apologies

Magician Uri Geller Apologizes to Pokémon Fans

Photo: Peter Bischoff/Getty Images

Illusionist Uri Geller took to Twitter recently to apologize, not for ruining silverware drawers the world over with copycat attempts at his famous spoon-bending trick, but for suing to prevent the character Kadabra from gracing Pokémon cards for almost 20 years. Now, Geller says he is “truly sorry” and Nintendo can go ahead and include the creature in future Pokémon releases.

“I am truly sorry for what I did 20 years ago,” the magician wrote on Twitter this weekend. “Kids and grownups I am releasing the ban. It’s now all up to #Ninendo to bring my #kadabra #pokemon card back. It will probably be one of the rarest cards now! Much energy and love to all! … I never realized how powerful and important it was for me to lift the ban on Yungeller/Kadabra, especially for all the kids around the world!”

According to Kotaku, while the name “Kadabra” is a more general nod to stage magic, the Pokémon’s moniker in Japanese can be written as Yungerer, Yungeller, or Yun Geller. That, combined with the character’s psychic abilities and bent-spoon accessory, provoked Geller to sue Nintendo in November 2000. The character was subsequently pulled from rotation, and hasn’t appeared on a Pokémon card since 2003.

Hopefully fans can forgive the magician at this point, because it seems like now the only slights Uri Geller wants to be involved in are sleights of hand. Oh, and the spoon-bending thing, of course.

Magician Uri Geller Apologizes to Pokémon Fans