MONTEL WILLIAMS TO RECEIVE `FLYING PIG' AWARD (EMBARGOED UNTIL 11

MONTEL WILLIAMS TO RECEIVE `FLYING PIG' AWARD (EMBARGOED UNTIL 11 A.M., EST, APRIL 1)

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Wireless Flash) -- Talk show host Montel Williams has something new to talk about: he's just won the annual Flying Pig Award. The award is handed out every April Fools Day by magician and skeptic James Randi to "honor" scientists, journalists and others who promote outrageous and ridiculous ideas relating to the paranormal. Montel gets his Flying Pig Award for repeatedly featuring psychics on his show which Randi claims are better at second guessing than predictions. Another Flying Pig Award goes to psychic James Van Praagh, who claims he can talk with the dead. Randi says the messages Van Praagh supposedly receives are so boring that even if the dead could talk, it's obvious they have nothing to say. And, finally, computer genius Joe Firmage gets a Flying Pig for leaving behind a $2.1 billion business just so he can spend time trying to prove aliens developed the transistor. Randi will officially announce the winners at a press conference tomorrow (Apr. 1) -- but he jokes the winners have already been notified via telepathy.

CONTACT: James Randi, *****; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; (954) 467-1112