Melbourne Herald Sun reports today the magic equipment in Matt Hollywood's vehicle scared away would-be thieves.
There are two aspects of the story that seem incredible.
First, the magician reported the thieves did get two items: a car phone, and a "video camera which had some prized footage of the Siegfried and Roy circus tiger attack."
Second:
"When the coppers arrived to look things over, all sorts of odd things were happening. There were playing cards, coins and pens floating all around the car. But it seems what really scared the thieves off were the monstrous spider and the severed fingers they were confronted with when they opened the magic box."
Whatever!!
We're not smart but at least we're immature.
We are asked to believe Mr. Hollywood had a video camera containing video tape of Montecore's attack on Roy Horn on October 3rd 2003.
Do you remember, like we do, when the National Enquirer and the Weekly World News were offering top dollar to anyone with video tape or photographs of that horrible incident? Do you remember, as we do, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspectors were going to subpoena Siegfried and Roy and their management, and if necessary, hold them in contempt in order to get the one video tape of the horrific act? And do you recall the Nevada legislature prepared a law to protect Siegfried and Roy from any such subpoena or any imprisonment by the U.S. Government.
Let's assume he really did have the video from that night. One would imagine he would have taken it from the camera in the ensuing 18 months. Maybe, he would have made a copy of the video just in case the original was destroyed or, say, stolen.
Mr. Hollywood took enormous risks by keeping the tape in his camera….
But, Paul, please tell us what you really think of David Blaine. Mr. Daniels is featured on England’s ITV and in the UK Press for comments some would consider negative. You be the judge.
Mr. Daniels told reporters that US magician looks like “a bum on the street.” We understand that “bum” can mean one of two things in the UK; either a hobo/street-person, or a butt.
We think he is saying Mr. Blaine looks like a hobo/street-person.
The sentence doesn’t make sense if he is saying Mr. Blaine looks like a “butt on the street.”
Anyway.
ITV wrote, “Daniels, whose lighter brand of magic has been eclipsed in recent years by illusionists such as Blaine and Derren Brown, said the New Yorker had only done ‘half a dozen tricks very well.’”
Mr. Daniels went on:
“Blaine isn’t glamorous, he’s scruffy. He can’t be bothered to get dressed up. He’s wearing what a bum on the street would wear. I don’t think Blaine puts anything into magic at all – I think he was a street performer who did half a dozen tricks very well.”
Richard Adler, profiled in Inside Magic, will emcee the March Magic & Dance 2005 at the beautiful Duncan Theatre in Lake Worth, Florida.
This tenth annual presentation this Friday, with a pre-show of strolling close-up at 6:00 pm, and the full stage show will kick-off at 7:00 pm.
IBM Ring 117′s magicians have combined with the prestigious Thomas Dance Studio’s ENCORE! Dance Company to benefit hundreds of children who never attended a theatrical event.
This year, more than 200 children will attend free, organizers said. The students are from the Guatemalan-Maya Center in Lake Worth and several elementary schools, including Barton, North Grade, South Grade, Palm Springs and Highland.
Magician Richard Adler, also known as The Amazing Mr. A, the award-winning conjurer — and funniest man in North America will emcee. Several young magicians and the beautiful escape artist Great Cindini will perform, and a surprise finale is being planned, said Gary Croushore, president of Ring 117.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for children. Advance tickets are available at Thomas Dance Studio, 924 N. Dixie Highway, Lake Worth, (561) 582-3100; and the Greater Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce, 807 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth, (561) 582-4401.
The IC North Wales (UK) reports today Peter Kay, described as a ‘Top Comedian,’ “pulled back a theater curtain to reveal a magician stuffing his assistant in a box as they prepared a trick.” The story was recounted on a talk show hosted by Michael Parkinson.
The theatre audience laughed – as did millions of Parkinson viewers during Saturday night’s chat show. But North Wales couple Stuart and Jayne Loughland watched in disbelief as Kay recounted the tale.
You will no doubt recall Inside Magic’s article profiling Mr. & Mrs. Loughland a/k/a Safire and their award-winning routine.
Safire was performing at the prestigious Opera Theatre in Blackpool last summer and shared the bill with “comedian” Peter Kay.
Mr. Loughland told reporters last night, “He had deliberately got caught up in the curtain, saying he wanted a full stage and things moved. I was just pushing Jayne into a box and when I looked up all I could see was Peter standing there with about half the audience behind him.”
Ever the professionals, Safire carried on.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes. He is a brilliant entertainer and I reckon he knew we were behind the curtain and getting ready. Initially I just panicked when I saw him but in the end all went well and the 3,000 people in the theatre gave us a great ovation.”
The couple are Associate Members of the Magic Circle.
Contrary to the comedian’s description, both Stuart and Jayne are illusionists in the act.
“We both do illusions, whether it’s close up stuff or creating sets,” said Mr. Loughland. Theirs is a match made in magic heaven. A chance meeting while working at the same pharmacy developed into a marriage of their talents and their lives.
The couple formed the act, Safire about a year before they became husband and wife. Since then, they have traveled the world and appeared with big names.
Their current presentation displays not only their magical talents, it also shows their theatrical innovation. Their act fits within a story. Mr. Loughland told reporters, “The production is loosely based on Pirates Of The Caribbean and not only do we get to perform our illusions in the act but we play parts with Paul and Barry (the Chuckle Brothers) in the comedy sketches. I even get involved in a sword fight.”
The following is a true story — substantially true — used to prove, logically, that Rick Carruth, editor of Street Magic Info, Street Magic Bullets, and the eZine eMagic Deluxe, is actually four people.
Our story unfolds just a few days ago in a community center not unlike other community centers . . .
One of our great local magic clubs, Ring 22 of Detroit held its Thumb Tip Night last week.
(As many of you remember, until December 31, 2004, Michigan law prohibited ?Thumb Tip Nights? or ?Vernet Days? if the event was to be held within ten miles of a ?high school or vocational school woodshop.? The law made sense back in the day when any woodshop teacher worth his salt was missing a digit. The law sought to protect the feelings of these often under-paid instructors by not allowing magicians to display fake digits for any purpose. Thanks to the advent of OSHA and union demands for safer shop tools, the amputation numbers have dropped dramatically).
Each member was to offer some innovative technique or effect with a thumb tip. Doug Mac George took the stage and began demonstration of a bill switch. As he neared completion of the all-important third fold, his thumb tip popped from his hand, bounced off the table, and rolled on the floor beneath him.
We all felt badly for the poor guy. We also felt relief that we weren?t him.
Then Mr. Mac George did something strange. We thought maybe he had lost his mind; that he was so embarrassed by dropping the thumb tip, he didn?t realize he wouldn?t be able to complete the effect.
Oh, poor Mr. Mac George. He was a figure to be pitied.
He continued to fold the bill for a final time and when most magicians would expect the bill to be momentarily obscured for a switch to be made, he left the bill in plain sight.
Of course he cannot obscure the bill. He has no reason to do it. There is nothing to switch. Oh, dear. So sad, this man.
It was like a car accident, though. I couldn?t help but look. He began to unfold the bill and show that it had indeed transformed without props or a hidden move. The first bill had also vanished and Mr. Mac George showed both sides of the new bill and demonstrated that his hands were empty and free of appliances.
Gulp. I became gaseous. My internal organs were shutting down to allow my trembling body to enter into the sleep of the undead. One of my defense mechanisms when I witness a witch or some voodoo doer is to act like I have become a zombie. Witches and voodooers will rarely cast a zombie spell on someone who is already in suspended animation.
I fought to keep my eyes open. I ordered my lungs to take in deeper breaths and my heart to beat slightly faster than coma-level. That?s how good this was. I was willing to be made into a true brainless creature of the night just to see if there was a logical explanation.
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