Australian celebrity ‘healer’ Charlie Goldsmith faced criticism after being grilled by a sceptical Andrew Denton on Tuesday’s Interview.
But he also has his share of supporters – including some new friends in high places.
Following the on-air clash, several high-profile media personalities outed themselves as ‘believers’ in Charlie’s methods.
‘Faith requires trust in powers beyond everyday understanding’: Celebrity ‘healer’ Charlie Goldsmith has won the support of stars like Boy George, Kyle Sandilands and Tanja Gacic
The Voice coach Boy George tweeted after watching the show: ‘Very interesting interview with Charlie on Australian TV.
‘Faith requires trust in universal powers beyond our everyday understanding. Denton is a cynic but most people are.’
Blogger Tanja Gacic also wrote on Instagram: ‘My friend Charlie Goldsmith got unfairly attacked on the Andrew Denton show last night.
‘Very interesting’: After watching Charlie’s interview with Andrew Denton on Tuesday night, The Voice Australia judge Boy George tweeted his support
He’s a believer! The Culture Club singer described Andrew Denton as a ‘cynic’
‘There are many frauds out there but Charlie is not one of them.
‘Just because we cannot understand something yet, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. Charlie is the real deal!’
The Kyle and Jackie O Show also offered Charlie a platform to defend himself on Wednesday, the morning after his appearance on Interview.
‘The real deal’: Blogger Tanja Gacic (left) also wrote on Instagram after Charlie’s Channel Seven interview, ‘My friend got unfairly attacked on the Andrew Denton show last night’
Kyle Sandilands made it clear he believed in Charlie’s healing powers and dismissed Andrew as ‘one of the worst interviewers ever’.
Celebrity medium John Edward, who has faced scrutiny himself for claiming he has psychic powers, is another supporter of Charlie’s.
The former I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! camper has tweeted support for the ‘spiritual healer’ and promoted his TLC program online.
Sympathetic media: The Kyle and Jackie O Show offered Charlie a platform to defend himself on Wednesday after his appearance on Interview. Pictured: Kyle Sandilands
Charlie claims he was 18 when he discovered that he could heal people, including those with chronic injuries, auto immune conditions, viruses, infections, severe body pain, inflammation and allergies.
The Australian showcases his alleged abilities on his own US-produced television series The Healer, which is broadcast locally on TLC.
On Tuesday’s episode of Interview, Andrew Denton suggested that Charlie was lacking scientific credentials.
Two peas in a pod! Celebrity medium John Edward, who has faced scrutiny himself for claiming he has psychic powers, is another supporter of Charlie’s
In particular, he criticised Charlie’s decision to participate in a University of Arizona study with Professor Gary Schwartz – a man described as ‘an art professor in New York with no medical background.’
‘What you’re claiming to do is mysterious and unknowable and almost impossible to measure,’ Andrew said.
‘And what he’s [Schwartz] interested in are things that are mysterious, unknown and almost impossible to measure – so he’s a non-objective observer of what you do.’
‘What you’re claiming to do is mysterious and unknowable and almost impossible to measure’: On Tuesday’s Interview, Andrew Denton suggested Charlie was lacking scientific credentials
Charlie replied: ‘The fact that he has spent a large part of his career interested in this area gives him insight into how to test things, now that doesn’t make it wrong.’
But Andrew insisted: ‘I would argue it makes him predisposed to show that you’re right as opposed to having a scientific, neutral credible method.’
Andrew’s interview style upset some viewers and he was criticised on Twitter for ‘interrogating’ Charlie.
Dividing opinion: Andrew’s interview style upset some viewers and he was criticised on Twitter for ‘interrogating’ Charlie. However, others described the ‘healer’ as a ‘con artist’
‘Not a fair or impartial interview by Andrew Denton. Disappointed,’ one tweet read.
‘Charlie, I hope the people at Interview gave you a heads up that you were going to be interrogated rather than interviewed. You handled it well,’ wrote a supporter.
However, Charlie was also dismissed by other viewers as a ‘fraud’ and ‘con-artist’.
‘Healer’: Charlie claims he was 18 when he discovered that he could heal people, including those with chronic injuries, auto immune conditions, viruses, severe body pain and allergies