Tonight on 20/20 ` The gay couple getting married is... We crash NZ's first same-sex wedding. This is such a massive day for NZ. They finally win the right to celebrate and party. Not one of my finer moments. Then fat got your tongue? After this tongue patch, you can wear these shorts? The most extreme diet ever. But you're sewing a foreign object into somebody's mouth. And can you be hypnotized lucky? I offer people a way to achieve their hopes and dreams through hypnotherapy. Captions by TVNZ Access Services. www.tvnz.co.nz/access-services Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright TVNZ Access Services 2013 Kia ora. I'm Sonya Wilson. We all love a good wedding, of course, and here at 20/20 we've been doing some wedding crashing. Two couples ` the first same-sex couples to marry in NZ. They were told they were getting a free wedding. What they weren't told is that someone else would be choosing everything for them. They had no idea they would be tested and tormented. And it was all caught on camera ` even the hen and stag do. Yep, sounds like a recipe for absolute television gold. 20/20'S Erin Conroy was there for it all. GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC # Blue skies, # pair of big brown eyes. # Sun is shining. It's a perfect day. You may each now kiss your husband and your wife. CHEERING # Being here with you, the world seems fine. Right there, it's like, fuck yeah. (LAUGHS) Nailed it, yeah. This would be one of my top moments, I reckon. Like, everything was just perfect. They made history with their 'I dos'. A picture-perfect ceremony, but what a hell of a ride to get here. BUSY MUSIC Whoo! Just imagine having your special day crashed... It's your wedding day! ...by us. How are you? The biggest day of their lives ` no secrets,... Eat that taco, Jess. ...not a private moment. I just need to go have a cry. It's all revealed, and it all began with just one announcement. The gay couple getting married in The Edge's same-sex wedding is... Oh my God, I had sweaty palms, dry mouth. And I can't talk, I can't think. I could hardly stand. I didn't know whether I was going to faint or I was going to vomit. Richard and Richard! ROMANTIC MUSIC Jess and Rachel! Jess and Rachel! EXCITED LAUGHTER I couldn't believe we won. I did not think we were going to win it. It was a real shock, and then I was like, we won. Life-changing moment right there, just absolutely epic. Yeah, just to know that I'm going to be marrying the love of my life and doing it very, very quickly. But the surprises kept coming. So they announced the twist. Oh shit. (LAUGHS) The twist in The Edge's same-sex wedding is that... (IMITATES DRAMATIC CHORDS) ...you'll be organising each other's wedding. ...you'll be organising each other's wedding. BOTH LAUGH NERVOUSLY When I saw Rach's face drop, that's when I knew, kind of, the shit had really hit the fan. You trying to tell me a boy is going to choose my wedding dress? You trying to tell me a boy is going to choose my wedding dress? JAY-JAY: Mm-hmm. NERVOUS CHUCKLING Yeah, I can do this. Massive thing was about the wedding dress, and the boys choosing the wedding dresses. 'Yay, I get to choose wedding dresses.' (LAUGHS) That was my first thought. RADIO HOST: 22 to 9. The latest news is next. A wedding with a twist ` and so many twists to come ` for two couples, the first same-sex couples ever to marry in NZ. English Rachel and Kiwi Jess. We met on the Kiwi Experience bus going down the west coast of the South Island. Rach was doing her OE; first stop, NZ. I would have said I was straight, I s'pose. Yeah, it hadn't really ever crossed my mind. Rach was always off-limits, like, the whole trip, you know. It was kind of, Rach told me that she had a boyfriend back home, so that was it. You know, it was kind of... pure friendship and... yeah. Until Rach knocked on my door at 3 o'clock in the morning. Yes! BOTH LAUGH And the rest is history, I s'pose. UPLIFTING MUSIC They'd been together three years when Jess spotted the ad for the radio competition. I thought to myself, I said, 'If we can get on this competition, we can win this thing.' With such confidence they entered. Come on. But one small detail was missing ` an engagement. The radio station soon took care of that. RADIO: I love you with all my heart. I never want to be with anybody else. Live on air from London, Rachel popped the question. Will you please marry me? I lost all my words. RADIO ANNOUNCER: Is it a yes? And there's the radio station going, 'What's happening?' And the answer was... It might be good news. In fact, there might be a little ring on her finger. CHEERING A definite yes. Couple number two is Richard and Richard. What time do you think you'll be finished? What time do you think you'll be finished? Probably be home half past nine. Big and little. Obvious which is which, or is it? Yeah, it pretty is, our height. (CHUCKLES) Yes, it's our height. Yes, it's our height. BOTH LAUGH As a day job, Big Richard dons his scrub and saves lives as a nurse at Christchurch Hospital ER. Hello, Mrs Smith. I'm Richard. I'm going to be your nurse today. How are you feeling today? Little Rich works in insurance. Welcome to Claims. You're speaking with Richard. Their union a consequence of some sneaky sleight of hand. I didn't really know anyone that was gay, and then a mutual friend of ours started saying, hey, she met this guy who is gay, and she thought he was quite cool. So while we were at a party at a bar I stole his number; just, kind of, started texting him. I said, 'If I'm going to meet you, make sure you bring your ID, 'cos I don't believe that your name is Richard.' GENTLE MUSIC They dated for four years, and then... We went to Australia, Surfer's Paradise, for a friend's wedding. I went down to the beach, I drew a big love heart in the sand and wrote, 'Will you marry me?' in it and got down on one knee. It felt like forever, cos Richard's always late for everything. And it must have been about 15 minutes, he finally came down. As he came down, the tide had come in and then he goes, 'Why have you drawn a big bum on the sand?' Cos the love heart looked like a bum. So when Richard finally realised what was happening, a freak wave came straight on top of me and the ring was just vanished; it was completely gone by the wave, eaten by the surf. A rocky start, but now seven years in... He was definitely the one. The nuptials are just days away. Organisation mode has clicked in. Yes, that's perfect. Yeah, we want them to look red carpet. Yes, that's perfect. Yeah, we want them to look red carpet. Excuse me, sorry to interrupt. Hello. Remember, the couples are picking everything for each other, starting with the girls selecting the boys' suits. Trying to choose the boys' suits, the hardest thing in the world. We thought five minutes we'd be done, we'd be out of there. # I love her, can't leave her. Forever I'll always need her. This is so hard. This is so hard. I know, right? I think it was like two hours later we were still trying to figure out tie or bowtie, you know. Are we close to a final decision, girls? Are we close to a final decision, girls? Sorry. So I just decided to put the suits on. I was just like, 'I'm going for it.' You could used to this, couldn't you? What are we thinking? What are we thinking? Ooh, not convinced. And really enjoyed it. I'm not going to lie. (LAUGHS) # I love her so that's why I gotta let her know that... # Oh my God, do we have a decision?! We might have a decision. Only took, like, three hours. Whoo! After that marathon effort, there are still the dresses. Ooh, here we are. Wedding dresses. And not just any dress ` the most important dress you'll wear all your livelong days. I don't want to be presumptuous here because not every gay guy is going to have great taste, but do you? Totally. Totally. (LAUGHS) Right. I have good taste in stuff, yeah. I think they were completely fine... (LAUGHS) down to the dresses. Maybe Rachel ` it's got some good support there. I like that one most out of all the dresses I've seen. 'Is this the right choice? Is this the right colour? Oh my God, what if they hate this?' She'll fill it well in the top half. That's my gay opinion. And in your other gay opinion? And in your other gay opinion? It's a bit frilly. I think Jess can pull this off, though. This is it? Awesome, guys. You did a great job. ELVIS PRESLEY'S 'VIVA LAS VEGAS' To Rotorua we go ` the town known for its sights and smells... # Gonna set my soul... ...and now home of NZ's first gay wedding. # Got a whole lot of money that's ready to burn. The countdown is on. Our couples launch their hen and stag do with a high tea. It started off very civilised ` Afternoon tea, cocktails, little snacks. I think I actually also had a, you know, a real live cup of tea. All rather posh, aren't they? Friends and family have come from all over the country, the world even, to be with Big and Little Richard and Jess and Rachel. Little does everybody know there's buckets and buckets and buckets of alcohol all ready and waiting to be consumed on the party bus. (LAUGHS) WILD CHEERING AND YELPING Everyone's in the mood for a party. But after the break... the wheels start to come off. I felt bullied. Are you alright? Are you alright? I just probably need to go have a cry. Will Richard do a runner? Not a groom to be found. HIP-HOP MUSIC With the help of our mates at the Tui Brewery, Burger King is proud to introduce The Feast ` a juicy beef patty, bacon, egg and delicious Tuimato sauce. a FUN POP MUSIC The party is in full swing ` time for some adventure. Three, two, one, go! SCREAMING At each stop of the hen and stag do, a challenge is set. The deal is everyone must swoop, ride and dive. The girls look right at home. SCREAMING But the boys ` a different story. MAN: Awesome. You right there? > RICHARD: Bungee jump. It was awful, eh. I like to think I'm quite tough and can do anything I, you know, want to do. But as soon as I got to the top, I was, like, massively panicking. It's like, there's no way in hell I'm doing this. I don't want to do it. No, I'm too scared, sorry. I think I'm going` I don't want to do it. No, I'm too scared, sorry. I think I'm going` Your sister's got you. MAN: Three, two, one, bungee! Whoo! As the sun goes down, Big Richard is forced to face what he's managed to avoid all day. Everyone else has completed their challenge, so the radio station steps in. I did not think he would do it at all. He can't even stand on the ladder to clean the gutters yet. Richard, this is the moment of truth, really. You have a fear of heights? You have a fear of heights? Yeah, I do. Quite severe fear, actually. Can we see if we can go up a little bit? Can we see if we can go up a little bit? No. Could you get in there? Could you get in there? No. Could you get in there? No. Your fear's that much? Yes. Thousands of people will be watching, and yes they'll see that I'm a wuss, but it's my biggest fear in my life. but it's my biggest fear in my life. Biggest fear in your life? but it's my biggest fear in my life. Biggest fear in your life? Mm-hmm. I felt bullied. Because, I mean, I had a camera in my face, I had someone's phone in my face so they could record how petrified I was. We'll have a chat to Richard off-air and we'll see how much further he can go, but he's not very happy with me at the moment are you? but he's not very happy with me at the moment are you? Mm-mm. Your body goes into fight-or-flight mode. And being a nurse, you understand this quite well. Um, I had no saliva in my mouth. I couldn't feel my feet. I couldn't feel my hands. My heart was pounding. I felt sick. It was terrible. Like, I felt... annoyed, angry, upset, scared. Are you all right? Are you all right? I just probably need to go have a cry. PENSIVE MUSIC The party must go on, but there's no doubting a chill in the air. OK, we've just started the second activity of the night ` nude life drawing ` and it appears tensions are starting to rise. Richard has had had all his buttons pushed; he's pretty upset, and we've got no idea where Jess is. I just think lack of sleep, a little bit too much booze and emotions came out, and, yeah... Just needed to have a couple of hours, sort myself out, decided, you know, get over yourself and go out there and have fun. I just moved on. I just completely tried to forget about it and move on. Cos it was my stag do. BILLY IDOL'S 'WHITE WEDDING' The final chapter in the hen and stag do... Time to head home, Mum ` it's gonna be R18. 'WHITE WEDDING' CONTINUES MAN: Eat that taco, Jess. Smashed the taco. Not one of my finer moments. Oh my God, everyone with a TV is going to see me putting a condom on a banana with my mouth. I'm not gonna live this down for the rest of my life. As the night wears on, just who's going to do something they regret? Shit. (SNIGGERS) MAN ON MICROPHONE: Can we turn off the 20/20 cameras? I think that's our cue to leave. Across town from the chaos... REGAL TRUMPET MUSIC ...the wedding venue is all in order. OK, it's the night before the wedding, everything is set. It is looking beautiful. We are heading home because we have got a very early start tomorrow. When the new day dawns, it brings a new law with it, and right here there will be two weddings... we hope. WHISPERS: The wedding day. It's before 5 and we're going to do some door knocking. ENERGETIC MUSIC ALL: Hi! RACHEL: Good morning. RACHEL: Good morning. It's your wedding day. RACHEL: Good morning. It's your wedding day. I know, I know, I know. It doesn't quite feel real, to be perfectly honest. I don't think it will do until I put my dress on. I don't think it will do until I put my dress on. Did you sleep? Like a log for the three hours that I got. Like a log for the three hours that I got. BOTH LAUGH Holy hell. It's actually here; it's happening. Two brides ` tick, tick. (KNOCKS ON DOOR) Not a groom to be found. Richard! How are you? How are you? Sleepy. How much sleep did you get? Only about three hours. Had to pack. How are you feeling today? How are you feeling today? I'm all right, actually. So can't wait. It should be fun. Fearing a runner, it's a relief when Big Richard arrives. Morning! How are you? How are you? Yes, I'm good, thank you. How are you? Yes, I'm good, thank you. It's your wedding day! How are you feeling? How are you feeling? Fine, actually. Yeah, not too bad. When you enter that museum, you enter the door, and you see Richard at the altar, how do you think you'll feel? how do you think you'll feel? Um... I'll know that he hasn't run away. I'll know that he hasn't run away. (LAUGHS) that's a good start. ENERGETIC MUSIC Final preparations before this history-making wedding will begin. # Love and marriage, love and marriage. # CHURCH BELLS PEAL Before getting into the limo I felt physically sick. I thought that I was going to throw up at one stage. But as soon as I got into the limo and, kind of, got down there, everything just, kind of, melted away, and... yeah. I was just ready. Everything we had worked up to is finally now taking place. ROMANTIC MUSIC Oh, the music's started. We're just moments away. Ooh, I love a good wedding. ROMANTIC MUSIC CONTINUES Probably the most special moment of my life I'd say ` just absolutely beautiful and amazing, and... yeah. Words can't really describe the way I was feeling, cos it` yeah... Just think of the best thrill you've ever had in your life and then multiply it by a hundred and you're, kind of, almost halfway to where I was feeling. The choices of suits and dresses are perfect... almost. The ceremony is going off without a hitch... CELEBRANT: I, Richard Colin Andrew Rawstorn... CELEBRANT: I, Richard Colin Andrew Rawstorn... Today, Richard` I, Richard Colin... ...almost. And finally... I do. I do. I do. I do. CELEBRANT: Ladies and gentlemen I'd like to introduce you to two of NZ's newest married couples ` Mrs and Mrs Ivess, and Richard and Richard. CHEERING, APPLAUSE ROMANTIC MUSIC CONTINUES Perfect, just perfect. Yep. It's such a cliche, but it's so true, that it's the best day of your life. I think we could've been anywhere in the world; it could've just been the two of us; it could've been what it was having so many people that got to share it. But you get to marry the person that you know you want to be with for the rest of your life. So it's perfect. We got to be a part of NZ history. It wasn't until the next day we woke up and we just went, 'Holy crap.' You know? It's like this is just such a massive day for NZ. You know, and there we are, like right in the thick of it. It's not everyday you get to kiss your husband. It was amazing. Like, I had every emotion, pretty much, running through me. I don't think words can describe it, actually. CHEERING A picture-perfect day. Just feel a bit lovely, really. Mm. Yes. ROMANTIC MUSIC FINISHES Great shot at the end there. Congratulations to them both. Next up on 20/20 ` the extreme lengths two women will go to to lose weight. You thought the story we brought you last year about the feeding-tube diet was extreme? I'm down two dress sizes. Well, wait until you see this. These two women are about to have a piece of hard plastic mesh sewn on to their tongues. It will inflict pain if they try to eat any solid food. a Welcome back. An American cosmetic surgeon is helping patients lose weight by sewing a patch on to their tongues. The postage stamp-size patch is abrasive, making it so painful to eat solid foods that the patient can only consume liquids. Now, the bizarre treatment promises to help people shed 10kg in 30 days. Tonight we follow two patients through the process from beginning to end and reveal their results. From the surgical ` think liposuction, stomach stapling and the lap band ` to scary ` like the cotton ball diet ` I've heard of people eating the cotton balls with the orange juice, and it makes you think you're full, but you're not. ...to the downright disgusting. That's not a jar of noodles. It's the main ingredient in the tapeworm diet. Everybody looks like they want to vomit right now. You dine out while the parasite dines in your digestive tract. There's seemingly no limit to the lengths people will go to lose it. And if you thought the story we brought you last year about the feeding tube diet was extreme,... I'm down two dress sizes. ...well, wait until you see this. I'm determined to lose weight. I'm willing to do anything at this point. I'm so desperate to lose weight. These two women are about to have a piece of hard plastic mesh sewn on to their tongues. It will inflict pain if they try to eat any solid food. Marlene Beltran weighs 169 pounds because of her out-of-control appetite. I get, like, cravings. Like, in the middle of the night, I'll just be, like, 'Oh, I want a brownie,' or, 'I want ice cream.' This time, I'm just really motivated, cos I am almost 21 and I do have plans, and I want to look my best and feel good. I love eating everything. Lysander Lanuza is 200 pounds of all-you-can-eat. American food, Filipino food, Korean. It's heaven. Their goal is to each lose 20 pounds in one month. Marlene wants to begin dating. Lysander has a bikini and a deadline. In a month's time, I'll be going to Hawaii, I'll be wearing this bikini, and I'll` hopefully I'll be looking great. So, this is our patch, and we put it right on the interior portion of her tongue. It's called the tongue patch. Cosmetic surgeon Dr Nikolas Chugay introduced the procedure in the US four years ago after first seeing it done in Latin America. I thought, you know, 'This is a good way to help people lose weight quickly.' Our first stitch is already in. I am just going to put four knots on it. Make sure it stays in there. He said the way it works was if you eat solid food, your tongue rolls back and it would cause pain. Chugay says Lysander is his 81st patient as he pioneers the process here in what is arguably the plastic surgery capital of the country, Southern California. But that's nothing compared to body-conscious Venezuela. One clinic in Caracas has stitched patches on more than 800 tongues. Is the goal of the tongue patch so that your tongue hurts when you go to swallow food? It's a pattern interrupt. When patients want to swallow food, they realise, 'Hey, I cannot do that. That's why I have this patch here.' So it reminds them. But you're sewing a foreign object into somebody's mouth. Is that healthy? Well, it's not unhealthy. OK, the surgery's all finished. < Wow! I can't feel my tongue. (LAUGHS) She'll be able to speak normally in a few hours when the anaesthetic wears off. But all that greasy fried food she loves? Forget it. It's a strict 800-calorie per day liquid diet of bad shakes and low-cal beverages until the patch is removed in one month. How much weight are you guaranteed to lose with a tongue patch? I cannot say that you are guaranteed. But an average weight loss is anywhere from 18 to 20 pounds in that one month's time. 18 to 20 pounds. At a cost of $2000! Seem hard to swallow? Maybe. Lysander is paying full price. But Dr Chugay is doing Marlene's procedure for free, because we are recording it. I was told that food gets stuck on the patch, too, so even if you want to cheat a little, you get caught. My tongue hurts talking about this with you. No, I'm not nervous about the pain or anything. I'm kind of excited. On the morning of her appointment, Marlene is more concerned about organizing all the clothes she hopes to soon be able to wear. These are all jeans. Let me see. Let me see. They're brand new. They have the tags on. Did you buy them thinking you were going to fit into these at some point? Yeah. I did, and then once they didn't fit I was just, like, 'I'll lose weight and I'll fit into them.' That never happened. You ready? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. All right, stick your tongue out for us. Good. Perfect. Dr Chugay reminds her that as of now, she's on that same low-calorie liquid diet. And three times a day, you start taking that, OK? And no cheating. No Twinkies. After only 10 minutes, the patch is in place. Good girl! All done. < What's it feel like? < What's it feel like? (LAUGHS) I can't talk. (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) That seemed pretty easy. It was quick. You don't feel it. You don't feel it. You don't feel it? Have you ever received any flak from colleagues in the medical community for this? No, I haven't. Dr. Chugay, meet Dr Christine Petti. I think it's ridiculous. And Dr Rob Huizenga. I think it's a barbaric procedure. She's also a plastic surgeon. She's also a plastic surgeon. I could never advise a procedure that would cause a patient pain. Pain is not a good thing for anybody. Better known as Dr H, he specialises in long-term weight loss, spending 14 seasons as an expert on The Biggest Loser. This is so primitive an approach, you could hire somebody to hold a gun next to your head and threaten to shoot you every time you eat. You could have somebody with a hammer hit you over the head every time you threaten to have something to eat. Would you do this on your own body? Would you do this on your own body? I would. You haven't done it on any of your family members, have you? You haven't done it on any of your family members, have you? Well, so far, I have no volunteers. When we come back, what is it like living with a mesh patch stitched to your tongue? 30 days on America's most extreme diet. I want a burger really bad ` a cheeseburger. Will one of these women wish they had never done it? Even if it's a bite, I just want a burger. And will the weight come off? Stay with us. The results may surprise you. a They say no pain, no gain. But this is turning that phrase on its... tongue? Two overweight women who can't control their eating going to extremes to lose weight fast. A stiff plastic patch stitched right to their tongues will inflict a sharp pain if they try to eat any solid food. MAN: How do you feel? MAN: How do you feel? I feel good. My tongue is all swollen. I can't talk. It doesn't fit me any more. Lysander Lanuza... I'm a sucker for fried tacos. ...and Marlene Beltran each hope to drop 20 pounds in 30 days,... After you get this tongue patch, you'll be able to wear these shorts? After you get this tongue patch, you'll be able to wear these shorts? Yeah. ...tracking the difficult diet in video diaries along the way. For Lysander, day one brings an immediate challenge. This is what my mom cooked for breakfast, which I obviously can't eat. Instead... I'm actually doing my workout right now. She cheerfully begins the requisite 45-minute daily exercise routine. But Lysander's social life is all about food, and day one brings another temptation. This is my first dinner out with my friends. She sips iced tea while her friends gorge on a buffet. Yummy! Today is Father's Day and this is what we have to serve at the table. MAN: Barbecue. Fish. I cannot eat any of that. All I can eat is this, which is a Diet Pepsi. So far, so good. According to the scale, I've lost 3 pounds. But across town, Marlene has a craving for... just about everything. It's crazy because I don't like beans. Never liked them, won't eat them. But today, just looking at my mom eat beans made my mouth water. By day five, this food junkie has a bad need for a fix. Lately I've been craving an In-N-Out burger, like, really bad. And I want a burger really bad ` a cheeseburger. I don't care if it's a bite. I just want a burger. Somehow, Marlene resists her cravings. Lysander ` not so much. I tried, like, a piece of popcorn. We were at the movie theatre. And it hurt. So, I'm like, 'Forget it.' < The popcorn hurt? Yeah. Yeah. And are you thinking, 'Yes, it's working. I don't want to eat'? No, I'm like, '<BLEEP>, it does work. I can't eat.' (LAUGHS) Dr Nikolas Chugay claims the miracle of the tongue patch is that it can act as a jump-start to lasting weight loss. It's really a life-changing type of a pattern, and it takes about 30 days to change a habit. A small patch that can be life-changing. Life-changing, exactly. If I could say one thing, it's that the whole concept that you jump-start is absurd. Weight-loss expert Dr Rob Huizenga points to studies that show how most extreme dieters who lose weight rapidly eventually gain it all back and more. There's not one scintilla of hope or evidence that putting a patch on your tongue and not being able to eat for a month is going to have any affect on you at one year or two years or three years. Dr Chugay's son and partner, Dr Paul Chugay, did submit a study that claims 70% of their patients lost an average of 16 pounds and kept it off for eight months. But the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery won't publish it without more data. No matter. Marlene is getting all the data she needs from her bathroom's scales as the pounds fall away. My double chin is not as bad as it used to be. My arms are a lot thinner. Lysander is also watching the pounds melt away. So far... probably lost 15, 16 pounds. I'm getting a lot more attention from guys, which is nice. It's attention I'm not used to, so I'm kind of still adjusting to it. That doesn't hurt? Finally, liberation day. That's it. That's it. That felt liberating. That's it. That felt liberating. Yes, isn't it? Liberating, yes. Now, that wasn't so bad, huh? Now, that wasn't so bad, huh? No, you don't even feel it. The final tally? Marlene loses 18 pounds. Remember those skinny jeans she couldn't wear before? Now they're kind of big on me. Lysander loses 23 pounds. And that bikini she wouldn't dare try on before? Aloha, Lysander. Once they take the patch off, we put them on the boot camp diet. It's a strict diet for another month. And then I prepare them for the regular maintenance diet that they'll stay on for the rest of their lives. Or not. As hard as it was to live with the tongue patch, will it be even harder to keep the weight off without it? I was sad the patch was coming off, just because I felt like the hard part began. Like, now I'm on my own. Really, I don't want to go through that again. It was really hard for me. I agree to the fact that it is really an extreme measure of losing weight. You do think it's extreme? You do think it's extreme? Yes, I do. Is it crazy? Is it crazy? Yes, I think it is. I mean, comparable to the other diets that I know, yes, it is. Clearly, Lysander, who paid $2000 for her tongue patch, is not nearly as happy as the person who got it for free ` Marlene. It wasn't bad. It wasn't bad. Look at you. You're smiling. It wasn't bad. Look at you. You're smiling. Like, I would do it again. Like, it was fun. The tongue patch is, like, kind of addicting. You lose the weight, and you see the results fast, so you want more. Crazy. Next on 20/20 ` think you're unlucky? Well, we've got two people who say it's all in your head and that they can help. The producers of 20/20 have sent me on a quest for good luck. And this woman says she can help me get it. Say to yourself, 'I, Dan, am a winner.' a Welcome back. Can you make your own luck? Can you be hypnotised lucky? Well, we meet two people who say they can help. Relationships, money, anything ` they say it's just all in your head. Just go ahead and close your eyes. And just take in a nice deep breath, in through your belly, all the way up, through your` OK, so, check me out here ` palms up, eyes closed, breathing deeply, I'm being hypnotised by a total stranger. Feel it. Know it. The new Dan. Why am I doing this? The producers of 20/20 have sent me on a quest for good luck. And this woman says she can help me get it. Say to yourself, 'I, Dan,... 'am a winner.' I'm actually already a pretty lucky guy ` amazing job, beautiful wife, good health ` although I do wish, in the immortal words of rap artist Skee-Lo, I was a little taller. # I wish I was a little bit taller. I wish I was a baller. I wish I had... # Notwithstanding my good fortune, I have, for many years, now indulged a professional fascination in those self-help gurus, like Deepak Chopra, Eckhart Tolle, Wayne Dyer who say they can change people's lives, often through the power of positive thinking, or as this guy, Joe Vitale, claims, through the power of a ride in his Rolls Royce. Five grand... Yeah. Yeah. ...is a lot for three hours with you. So I was super intrigued when I heard about a new generation of positivity-purveyors who claim they can boost your luck through the power of your subconscious. For this story, I spoke to two of these people ` Victoria Gallagher and Ty Sumrall, also known as iGodMind. I do believe that you can attract different types of luck. I believe that you can implant suggestions in your mind to help you attract the people or the situations that you need to improve some aspect of your life. I offer people a way to achieve their hopes and dreams, through reprogramming their mind through hypnotherapy. You're actually reprogramming the mind? You're actually reprogramming the mind? You absolutely are. Sounds a bit out there, but they believe by goosing the subconscious part of your mind with lucky thoughts, your brain will then guide you into lucky situations. You are on a journey. Victoria has attracted more than 7000 subscribers to her hypnosis YouTube channel, and she's racked up a very lucky $2 million in sales in the last decade. You hypnotize somebody. You rummage around in their subconscious a little bit, and then they make changes in their own lives? Absolutely. What hypnosis does is it relaxes the mind. You're no longer hearing that inner voice that's telling you, 'No, you can't do that.' You're hearing, 'Yes, I can do that.' Ty says that he gets the brain to say 'yes, I can' through his own brand of deep meditation, using videos he creates like this one with subliminal messages that you can barely hear. He has more than 20,000 subscribers on YouTube. Ty says when he's not creating meditation mixes, he uses them himself to make money in his day job in marketing. So, you have these videos and they're telling you, 'You're going to get 30 grand.' And then you got 30 grand. And then you got 30 grand. It wasn't exactly 30 grand. It was about $31,000 and change. To be clear, this wasn't a suitcase of 30K just falling out of the sky. Ty says it was through business deals that he was able to land through the power of meditation. So, of course, I started thinking, 'Wow, I should have been thinking about $300,000.' (LAUGHS) Knowledge is limitless. Victoria says she used her own hypnosis methods to score love. I experience luck every day. Dating kind of sucked for a little while. And I don't know why it took me so long to decide to just listen to my own Attract Your Soulmate CD. Sending vibrant waves of energy. And, like, within a week, I was able to find the man of my dreams. Well, kinda. She and her husband, Steve, first met on match.com, got engaged and then broke up. Victoria popped those hypnosis CDs in again, and a few months later, at a local karaoke bar, she re-encountered the man of her dreams. I was actually on stage at the moment singing With Or Without You by U2, if you can believe it. From the stage I saw her walk in. It just hit me like a bolt of lightning. So there was good luck and then bad luck and then good luck? We tend to look at it as good luck because we learned all throughout the process. < Got it. < Got it. Exactly. We should be clear here. There is no science to back up Ty and Victoria's claims. Both of them readily admit this, which is why they offer no guarantees. They say the techniques have worked in their own lives. What's more, they showed us scores of testimonials from folks who say it worked for them too. A woman named Jennifer wrote to Ty saying his videos turned her career around. And Kimberleigh said she won the lottery. Tom wrote on Victoria's website that his marriage was saved through hypnosis. Another guy said he hypnotised himself and improved his golf game. So, what are the limits on this? For example, I'm 42 years old, 5'8", maybe on days when I've used my wife's volumising shampoo. Could you make me an NBA player? Well, I think that there are some limits to what you can do. But the limits are really what you believe. So you're not ruling out the NBA? So you're not ruling out the NBA? Have you ever played basketball? In my parents' backyard when I was little. That might be a limitation. And so your chances are probably not likely. It's` Killing my dreams here. Basically, you're saying if you have a realistic goal, a good attitude and you work hard, you'll get there. So, I mean, I already know that. Why would I need to buy a CD? Because you know that with your conscious mind, but with your subconscious mind, you are not going to necessarily achieve that. Ty agrees. I don't put myself out there as a guru. The video is nothing more than a tool. I don't believe that they're magic. Um, I believe that they are like exercise equipment. You can't stand next to it to get ripped; you have to get in there and use it a little bit. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide ` is this just a fancy, spendy version of common sense, or is there something really here? For what it's worth, I did give their techniques a try, with the ridiculous goal of making the NBA. I checked out Ty's quirky meditation clips. Just go ahead and close your eyes. And as we showed you at the beginning of the story, I sat for a hypnosis session with Victoria, which did not go so well. Now, try to open those eyes and find that they stay closed. SAD TRUMPET NOISE That's OK. That happens every once in a while. That's OK. That happens every once in a while. I'm a poor hypnosis subject. Victoria and Ty both say I need to give it a little more time, have an open mind, and maybe use a little bit more of that volumising shampoo. If you want to see any of tonight's stories again, you can head to our website... You can also email us... Or, of course, go to our Facebook page. And let us know your thoughts on tonight's show. Well, thanks for all your feedback. We're interested in your stories, so keep those ideas coming in.