Matthew L. Fraser is a purported American psychicmedium who features in the reality TV show Meet the Frasers. Fraser was one of the mediums targeted in the sting known as [|Operation Peach Pit] reported on in The New York Times in 2019. Critics who have studied Fraser’s performances claim that he uses classic cold reading techniques to convince his audience that he possesses paranormal powers.
Career
Prior to becoming a professional psychic, Fraser trained as a paramedic and physician assistant. He has said that, when working as an Emergency Medical Technician, he realized he had an ability to help people emotionally, and that he once did psychic readings while working at an East Providence, Rhode Islandbeauty salon. Fraser says that taking on the job of a psychic "was a calling from God", and also that he "inherited his gift to hear 'messages from heaven' from his grandmother and his mother." According to the South Florida Gay News, Fraser claims his first contact with the dead was with the spirit of his grandmother. He has also said that his native American heritage is important to his "psychic abilities". The Southington Observer reported that when on stage, "Fraser is a charming young man. He is funny when there is a need to calm the nerves of those he says the spirits urge him to address. He is serious when the messages he must convey are serious. He expresses compassion when the grief of his subject is too overwhelming. Setting aside his psychic abilities, Fraser appears to be a shrewd judge of human nature. He is able to cajole people to express emotions that may have been bottled up for too long." In 2012, Fraser published a book, The Secrets to Unlocking Your Psychic Ability, and currently has more psychic books planned, including one for children. His second book, When Heaven Calls, is due to be released in 2020. Along with his girlfriend Alexa Papigiotis, Fraser will be the central character in a planned reality TV sitcom called Meet the Frasers, due for release on E! Entertainment in 2020. Fraser claims that he has worked with local police and private investigators on cold cases, in which he helped families locate their missing children, but skeptic Susan Gerbic has argued that if he really was able to perform such tasks the demand for his services would be much higher. Fraser's mother, who also claims to be a psychic, is his office manager. It has been estimated that Fraser grossed around $20,000 for one live appearance.
''Meet the Frasers''
Fraser stars in a reality TV show, Meet the Frasers, on E! beginning in January 2020. In a promo for the show, Matt's sister Maria said: "I don't believe in psychics, but I support my brother and I respect what he does 'cause he's making money."
Critical analysis
Live shows
Critics and the media have attended Fraser's live shows, and reported on the cold reading techniques being used:
Paranormal investigator Kenny Biddle wrote: "I watched Fraser ask entire rows of people to stand up at a time then commence throwing out general statements and waiting for someone in the row to claim it was their relative... he was actually giving himself a one in twelve chance that someone will be hooked." Biddle also noted that Fraser may playfully scold an audience member if they were not forthcoming with the psychic connection required to continue his routine.
Skeptic Susan Gerbic wrote: "The wordplay used by a medium who is cold reading is only something you can understand if you slow it down and replay it. The statements made are usually so general that they would fit most people of a given generation. But the performer adds enough dialog to make it sound really personal and specific to the sitter."
The New York Times reported: "Fraser was a brilliant performer... It was a classic cold reading, all generalized notions searching for something slightly more specific to move to."
Mentalist Mark Edward observed that: " goes to one end and stands just slightly in front of the row, leaning forward so he can see all their faces and body language. He states a standard fishing line such as he's 'getting an impression' of something... he brings up into view his pointing index finger and begins the process of generally pointing it at the row... scanning for a reaction."
In March 2018, Fraser gave a reading to on-air personality Shannon Miller on WVIT in Connecticut. In 2019, Susan Gerbic reported on this reading for Skeptical Inquirer and summarized it as using both cold reading and hot reading techniques, including postulating that Fraser acquired information from Miller's Instagram account. Gerbic summarized:
The New York Times reporter Jack Hitt was embedded with a team of skeptics to observe what was called "Operation Peach Pit", a sting following a procedure similar to one previously used against Thomas John. In this case, the target was Fraser. According to Hitt, Fraser "resembles Tom Cruise in the role of an oversharing altar boy. He has been on the circuit for years, has a book under his belt and works some Doubletree or Crowne Plaza back room every two or three days". In January 2018, paranormal investigator Kenny Biddle and a group of five friends, using aliases matching the faked Facebook accounts, attended Fraser's show at the Valley Forge Casino in King of Prussia. As Biddle reported in Skeptical Inquirer: Biddle also reported, "I went into this experience... willing to see if there was anything truthful to the claims made by Matt Fraser... he didn't seem to demonstrate any supernatural ability, just a knack for fast-talking his customers into believing he could talk to spirits." The New York Times reported on this sting in the same article in which it reported on the successful Thomas John sting.
