In today?s magic news, we learn that some things never change and some things have never changed.Janet Jackson was not the only one to expose herself live on television, one of our own magicians did it well before her.Water Witching isn?t dead but James Randi is trying to kill it.Chris Rock has some funny comments about David Blaine and Mr. Blaine goes from looking starved to death to looking at models who look like they stayed in the box for 64 days.
The Amazing Randi is quoted by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on the efficacy of the ancient practice of ?dowsing? for water.The story features several practitioners of ?water witching? or ?divining? who claim success although they do not document their successes or failures.Says he ever-skeptical Randi:
“The bottom line is that [dowsers] all fail when properly and fairly tested. There are no exceptions. Even after they have clearly and definitely failed, they always continue to believe in their powers.”
Tim Ellis and Sue-Anne Webster gave a lecture to our local magic club almost a year ago.For some reason, the subject of Toppits became the center of the question and answer session.Tim related how he had paid an enormous amount of money and time trying to find a tailor that could perform the modifications he needed for his very special leather jacket he used for his FISM award-winning act.
A tailor who understood magic and the needs of a magician, he suggested, is very hard to find.Some of those assembled even asked for the name and address of his tailor in Australia.
Flash forward to two weeks before the 2004 World Magic Seminar.I heard through the rumor web that there was a tailor who knew magic.He allegedly had worked as a magician for years, worked with some of the best in the business and had some connection with the Lance Burton show.I also learned that this man was living in Las Vegas and may have opened a shop.
I was going to find this mysterious tailor.It was my mission.
I didn?t see the Justin Timberlake ? Janet Jackson incident during the Super Bowl Half-Time Show.I was typing an article for Inside Magic about how perfection is so wonderful to watch and is one of the best things about being a magician.
I started this essay ? part of which is here ? during the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas after seeing Tommy Wonder and Jon Armstrong perform their close-up routines for a second time.
Their demonstration followed my prayerful watching of Peyton Manning leading the Indianapolis Colts to a victory in the play-offs.Manning was not intercepted and had a near perfect QB rating.To me, that was perfection and because the Colts were the underdogs in Vegas betting, it was profitable perfection.
Watching Mr. Wonder and Mr. Armstrong was also a chance to witness perfection.I have seen many great magicians in my life.I?ve seen many magicians that are supposed to be great but weren?t and many who were unknown but were deserving of the ?Great Magician? title.I wrote my effusive praise of these two magicians at the time of their shows and you can read the article here.
Peer pressure often makes me say that certain magicians or tricks are great when, in fact, they are not.I hate that feeling.I don?t want to hurt a brother or sister magician by suggesting that they are not as great as the major… Continue reading Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake and Tommy Wonder
Rick and Karen Rogers are featured in the Albany Democrat-Herald for their new venture, The Rick Rogers Family Magic Shop.Husband and wife are both magicians but consider themselves to be approachable.?We?re not serious magicians, we like to laugh at ourselves.?
But knowing magic does provide an edge over the other stores that simply sell magic sets or the occasional bubble-packed trick on a point-of-sale rack.?“A lot of stores that carry this stuff, the people there won’t even know how to open the box, let alone know how to use it.?In one case, the couple worked with a grandfather until he understood the effect well-enough to teach the intended recipient of the magic set he just purchased.Says Mr. Rogers, ?I worked with him until he had it down. It’s fun to teach this stuff.”
Bob Infantino will be performing at the Islip Town Hall Annex at 2 pm on February 28, 2004.He’s probably best known for his magic and comedy along with juggling.He was a Grand Prize Winner on America’s Funniest People and featured on Comedy Central as well as appearing on Caroline’s Comedy Club on Broadway.
To check out Mr. Infantino’s incredible web site, click here.
To read the South Beach article promoting the show, go here.
Paul Daniels
Paul Daniels and the lovely Debbie McGee received some great news from the home-front about the front of their home as they headed back home from New Zealand.In 2003, the River Thames flooded and destroyed most of their ?2,500,000.00 home.The First Couple of Magic were forced to live in just three rooms that survived the flood.They had petitioned the local planning board for permission to repair the home.Piece of cake, right?Nope.
The Daniels lived on a “Green Belt” area and thus were not allowed to perform any construction on the property ? even if it was to repair the home or protect it from future flooding.The planning commission told the wonderful couple that they would have to continue to live in the remaining three rooms and could not protect their home… Continue reading Latest News for February 3, 2003
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