TV hypnotist Anatoly Kashpirovsky, Soviet-era legend, dies at 87
Anatoly Kashpirovsky, the controversial Soviet-era TV hypnotist and psychotherapist who claimed to heal people remotely through broadcasts, has died at 87.
Foreign media outlets report that Anatoly Kashpirovsky, a psychotherapist, hypnotist and television healer, has died at the age of 87. He became one of the most striking social phenomena of the late Soviet and post-Soviet era.
Peak of fame
Kashpirovsky's fame peaked in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His televised "health sessions" were watched simultaneously by tens of millions of viewers across the former Soviet Union and beyond. During these broadcasts, he claimed to be able to remotely heal people of a wide range of physical and mental ailments using suggestion and hypnosis.
A mass phenomenon and criticism
His performances became a cult phenomenon of the era — venues where he appeared in person were always packed, and his television programs drew enormous audiences. However, the academic and medical community criticized his methods and claims harshly and persistently, often calling them charlatanism and mass deception.
Later years
Despite the controversy, Kashpirovsky remained a recognizable public figure for years after his peak popularity. He attempted to enter politics and periodically returned to public attention with various statements and online sessions, cementing his place as one of the most divisive public figures of the post-Soviet space.
