Well, it’s been a couple of days, and I have to say I’m still just as excited about taking on the mantle of JREF President as I was when Randi first asked me. The JREF folks have really been making me feel like part of the family… but they’ve had years of practice. I’ve been part of that for years, but I’ve just never been legal.
And let me say how overwhelming the response has been! The emails, the IMs, the comments in the post, even a Fark thread. I am so happy and proud and humbled. This is quite a thing.
To answer some of the questions: Randi is not retiring. He’s just making me do all he grunt work so he’s freed up to do fun things. He’ll continue writing his books, writing the weekly SWIFT newsletter, working on the megabuck challenge, and many other things. He’s not really passing any torch; we’ll be working together to make sure JREF keeps fighting the woo. I don’t plan on moving from Boulder; we just bought the house here a year ago! No, I won’t learn magic: I stink at it. But we have others who are pretty good at it, world-class at it. I’m in good company.
… and I have to say, I noticed another frequent comment: people saying my beard isn’t long enough or white enough. Well, I suppose that used to be true, but maybe you just haven’t seen a recent enough picture of me:
Picture courtesy J.D. Mack of the National Capital Area Skeptics, clearly from here and here.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Freakin’ classic.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
And of course only the president of the JREF would wear a baseball cap with a suit an tie.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Do I detect a slight increase in the size of your head, too?
August 6th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Well the picture made me smile.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
o_o
Too much chocolate for me.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Wow! How did you grow that beard so quick? Obviously, it’s real since you have photo documentation….oh wait, this isn’t the thread about the Mitchell stuff…..nevermind.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
“He’s just making me do all he grunt work so he’s freed up to do fun things.”
Oh Jesus… is that a mistake??
Speaking of Jesus, I think I see his image within that beard. I swear.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
So is that what the President of the JREF does? Sit at a computer and play with Photoshop? I could handle that job.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Phil, you don’t have to learn magic, but, I think you need to study magic so you know how it works.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Haaa ha ha ha! The picture is so awesome.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Did Randi shave off his Official JREF Beard so you could glue it on?
August 6th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
All I want for Christmas is no creationists!
August 6th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
[...] even a Fark thread.
Well, someone had to!
August 6th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
That is one freaky picture.
August 6th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Hahaha! Cool picture, you finally “have a beard.”
August 6th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Seriously, folks … that’s why scepticism so often fails, and people believe in woo. Because they have teh 1337 photoshop 5k1llz.
(unlike me, sadly. I just couldn’t resist
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/2696/plaitrandisbeardsmallercl6.jpg
(Images from flicker, by andyi, under a CC licence.)
Source 1: http://www.flickr.com/photos/andyi/2406653820/
Source 2: http://www.flickr.com/photos/andyi/2406654062/
August 6th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Just keep your hands off the interns, Mister President.
August 6th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
August 6th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Wish I knew photoshop. I’d hunt down Phil’s famous Calendar pic. The one with the telescope and have a go at that! (hint hint)
August 6th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
For some reason an old commercial tagline has been flaoting around in my head “I am not only the president but a member.”
August 6th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
LOL!! Priceless!
August 6th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
That pic cracks me up. The angles on the faces make it look like you’re breaking your own jaw… I rofled at work.
August 6th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Nice beard Phil! But your lower jaw could use some SERIOUS realignment.
August 6th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I’m thinking about having a new wallpaper….. maybe I found one!
This pic of “Phandy” is Hawesome!!!!
August 6th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Phil… when are you gonna be done posting useless stuff and get back to answering everyones questions about everything? Honestly.
August 6th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Phil! Once again, congratulations!
When I was a kid, we all used to head to Red Bank to Doug Keller’s House of Magic,
to see if Randi was there that day..
He used to hang out once in a while and talk to all of us, and show us the most
incredible close up magic I had ever seen.
Truly an Amazing man!
August 6th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
There you have it folks. A bald admission that Phil Plait was living in sin with the JREF for years.
August 6th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
BEST PIC EVA
August 6th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Good to see no move is required, Phil.
Compared to Boulder, you probably wouldn’t like Fort Lauderdale; no mountains, bad light pollution, and from June to November, you better make sure you have plywood, a working chainsaw, extra fuel, and a generator on hand, just in case.
You look like Dr. Hammond from “Jurassic Park” in that photo! Well, sort of.
Anyway, have fun with the grunt work!
August 6th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Skipper: To quote the good Captain Kirk… when this becomes a democracy, I’ll let you know.
August 6th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Congratulations!
Do you suppose this will put an end to all the complaints from unsuccessful JREF challengers that “Randi’s not even a scientist!”?
August 6th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Hey, Phil, in your search for an app for twitter, did you consider using Digsby (If you use windows, that is)? http://www.digsdy.com/
August 6th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
argh! darn typo! http://www.disgby.com/
August 6th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
A late congrats on your new formidable JREF position. I just hope you don’t get fired for blogging!
August 6th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
BTW, nice beered.
August 6th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
[...] JREF President starting to look the part Dr. Phil Plait has posted follow-up on his assuming the role of President of the James Randi Education Foundation, which includes an [...]
August 6th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Thanks for the positive photo comments! I *never* got that reaction for any of my submissions to Fark.
J. D.
August 6th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Sentcha this at your badastro e-mail, Phil, but figured I’d repeat it here:
So does this make you Dmitry Medvedev to Randi’s Putin?
August 6th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Now it’s time for the Height Reduction Surgery…
August 6th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
More like Phil is more like Cheney to Randis Bush.
August 6th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Congratulations! The foundation will live on.
August 6th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
That picture gets more hilarious the more times I see it.
August 6th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Since I didn’t comment earlier, I’ll take the opportunity now to congratulate you on this very important position.
August 6th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
So are there going to be any other changes over at PPEF… er, JREF?
August 7th, 2008 at 12:14 am
LMAO! Awesome photo. CONGRATULATIONS ( again & again & again….)
August 7th, 2008 at 12:59 am
well I think this picture is cooler, both are good.
http://www.bautforum.com/bad-astronomy-stories/77381-bas-new-job.html#post1296589
August 7th, 2008 at 6:48 am
Phil,
This is a bittersweet moment for me. I have been an avid follower of you and your blog for many years, and I am very excited to see that you will be president of the JREF. But at the same time it makes us all too aware that our beloved Randi is beginning to slow down. He is such a wonderful leader of the skeptical community. He is irreplaceable.
All the best. Love the beard!
- Doug
August 7th, 2008 at 9:42 am
I haven’t had the time to congratulate you!!!! You don’t know how proud of you I am. Hope one day I can meet you and say that I actually know you. Wow, just wow.
August 7th, 2008 at 11:18 am
wow, great beard.
with photoshop skills like you could fake – oh I don’t know, a moon landing!
August 8th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Congratulations from Poland on your taking over things in JREF. I’m a keen reader of both SWIFT and BA site, and I much admire your efforts to stay sober in that crazy world. I’ll help as much as I can. Cheers for Randi’s 80 and BA’s JREF presidency. And many further skeptic successes in the future!
August 9th, 2008 at 2:58 am
Great image!
Badmazing indeed!