“Ah, then it was meant to be that we should meet.But why here?Why on Inside Magic?”
“The theme, my dear Mr. Podge.There is no theme for Today’s News without us.”
“Indeed. Just White Tigers, balloon animals looking like Disney Characters, Darren Romeo and the famous magician Long Tack Sam. You are quite correct, it is appropriate that we are here.”
“Indeed.”
College of Magic in South Africa Offers Distance Learning and Diplomas
We last mentioned the Hardy family in the first of many promised installments of the Hardy Chronicles.The story, for those of you new to Inside Magic or to the fun of reading, ended with my Grandma, Thoma Hardy outliving a sailor boy she met at the funeral of my grandpa, Thomas Hardy V.
Grandma and Sailor Maurice lived a pleasant life for the 18 months he was alive.By all accounts, the marriage was on the rocks anyway.(“On the Rocks” is a very clever turn of a phrase by me to apply to a sailor worst nightmare, the method of pouring an alcoholic drink and where most of the cars ended up after my grandma’s accident.I am so witty and clever that most magician-writers are jealous of me).
He was killed in a bizarre but unfortunate bet.Grandma had grown tired of Sailor Maurice and his Sailor Maurice-Like ways and some say she murdered him by offering him the bet.Either way, Sailor Maurice was not able to catch a bullet in his teeth like other “Real Men” Grandma told him about.In fact the coroner’s report notes he wasn’t even able to move his head into the correct position because of the chains and leather neck collar.
There were some at the Inquest that doubted there was even such a bet made; rather, they suggested she made the whole thing up just to get rid of Sailor Maurice.They’re position was strengthened by his lack of knowledge of the secret of bullet catching, the fact that he was securely bound with leather restraints and rope and that he was apparently asleep at the time the catch was to be performed.
But Coroner did find that Grandma Thoma was “A very attractive twice-widowed woman with big eyes and a sweet little way about her.” (See, Inquest of Cause of Death: Maurice Doodaday at 9). She and Coroner Pete dated after the Inquest – not as in “months after the Inquest was concluded” but as in “flirting during the autopsy slides and playing footsie…
Usually the talk on MOD surrounds the latest in mastics and how the adhesives can be used to do seemingly amazing levitations or “Georgia Magnet” type of effects.
[Kind of a humorous note, one MOD thread was about using a 3M compound with an admixture from the newer grout pre-surfacing fluids to create a portable version of a sawing a woman in half.It was pretty funny; especially when the Dean of Drywall ? the MOD version of Dai Vernon ? jumped in with a story about how a younger magician was working with sheetrock for the first time and came upon the idea of a broken and restored 4 x 8 of sheetrock.
He was like, "Look at this!" and the Dean was like, all, "Check out The Magic of Drywall, Volume 3."The young guy was despondent for not knowing this but he snapped back and has had several marketable effects using putty and even one outstanding trick with caulk and tape where it appears that the tape tapes itself.]
Anyway, back to the news.
There is a new backing board available that is thinner and has more give than previous boards used in waterproofing.I don’t want to turn this into a MOD mini-board so I won’t give the name of the company that makes it.
We have the words “Hustle,” “Adult Ventriloquism,” and “Multiplying Lemons” in the Latest News Today.Some how they all come together but not in one discrete article.I also expose my ego and take you on a trip back to 1974 when I had my one big win.
You will note that theire is no discussion of tricks or magicians using meat in today’s edition.
If that’s not enough, we have the very latest on Siegfried and Roy’s cartoon.
Florida Magicians Association Convention Sets a Date
I used to be young, but now I am very old.I helped a friend move from one house to another and I think I will soon overdose on Advil.I don?t know what happens when you overdose on Advil but I am guessing it won?t hurt.I used to be able to do so much and without consequences.Maybe there were consequences but I just didn?t notice or care.
All of this is prologue to Today?s Latest Magic News.We have two stories about sons of famous magicians who are working to make a name on their own.They eat, drink and sleep magic.It is what they love and they have the time and energy to pursue their love.It is nostalgic to read their excitement but it is also inspirational.
I may easily injure myself lifting a part of a piano upstairs at this advanced age but in the world of Magic, I can keep up.I may not have the time or ability of the young men in the stories today, but I have the interest and excitement and love for the same things as the youth.
We also have Walter ?Zaney? Blaney?s thoughtful essay putting the Houdini Days Festival in context.There has been so much going back and forth about whether magicians should perform or attend the festival given Appleton, Wisconsin?s local museum?s intent to expose Houdini?s Metamorphosis.
If you have the energy to click the link below you will be able to read these stories.
Recent Comments