Post by Forever Xena on Nov 4, 2005 1:37:36 GMT -6
Dimensional: Psychic Sleuth
Meet the Valley woman who inspired NBC's 'Medium'
by Gabriel Trujillo
published on Thursday, November 3, 2005
Photo courtesy of Allison DuBois
Allison DuBois does more than see dead people, she communicates with them. But you won't find her sitting behind a table, waving her arms around a crystal ball and speaking in tongues.
Instead, she uses her psychic abilities to help solve crimes. DuBois, 33, is the inspiration behind NBC's hit show "Medium."
The show is based on DuBois' life and experiences as a psychic and her recently published first book, "Don't Kiss Them Good-bye."
DuBois says she first realized she could communicate with the dead at age 6. She says her grandfather visited her to help her family cope with his death.
"My grandfather appeared in my bedroom and said to tell my mom that he was OK," says DuBois. "My mother was completely surprised when I told her about my experience."
But before her life became a television drama, DuBois assisted police departments and worked as a jury consultant free of charge.
"I have this gift, and I thought I should use it to help those in need," says DuBois. "And I didn't feel right if I was going to make money on other people's misfortunes."
In 2001, DuBois was contacted by Paramount to take part in a casting call for "Oracles," a reality television pilot that was never picked up by any production companies. While "Oracles" never came to fruition, one of the show's producers was actor Kelsey Grammer, now a producer for "Medium."
"Kelsey's assistant called about a year and a half after the pilot and said he [Grammer] was interested in doing a show about my life," says DuBois. "I didn't even hesitate. I was like, 'Sure!'"
To make the show as authentic as possible the show's star, actress Patricia Arquette visited DuBois and her family at their Phoenix home.
"She [Arquette] wanted to study my mannerisms and see how I communicate with my husband," says DuBois. "After seeing a few episodes, I think she has done outstanding."
The producers asked Dubois what the tone of the show should be. She had only one suggestion: sarcastic, dark humor.
"If I didn't have a sense of humor, my job would drive me crazy," says DuBois. "I am a very dry and sarcastic person, but I still like people."
While DuBois is busy with book signings and interviews, she is still doing psychic work. She helps police departments around the United States and currently has 300 cases waiting on her desk for her to review.
When she reads cases, DuBois says sometimes receives messages from the dead or relives scenes associated with the victims. Most of the information DuBois receives is first names or locations. One specific case DuBois worked on was kidnapped teenager Elizabeth Smart.
Drifter Brian David Mitchell was charged with abducting Smart in 2002 before she was found alive a year later in Sandy, Utah, a suburb outside of Salt Lake City.
"I kept seeing images of Elizabeth and California," says DuBois. After police apprehended Mitchell, they reported that Smart was moved around the country, including a campsite near San Diego.
Along with her psychic detective work, DuBois must also balance her home life with her husband, Joe, and their kids. Joe met Allison at Gators, a Tempe restaurant and ASU hangout. DuBois was attending ASU, pursuing a degree in political science while Joe was taking classes at ASU for a doctorate in mathematics.
DuBois also says that her daughters, ages 5, 7 and 10, share her psychic gifts. She says her kids would wake her and her husband in the middle of the night, complaining about seeing strange people at the feet of their beds.
But the ability to communicate with the dead isn't the only thing she passed on to her kids. She says her daughters also share her love for the Sun Devils.
"My daughters dressed up as ASU cheerleaders one year for Halloween," says DuBois. "They definitely aren't going to marry any Wildcats."
For now, DuBois is learning how to live as a celebrity while helping the police solve crimes. DuBois has help in thousands of cases and says she will continue doing psychic work for the rest of her life.
"As long as there are people who are asking for help, I will continue to answer them," she says.
Reach the reporter at gabriel.trujillo@asu.edu.
Meet the Valley woman who inspired NBC's 'Medium'
by Gabriel Trujillo
published on Thursday, November 3, 2005
Photo courtesy of Allison DuBois
Allison DuBois does more than see dead people, she communicates with them. But you won't find her sitting behind a table, waving her arms around a crystal ball and speaking in tongues.
Instead, she uses her psychic abilities to help solve crimes. DuBois, 33, is the inspiration behind NBC's hit show "Medium."
The show is based on DuBois' life and experiences as a psychic and her recently published first book, "Don't Kiss Them Good-bye."
DuBois says she first realized she could communicate with the dead at age 6. She says her grandfather visited her to help her family cope with his death.
"My grandfather appeared in my bedroom and said to tell my mom that he was OK," says DuBois. "My mother was completely surprised when I told her about my experience."
But before her life became a television drama, DuBois assisted police departments and worked as a jury consultant free of charge.
"I have this gift, and I thought I should use it to help those in need," says DuBois. "And I didn't feel right if I was going to make money on other people's misfortunes."
In 2001, DuBois was contacted by Paramount to take part in a casting call for "Oracles," a reality television pilot that was never picked up by any production companies. While "Oracles" never came to fruition, one of the show's producers was actor Kelsey Grammer, now a producer for "Medium."
"Kelsey's assistant called about a year and a half after the pilot and said he [Grammer] was interested in doing a show about my life," says DuBois. "I didn't even hesitate. I was like, 'Sure!'"
To make the show as authentic as possible the show's star, actress Patricia Arquette visited DuBois and her family at their Phoenix home.
"She [Arquette] wanted to study my mannerisms and see how I communicate with my husband," says DuBois. "After seeing a few episodes, I think she has done outstanding."
The producers asked Dubois what the tone of the show should be. She had only one suggestion: sarcastic, dark humor.
"If I didn't have a sense of humor, my job would drive me crazy," says DuBois. "I am a very dry and sarcastic person, but I still like people."
While DuBois is busy with book signings and interviews, she is still doing psychic work. She helps police departments around the United States and currently has 300 cases waiting on her desk for her to review.
When she reads cases, DuBois says sometimes receives messages from the dead or relives scenes associated with the victims. Most of the information DuBois receives is first names or locations. One specific case DuBois worked on was kidnapped teenager Elizabeth Smart.
Drifter Brian David Mitchell was charged with abducting Smart in 2002 before she was found alive a year later in Sandy, Utah, a suburb outside of Salt Lake City.
"I kept seeing images of Elizabeth and California," says DuBois. After police apprehended Mitchell, they reported that Smart was moved around the country, including a campsite near San Diego.
Along with her psychic detective work, DuBois must also balance her home life with her husband, Joe, and their kids. Joe met Allison at Gators, a Tempe restaurant and ASU hangout. DuBois was attending ASU, pursuing a degree in political science while Joe was taking classes at ASU for a doctorate in mathematics.
DuBois also says that her daughters, ages 5, 7 and 10, share her psychic gifts. She says her kids would wake her and her husband in the middle of the night, complaining about seeing strange people at the feet of their beds.
But the ability to communicate with the dead isn't the only thing she passed on to her kids. She says her daughters also share her love for the Sun Devils.
"My daughters dressed up as ASU cheerleaders one year for Halloween," says DuBois. "They definitely aren't going to marry any Wildcats."
For now, DuBois is learning how to live as a celebrity while helping the police solve crimes. DuBois has help in thousands of cases and says she will continue doing psychic work for the rest of her life.
"As long as there are people who are asking for help, I will continue to answer them," she says.
Reach the reporter at gabriel.trujillo@asu.edu.