied hypnosis in Milan, Italy, as a teenager before going on to sell out three world tours. His latest show is called The Lost Things. RELIGION You grew up in the windswept lowlands of Scotland. Was there religion – and church? Well, when you hear 'the windswept lowlands of Scotland', you know it's going to be the fire-and-brimstone type of religion! In those small communities, the church is a big part of life. I remember being dragged to church every Sunday and having strong faith as a kid. Later, when I leaned into the skills that I use today – hypnosis and manipulation – I realised there were parallels between what I was hearing the preacher say and the things I would end up doing in my shows. Oh, what were those parallels? [Preachers] use stories and evocative language to make you think of certain things, so you feel that you're having a genuine emotional response. Weirdly, I began studying [those techniques] to try to bolster my faith. But in researching them, I sort of talked myself out of it. By the time I was 13 years old, I was an atheist. Sometimes, people wrongly assume atheists mustn't believe in anything … You're right to bring this up because I now believe that there's no such thing as 'atheism'. There's no way to prove that God doesn't exist: the best you can be is agnostic. That's sort of my mantra for my life: not to discredit other beliefs, or something that you don't understand or think to be true. Explore it a bit. Lean into the unknown. BODIES When we see your illusions, it looks like mind-reading. What are you actually tapping into? Part of it is building rapport, cognitive behavioural processing, and tapping into those parts of our minds that we don't realise are there. My job is to crack those open. None of the techniques that I'm using is secret or hidden in some vintage tome somewhere. They're a variety of psychological and hypnotic techniques, and some traditional magic techniques, too. Do you have any gnarly scars? I've got a scar on my left knee, which most people also have, actually. This is one of the things that 'psychics' use: most of us have a scar on our knee or elbow. When do you feel most comfortable in your own skin? When I'm on stage and connecting with an audience in a really deep way. I'm also big on yoga and I try to do it morning and evening.
Daily Mail
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Project stars are left utterly shocked as magician repeatedly reads their minds live on air: 'I feel sick!'
The stars of The Project were utterly dumbfounded when an illusionist repeatedly read their minds during Wednesday night's episode. Waleed Aly, Sam Taunton, Sarah Harris and Georgie Tunny were joined by Scottish magician Scott Silven, who tasked them with thinking of an object that would take them back to their childhood. They were then asked to name the age they experienced the object they were thinking of, or that was a significant year in their lives, and each age the hosts gave was written down. Silven asked Georgie to then reveal her memory - and she said it was of a lamington cake she had at her seventh birthday party. Throughout the trick, a gift box sat on the table, and when Silven opened it, the box contained a lamington, shocking the group. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Sam was asked what object he had thought of, he said a lotto ticket - and Silven pulled one out of the centre of the cake. When he presented the ticket, it featured the exact numbers the group had chosen. 'I feel sick!' Sam cried out, while Sarah chimed in, 'We need an old priest and a young priest in here, right now!' Silven did not reveal how he pulled the trick off, but the cast were absolutely shocked by the results. There was another show on the show when Peter Helliar was back on The Project on Tuesday night. The comedian, who sensationally quit the current affairs series in 2022, appeared alongside series regulars Waleed Aly, Sam Taunton, Sarah Harris and guest star Kate Langbroek. While fans of the show were happy to see Peter back behind the desk, he was just dropping by to promote his new children's book, Detective Galileo. Peter admitted he felt a little unusual sitting in a spot on the desk normally reserved for guests. Throughout the trick, a gift box sat on the table, and when Silven opened it, the box contained a lamington, shocking the group as Georgie Tunny admitted it was the item she had in mind Sam (right) was asked what object he had thought of, and he said a lotto ticket - Silven then pulled one out of the centre of the cake 'I used to be on this side of the desk, and then the last few times on that side, and now back on this side. I'm playing tennis with myself!' he joked. Peter explained that his three sons Liam, Oscar and Aiden 'are 22, 20 and 16' so no longer the target audience for his kid's books. 'I still sit at the edge of their bed and read to them' he joked. 'They are less interested to hear my ideas, but they love it and they are supportive. I try to get in touch with my own inner child rather than talk to my kids about it'. It's not the first time Peter has returned to the show since his departure. Last year, he appeared on the desk alongside Michael Hing, Max Rushden and Sarah Harris. The Project was rocked by two other high-profile exits in late 2022. Lisa Wilkinson announced she was quitting effective immediately, and long-time anchor Carrie confirmed her departure a month prior.
