Internationally recognized psychic, star of A&E’s hit show Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal and Paranormal State, and author of Growing Up Psychic - Chip Coffey took time to chat with GayCalgary Magazine in preparation for his Canadian Coffey Talk tour. Chip is a familiar face to the LGBT community; he is an activist for equal rights, anti-bullying and raising awareness against animal abuse.
CC: It is a pretty funny day for weather in Atlanta! I am looking forward to getting to Canada. I just spoke to some folks over in Saskatoon and Winnipeg, and they said "yup, we’ll have snow on the ground when you get here Mr. Chip."
GC: You can count on snow! What are you most looking forward to about visiting Canada again?
CC: I think what I enjoy most is the hospitality, and the people. Everyone that I have come into contact with has just been so hospitable, and so nice. It has actually been a while since I came to Canada, almost a year and a half. It’s going to be fun to be back, and see familiar faces, and friends. I have very close friends in Edmonton, the producers of my event, I consider these friends my Canadian family. It will be a real treat seeing them.
There are some specific things I am looking forward to. I am very proud to say I have been to almost every Canadian province. I’ve found something lovely about each and every one of them.
Some specific things, selfishly—in Edmonton I am looking forward to going to dinner at Vons Steakhouse. I love being in Halifax, the vibe in Halifax is just wonderful. Each Province has its own special something for me to look forward to going back to.
GC: That’s great to hear that you’re so enthusiastic about our country! We are definitely looking forward to having you.
CC: It’s going to be fun! Looking forward to crossing the border and being in Canada.
GC: In regards to your book, Growing Up Psychic, what inspired you to share your story?
CC: There were several reasons. One of the primary reasons was, I felt that when we did the television show Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal we started something valuable. We did great work on that show. For me, the process felt incomplete. There were still so many people that needed help and were reaching out to me and the producers asking for guidance and assistance. There no longer was an avenue to do that.
I stay very busy with my adult clients doing private readings, and phone readings. I would have spread myself much too thin by taking on the additional tasks of working with children individually, and their families. There just wasn’t room to do that. So, the path of least resistance so to speak and still being able to get the job done seemed to be writing the book. It provided not necessarily one on one guidance for individuals, but it offered some very good overall input and advice on things that seemed to be most difficult for individuals and families. In some ways it serves as a guidebook. The book is part how-to, part autobiography. A lot of people ask questions about me and my life story, so I included some of my favourite stories.
The primary reason for writing the book was to begin the process we began with the TV show.
GC: Was one of the programs more interesting to work on than the other? Was there one you felt more of a personal connection to?
CC: There was a similarity to both. The goal with both shows was to provide a sense of sanity, assistance and guidance; to bring a people to a place that was better than it was when we showed up; to relieve some of the anxiety, pressure and confusion that was going on for the people we were working with.
I can’t say I enjoyed one more than the other. I think providing some sense of comfort and healing, and guidance and assistance for whomever I was working with was an honor.
GC: Was there a defining moment in your life that caused you to accept that you would always be unique, and different from the rest of the crowd?
CC: Great question! I am not sure if there was one defining moment. I think there had been a number of times in my life where I had taken a closer look at where I am at, and what I am doing. Just like everyone else, sometimes I am very pleased, other times I think, boy we need to make some changes.
One defining moment was when I decided I was going to devote myself full time to the work that I do right now. It was almost like I was bit in the butt to do it. I was working in the travel industry for a number of years and I was doing psychic readings on the side to earn a little extra money.
This was back in 2001, and this country, as we all know it changed. 9/11 happened, and the world changed. In the aftermath of 9/11 the travel industry took a nosedive. People were fearful of traveling and getting on an airplane.
The industry tanked, and I lost my job. There weren’t many jobs in the travel industry to be had in Atlanta where I live, so I remember packing up my desk and thinking, okay so now you’re a full time psychic and medium. Quite honestly, I didn’t have a lot of confidence that I was going to be able to thrive pursuing that career.
I am very grateful and thankful that here I sit 12 years later and I am still living indoors and eating on a daily basis. It is kind of interesting. It was a great leap of faith to be able to do that. I am very lucky it has been a success so far; knock on wood, I am very thankful for that.
GC: You have served as an inspiration for many individuals to embrace their own individuality. Is there anyone in particular who served as an inspiration to you?
CC: I have had a lot of people that have inspired me in my life. I don’t mean to get all preachy or anything, but I give full credit for everything that I am and everything I have to God. First and foremost, as a man of faith; I am flawed, I am not perfect, and I’m not St. Chip of Georgia. I have a personal and profound relationship with God. I am flawed. We all are. But, every day I thank God for everything, and say God forgive me for everything. It’s a daily mantra for me for those thoughts and that prayer to cross my mind.
I am very grateful for some of the strong and influential people I have had in my life. My dad and my mom, through the good and the bad and everything in between they formed the fabric of who I am. Every individual that I have come into contact with in some way has brought me to being on the phone, talking to you, right now. Everyone has had some sort of impact or influence on my life.
I am thankful for the good and the bad. Like I said, it has brought me to where I am, right here, right now. We are the sum total of everything we have ever experienced. So, I am thankful for EVERYBODY!
GC: You are a very positive individual when in the media spotlight; I don’t think I have ever seen you in a photo, or video where you are not smiling and ebbing positive energy. You have had some truly heinous things said about you. How do you stay so positive?
CC: Well, there have been a lot of things said about me. I have been called everything from a fake to a fraud, to a fag to a pedophile, which is pretty hateful. I have my down moments; I can get sad, a case of the blues, angry — all those things happen. But, I try to bring it all back to the fact of gratitude. I am grateful for the love and support I have from my family, friends and fans. It is a matter of perspective.
I remember one of my dear friend’s thoughts in reading some of the crap that has been written about me. She said, if some of those things had been written about me I couldn’t have gotten out of bed in the morning. I hold my head up high, not out of ego, or anything like that. But, if I allow myself to be beaten down and defeated, the people who put me down win, where would I be then? Curled up in the fetal position?
I would never allow myself to get to that point. I will hold my head up high, be proud of who and what I am. To hell with the people who want to put others down because they feel entitled to do so. Those people will not win over me. I have goals, I have aspirations. There are people I want to help. All of this turns into a huge recipe meaning I can never give up and be defeated.
GC: Is there any advice you can offer for those just coming to terms with their sexual identity?
CC: That is huge. We could talk all day. I could talk your ear off. As a gay man, I know the joys, the frustrations, the hurts, and the disappointments of having that sexual identity. There is the real upside, and there is the real downside. Pretty much just like everything in life.
The best advice I could give anyone: in your own time, in your own way, find the courage to be who you are. Doing anything otherwise is living a lie. It does take strength and courage to be who you are, and what you are, and live an authentic life. You find in most instances that you will feel a sense of freedom more than anything, not necessarily happiness or joy, but there is a sense of freedom that comes with self acceptance.
It hasn’t always been easy for me. I have been called everything. The most heinous thing, I was called a pedophile because I am a gay man and I work with children. That is disgusting. That is not only disgusting, it is f’ing disgusting. The hurtful thing from a homophobic standpoint, none of the other people on Psychic Kids were ever labeled that. But, because I am the gay man it is attached to me. For people to say I wouldn’t let my children alone in a room with him, that is disgusting, prejudicial and wrong. I am not ashamed of who I am. But has it been easy? Absolutely not, I was gay bashed once; I still have the emotional and physical scars.
I also know I have friends, family and fans that are part of the LGBT community and if I can’t aspire and put effort to be a positive role model for them, I am not only failing myself, I am failing them.
That’s my story! It hasn’t been easy, but I am here. It’s like Elton John; I am still standing and better than I have ever been!
GC: Do you have anything to say to those you may have inspired?
CC: I am just like everybody else. More than anything, I am grateful. I live my life for gratitude and service. I am so grateful for the support from the LGBT community. I marched in the Gay Pride parade last year; I marched with Angel Action Atlanta. We marched three miles with huge angel wings, and the wind was blowing, it felt like I was going to get swept into the air. It was the most moving experience for me to put out that statement of saying we are here to battle hatred with non-violent intercession, and doing something so outwardly positive for the community. My heart breaks when I hear about bullying, and individuals who have ended their own lives. It is part of the reason why I am so supportive of the No H8 Campaign, It Gets Better Campaign and the Trevor Project. Every now and then when I put things out on social media supporting LGBT rights, I get the fundamentalist Christians attacking me.
Every day I pray for tolerance and acceptance, and that people will stop being so bigoted and homophobic. That some point in time issues of sexual identity won’t even be a concern anymore.
GC: That is the future we can hope for. Thank you so much for the chat.
Chip: It was my pleasure. I look forward to being in Canada. I am ready! Let me across the border!