Not too long ago, I was booked to perform at a fete.  Fete performing has always been one of my specialties. I worked my way up from performing get-togethers to picnics to conclaves to hanging-out opportunities.  But back to the fete.  There were 15 tables with eight rich people at each table.  It was going to be loud, drunken and disorganized ? just like one of my Saturday Night baths.  

Read On . . . 

I needed something special that I could carry around and perform on the tables of the eight rich people.  I knew I couldn?t bring my nightclub table for a few reasons: number one, this wasn?t a nightclub (or ?niteclub? if you have one of the old Tannen?s models); number two, the floor was uneven and my table wouldn?t roll smoothly ? even if it did have wheels, but it doesn?t; number three, I wanted to perform anywhere I could find space on the rich people?s tables and rolling or, for my table, dragging a table around would slow up the process; and number four, I hadn?t repainted my nightclub since my last trade show for the for a colostomy cleaning supply company.  

Anyway, I found the perfect solution.  I bought a trick that came with its own carrying case that just happened to be a perfect close-up performance surface.  The Psychokinetic

Bolt by Sam Dalal is an incredible effect.   It comes with a case that works perfectly as your moveable close-up pad and, because it is a case as well as a performance surface, it can also be used as a case.  

Here?s the unvarnished depiction of Psychokinetic Bolt:

The performer displays a nut and bolt, which can be thoroughly examined by the audience. You thread the bolt on the nut or have a member of the close-up audience do the threading.  I had one of the less drunk rich people do the threading ? that still didn?t stop…
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There are, it has been said, two types of magicians: professional and not professional.  You can be professional without charging your customer a dime.  You can fall short of being professional even though you charge a pretty penny. 

Read On . . .

Your performance isn?t a matter of having the best tricks, the newest or biggest tricks.  It is a matter of having tricks that fit within your approach to magic and allow you to perform in a professional manner. The Collector?s Workshop Original Gumball Machine is not cheap — $1430.00 ? but it is the perfect piece around which to build your stage or parlor shows. 

I have seen the Gumball Machine performed twice ? both times by Rich Bloch.  The most recent performance was during his opening act for The Amazing Jonathan in Vegas.  The effect was essentially his entire act and it did not seem that he was stretching the routine to fill time. 

If you are ready to make the move to the professional ranks, and are looking for an effect that will be memorable and allow you to perform, look to The Original Gumball Machine. 

(Note that there are those who would and who have stolen the Gumball Machine and are selling their stolen product in some of the more prominent magazines.  Mr. Robinson?s Gumball Machine is the original.  He purchased the rights to manufacture and sell the effect ? those rights belong to no one else.)

Read the full description of the effect and check out the other great effects at Viking Magic here.

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Steve Allen

Some of the readers of Inside Magic will be too young to recall, but there was a time when television shows (usually done live) would take a moment from the regular program to tell the audience about a new sponsor of the show.  Johnny Carson used to have a sample of the sponsor’s product, he’d tell the audience a little about it and thank the sponsor for the support and urge the television audience to buy as much of the sponsor’s wares as possible. 

Read On . . .

Tonight, I’d like to take a moment out of the Inside Magic regular programming ? the usual variety, variety, variety ? welcome a new sponsor and friend to the Inside Magic pages.  George Robinson, Jr. has been in love with magic since his youth.  He has a near-encyclopedic knowledge of our art and the great magicians who performed before us.  His desire to keep the quality and integrity of our art is exemplified by the work done through his Viking Magic Company. 

Based in my wife’s family’s hometown of Edinburg, Texas, Mr. Robinson has built a successful business in our art by focusing not on business but the art.  He purchased the rights to manufacture items from John Pomeroy, Joe Stevens, Paul Harris, Al Cohen, Oscar Munoz, Phillip Morris, Tony Spina, Ken Allen, Fantasio, Hank Lee, John Cornelius, Max Suko, Jim Swoger, Bob Kline, Larry Becker, Lee Earle, Derek Lever, Paul Osborne, Mark Wilson, Gene Gonzalez, Bill Merlin Palmer, Vince Carmen, the late Tony Andruzzi, Dick Zimmerman, Rich Bloch, Nick Ruggiero, Zany Blaney, Sunil Batra, and Andy Martin.  In the year 2000, Mr. Robinson also took on the assets of the famous Collector’s Workshop.

What a nice segue to our Collector’s Workshop Effect of the Week.  Each week, we’ll have one of the great effects featured right here for your consideration.

I should tell you that we?re not including Mr. Robinson?s effects because of any promotional payments.  His magic will be featured because it?s great stuff and he?s a great guy.  Check out his website by going to …
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