Archive for June, 2003

Jeff Parmer – Inspriational Magician

Jeff Parmer’s Big Show

Jeff Parmer was featured in the Press-Telegram with the headline, ?Magical messages . Training: Jeff Parmer uses sleight of hand to motivate employees, impart business concepts.?

The article appeared in the Business section of the Long Beach, …
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Indian Magician Performs for Orphanage

In tomorrow’s The Hindu (tomorrow for those of in the United States), there is a nice article about Jadugar Jagannath’s ability to do what needs to be done to help others. Mr. Jagannath is a mechanical engineer by training and education and in his late 20s, currently performs magic to support an orphanage he built. At last count, Mr. Jagannath has performed over 7,500 shows and most of them for the purpose of funding his orphanage.

The Samrakshana Orphanage is located in Melukote, in Southern India and has 31 young charges. The organization and more importantly the children are entirely dependent on Mr. Jagannath’s work and the income derived from that work.

Mr. Jagannath is a firm follower of ideals of Swami Vivekananda and his belief system and the Swami’s thoughts are evident in the magic he performs and the message he leaves. Like the Swami, Mr. Jagannath is dedicated to “development of the country” and includes themes of national integration.

As you can imagine, it’s been tough to run an orphanage. He fights to keep the house going and believes the assistance he has received in their darkest moments has come through divine intervention.

The kids are doing well in school and often excel past students in the public schools. They run on a tight schedule of swimming, jogging, meditation, and yoga, besides studies.

Part of Mr. Jagannath’s reason for taking on the financial burden for the orphanage is his utter contempt for the government grant process. He believes the system is corrupt and the only method by which he could expect any grant money would be through bribery. “One need not beg the officials for grants. I am against bribing.”

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TV Review: Brian, Lance, Mac and Sisuepahn Make Magic

Master Magician, Lance Burton

So, I told you ?Magic Road Trip, Part 2? would rock! It was great to see Lance Burton and Mac King at length rather than the usual snippets we?ve come to expect from television. The show even included Mr. Burton?s version of ?The Boy, The Girl and The Donkey.? He performed it with the class and style we?ve come to expect from the Master Magician. I am sure that Howard Thurston was looking down in pride at the presentation of one of his favorite illusions.

Mac King on a $5.00 Casino Chip

Mr. King?s interview was pretty interesting as well. Again, there were no sound-bites but complete answers to questions we all wonder about. It is neat to see the difference between the stage persona of Mac King and the backstage/real-world version. He, like Mr. Burton, clearly loves his job and loves the art. That?s refreshing: successful people who know they have an enviable position.

But the part that got me very excited was the segment featuring Brian Gillis and Sisuepahn doing street magic. As dedicated readers of Inside Magic know, I am the world?s biggest fan of Mr. Gillis and Sisuepahn.See, “An Honest Critique of Brian Gillis”They have brought back routines that are classics in magic including the Georgia Magnet (they call it ?Mind Over Matter?) and Two Person Telepathy.

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