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Disgusted, We Are: John Edward and Yanna

Yanna a/k/a Christine Evans

Two stories came together as we were assembling the Inside Magic Daily Newsletter. (If you are not on the newsletter list, you can sign up with the box to the right of this article). Either story was disgusting but together, their unsavory parts created a whole sack full of gross that was greater than the sum of the two slimy pieces.

First, Yanna a/k/a Christine Evans, was convicted and will soon be sentenced for duping a woman out of a $100,000.00 and was going for an extra $71,000.00. The psychic is a former convict from Arizona where she faced bad check charges. Ms. Evans is a mother of three and apparently without conscience.

Ms. Evans met her victim at a “psychic party” in a suburban shopping center. She offered to provide services beyond the quick cold read in a store and the two women arranged for Ms. Evans to visit the victim’s home.

Astute readers of Inside Magic or any book or newspaper know where this is leading. Ms. Evans found the house was crawling with spooks and forces sufficient to bring psychic wrong and possibly lower property values unless forced from the structure.

Darn if they didn’t try everything. Ms. Evans even walked around the place with a pan full of steaming myrrh and incense while throwing flower petals around the joint. The image is not unlike a waitress at Chili’s bringing a steaming skillet of fajitas to your table but with flower petals thrown at you.

Still, even these extraordinary measures didn’t do the job.

Ms. Evans convinced the victim she needed to give her a check for $71,000.00 to take the next step because she sensed some of the spirits were violent. That’s not good. Real estate appraisers say next to replacing your bathrooms, driving out violent spirits is the best thing you can do to improve your home’s value.

A law enforcement officer hid in the shower to listen to the exchange between the two women. The victim invited the law enforcement officer into the house (one wonders if this was the ‘violent spirit’ Ms. Evans felt). The check was written; Ms. Evans left the house, and was stopped by assisting officers down the road. When they retrieved the check from Ms. Evans, it was soggy with spit. She had attempted to swallow it as she was pulled over.

At a hearing today, Ms. Evans told the judge she had only $3,000 left to turn over to the victim. She drove to the hearing in a new Mercedes. The judge considered the offer an insult and gave her until mid-May to come up with the victim’s cash. She will receive her full sentence then.

The second story is perhaps more insidious. Regardless of where you come down on the Terri Schiavo issue, we hope you are repulsed by the following.

John Edward is known for his tactless but generally not horribly harmful Crossing Over books and television shows. His name has dropped from the public discourse since his show was cancelled from the Sci-Fi cable channel.

He tried to pull himself up by his bootstraps once before by taping a special edition of Crossing…
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March 30th, 2005 | Category: Magic Stories | Leave a comment

Marc Oberon Wins European Close-Up at Blackpool

 

Marc Oberon – Winner European Close-Up

The Stage Online reports Marc Oberon has won the inaugural European Magical Close Up Championships, held at this year?s Blackpool Magic Convention.

We were trying to find out who won it last year until we found out “inaugural” means “first.” We thought it had something to do with a hernia. So Mr. Oberon’s win has now set the standard for this award.

Mr. Oberon beat-out Feco from Hungary and Jorg Alexander from Germany. All together there were nine in the close-up contest. The 53rd Annual Blackpool Convention had a record attendance — over 3,500.

The Guinness Book of World Records named it the “largest magicians’ convention in the world.”

Check out Mr. Oberon’s website for a view of interesting Flash programming in a frame system that actually works. The lay-out is inspiring.

Congratulations to Mr. Oberon and to the organizers of the Blackpool Magic Convention.

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March 30th, 2005 | Category: Magic News | Leave a comment

Off to a Great Start: von Scheibner Wins Leveridge Trophy

 

Sixteen year-old magician is called a “Teenage Talent” by the IC South London newswire today.

Troy von Scheibner recently picked up a well-deserved Mark Leveridge Close-up Trophy from the Young Magicians Club, a junior branch of the prestigious Magic Circle.

Inside Magic Favorite and Contributor Mandy Davis works with the Young Magicians Club extensively and should be congratulated for her dedication to the next generation of great magic.

Mr. von Scheibner is already working professionally in area restaurants and is known for his excellence in close-up magic.

He prefers the close-up magic; perhaps because of his early influence from David Blaine. He recalled seeing Mr. Blaine perform on television when he was just 12. He sought to develop magic that share the “close-up ‘how?’ factor of the US street magician.”

Mr. von Scheibner notes, “Stage magic can be very impressive but people in the audience can think, ‘oh, it’s all done with mirrors.? But with close-up magic people can’t explain what they’ve just seen happen in front of them.”

His classmates at Crofton School, Brockley, serve as the young master’s test audiences for new effects. His specialties include rubber bands, ropes, and cards.

His short-term goal? He intends to audition for the Magic Circle when he turns 18. “That’s tough because you have to do a routine in front of a panel of older magicians.”

Good luck to Mr. von Scheibner and thank you to the IC South London editor who is apparently a magic fan. This one news wire produces more stories about young magicians than any other around the world. We have to think the editor of the newspaper/syndicate service is a magician. The article was originally written by Charlotte Tamvakis of the Greenwich Mercury.
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March 29th, 2005 | Category: Magic News | Leave a comment

Magic Brethren Pres. Halvdan Resigns

 

Halvdan with the CDs – Better Times

As many of you have already heard, Larry Halvdan has announced he will step down from the Fraternity of Magic Brethren. This was not a surprise to most following his case and his campaign to stay in office.

 

Although Mr. Halvdan has denied the charges brought by his accusers and "rubber stamped" by the Fraternity's Executive Board late last week, it seemed inevitable he would have to resign. We did not take a position on the case. There did not seem to be a need to insert our opinion into a very divisive feud between the old school and the new wave of magicians and magic teachers.

 

Mr. Halvdan's background in magic is lengthy and rich. He worked five years as a demonstrator for Charles Champs' Magic Lane in St. Petersburg, Florida. Before long, he was an assistant manager of the store — at 17-years of age. He gained some reputation in the local magic community for his quick wit and deft sleights before attending Alachua Community College in Gainesville, Florida, on his way to the University of Florida.

 

Mr. Halvdan earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Florida, and First Place prizes at the Florida State Magician's Association and the Hank Lee's Magic Cape Cod Conclave in Stage Magic. He worked school assembly shows, trade events, performed twice at the Magic Castle, and wrote a well-accepted treatise on palming techniques, Magic within Reach.

 

We have elected to republish Mr. Halvdan's resignation speech here not to take sides in the argument but to give this gentleman his opportunity to be heard. There is no reason to continue fighting but it is important to hear what the fighting was about.

 

Delivered March 28, 2005 Pensacola, Florida

 

Thank you for coming. I have asked members of the local press and our few distinguished magic journalists to attend this press conference to announce I will resign effective immediately my position as President of The Fraternity of Magic Brethren. I will simultaneously resign my position of Regional Governor for the Brethren, and will resign from the organization as well.

 

This was a difficult decision for me to make. I believe in fighting for those things that matter. I love magic in all of its forms and at all levels. I have been honored to represent the wonderful members of this organization in events around the world. I will continue to be proud of the position to which the membership elected me six years ago. I had anticipated I would be in this role for four more years before being put out to magic pasture.

 

I want to thank my wife for standing by me through not just this situation but also for the last fifteen years of our marriage. She was and is always a fair and candid counselor. She is an example of what an "Assistant" can be. They are not merely more animated props.

 

Now, let me turn to the issues that caused me to resign. It was clear the Executive Board — or at four of the six members — were going to ask me to step-down before they heard a scrap of evidence or considered any contrary positions.

 

This is unfortunate. The Executive Board…

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March 29th, 2005 | Category: Magic Stories | Leave a comment

Magician Loses Rabbit Mid-Trick

 

Bunny’s Waiting for Dinner – Is That Wrong Too?

The Daily Mirror of London reported the odd story of animal-rights activists “liberating” a magician’s bunny during his show.

Lynn Thomas, known professionally as The Great Velcro, described it this way:

“I was in the middle of my act when I saw this shadow out the corner of my eye fumbling with my top hat. Then someone from the audience came up to me and said ‘Was that man supposed to run off with your rabbit?’”

The answer was obvious. Mr. Thomas was very distraught and considers his rabbit Georgina an integral part of all shows, not just the special Easter presentation.

Some of the audience of 150 at Komedia, a club in Brighton, chased the dreadlocked thief but could not catch him and rescue Georgina, a key part of Lynn’s act and only his fourth rabbit in 20 years as a magician. According to the club manager, “The audience chased the thief but he still got away.”

Mr. Lynn is of good repute in magic and not known for acts endangering animals in any manner. Paul Daniels had him as a guest on the famous magician’s television show, and even performed for the Queen Mum’s 80th birthday party.

Mr. Lynn said, “Everyone I’ve told this story laughs first but is then very sad. I imagine the thief thinks he knows what’s best about animal welfare. But he’ll probably end up helping her die young. If she’s put out in the wild she won’t last more than a couple of days.”

Police are looking for the rabbit and the thief. It was only one of four rabbits Mr. Lynn has had in 20 years.

Let’s hope they find Georgina before it is too late.
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March 28th, 2005 | Category: Magic News | Leave a comment
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