Interview With Rex

Rex Sikes Interview

By Jason Klimchok - Used with permission

The Highlander: The Student Voice of College Misericordia Vol.9 Issue 6 November 28, 2005

In the previous edition of The Highlander, I provided a review of Mentalist Rex Sikes’ performance in CM’s Cougar’s Den. After the show, I was able to obtain an interview with Sikes, and here is what he had to say about his ability.

Highlander: How did you get into this, or realize that you were able to do it?

Rex Sikes: “I was just a strange kid. I asked my parents at an early age to read books about the mind and things I was interested in [such as] hypnosis and scary movies. So they read me a book called How to Make ESP Work for You which was written back in the forties or fifties by a guy who conducted thought experiments with a friend of his across continents and he kept journals and diaries and then he would compare them.

I started doing that with my cousin. We would send playing cards back and forth. We were trying to figure out what we were doing and learned that we had a capacity for being able to do that. One thing led to another, and I started doing birthday shows and things like that where I’d go ‘This is kinda weird. Think of something and I’ll try and guess it.’ That was when I was eight. By then I had started doing shows around for Elks clubs and Rotarians, and have been doing them ever since.”

HL: So you’re saying that anyone can do this then?

RS: “No not everyone can. But I think anybody has the potential to do it. What I do is very different from what most people do. That is because I’ve spent my life specializing in it. I have a book called You Can Read Minds Too which teaches people how to begin to develop their intuition and begin to connect with other people.

What I do happens in a moment of rapport. People can challenge me if their drunk or drugged, I could be wrong. I’m not always right. But given the right circumstances and the right teamwork with the person, I have access to information I wouldn’t otherwise have. So, other people can learn to do it or learn to do elements of it. They would have to practice, just like becoming good at baseball, basketball, or piano, they would have to practice it and get good at it.

What I try and do is demonstrate what’s possible if you keep a positive focus. If you realize when people concentrate on something, and that occupies their mind, you can pick that up, and go ‘Oh, you’re thinking of a blue cat’ or whatever they’re thinking of. It also means that if they’re thinking of it that it’s concrete enough for them to begin to find way of achieving it, so if they hold their dreams and their goals in mind and they take the steps necessary and work hard they can make it happen. That’s what I demonstrate.

I do this all over the country, for corporations and for colleges, for high end private events. I’ve done it at the home of AOL founder James Kimsey. He asked me if I could find Osama bin Laden. I said that it would be great to use talents like this to find him. But you have to understand that the challenge is a lecture in life. For instance, a pianist may be a great pianist, but it doesn’t mean they’re good at basketball or anything else. So, I may be good at picking up thoughts from you, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that I would be good at finding Osama bin Laden.”

HL: It seems to be a sort of empathy almost…

RS: “It is empathy. It’s about being able to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. Try them on, for that moment get inside their head and try to imagine what it would be like to be them. I try doing it in a way that is fun and entertaining for people. They can laugh and have a good time. It’s about connecting and teamwork. Those are the two strongest themes. Teamwork, connecting, and when you focus on the positive you can accomplish your dreams. That’s essentially what my show, my message is about.”

Sikes also said that he loves the college and would enjoy coming back if given the opportunity. Visit his website at www.amazingrex.com for more information.

The Truth is always on their faces!!!

Rex wows students at SouthWest Texas University!!! He receievd 5 standing ovations during this show.

"Theatre of the Mind " for students is fun, inspirational and a hugh hit on campus!

Funny, jaw-dropping, mind-boggling - it's always a riot when Rex performs.