- Randi broke Harry Houdini's underwater record when he was sealed in a metal coffin at the bottom of a swimming pool for 104 minutes.
- Has successfully debunked claims by self-professed psychics, faith-healers, and conspiracy theorists.
- Currently in charge of the James Randi Educational Foundation which promotes critical thinking. The Foundation also offers one million US dollars to anyone who can show evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event. (April 2004)
- Once traveled with the Alice Cooper Band.
- He re-created Harry Houdini's milk can escape.
- His longtime partner, José Alvarez, who had become his legal husband the year before, appeared with him in a 2014 documentary about his life and career, An Honest Liar (2014). Peña, known professionally as Jose Alvarez, was a professional artist, and had been Randi's life partner since at least 1989.
- Randi once escaped from a straitjacket while suspended over Niagara Falls.
- Publicly announced he was gay in 2010, marrying his longtime partner, José Alvarez, in a 2013 ceremony in Washington, DC, USA.
- His original claim to fame was as a stage magician and escape artist.
- An Honest Liar (2014), a 90 minute documentary on his life and career, was originally produced by an American and a British company for the BBC in 2014. In 2016, it was repackaged for broadcast on the long running Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) documentary series Independent Lens (1999) in an episode with the same name as the original film.
- Randi used to drive a 2002 teal blue Miata he named Sophia.
- Randi used to have a pet Kinkajou named Sam.
- Author or co-author of 10 books.
- In 1976 he was one of the founders of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims Of the Paranormal (CSICOP), which evolved into the Center for Inquir. It promotes science education, secularism and reason.
- Honed his illusionist skills under a series of stage names, including Zo-Ran, Prince Ibis, Telepath and the Great Randall.
- Eldest of three children of a Bell Canada telephone company executive.
- Purported to have had an IQ of 168, at some point in his life (IQ is known to decline with age, some more or less than others).
- He was the son of Marie Alice (Paradis) and George Randall Zwinge. His paternal grandfather was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, and his other ancestry was French-Canadian, as well as English and Scottish.
- Has one brother, and one sister.
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