Montel Williams Defends Controversial Psychic Sylvia Browne, Says Police and Lawyers Sought Her Advice

Montel Williams is speaking up for a woman who spent nearly two decades sitting across from him on television.

The talk show host, 70, appeared on the Monday, July 6, episode of Maury Povich‘s On Par podcast, where the two swapped stories from their respective daytime talk show runs. Williams used the moment to defend Sylvia Browne, the self-described psychic who was a recurring guest on The Montel Williams Show throughout much of the show’s 17-year run.

Browne, who died in 2013 at age 77, has faced renewed scrutiny in recent years after clips of several inaccurate predictions resurfaced online.

“I believe in the fact that Sylvia Browne has some sort of…I don’t know, what do you want to call it,” Williams said on the podcast. “She just has this ability to read people. And when you really look back at her life you can understand why.”

Williams went on to explain that Browne’s abilities were identified early, telling Povich, 87, that she was “told she was a psychic when she was 5 years old,” and that as a child, her mother would welcome dozens of visitors into their home daily seeking readings.

“Sylvia Browne from age seven, eight sat this close to adults, looked them in the face, and would answer an adult’s questions. She did this for 50 years,” Williams said on the podcast.

He also pointed to the range of professionals who sought her out over the years. “A lot of people can knock her all they want these days but the truth of the matter is police departments reached out to her, lawyers reached out to her, other people reached out to her, just to ask her her opinion,” Williams said. “And she gave it freely and with ease.”

“And was she right? I always said on my show with questions from the audience Sylvia ran about 82 percent, 83 percent correct,” he continued.

Williams didn’t shy away from acknowledging the stakes of putting Browne in front of a live studio audience. “I always told my audience do not stand up and ask this woman a question unless you are prepared for the answer,” he added.