It may be the summer heat finally making its way up I-75 to Michigan or my new sense of peace that comes from any sort of 30-day regimen of psychotropic medicine, counseling, shock therapy, aversion therapy and aroma therapy. 

What ever the cause, though, as I sniff my small flask of elderberry and violets, I have found a great truth.  I prefer newsletters or catalogs for magic over the electronic version.  Maybe you are like me, and if you are, we should form a support group and embrace right before we bang a drum and declare our freedom from negativity.  We should also indulge in three of my favorite paper newsletters.

Read On . . .

Hank Lee’s EXTRA, Laflin’s Magic HAPPY MAGIC and, a new entry, FAB Magic’s THE DECEIVER, illustrate all that is good about paper versus electronic magic advertising. 

The benefits of a non-computer based newsletter should be obvious to anyone who does their reading in the restroom of truck stops, McDonalds or their own home.  I used to bring a mini-computer with me into the bathroom but had an unfortunate misunderstanding where others in the facility objected to me plugging the wire on one side of the area and stretching it under three stalls to get to my reading area.  I think they were also upset because I was in the ladies room. (It’s cleaner and they have more stalls).

Hank Lee asked his customers last year whether they preferred the EXTRA in paper or on the Internet.  According to his research, the votes were almost dead even.  In fact, in the case of IN RE HANK LEE v. ACLU, the United States Supreme Court stopped his recount of the votes before he could verify the final tally.  He decided to proceed with both media.

Hank does a bang-up job with his newsletter.  Each trick is described in
words that are actually written by someone at his company.  Often, magic shop owners will use whatever text they receive from Fun Inc., Murphy’s or Robbins.  As a consequence, you can find the same typo in the ad copy from eight different retail dealers.  Hank takes it a step further. 

He has line drawings produced for each effect.  You won’t see the same, worn-out, over-exposed, gimmick-hiding pictures with some guy or gal with dirty fingernails holding the prop against the eight close-up pads assembled to represent a background.  The drawings are true to the actual appearance of the effect and usually highlight the thing that makes the trick special.

Some of you younger kids won’t recall the days of the Tannen’s Catalog.  It weighed over…
Read the rest of this entry

Magic News and Notes for Monday June 28, 2004

Trixie Bond

Before we get to the serious magic news, I wanted to bring to your attention a really neat article in this month?s Genii. Trixie Bond has recorded her experience at the famous and exclusive 4F conclave. Trixie included the observations of three other female magicians to provide several perspectives on the close-up convention held this year in Batavia, New York. Check it out.

Do Not Smell This Casket

One of the questions we get here at Inside Magic is, ?What?s the longest anyone has ever spent buried underground with only a breathing tube, turban and a ruby??

Well, we don?t know the previous record holder but Zdenek Zahradka ? known to his fans as ?Fakir Ben Ghan? ? made it ten days through sheer willpower. His reward may be a Guinness World Record or at least a Guinness.

Zdenek Zahradka

Fakir Ben Ghan has received incredible press for his buried underground stunt. Newspapers and Internet sites around the world covered the event with far more reverence and less skepticism than they did David Blaine?s 44 days in a plexiglass box or his buried alive illusion.

…
Read the rest of this entry

Bill Martin Stars as Houdini

Bill Martin received excellent coverage for his historical portrayal of Harry Houdini as part of the Ohio Chautauqua circuit or tour. He was one of several entertainers on the traveling show to take on the persona of an historical figure to both entertain and educate audiences.

Chautauqua 2004 runs Wednesday through Sunday at the Ohio State University Marion campus. This year?s Chautauqua is an impressive continuation of the century old tradition. The tour is named for the turn of the century when chautauquas were known as a national forum for the open discussion of politics, economics, international relations, literature, science and religion.

Bill Martin is a magician, illusionist, escape artist, mentalist, hypnotist, behavioral therapist, and full-time entertainer. Bill performs comedy and magic shows for adults and children such as, “The Great and Magnificent Swami Salami.”

He has performed as Harry Houdini many times for the New Mexico Endowment for the Humanities and the Michigan Endowment for the Arts and humanities. He has spent his life studying Harry Houdini and has learned to duplicate the famous escapes and illusions from that era.

We are hoping Mr. Martin will bring his historical show to the Mystic Hollow area of Michigan this summer. As you know there is an intense rivalry between Ohio and Michigan and even though the border is no longer monitored and checkpoints have been virtually removed, there is still the deep-seated antipathy that makes traveling to either state a dangerous trek. But we are willing to make that trek if it means seeing Mr. Martin?s show. How is that for love of magic?

Read about Mr. Martin’s presentation here.

Read the rest of this entry