One of Wayne Alan’s effects asks the musical
question, Where Do the Ducks Go?
Frankly we don’t much care — it is enough for us to watch them vanish,
reappear, and make reputations of great magicians like Mr. Alan and David
Copperfield.
Regardless of the current location of the ducks, we know where we hope to be
on Saturday, July 23rd from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Mr. Alan, winner of the FISM 1982 Gold Medal for Grand Illusion is hosting a
get-together at his home in beautiful Riva (Annapolis), Maryland.
He’ll have tents, refreshments, and illusions aplenty.
We received a flyer promising magician?s illusions, close-up and stage magic,
books, posters and memorabilia.
There will be hundreds of items to check out, drool over, and purchase.
Including, of course, Where Do the Ducks Go as well as:
Zig Zag;
Tip Over Trunk;
Levitation (Maybe Phil Moore?s Lighter than Air);
Sub Trunk by Chalet;
Osborne?s Laser Cannon by Chalet;
Light Bulbs Thru Girl by Sommers;
Double Sawing in Half (professionally built from Paul Osborne?s plans);
Illusions by John Gaughn, Chalet, David Mendoza, Owens, and others;
Plus,
hundreds of close-up tricks, stage/parlor magic, books, posters and
memorabilia.
Mr. Alan wisely decided to charge $10.00 admission to deter the curious and
help defray drink and snack costs. He will also require some proof you are a
magician. You can show a valid ID from a magical organization such as IBM, SAM,
or other proof of a serious interest in magic is required for entry.
Let Mr. Alan know you’re planning on attending so he can save you a spot. You
can call him at 410-956-8132 or email at wayne@WayneAlanMagic.com
Directions from Baltimore-Come south on I-97 and when you approach Rt.50 stay
to the right and get on Aris T. Allen Blvd… toward Riva Road. Take Riva Road
south, over the South River Bridge, past the firehouse on the left, turn left
into the… Continue reading Wayne Alan’s Yard Sale to Beat All Yard Sales
Thank you to all who wrote in support of our brave stand against the forces
that be (or are). As you know, we were ordered by a Federal Judge to either
expose our sources for one of our recent stories or go to jail. We believed the
principle was worth our battle — and maybe even a return to the pokey.
The article documented the way some unscrupulous magic dealers rip-off
customers by intentionally selling less than complete decks. Our undercover
expose showed the so-called “Stripper Deck” is neither a deck of strippers nor
even a full deck.
In fact, our advance computer modeling program demonstrated
the so-called “stripping” of the deck actually removes portions of each card.
The deck you buy has actually less paper than a normal deck but costs more.
We also showed how a certain “magic” deck doesn’t even have 52 different
cards. In fact, our investigation revealed, some of these so-called “magic”
decks didn’t even have 26 different cards. Again, the unscrupulous sellers
charge more for each of these decks under the guise they are special. Yes,
they’re special alright! Special Bad. (Or Especially Bad or Especially
Badly).
If it hadn’t been for a free magic press, you would never know you were being
ripped off each time you bought a set of “four” multiplying billiard balls. In
our article, “A Shell Game?” we documented the way some of the traditional magic
shops take you for a sucker every time they sell you a set.
We took the accusations from the critics in stride. We’re used to it by now
but we do wish these alleged journalists could get our name right.
The New York Times called our series “moronic.” That putative “Paper
of Record” told its readers, “It is laughable to watch Tom Quiggley (sic) rush
up to Las Vegas Master Magician Lance Burton while screaming his demands for an
on-camera interview. ‘Lance, why won’t you talk about the billiard ball scandal?
How can you allow them to sell candles that won’t even stay lit and fall apart
when you take them out of their holders? What do you tell kids to do when their
canes can’t support their weight because they’re made so cheaply they
unravel?’”
Right. Whatever!
The Washington Post accused us of working the stories to help our
sweeps-week ratings. “Why else would Todd Quinine (sic) have a scantily clad
former stripper try to buy a ‘stripper deck’?”
Uh, we dunno. Maybe it’s called “investigative journalism?” Look it up in the
dictionary under “what you don’t know but should know!”
It was the Los Angeles Times who put the coup in the coup de
gras. “And when Tad Quimby (sic) was asked to reveal his sources, he thought
they said, ‘reveal your sores’ and exposed his hairy, pustuled leg for the
judge.”
First, “pustuled” isn’t even a word.
Second, it is easy to second guess when you’re playing Monday morning arm
chair quarterback through beer goggles that give you 20-20 hindsight.
The good press for this impressive young magician keeps on coming.
We all remember fondly the feeling when we received our first straight
jacket. You remember: you were just a young magician / escape artist. You’d
mastered the magic kit you received, tried the different rope and handcuff
escapes described in the Johnson-Smith pamphlets on the subject.
Maybe even had friends or enemies tie you up. (Sorry about the split infinitive
but it sounded stupid to say “tie up you” much less type it).
But you wanted more. Like youngsters in our art, wanted your very own
straight jacket.
We suppose kids learning to be Olympic figure skaters must recall the moment
they graduated from dual-blade, mauve-colored boots to figure skates. It’s the
same thing only less acceptable in polite society.
Wow, what a long way to go to take note of the touching story retold in
today’s Herald
News.
Fourteen years ago, an adolescent Radatz was also trying to master a
trick in his parents’ living room. The Radatzes had given their 14-year-old son
his first straitjacket for Christmas.
Full of youthful arrogance, Radatz thought it would be a piece of cake.
Instead, he lost his balance and fell flat on his face in his living room.
“It was an awakening to realize how much practice goes into making magic look
like it is magic,” said Mr. Radatz.
The paper notes Mr. Radatz suffered from a fear of heights but by practicing
from increasing heights, he has “conquered the fear by hanging upside down 30
feet above solid concrete, strapped into a straitjacket.”
More than 20,000 people have attended the fair so far and the critics have
been effusive in their praise of the young man.
The fair and Mr. Radatz’ performances continue through the weekend. Do not
miss this polished and professional rising star of our craft. Keep up the great
work, Mr. Radatz!
The good press for this impressive young magician keeps on coming.
We all remember fondly the feeling when we received our first straight
jacket. You remember: you were just a young magician / escape artist. You’d
mastered the magic kit you received, tried the different rope and handcuff
escapes described in the Johnson-Smith pamphlets on the subject.
Maybe even had friends or enemies tie you up. (Sorry about the split infinitive
but it sounded stupid to say “tie up you” much less type it).
But you wanted more. Like youngsters in our art, wanted your very own
straight jacket.
We suppose kids learning to be Olympic figure skaters must recall the moment
they graduated from dual-blade, mauve-colored boots to figure skates. It’s the
same thing only less acceptable in polite society.
Wow, what a long way to go to take note of the touching story retold in
today’s Herald
News.
Fourteen years ago, an adolescent Radatz was also trying to master a
trick in his parents’ living room. The Radatzes had given their 14-year-old son
his first straitjacket for Christmas.
Full of youthful arrogance, Radatz thought it would be a piece of cake.
Instead, he lost his balance and fell flat on his face in his living room.
“It was an awakening to realize how much practice goes into making magic look
like it is magic,” said Mr. Radatz.
The paper notes Mr. Radatz suffered from a fear of heights but by practicing
from increasing heights, he has “conquered the fear by hanging upside down 30
feet above solid concrete, strapped into a straitjacket.”
More than 20,000 people have attended the fair so far and the critics have
been effusive in their praise of the young man.
The fair and Mr. Radatz’ performances continue through the weekend. Do not
miss this polished and professional rising star of our craft. Keep up the great
work, Mr. Radatz!
Mr. Foshee says the persona of B. Happie is essentially his personality but exaggerated to comic proportions. Those proportions must be appropriate; he has had great success with the character in shows around the country for the last seven years.
“B. Happie is just goofy and likes making kids laugh,” Foshee said via his cell phone as he waited in the line for the flume ride at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township on his day off. “I say ‘abracadabra,’ and then a banana comes out of my bag. Then I say, ‘Who said have a banana?’”"
Mr. Foshee uses live animals in his show and suggests the bunny, dog, and dove are the key to connecting with children. “The kids absolutely love the rabbit. They get excited when they see the rabbit because he is cute.”
Mr. Foshee graduated from the prestigious Penn State and worked in marketing for just a year before realizing his true calling. He quit the career path to take one less-traveled. Today, he works with his wife Lesha to run a magic show booking business for ten fellow performers.
The show July 13th is one of three Mr. Foshee has developed for kids. He performs B. Happie and Read – a 45-minute show in which he uses elementary school books to encourage reading – and a gospel magic show for churches featuring routines inspired by Bible stories.
Check out his website for some of the neat marketing ideas such as the Wow Mom Special or the Super Duty Party Package. Mr. Foshee’s service also offers rides, moon walks, and gift bags in addition to the performers. His site is impressive but even more so when we recall he is also performing full-time.
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