Posts
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 12/15/2010 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Christmas Party with Gift Exchange
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – artthomas31@Earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.
Thursday, December 09, 2010
2012-12 From the Editor
Time flies when you are having fun, and even if you are not, so we have already reached the last newsletter of 2010. I wish all members a Merry Christmas, as also Happy Hanukkah (at least the last of it). For anyone else, not covered by the above Season's Greetings.
This newsletter comes to you from the land of Tenyo, where I am about to get on a plane for the long sit back to the US. It was interesting riding the trains here and watching commercials for a card trick (or show). Not sure exactly what it was for as my Japanese does not extend beyond "hello", "goodbye" and "one beer".
Thanks to Dennis and Sheldon for their contributions this month. All the best to everyone for the coming weeks and have a Happy New Year.
Your editor
Stefan
This newsletter comes to you from the land of Tenyo, where I am about to get on a plane for the long sit back to the US. It was interesting riding the trains here and watching commercials for a card trick (or show). Not sure exactly what it was for as my Japanese does not extend beyond "hello", "goodbye" and "one beer".
Thanks to Dennis and Sheldon for their contributions this month. All the best to everyone for the coming weeks and have a Happy New Year.
Your editor
Stefan
2010-12 Ring report
President Craig Fennessey called the meeting to order on November 17 and introduced the Ring's officers to the 24 members and guests in attendance. He briefly discussed the Christmas gift exchange which will be held at our next meeting in December. Craig noted that a great many Ring Members had attended the Daytona Beach Convention and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Notably, our youngest active member of the Ring, Sebastian Midtvaage, took 1st Place in the close-up competition. Bev Bergeron emceed many of the events and also received a 50th Anniversary Award for his work with Nani Darnell and Mark Wilson on the TV series, The Magic Land of Allakazam (1960).
Phil Schwartz, Bob and Valerie Swadling reported on their experience at the 13th Yankee Event, NEMCA, the New England Magic Collectors Association. They praised everything from the Houdini display, the auction to the many speakers who gave of themselves.
James Songster reported on the continuing participation in performing for the children and families at "Give Kids the World" in Kissimmee. He gave an open invitation to the membership who might wish to entertain the children during the coming year. Dan Knapp has also worked with James as a regular and his contribution is appreciated.
Bev Bergeron continued his monthly demonstration of impromptu magic with 3 large coins presented as a puzzle.
Phil Schwartz presented Magic History Moment #27 a brief history of the magician, Harry Kellar, nee Heinrich Keller. Born in 1849 in Erie, Pa. Phil indicated that Kellar was not especially known for his originality; but he worked hard to develop his performing skills and stage presence and was known for, among other illusions, The Levitation of Princess Karnac. Kellar was a contemporary and friend of Houdini. He passed away in Los Angeles in 1922.
Following a brief break in the meeting, Chris Dunn introduced 3 members, Wallace Murphy, Dan Stapleton, and Charlie Pfrogner who wished to perform for the audience. Wallace went on to show his collection of paddles, hot rods, color changing knives and jumping gems and briefly demonstrated how they were used. Dan showed the audience an interesting and clever prediction effect known as Lubor Fiedler's 5 color chance.
Charlie ended the evening with a 3 card monte and a large clip.
A fine time was had by all.
Phil Schwartz, Bob and Valerie Swadling reported on their experience at the 13th Yankee Event, NEMCA, the New England Magic Collectors Association. They praised everything from the Houdini display, the auction to the many speakers who gave of themselves.
James Songster reported on the continuing participation in performing for the children and families at "Give Kids the World" in Kissimmee. He gave an open invitation to the membership who might wish to entertain the children during the coming year. Dan Knapp has also worked with James as a regular and his contribution is appreciated.
Bev Bergeron continued his monthly demonstration of impromptu magic with 3 large coins presented as a puzzle.
Phil Schwartz presented Magic History Moment #27 a brief history of the magician, Harry Kellar, nee Heinrich Keller. Born in 1849 in Erie, Pa. Phil indicated that Kellar was not especially known for his originality; but he worked hard to develop his performing skills and stage presence and was known for, among other illusions, The Levitation of Princess Karnac. Kellar was a contemporary and friend of Houdini. He passed away in Los Angeles in 1922.
Following a brief break in the meeting, Chris Dunn introduced 3 members, Wallace Murphy, Dan Stapleton, and Charlie Pfrogner who wished to perform for the audience. Wallace went on to show his collection of paddles, hot rods, color changing knives and jumping gems and briefly demonstrated how they were used. Dan showed the audience an interesting and clever prediction effect known as Lubor Fiedler's 5 color chance.
Charlie ended the evening with a 3 card monte and a large clip.
A fine time was had by all.
2010-12 Dennis’ Deliberations
I did fly back to Orlando for a few days the first of this month but family business, fixing our house and attending a cataract operation for my brother took all my time.
Cindy had already been there for a few weeks with her car so we returned on the road. On the way back, on Saturday, we hit snow on I-77 just north of Charlotte, NC and followed the tracks of snowplows for 3 hours through the mountains and in southwest Virginia. Here in Harrisonburg we only had a light dusting but the temperatures have been in the 20s and strong winds. More snow expected.
The Christmas Holiday Party Season is looking pretty bleak up here for shows as most companies have cut way back again this year but I have my regular shows doing restaurant magic. I do hope that all of you have a happy holiday season and things will be looking up for next year. Many of us have been down for so long we don’t know what “up” looks like. I have a new school show going on the road in January and I will keep you updated. In the meantime, I am still doing radio work and substitute teaching. Ring #320 here elected me their Secretary so you will again read my Ring Reports in the Linking Ring.
There has to be a new paradigm in magic marketing and Jay Sankey seems to understand it well.
Ya gotta hand it to him, Jay Sankey is working the Internet like a violin. And likely, profiting handsomely from it. If so, then if I ever meet him again (his hard luck), I'll say to him "GOOD ON YA!" -- as it's always nice to see magicians giving back as much as they get. ... Or some such.
But!! His magic "Advice for Beginners" gave me a chance to genuinely question some of it. It's not so much that it is "wrong", as that it is often incomplete, and as such, misses a number of essential points and subtleties that ... to be fair ... the intermediate and professional entertainers will understand and appreciate more than the beginner, after each piece of advice given by Jay. With the help of my friend, Canada’s Larry Thornton, I decided to enhance some of Jay’s thinking.
Jay Sankey gives some of his best tips, advice and inspiration for new magicians and says:
Practice Makes Perfect: before you show anyone a trick be sure to practice it at least a few times. Much better chance of performing it well!
Yeah, at least "a few times" -- like three! Then you'll be performing the trick so well, that you'll be ready to print-up some business cards and go out and do paid gigs.
Never repeat a trick: I don't mean, never show a trick more than once to anyone, just to the same audience! If you repeat the trick, they will have a much better chance of figuring out the method.
After you've fooled your mom, dad, the neighbors, and your friends at school, having no more audience to show the trick to, you can get "further mileage" out of the trick by showing them all how it was done! --NO, I’m kidding. Seriously, there are many tricks that, in fact, are designed to be repeated before the same audience, as each showing contains minor variations that make the effect progressively stronger. ("Ah!! I think I saw a few lights go on in the minds of some of you. You think you know how it's done? Then let me show you again..." -- patter I've never used, but maybe someday...).
Be an entertainer, not a trickster: people only like being fooled when you make it FUN. Don't just try to "fool them" (i.e. make fools of them) but try to ENTERTAIN them.
Jay must have matured: The last time I saw him perform (back when the Dead Sea was only sick…) he never made fools of anyone, but rather, treated them from the start as if they were already fools.
Fewer the words the better: most magic can speak for itself so be sure to keep your script or words to a minimum. Then practice those few sentences until you know them by heart.
Never practice to the extent that your patter begins to sound robotically "rote". Most magic, unlike theatre, is primarily an interactive medium that involves direct interplay with your audience. Breaking "the fourth wall" in magic is a rule rather than an exception. Practice a routine until you know it so well, that if you are interrupted, you'll see an opportunity to inject a bit of spontaneous by-play or humor into it (depending on audience response), so go for it! Always remember, you are dealing with real people who don't always react in the same way.
Only show your magic to people who like magic! As wonderful as it is, not everyone likes magic. Also, you want people to be polite and supportive of what you are doing! They will also make for the best audiences!
Good advice, except that the larger the audience, the less you know the degree to which some of them "dislike magic". Your job is to do your very best to awaken in even the most magic-phobic individuals a 'like" -- if not outright love -- for magic. Perhaps such jaded souls had the unfortunate experience of being an unintentional witness to some mediocre magic act in their forgettable past. Only they didn't forget that the magic was mediocre! Many professional magicians 'break through' to these people through the use of humor; so much so, that some have turned themselves primarily into comedians who do magic. Remember: nobody was born disliking magic -- they have to have a legitimate reason to hate it.
Avoid the "the hand is quicker than the eye cliche" and perform your magic SLOWLY. This will take a lot of practice because you might be a little nervous, but you will be able to do it with enough experience. Slower is clearer and much more magical.
"The hand is quicker than the eye", a popular notion of the public, completely misses the psychology of the art. Science tells us that the human eye is, in fact, infinitely faster than any hand. In rare cases it applies, but it is an aphorism more suited to boxing. (Well, you wouldn't have argued the point with Muhammad Ali in his prime!) On the other hand, magic PROPS can be quicker than the eye. Examples include the Vanishing Bird Cage, the vanishing and appearing Walsh Canes, and the vanishing Botania. The Metamorphosis illusion (aka Sub Trunk) as performed by the Pendragons may, or may not apply.
Don't be a pest. As excited as you are about magic, try not to "burn out" your friends or family by showing them a trick every single day. Instead, try to show them magic only once or twice a week and wait for a time that works for them, not just you!
The peculiarity of magic is that it is the only form of entertainment that has the problem of amateurs bungling it and becoming a constant nuisance to others in the process. Do people who decide to take up singing go around doing it for others at the drop of hat? Do dancers, musicians, actors -- I've made my point. In no other branch of the performing arts does any advice-giver have to beg beginners not to become an idiotic nuisance to others.
Learn everything you can about magic. You can find books about magic in your local library and there is lots of information on-line. You can also purchase magic tricks, books and DVDs from your local magic dealer.
Astute advice, but "finding books about magic in your local library" went out with the dinosaurs and eight-track tapes. This is the digital age, where anyone with a sincere interest in magic can find a ton of information online (as Jay does acknowledge); and magic tricks, books and DVDs need no longer come from a local magic dealer. Most smaller cities and towns don't have a magic shop anymore (if they ever did). Street-level magic shops are becoming as rare as an ice cube in the Sahara desert, while hundreds of online "magic shops" can be found very easily at the click of a mouse. And dealer's demos can now be seen via video clips on YouTube, where the "golden rule" of magic is shattered by their endless repeatability. But that's another story...
Don’t reveal the secret to a trick! This is hard not to do because it's fun to show the cool trick behind the magic. Also, friends and family will often push you to tell them, but don't. They will be disappointed and think less of the marvelous magic you do.
These days the "bigger game" is to go on YouTube and tell the entire world how your trick is done. --Even if the trick is a commercially-sold item that you have no business exposing. So Jay's advice here should be expanded to include not only your personal and local "friends and family", but everyone!
Mirror practice: spend time on a regular basis practicing your tricks in front of a mirror so you can see how the tricks will look to your audience. This will teach you a great deal about performing magic.
That may satisfy your narcissistic urges. Today, you will want a video recorder so you can watch every move. You never can get a complete view with a mirror.
Surprise is one of the golden keys. Don't tell the audience what you are going to do before you do it or you increase the chances of getting caught. It also lessens the drama of any story you are telling.
The element of surprise is paramount. But you needn't always be secretive about what you are about to do. I routinely do an effect where I tell the audience "I'm going to attempt to turn these two doves into a rab -- oops! I nearly gave it away!" and after some more by-play of that nature (you had to be there) the doves disappear totally in a break-apart box. There's no expected rabbit to be seen anywhere (at least not until the end of the show). The point here, is that you can tell the audience what you are "going to do" (albeit with tongue-in-cheek) with a very small number of effects; but for beginners, Jay's advice is largely correct. Perhaps I'm splitting "hares" here , pardon the pun.
Every trick should have a magic moment, some moment when you snap your fingers or wave your hand or when the magic is supposed to have JUST happened. That makes for good theatre.
Every trick? Some tricks, like the Six Card Repeat, or the Linking Rings, just to name two of many, have a continuous blending of unfolding "moments". With a lot of magic, the journey can be as much of a reward as the final surprise ending. (If you truly want to call yourself an entertainer, the "journey" should be entertaining even if the trick has only magical moment.)
You don't have to be funny! You can be serious, silly, witty, funny, thoughtful or anything you want when you present your magic! If you don't feel comfortable trying to be funny, don't worry, just be yourself!!!
Show me any young person who, if they were asked, "Just who are you?" could give an answer. Or someone of any age for that matter. If a magician is really an actor playing the part of a magician, then what kind of advice is it to say, "Just be yourself!" ? If I was truly myself, I wouldn't be getting in front of audiences and pretending to do the impossible while I lied through my teeth about it. You should try to reach beyond yourself and practice, practice, practice playing a character who can actually DO the impossible: a magician with the skills to defeat the laws of logic and common sense, starting, say, with that venerable chestnut of a card trick that has the line in it, "And now tell me what row it's in!"
Make the magic yours! Develop your own presentations and even the way you go from one trick to another. Bring your own unique style to your magic.
This assumes that everyone can conjure up a unique style. The popular myth is that by inventing your own unique presentation, you'll be the best performer that you can be. If that were so, then thousands of magicians wouldn't be doing the same tricks in the same way, almost word-for-word. If magicians had to be totally original in order to succeed, most of them would abandon magic.
Get the audiences involved as much as possible. Shuffle the cards, think of a number, examine a prop, etc. The more they get involved, the more they will care about what you do!
The last time I tried to get a bunch of adults involved, I had to tell six of them I wouldn't be able to begin until they pocketed their Blackberries and iPhones. The more they got involved with their addicting toys, the less they cared about what I was about to do. Welcome to the second decade of the 21s century.
Get a magic buddy! Not only can you watch this show together, you can learn a lot by watching each other and rehearsing together!
Maybe this is a hint to come to ring meetings and luncheons and have a lot of magic friends!
By Jay Sankey - Be sure to check out Jay's website: SankeyMagic.com
From our house to yours, Cindy and I wish you the best from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia!
Dennis
Cindy had already been there for a few weeks with her car so we returned on the road. On the way back, on Saturday, we hit snow on I-77 just north of Charlotte, NC and followed the tracks of snowplows for 3 hours through the mountains and in southwest Virginia. Here in Harrisonburg we only had a light dusting but the temperatures have been in the 20s and strong winds. More snow expected.
The Christmas Holiday Party Season is looking pretty bleak up here for shows as most companies have cut way back again this year but I have my regular shows doing restaurant magic. I do hope that all of you have a happy holiday season and things will be looking up for next year. Many of us have been down for so long we don’t know what “up” looks like. I have a new school show going on the road in January and I will keep you updated. In the meantime, I am still doing radio work and substitute teaching. Ring #320 here elected me their Secretary so you will again read my Ring Reports in the Linking Ring.
There has to be a new paradigm in magic marketing and Jay Sankey seems to understand it well.
Ya gotta hand it to him, Jay Sankey is working the Internet like a violin. And likely, profiting handsomely from it. If so, then if I ever meet him again (his hard luck), I'll say to him "GOOD ON YA!" -- as it's always nice to see magicians giving back as much as they get. ... Or some such.
But!! His magic "Advice for Beginners" gave me a chance to genuinely question some of it. It's not so much that it is "wrong", as that it is often incomplete, and as such, misses a number of essential points and subtleties that ... to be fair ... the intermediate and professional entertainers will understand and appreciate more than the beginner, after each piece of advice given by Jay. With the help of my friend, Canada’s Larry Thornton, I decided to enhance some of Jay’s thinking.
Jay Sankey gives some of his best tips, advice and inspiration for new magicians and says:
Practice Makes Perfect: before you show anyone a trick be sure to practice it at least a few times. Much better chance of performing it well!
Yeah, at least "a few times" -- like three! Then you'll be performing the trick so well, that you'll be ready to print-up some business cards and go out and do paid gigs.
Never repeat a trick: I don't mean, never show a trick more than once to anyone, just to the same audience! If you repeat the trick, they will have a much better chance of figuring out the method.
After you've fooled your mom, dad, the neighbors, and your friends at school, having no more audience to show the trick to, you can get "further mileage" out of the trick by showing them all how it was done! --NO, I’m kidding. Seriously, there are many tricks that, in fact, are designed to be repeated before the same audience, as each showing contains minor variations that make the effect progressively stronger. ("Ah!! I think I saw a few lights go on in the minds of some of you. You think you know how it's done? Then let me show you again..." -- patter I've never used, but maybe someday...).
Be an entertainer, not a trickster: people only like being fooled when you make it FUN. Don't just try to "fool them" (i.e. make fools of them) but try to ENTERTAIN them.
Jay must have matured: The last time I saw him perform (back when the Dead Sea was only sick…) he never made fools of anyone, but rather, treated them from the start as if they were already fools.
Fewer the words the better: most magic can speak for itself so be sure to keep your script or words to a minimum. Then practice those few sentences until you know them by heart.
Never practice to the extent that your patter begins to sound robotically "rote". Most magic, unlike theatre, is primarily an interactive medium that involves direct interplay with your audience. Breaking "the fourth wall" in magic is a rule rather than an exception. Practice a routine until you know it so well, that if you are interrupted, you'll see an opportunity to inject a bit of spontaneous by-play or humor into it (depending on audience response), so go for it! Always remember, you are dealing with real people who don't always react in the same way.
Only show your magic to people who like magic! As wonderful as it is, not everyone likes magic. Also, you want people to be polite and supportive of what you are doing! They will also make for the best audiences!
Good advice, except that the larger the audience, the less you know the degree to which some of them "dislike magic". Your job is to do your very best to awaken in even the most magic-phobic individuals a 'like" -- if not outright love -- for magic. Perhaps such jaded souls had the unfortunate experience of being an unintentional witness to some mediocre magic act in their forgettable past. Only they didn't forget that the magic was mediocre! Many professional magicians 'break through' to these people through the use of humor; so much so, that some have turned themselves primarily into comedians who do magic. Remember: nobody was born disliking magic -- they have to have a legitimate reason to hate it.
Avoid the "the hand is quicker than the eye cliche" and perform your magic SLOWLY. This will take a lot of practice because you might be a little nervous, but you will be able to do it with enough experience. Slower is clearer and much more magical.
"The hand is quicker than the eye", a popular notion of the public, completely misses the psychology of the art. Science tells us that the human eye is, in fact, infinitely faster than any hand. In rare cases it applies, but it is an aphorism more suited to boxing. (Well, you wouldn't have argued the point with Muhammad Ali in his prime!) On the other hand, magic PROPS can be quicker than the eye. Examples include the Vanishing Bird Cage, the vanishing and appearing Walsh Canes, and the vanishing Botania. The Metamorphosis illusion (aka Sub Trunk) as performed by the Pendragons may, or may not apply.
Don't be a pest. As excited as you are about magic, try not to "burn out" your friends or family by showing them a trick every single day. Instead, try to show them magic only once or twice a week and wait for a time that works for them, not just you!
The peculiarity of magic is that it is the only form of entertainment that has the problem of amateurs bungling it and becoming a constant nuisance to others in the process. Do people who decide to take up singing go around doing it for others at the drop of hat? Do dancers, musicians, actors -- I've made my point. In no other branch of the performing arts does any advice-giver have to beg beginners not to become an idiotic nuisance to others.
Learn everything you can about magic. You can find books about magic in your local library and there is lots of information on-line. You can also purchase magic tricks, books and DVDs from your local magic dealer.
Astute advice, but "finding books about magic in your local library" went out with the dinosaurs and eight-track tapes. This is the digital age, where anyone with a sincere interest in magic can find a ton of information online (as Jay does acknowledge); and magic tricks, books and DVDs need no longer come from a local magic dealer. Most smaller cities and towns don't have a magic shop anymore (if they ever did). Street-level magic shops are becoming as rare as an ice cube in the Sahara desert, while hundreds of online "magic shops" can be found very easily at the click of a mouse. And dealer's demos can now be seen via video clips on YouTube, where the "golden rule" of magic is shattered by their endless repeatability. But that's another story...
Don’t reveal the secret to a trick! This is hard not to do because it's fun to show the cool trick behind the magic. Also, friends and family will often push you to tell them, but don't. They will be disappointed and think less of the marvelous magic you do.
These days the "bigger game" is to go on YouTube and tell the entire world how your trick is done. --Even if the trick is a commercially-sold item that you have no business exposing. So Jay's advice here should be expanded to include not only your personal and local "friends and family", but everyone!
Mirror practice: spend time on a regular basis practicing your tricks in front of a mirror so you can see how the tricks will look to your audience. This will teach you a great deal about performing magic.
That may satisfy your narcissistic urges. Today, you will want a video recorder so you can watch every move. You never can get a complete view with a mirror.
Surprise is one of the golden keys. Don't tell the audience what you are going to do before you do it or you increase the chances of getting caught. It also lessens the drama of any story you are telling.
The element of surprise is paramount. But you needn't always be secretive about what you are about to do. I routinely do an effect where I tell the audience "I'm going to attempt to turn these two doves into a rab -- oops! I nearly gave it away!" and after some more by-play of that nature (you had to be there) the doves disappear totally in a break-apart box. There's no expected rabbit to be seen anywhere (at least not until the end of the show). The point here, is that you can tell the audience what you are "going to do" (albeit with tongue-in-cheek) with a very small number of effects; but for beginners, Jay's advice is largely correct. Perhaps I'm splitting "hares" here , pardon the pun.
Every trick should have a magic moment, some moment when you snap your fingers or wave your hand or when the magic is supposed to have JUST happened. That makes for good theatre.
Every trick? Some tricks, like the Six Card Repeat, or the Linking Rings, just to name two of many, have a continuous blending of unfolding "moments". With a lot of magic, the journey can be as much of a reward as the final surprise ending. (If you truly want to call yourself an entertainer, the "journey" should be entertaining even if the trick has only magical moment.)
You don't have to be funny! You can be serious, silly, witty, funny, thoughtful or anything you want when you present your magic! If you don't feel comfortable trying to be funny, don't worry, just be yourself!!!
Show me any young person who, if they were asked, "Just who are you?" could give an answer. Or someone of any age for that matter. If a magician is really an actor playing the part of a magician, then what kind of advice is it to say, "Just be yourself!" ? If I was truly myself, I wouldn't be getting in front of audiences and pretending to do the impossible while I lied through my teeth about it. You should try to reach beyond yourself and practice, practice, practice playing a character who can actually DO the impossible: a magician with the skills to defeat the laws of logic and common sense, starting, say, with that venerable chestnut of a card trick that has the line in it, "And now tell me what row it's in!"
Make the magic yours! Develop your own presentations and even the way you go from one trick to another. Bring your own unique style to your magic.
This assumes that everyone can conjure up a unique style. The popular myth is that by inventing your own unique presentation, you'll be the best performer that you can be. If that were so, then thousands of magicians wouldn't be doing the same tricks in the same way, almost word-for-word. If magicians had to be totally original in order to succeed, most of them would abandon magic.
Get the audiences involved as much as possible. Shuffle the cards, think of a number, examine a prop, etc. The more they get involved, the more they will care about what you do!
The last time I tried to get a bunch of adults involved, I had to tell six of them I wouldn't be able to begin until they pocketed their Blackberries and iPhones. The more they got involved with their addicting toys, the less they cared about what I was about to do. Welcome to the second decade of the 21s century.
Get a magic buddy! Not only can you watch this show together, you can learn a lot by watching each other and rehearsing together!
Maybe this is a hint to come to ring meetings and luncheons and have a lot of magic friends!
By Jay Sankey - Be sure to check out Jay's website: SankeyMagic.com
From our house to yours, Cindy and I wish you the best from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia!
Dennis
Thursday, November 18, 2010
2010-11 Famulus Newsletter
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 11/17/2010 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Performance Theme: Free form
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – artthomas31@Earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 11/17/2010 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Performance Theme: Free form
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – artthomas31@Earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.
2010-11 From The editor
The Holiday season is upon us, so there are a couple of important traditions that take place in our Ring at this time of year. Firstly, the annual call for Ring Officers has gone out. If you would like to volunteer your time to help improve the ring, please email Craig (click here). If you are interested in a particular position, mention it in the email.
The second tradition is our annual Christmas Gift Exchange. Craig will be emailing everyone with full instructions, but basically, be prepared to bring a new wrapped magical gift to the December 15th meeting, if you want to participate. We suggest a value of around $15, and it should be something with which you would not mind going home. Also, donations of chips, dips, and nibbles will be gratefully received.
On a technology note, we have decided that our attempt to move to a Google distribution list, instead of the Yahoo list is too complicated and not necessary anymore, as Yahoo's reliability has improved significantly. So you will continue to receive meeting, lecture and newsletter notifications from the Yahoo groups address. Make sure they do not get caught in your SPAM filter. Also, PLEASE do NOT reply to these messages, they do not go anywhere. Make sure you direct your reply at a specific person (email addresses above)
The second tradition is our annual Christmas Gift Exchange. Craig will be emailing everyone with full instructions, but basically, be prepared to bring a new wrapped magical gift to the December 15th meeting, if you want to participate. We suggest a value of around $15, and it should be something with which you would not mind going home. Also, donations of chips, dips, and nibbles will be gratefully received.
On a technology note, we have decided that our attempt to move to a Google distribution list, instead of the Yahoo list is too complicated and not necessary anymore, as Yahoo's reliability has improved significantly. So you will continue to receive meeting, lecture and newsletter notifications from the Yahoo groups address. Make sure they do not get caught in your SPAM filter. Also, PLEASE do NOT reply to these messages, they do not go anywhere. Make sure you direct your reply at a specific person (email addresses above)
2010-11 Ring Report
President Craig Fennessey called the meeting to order on October 22d and introduced the Ring's officers to the 28 members and guests in attendance The meeting was dedicated to the memory of Don Masters, who passed away in May. Don was a founder of our Ring and received a Charter for it on June 1st of 1962. He was owner and operator of numerous magic shops in the Orlando area from the mid 60's into the 80's. Several of our members related stories of how Don had positively influenced them during his professional career. Don was known for performing his wild card routine but confessed that his favorite illusion was "The Zombie". Don's remains were interred in Deland, Florida.
Several members announced that they would be performing later this month or in November. Kerry Pierce will be busy again during Halloween with his annual bash that is always well attended by the public. Dan Stapleton will be doing a lecture for Ring 258 in Leesburg, Florida in mid November. Dave Koenig will perform his mind reading on a local FM radio station in the upcoming weeks. Joe Zimmer travelled to Fresno, California and performed his act at a Fair venue. He had the opportunity to visit Hocus Pocus Magic located in the area and reported his general enthusiastic satisfaction with the experience. Bev Bergeron spent a week in Hollywood, California performing numerous shows at the Magic Castle and celebrated the 50th Anniversary of The Magic Land of Allakazam in which he starred as Rebo, The Clown for many years with Mark Wilson and Nani Darnell . Bev was also present to illustrate a "color changing knife routine" that he has used over the years. The Ring members, present at the meeting, were given a complimentary copy of Merrill's Knife Book by R.D. Merrill from Gary Frank of the Fantastic Magic Company, Inc. Ed McGowan, Dan Stapleton and Luciano de Pazos also took turns demonstrating their takes on handling the knives. Chris Dunn closed the demonstration by displaying his collection of paddles utilized for similar magic illusions.
Phil Schwartz was up next with Magic History Moment #26 in which he told of the attempts of Bill Larsen, owner of the Thayer Magic Company, to publish, in 1947, Thayer Company's Catalog #10 but it never came to pass. In 1950, the Company was sold to Clayton Jacobsen but the catalog although promised, was never published. Through the years and another change in ownership of the Company. the idea of the Catalog was forgotten. In 1979, the original wooden plates for the unpublished Catalog #10 were found in the attic of Jacobsen's foreclosed home and sold on Ebay. Phil was the successful bidder and showed several of the plates to the Ring membership.
Chris Dunn emceed the performances offered by three members of the Ring.
Charlie Pfrogner, Sebastian Midtvaage and Dan Stapleton performed excellent card routines that entertained and mystifyed the audience
Several members announced that they would be performing later this month or in November. Kerry Pierce will be busy again during Halloween with his annual bash that is always well attended by the public. Dan Stapleton will be doing a lecture for Ring 258 in Leesburg, Florida in mid November. Dave Koenig will perform his mind reading on a local FM radio station in the upcoming weeks. Joe Zimmer travelled to Fresno, California and performed his act at a Fair venue. He had the opportunity to visit Hocus Pocus Magic located in the area and reported his general enthusiastic satisfaction with the experience. Bev Bergeron spent a week in Hollywood, California performing numerous shows at the Magic Castle and celebrated the 50th Anniversary of The Magic Land of Allakazam in which he starred as Rebo, The Clown for many years with Mark Wilson and Nani Darnell . Bev was also present to illustrate a "color changing knife routine" that he has used over the years. The Ring members, present at the meeting, were given a complimentary copy of Merrill's Knife Book by R.D. Merrill from Gary Frank of the Fantastic Magic Company, Inc. Ed McGowan, Dan Stapleton and Luciano de Pazos also took turns demonstrating their takes on handling the knives. Chris Dunn closed the demonstration by displaying his collection of paddles utilized for similar magic illusions.
Phil Schwartz was up next with Magic History Moment #26 in which he told of the attempts of Bill Larsen, owner of the Thayer Magic Company, to publish, in 1947, Thayer Company's Catalog #10 but it never came to pass. In 1950, the Company was sold to Clayton Jacobsen but the catalog although promised, was never published. Through the years and another change in ownership of the Company. the idea of the Catalog was forgotten. In 1979, the original wooden plates for the unpublished Catalog #10 were found in the attic of Jacobsen's foreclosed home and sold on Ebay. Phil was the successful bidder and showed several of the plates to the Ring membership.
Chris Dunn emceed the performances offered by three members of the Ring.
Charlie Pfrogner, Sebastian Midtvaage and Dan Stapleton performed excellent card routines that entertained and mystifyed the audience
2010-11 Kostya Kimlat Dinner Show
Orlando's Finest, Intimate Dinner Show RETURNS to Del Frisco's Steakhouse on Thursday, November 4th
LEARN ALL ABOUT THE SHOW HERE: http://www.magicshoworlando.com/
This year I have been lucky to perform magic in Argentina, Australia, England, Scotland and my home of Ukraine. But now I'm glad to be home for the rest of the year and excited to present the full evening dinner-show right here in Orlando. Along with the current show dates open to the public, we are doing several private shows for family celebrations and corporate holiday events. If you're looking for something "different" and "magical" this season, it would be my pleasure to delight your group!
Upcoming Show-dates:
November 4, 22, 27 (after thanksgiving!)
December 3, 20, 21, 28, 29 (after the major holidays!)
Contact the Restaurant: http://www.delfriscosorlando.com/
To purchase tickets go directly to: http://www.magicshoworlando.com/
- Become a fan of the show on Facebook!
LEARN ALL ABOUT THE SHOW HERE: http://www.magicshoworlando.com/
This year I have been lucky to perform magic in Argentina, Australia, England, Scotland and my home of Ukraine. But now I'm glad to be home for the rest of the year and excited to present the full evening dinner-show right here in Orlando. Along with the current show dates open to the public, we are doing several private shows for family celebrations and corporate holiday events. If you're looking for something "different" and "magical" this season, it would be my pleasure to delight your group!
Upcoming Show-dates:
November 4, 22, 27 (after thanksgiving!)
December 3, 20, 21, 28, 29 (after the major holidays!)
Contact the Restaurant: http://www.delfriscosorlando.com/
To purchase tickets go directly to: http://www.magicshoworlando.com/
- Become a fan of the show on Facebook!
2010-11 Kostya Kimlat news
Dear Friends and Magic Fans,
I'm very proud to share that my company has become the Official Magicians of the Orlando Magic NBA Team!
Starting with tonight's season-opener at the beautiful new center in Downown Orlando, we will be performing at every home game!
Catch us before the game at Fan Fest, right by the entrance or come say hello during the first 2 quarters at the Gentleman Jack Terrace and Budweiser Baseline Bar. At half-time, we'll be at the Mercedes-Benz Lounge, amazing all the season-ticket holders.
This is going to be quite a MAGICAL season!
See you at the games!
I'm very proud to share that my company has become the Official Magicians of the Orlando Magic NBA Team!
Starting with tonight's season-opener at the beautiful new center in Downown Orlando, we will be performing at every home game!
Catch us before the game at Fan Fest, right by the entrance or come say hello during the first 2 quarters at the Gentleman Jack Terrace and Budweiser Baseline Bar. At half-time, we'll be at the Mercedes-Benz Lounge, amazing all the season-ticket holders.
This is going to be quite a MAGICAL season!
See you at the games!
2010-11 Dennis' Deliberations
The Pendragon Drama et al.
We can hope that Jon and Charlotte resolve their financial issues in the dissolution of their illusions. Divorce almost always brings emotional upheaval as well as financial catastrophe. These past months have been tough on the illusion community. The Wyrick bankruptcy, The Franz Harary bankruptcy, the closing of the Lance Burton Show. I am hoping that soon we get brighter news.
With the Pendragon's marital discord, we have the makings of an unfortunate and entirely distasteful story of a pair of human beings stumbling badly in their efforts at being...well, human beings. So what else is new? Has your life gone entirely smoothly up to now? Today's dismal divorce rate among adults in North America is at a whopping thirty to fifty percent, with the high-end of the percentage dominating. Now I don't mean to imply that severe marital discord leading to separation and divorce can be in any way warranted due to solely its apparent commonality; rather, I'm talking about a matter of balance here, as we shall see...
That the Pendragons happened to also be successful professional magicians is beside the point. Divorce rates are every bit as high (if not higher) among people of all branches of the entertainment world. In marriage, two supposedly mature - if somewhat young - adults are expected to be able to find compatible mates (within a society arguably terminally dysfunctional) and come together and deal with an almost limitless variety of life's mundane and important challenges, not the least of them being the interactions between two often disparate and sometimes ego-driven personalities. As if that wasn't difficult enough for most people (like 99%), the surreal way of earning one's living -- as entertainers -- can only add to the strain. There is the constant public scrutiny of character, known under better circumstances as the highly coveted fame that so many people of show business require; in fact their very success depends upon it. But when the private lives of the famous take a turn for the worse, such public scrutiny, exacerbated as it always is by prurient media attention, can quickly degenerate into a nightmare.
The more "mainstream" famous can hardly keep from picking their noses without it being blown up in the tabloids and media, with the newest and most ubiquitous "staring eye" being the Internet. But were the Pendragons mainstream famous? For that matter, are any magicians as famous as most professional film actors, recording artists, or everyone else in show business that depend upon regular exposure both "live" and through technological means? Hardly...
Except for the occasional television special or radio interview or some such (most of which most people miss), the Pendragons and almost every other magician and duo of magic of their former stature, spend their working lives slogging it out in the "backwoods" of show business. By that, I mean, any kind of entertainment that is performed live before hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of people without benefit of the hugely vaster audiences they would be exposed to on consistent national television appearences or in the movies.
Consider for a moment, rock and roll bands. It is the difference between those who regularly record and merchandise their music verses those who do not. Everyone knows the Rolling Stones, but can the average person off the street, say, name even one song by the Gaping Thoracic Wounds ? Not a chance! The second band doesn't exist, but my point is simply that the Pendragons, for all their former limited "fame" as magicians (however hard-won though a lot of years of valiant, back-breaking work) were nevertheless perpetually relegated to the "Gaping Thoracic Wounds" of show business. As every intelligent magician (oxymoronic?) should know, that is the nature of magic; or rather, magic's "perception" today by the general public. As the cliché goes, almost no one could name more than three magicians if pressed to do so. And I'd bet my wife if not my life that the names they'd come up with would be Houdini (as ever), David Copperfield, and perhaps David Blaine. And here again, it might take two or more people as a group to think of that many names.
But here's the rub: Many thousands of magicians and magic fanatics around the world have become fixated on the continuing sad story of the fall of two of their most revered heros. Yes, of course, it was initially and understandably a negative shock to magicians. But as for the general public, those relative few who came across the story by purely serendipitous means and then took a few precious minutes out of their humdrum lives to actually read it -- due to their ingrained disdain for magic as little more than an oddball novelty form of entertainment, they promptly forgot about the marital travails of these illusionists three minutes later.
The lack of respect for magic is the very reason why late-night comedians like Jay Leno and David Letterman, et al, were able to get so much comic mileage out of the former alleged romantic dalliances of David Copperfield. To these late-night stars of the idiot box, even the most famous magicians are geeks to be laughed at, and their audiences were seen to share the same contempt with their knee-jerk laughter.
So ... a couple of strangely quixotic illusionists fell into marital discord? The typical person's response: " I never heard of them.Honey, what's the weather going to be like today?"
Perhaps it is time now for magicians everywhere, to move on to brighter thoughts; and leave these two people to work out the rest of their lives ... in peace.
************************************************
Now for some much needed humor:
There's an old tale told about a lousy young magician at the Magic Castle who kept screwing up his card tricks. Each time the guy flubbed a sleight, he would mumble apologetically, "I'm sorry, but the cards are a little sticky tonight." ...and... "The cards are bent." ...and... "You'll have to forgive me, I think there's some grit on these cards." Finally, an exasperated old magician watching on the sidelines shouted, "Okay, we've heard your side of the story -- now let's hear it from the cards!"
************************************************
A struggling professional magician finally reaches full adulthood...it does happen... and decides to gives up the grind on the road and the endless hassles of being an independent entertainer. He soon settles down to a daytime job and married life. He gets the mortgage and the kid. One day, his teenage son, after hearing endless tales of Dad's youthful adventures, decides that he too, will ignore the usual childhood distractions (like completing his education) and become a professional magician.
After much pleading to dissuade his son but failing to do so, the father finally gives in and says, "Okay, if you insist, but you must do this properly by taking lessons." Dad enrolls him in the Chavez Studio of Magic. Under pressure from the boy's dad to eschew the usual vigorous psychological counseling that is now mandated by the government for all prospective Chavez students, the head of this obscure institution cuts to the chase by asking the boy, "Okay then, what kind of magic do you want to do?"
Junior replies, "I want to be an illusionist!"
"Fine,” says studio head, "but first you have to learn the basics.”
Junior goes home at the end of the day and his Dad asks him how it is going.
"Great!" says the son, "I watched a lot of videos of top illusionists at work, and then I was given all the Paul Osborne plans to study."
"Terrific!" says his dad. "That's a good start."
At the end of the second day, the dad asks how it went again.
"Cool!" says Junior. "I got to go into a workshop and build stuff!"
"Good progress," smiles Dad
The third day Dad comes home early from work to find Junior in the living room wasting time on his iPad.
"Hey, I thought you had a magic class today!" says his father.
Junior looks up and says, "Yeah, but I blew it off. I'm going to quit. I've got a few gigs lined up."
*******************************************************
A magician is looking for a new female assistant for his magic act.
He puts and ad in the local newspaper and gets three applicants for the job.
As a test, he gives each small sum of cash and sends them to a magic shop to buy a suitable trick for his show.
The first girl comes back with the Brainwave Deck. The magician thinks, "Hmmm... she's likes mental effects with strong cognitive impact."
The second one comes back with a Zombie ball. The magician thinks, "Not bad. This girl prefers routines that are showy, elegant, and classic."
The third girl came back with the Vanishing Bird Cage. "Wow," thinks the magician, "This girl understands the importance of family-oriented routines that involve children up on stage, and that gets to the hearts of the parents.
So... who does he hire?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Answer: The one with the biggest breast size.
I hope all of you have a happy Thanksgiving. I am hoping to be in Orlando the first week of December for a visit.
I was nominated to be the new Secretary for Ring #320 here in Virginia. Sheldon is doing a great job for you and I read his monthly Ring Reports.
Soon you will probably be reading mine from here.
Dennis
We can hope that Jon and Charlotte resolve their financial issues in the dissolution of their illusions. Divorce almost always brings emotional upheaval as well as financial catastrophe. These past months have been tough on the illusion community. The Wyrick bankruptcy, The Franz Harary bankruptcy, the closing of the Lance Burton Show. I am hoping that soon we get brighter news.
With the Pendragon's marital discord, we have the makings of an unfortunate and entirely distasteful story of a pair of human beings stumbling badly in their efforts at being...well, human beings. So what else is new? Has your life gone entirely smoothly up to now? Today's dismal divorce rate among adults in North America is at a whopping thirty to fifty percent, with the high-end of the percentage dominating. Now I don't mean to imply that severe marital discord leading to separation and divorce can be in any way warranted due to solely its apparent commonality; rather, I'm talking about a matter of balance here, as we shall see...
That the Pendragons happened to also be successful professional magicians is beside the point. Divorce rates are every bit as high (if not higher) among people of all branches of the entertainment world. In marriage, two supposedly mature - if somewhat young - adults are expected to be able to find compatible mates (within a society arguably terminally dysfunctional) and come together and deal with an almost limitless variety of life's mundane and important challenges, not the least of them being the interactions between two often disparate and sometimes ego-driven personalities. As if that wasn't difficult enough for most people (like 99%), the surreal way of earning one's living -- as entertainers -- can only add to the strain. There is the constant public scrutiny of character, known under better circumstances as the highly coveted fame that so many people of show business require; in fact their very success depends upon it. But when the private lives of the famous take a turn for the worse, such public scrutiny, exacerbated as it always is by prurient media attention, can quickly degenerate into a nightmare.
The more "mainstream" famous can hardly keep from picking their noses without it being blown up in the tabloids and media, with the newest and most ubiquitous "staring eye" being the Internet. But were the Pendragons mainstream famous? For that matter, are any magicians as famous as most professional film actors, recording artists, or everyone else in show business that depend upon regular exposure both "live" and through technological means? Hardly...
Except for the occasional television special or radio interview or some such (most of which most people miss), the Pendragons and almost every other magician and duo of magic of their former stature, spend their working lives slogging it out in the "backwoods" of show business. By that, I mean, any kind of entertainment that is performed live before hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of people without benefit of the hugely vaster audiences they would be exposed to on consistent national television appearences or in the movies.
Consider for a moment, rock and roll bands. It is the difference between those who regularly record and merchandise their music verses those who do not. Everyone knows the Rolling Stones, but can the average person off the street, say, name even one song by the Gaping Thoracic Wounds ? Not a chance! The second band doesn't exist, but my point is simply that the Pendragons, for all their former limited "fame" as magicians (however hard-won though a lot of years of valiant, back-breaking work) were nevertheless perpetually relegated to the "Gaping Thoracic Wounds" of show business. As every intelligent magician (oxymoronic?) should know, that is the nature of magic; or rather, magic's "perception" today by the general public. As the cliché goes, almost no one could name more than three magicians if pressed to do so. And I'd bet my wife if not my life that the names they'd come up with would be Houdini (as ever), David Copperfield, and perhaps David Blaine. And here again, it might take two or more people as a group to think of that many names.
But here's the rub: Many thousands of magicians and magic fanatics around the world have become fixated on the continuing sad story of the fall of two of their most revered heros. Yes, of course, it was initially and understandably a negative shock to magicians. But as for the general public, those relative few who came across the story by purely serendipitous means and then took a few precious minutes out of their humdrum lives to actually read it -- due to their ingrained disdain for magic as little more than an oddball novelty form of entertainment, they promptly forgot about the marital travails of these illusionists three minutes later.
The lack of respect for magic is the very reason why late-night comedians like Jay Leno and David Letterman, et al, were able to get so much comic mileage out of the former alleged romantic dalliances of David Copperfield. To these late-night stars of the idiot box, even the most famous magicians are geeks to be laughed at, and their audiences were seen to share the same contempt with their knee-jerk laughter.
So ... a couple of strangely quixotic illusionists fell into marital discord? The typical person's response: " I never heard of them.
Perhaps it is time now for magicians everywhere, to move on to brighter thoughts; and leave these two people to work out the rest of their lives ... in peace.
************************************************
Now for some much needed humor:
There's an old tale told about a lousy young magician at the Magic Castle who kept screwing up his card tricks. Each time the guy flubbed a sleight, he would mumble apologetically, "I'm sorry, but the cards are a little sticky tonight." ...and... "The cards are bent." ...and... "You'll have to forgive me, I think there's some grit on these cards." Finally, an exasperated old magician watching on the sidelines shouted, "Okay, we've heard your side of the story -- now let's hear it from the cards!"
************************************************
A struggling professional magician finally reaches full adulthood...it does happen... and decides to gives up the grind on the road and the endless hassles of being an independent entertainer. He soon settles down to a daytime job and married life. He gets the mortgage and the kid. One day, his teenage son, after hearing endless tales of Dad's youthful adventures, decides that he too, will ignore the usual childhood distractions (like completing his education) and become a professional magician.
After much pleading to dissuade his son but failing to do so, the father finally gives in and says, "Okay, if you insist, but you must do this properly by taking lessons." Dad enrolls him in the Chavez Studio of Magic. Under pressure from the boy's dad to eschew the usual vigorous psychological counseling that is now mandated by the government for all prospective Chavez students, the head of this obscure institution cuts to the chase by asking the boy, "Okay then, what kind of magic do you want to do?"
Junior replies, "I want to be an illusionist!"
"Fine,” says studio head, "but first you have to learn the basics.”
Junior goes home at the end of the day and his Dad asks him how it is going.
"Great!" says the son, "I watched a lot of videos of top illusionists at work, and then I was given all the Paul Osborne plans to study."
"Terrific!" says his dad. "That's a good start."
At the end of the second day, the dad asks how it went again.
"Cool!" says Junior. "I got to go into a workshop and build stuff!"
"Good progress," smiles Dad
The third day Dad comes home early from work to find Junior in the living room wasting time on his iPad.
"Hey, I thought you had a magic class today!" says his father.
Junior looks up and says, "Yeah, but I blew it off. I'm going to quit. I've got a few gigs lined up."
*******************************************************
A magician is looking for a new female assistant for his magic act.
He puts and ad in the local newspaper and gets three applicants for the job.
As a test, he gives each small sum of cash and sends them to a magic shop to buy a suitable trick for his show.
The first girl comes back with the Brainwave Deck. The magician thinks, "Hmmm... she's likes mental effects with strong cognitive impact."
The second one comes back with a Zombie ball. The magician thinks, "Not bad. This girl prefers routines that are showy, elegant, and classic."
The third girl came back with the Vanishing Bird Cage. "Wow," thinks the magician, "This girl understands the importance of family-oriented routines that involve children up on stage, and that gets to the hearts of the parents.
So... who does he hire?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Answer: The one with the biggest breast size.
I hope all of you have a happy Thanksgiving. I am hoping to be in Orlando the first week of December for a visit.
I was nominated to be the new Secretary for Ring #320 here in Virginia. Sheldon is doing a great job for you and I read his monthly Ring Reports.
Soon you will probably be reading mine from here.
Dennis
Saturday, October 16, 2010
2010-10 Famulus Newsletter
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 10/20/2010 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Performance Theme: Halloween Magic (what else)
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – srjart@earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 10/20/2010 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Performance Theme: Halloween Magic (what else)
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – srjart@earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.
2010-10 From The editor
The cooler weather has arrived and reminds us that "Magic Season" starts now with Halloween just about here. Hopefully our professionals already have their calendars filling up for the holiday season.
Don't forget "Theater of the Unexplained" at Wizardz on Monday (863-307-9400 for tickets), Kim says the proceeds are benefiting Rachel Colombini.
Thnaks to Sheldon and Dennis for their contributions, to the rest of you...come on, put the grey matter into "Drive" and write something for the newsletter.
Scary Halloween to all
Stefan
Don't forget "Theater of the Unexplained" at Wizardz on Monday (863-307-9400 for tickets), Kim says the proceeds are benefiting Rachel Colombini.
Thnaks to Sheldon and Dennis for their contributions, to the rest of you...come on, put the grey matter into "Drive" and write something for the newsletter.
Scary Halloween to all
Stefan
2010-10 Ring Report
President Craig Fennessey called the meeting to order on September 15th and introduced the Ring's officers to the 30 members in attendance and guests Jimmy Vee and Eric Kennedy of Boston, Mass.
Billy Scadlock announced that the Sunburst Convention of Tribute Performers would be held this month in Orlando. The annual convention brings together performers from the regional area performing their specialties at two performances during the week as well as a list of other events that are open to the public.
Craig Schwarz, President of the local SAM chapter announced that their meeting night had been changed to the 4th Wednesday of the month and will be held at the IHOP on Hwy 192, just east of I-4. He also mentioned the SAM's National Conference will be held at the Kissimmee Radisson next March. The Florida State Magic Convention is scheduled for November 5th through 7th in Daytona Beach and members were reminded to purchase tickets now for choice seating at the show.
Keith Locke reported that he was initiating a Segway Transporter Experience this month on International Drive and invited the members out to try it. Jackie Manna announced that her Clown Alley would be having a Show in October at a local Lutheran Church. Dan Stapleton reported that America Has Talent will be at the Bob Carr Auditorium on November 7th and there will be a Don Martin Memorial Service in Deland if any one wished to attend. Dan will also be presenting a Ring Lecture in Leesburg on November 14th.
James Songster will be performing at Wizards in Kissimmee on October 18th his production of The Theater of the Unexplained. Kerry Pierce will be hosting a Halloween Party for adults and kids at his property on October 29th and 30th.
Bev Bergeron was up next with his Tic Tac Toe Prediction Teach-in that had some of the members playing with it for the rest of the evening.
Phil Schwartz presented the Ring with Magic History Moment # 25 and addressed the secret that goes back to the year 1902 when the book "The Expert at the Card Table " was written by S. W. Erdnase (E.S. Andrews)? Ed McGowen quickly followed Phil with a demonstration of 3-card Monte the old fashioned way.
Chris Dunn emceed the performance part of the meeting. Doug Kalcik saw through the styrofoam cup and avoided impaling his hand on a spike hidden under one of the four that had been placed on the table. Phil Schwartz returned as a performer with the Thayer made Blue Phantom Disc Illusion invented by Hans Trunk and truly mystified the audience. Chuck Smith opened with a beautiful large butterfly silk and performed a selected card torn and the remainder found in an unopened can. Dan Stapleton came up next with an audience volunteer and demonstrated Reflexology, a humorous by the volunteer to catch his $50 bill that
had been placed in an envelope and dropped between his fingers. After a few attempts he was successful but was chagrined when he removed the bill from the envelope it had mysteriously changed to a $1 denomination. Mark Fitzgerald closed the show with a three coin manipulation and 4-Ace handling effect.
A fine time was had by all.
Billy Scadlock announced that the Sunburst Convention of Tribute Performers would be held this month in Orlando. The annual convention brings together performers from the regional area performing their specialties at two performances during the week as well as a list of other events that are open to the public.
Craig Schwarz, President of the local SAM chapter announced that their meeting night had been changed to the 4th Wednesday of the month and will be held at the IHOP on Hwy 192, just east of I-4. He also mentioned the SAM's National Conference will be held at the Kissimmee Radisson next March. The Florida State Magic Convention is scheduled for November 5th through 7th in Daytona Beach and members were reminded to purchase tickets now for choice seating at the show.
Keith Locke reported that he was initiating a Segway Transporter Experience this month on International Drive and invited the members out to try it. Jackie Manna announced that her Clown Alley would be having a Show in October at a local Lutheran Church. Dan Stapleton reported that America Has Talent will be at the Bob Carr Auditorium on November 7th and there will be a Don Martin Memorial Service in Deland if any one wished to attend. Dan will also be presenting a Ring Lecture in Leesburg on November 14th.
James Songster will be performing at Wizards in Kissimmee on October 18th his production of The Theater of the Unexplained. Kerry Pierce will be hosting a Halloween Party for adults and kids at his property on October 29th and 30th.
Bev Bergeron was up next with his Tic Tac Toe Prediction Teach-in that had some of the members playing with it for the rest of the evening.
Phil Schwartz presented the Ring with Magic History Moment # 25 and addressed the secret that goes back to the year 1902 when the book "The Expert at the Card Table " was written by S. W. Erdnase (E.S. Andrews)? Ed McGowen quickly followed Phil with a demonstration of 3-card Monte the old fashioned way.
Chris Dunn emceed the performance part of the meeting. Doug Kalcik saw through the styrofoam cup and avoided impaling his hand on a spike hidden under one of the four that had been placed on the table. Phil Schwartz returned as a performer with the Thayer made Blue Phantom Disc Illusion invented by Hans Trunk and truly mystified the audience. Chuck Smith opened with a beautiful large butterfly silk and performed a selected card torn and the remainder found in an unopened can. Dan Stapleton came up next with an audience volunteer and demonstrated Reflexology, a humorous by the volunteer to catch his $50 bill that
had been placed in an envelope and dropped between his fingers. After a few attempts he was successful but was chagrined when he removed the bill from the envelope it had mysteriously changed to a $1 denomination. Mark Fitzgerald closed the show with a three coin manipulation and 4-Ace handling effect.
A fine time was had by all.
2010-10 Dennis' Deliberations
The first nip of fall is in the air this year up here in the Shenandoah Valley. It is 49 degrees this morning as I wrap up this month’s contribution. No major changes in my life. I still do a little radio news and voice tracking and lot of substitute teaching and my weekly schedule of restaurant magic in such places as the Hookah Lounge.
After seeing several grandstand magic acts at county fairs around here, I am asking myself about the definition of an “entertainer”. Think of Collector's Workshop and other magic dealers. If a person had a million dollars he could buy a heck of lot of "self-contained" miracles of the deluxe kind....pre-packaged routines, but would any of that make him an entertainer?
Maybe the rule should be this:
Okay, guy you say you want to be magician. Well first we have to find out if you're an entertainer:
Just stand before us with no props, just YOU and your miserable-looking out-of-shape body with a costume that does nothing for it.
NOW: Entertain us! Sing, dance, act, do impressions, tell a story or joke, make us laugh, cry or barf -- what the heck and if you can pull THAT off ---
THEN! Maybe ... just MAYBE you should start learning to do.... some magic.
Start off with mentalism or pseudo hypnosis or ventriloquism (itself a kind of visual magic-illusion). Max Maven used to say that it was very easy to do mentalism, it was very difficult to do it well. Are YOU interesting and compelling to watch? Do people like you? Does no one want to look away ( or sadly ‘walk away’) during your time in the spotlight?
“You only get fancy props when you are ready.”
The result? --- About one in a thousand wanna-be magicians would be working today. Sheeze they’d even make lousy hobbyists. Fit only for Internet chat rooms and driving all their friends away with their whining: "Wanna see a trick?" "NO, creep, get lost and do the world a favor: Disappear! It is an option!"
Be honest: I'll bet the numbers of magicians who actually rose the hair up on the back of your neck, who gave you goose bumps just looking at their STYLE of Presentation --let alone any actual magic that fooled you -- you could count on the digits of one hand... and still have your thumb dangling free, uncounted.
Recently, Joseph Gabriel did it to me. As did James Dimmare. Lance Burton came close with his classic dove-card and-candle act. They have been a few others. There are many European Illusionists on You-Tube that are exciting to watch (Dani Lary, Peter Marvey etc.)
Or as the magic dealers should say about acts such as these, "That guy deserves my props!"
But then, to 99 percent of the dealers, just having money means you deserve their props. Now, in fairness, the song writer rarely has control over what happens to his crafted melody. He sells the sheet music and however it is either butchered into the noise of cat screeching on the sound of angel’s voices is not under his control. But a magic dealer is a little different. All of them are also a form of mentor and instructor. No bartender is legally allowed to sell alcohol to someone who is intoxicated and will do harm to themselves by using the product. Yep, we all know a lot of wanna-be magicians who are drunk on a dream.
In a truly ethical world: Some dude phones up a magic dealer to buy some stuff for the first time in his life, and he first has to answer a short (very short) questionnaire, if he isn't already on file. In order to GET permanently on a "universal file" for all the world's magic dealers, he's put through the following (I mean, thereafter, the buyer just gives the dealer his "file number", that the dealer can verify instantly via the Internet) :
Here are some ideas for entertaining with no props or just a couple of coins. I often do the “hand twisting” (both hands out, thumbs down-right and over left”) as a gag in a “prop-less show”.
I also do the fingers interlocked and hands clasped with both index fingers extended (they can not keep them from slowly touching!) as an example of mental suggestion. (In a High School classroom I NEVER use the word “hypnotism”. I used the concept of mental suggestion and mental illusions).
Something that I do for some audiences ,that is pure entertainment and hilarious, is the “Dime Penny and Nickel Riddle”. This is an idea that I got from Dan Harlan’s lecture about 5 or 6 years ago at the Orlando Ring. Maybe you remember. It is a great bit.
On your hand lay a penny, a nickel and a dime… Tell the audience to pay attention and that you are giving them all the information they need to solve the riddle:
Say, “Ben’s mother had 3 children; the first was named “Penny” point to the penny. The second child was named “Nickolas” point to the nickel.”
Now point to the dime and say, “If you know the name of the 3rd child, raise you hand, do not blurt it out. Just raise your hand!” A few hands will go up and people will snicker… A majority will be puzzled.
I say, “When the answer hits you it will be like a bolt of lightning! You will say to yourself, “Yes, How simple!”
The repeat the riddle: “Ben’s mother had 3 children; the first was named “Penny” point to the penny. The second child was named “Nickolas” point to the nickel.”
Now point to the dime and say, “If you know the name of the 3rd child, raise you hand, do not blurt it out. Just raise your hand!” This time a few more hand go up and more people start laughing… A few still don’t get it… This goes on another could of times and a few still don’t get it. I go out into the audience and usually pick on an older guy or woman and in a frustrated voice put the coins in their palm and say, “Hokay, lets go over this again and listen to what I am saying! The audience is in stitches as I repeat the riddle… I deliberately have them repeat very world I say!
“Ben’s MOTHER… Ben’s Mother!” The audience is rolling in the floor and the poor guy is repeating it UNTIL he get’s it…and says, “OH! YES!!!! “Ben! Ben!” The audience breaks out into laughter and applause….
This gag can go on for 5 minutes and the audience totally engaged and entertained if you use your voice and a kind of “Paul Daniels” attitude. I have used this gag many times… It is an almost prop-less crowd killer!
Props are becoming meaningless anymore. High school kids with a MP3 player with 10,000 songs are no longer fooled by much…even if they do not understand the electronics. I recently took “The Obedient Block” into my classrooms and did the whole bit with “talking to the block”.
The trick got no real response other than the comment, “It has something electronic in it that recognizes your voice and grabs the string”.
I even have trouble now with drawing duplication because there are pens out that let you draw and instantly download it to a computer! $125 dollars!
Dennis Phillips
“You only get fancy props when you are ready.”
- What magic organizations do you belong to?
- Who can vouch for your skills?
- How long have you been in magic?
- Can we see an unedited DVD of a portion of your act?
- What French magician was described as "The Father of Modern Magic", and what Canadian-born magician was affectionately called "The Professor"?
- Answer ONE of the following questions: (a) What is Rouging Fluid? (b) Fanning Powder? (c) What are Slush Powder and Dental Dam used for outside of magic?
- Are you married (not a requirement) and if so, how the heck did you manage to find woman who likes magic? (Of course the last one is a joke.)
Most people think that the pen or pencil just has funny electronics build into it! Scratch that miracle…
Technology is now so ubiquitous, props have less impact. Learn to entertain without relying on them.
Have a good and prosperous Halloween!
Harrisonburg, Va
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
2010-09 Famulus Newsletter
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 09/15/2010 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Performance Theme: Cool Magic
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – srjart@earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 09/15/2010 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Performance Theme: Cool Magic
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – srjart@earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.
2010-09 From the Editor
September already! While many of you are hopefully making plans for your winter holidays peak season, your editor was off traveling around the country on a late vacation. Although we did spend a few days in New York, as we often do, we did unfortunately miss Monday Night Magic.
Thanks to Dennis for his regular contribution, the only one this month (readers...hint, hint).
Looking forward to some more submissions before next month's edition
Your editor
Stefan
Thanks to Dennis for his regular contribution, the only one this month (readers...hint, hint).
Looking forward to some more submissions before next month's edition
Your editor
Stefan
2010-09 Dennis' Deliberations
The summer is rapidly drawing to a close here in the Shenandoah Valley and the leaves should begin turned in a couple of weeks. They expect it to happen a little earlier this year because of a very record breaking hot and dry summer. I spend almost all the summer doing the afternoon news shift at the radio station, gathering, writing and reading the news. Now that public school has started, I am going back to Substitute teaching and then doing fill-is afternoons and evenings and on Saturdays at the radio station.
I am also actively marketing my Middle School Fund-raising show, “The Travels of Marco Polo”. The show has a pre-packaged set of lesson plans based on the Virginia Standards of Learning (The SOLs) related to geography, math, science and social studies. It is not being promoted as a magic show but as a family fantasy show that blends learning with entertainment by “Edu-tainer” Dennis Phillips.
Obviously knowing me, you can guess I would have costumed scenes with music from exotic lands (Arabia, Persia, India, China) and bits between the scenes on the apron telling about what Marco learned and saw in each land. I have smaller costumes so that audience assistants can participate. Running time is 90 minutes with an intermission and my profit center will be concessions, trinkets and pitch items. The school will get a percentage of the ticket sales and they will handle the drinks and food. So far interest has been high and I will keep you posted.
Hoe many of you have heard of the booking agency, Bill and Lenny (obviously my fictitious names) This company is on line magic booking agency. Don't be a sucker... they are pocketing more than you're getting, but if you are willing to sell yourself really cheap , they'll use you.
I have a friend who worked for them years back for a very short while, but always held his guns, because he was informed about them ahead of time... they try varied tactics to get you down in price, and if you move once, they've got you locked in at a low proce forever.
He mutually parted years back, and I know they've been trying other magicians... they always have a sob story of how little they are going to get out as commission, or they are giving up their full commissions just so they can book you. The Best Advice I Can Give You.... Don't Be FOOLED!!
How did he know, what they're getting in price from the client? Sit down and think about it! He always got what he asked for or he would not take the gig and it was never what they originally offered. Even then they kept phoning back with low-ball offers.
His final Gig: ... They called him with an offer... when he got the info and checked details, his quote back was more than double... they haggled about the fee... but he knew that the corporation was spending bigger dollars on their event, and stuck with his fee.
Had he not done so, they would have pocketed a significant percentage that belonged to him. That was it.
They offer the same money to the other local's who will jump at it because they're plain ignorant, and have no idea of entertainment value, and think to themselves "another paid show"... But, B& L because that act was poor, doesn't get a good report back from the client, so they keep jumping around to other Magi until they get another one to bite and they'll keep working them until they see what's going on.
In the mean time, they are socking away chunks of commission that should be going to the performer.
I realize they are not going to do this for nothing; they have to get their share. But when is enough, enough?
I can recall times years ago when I would run around Central Florida getting $200 a show at a Convention and having to pay an assistant out of that and the booking agent was billing and getting $1500 for my act! I found out the billing once and confronted the agent who said to me , “You are a good magician but a lousy business man. You have no idea what it cost me to book a show. You took the $200 bucks and was happy with it, you have no right complaining." Needless to say, just on the principle of the thing and the fact that my time was more valuable than netting $100 a show, I declined any further gigs from that agent.
From my desk… Paul Osborne sent this…He and Michele still stay in touch with Senor Rai. Remember Rai, “The Liberace of Magic” he toured for years as a magic Ringmaster with the Hanniford Circus and even had a brief gig in Las Vegas.
It is sad that he now lives now with his significant other in a haunted trailer in Milton, Florida!
http://www.biography.com/video.do?name=myghoststory&bcpid=104613367001&bclid=586318468001&bctid=586317691001
Ever wonder why a magicians in a magic? What do they get out of it?
Maybe it is the "Ahhhh" (gotta get the right number of h's) which lends further meaning to life. At least the life of an ego-craving magician, who sees the value in magic beyond the need to earn a buck with it.
Now that I think of it, every magician has a tiny "superman complex" inside him. As in: "I can do impossible things that YOU can't figure out!"
The comedian has the same craving: the feeling of power he derives from manipulating an audience into a state of helpless laughter.
The musician gets his jollies by showing off a skill that stretches well beyond the capabilities of the listeners.
The stage actor gets high on the manipulation of the emotions of a willing (i.e. paying) audience. The stock market maven tickles his endorphins on the challenge of the gamble.
The Gospel magician-preacher gets his emotional thrill by interpreting God for his congregation and entertaining them in the process.
It is said that thousands of starry-eyed young people try to get into show business (of whatever kind) to avoid doing a real job, not realizing until it's too late that that, too, is a lot of work; and more often than not, an incredible struggle. Magician Larry Thornton in Calgary, Canada saw the entertainment section of his city's Herald newspaper on a table, and in there was an article (and interview) on former Saturday Night Live comedic actor John Lovitz. He will be in Calgary soon doing his stand-up comedy act. John Lovitz admitted he wasn't doing all that well anymore. He put it more brightly but it amounts to the same thing: "Since movie and TV offers have been drying up, I said to my agent , 'Hey ya gotta find me some more gigs or I'll be broke in five years!' " ... He said he turns almost nothing down -- TV bit parts, voice-over work for cartoons, whatever he can get. Show business can be an extremely insecure life, full of heartbreak, with a public that is extremely fickle. So Lovitz went back to his stated "first love" which he never really did much of, and probably on the advice of his agent: stand-up comedy. And he confessed that it initially scared him silly, having to face an audience all alone and deliver a full hour of material. Working bars, halls, casinos..... whatever he can get.
So here is John Lovitz, popular at one time but now reduced to struggling in the "boondocks" of show business, off in a Canadian city doing standup comedy. He's probably on a circuit, maybe his next stop is Red Deer, or heaven forbid, Edmonton! Next -- it's birthday parties for the kiddies! ... At 53 (born 1957) he is more-or-less "washed up" and has to rely for work for the rest of his career and life on people knowing him from Saturday Night Live, obscure and forgettable sit-com TV shows, cartoon voicing, and the movies.
Maybe I paint a picture grimmer than it is, but I was surprised at how candid John Lovitz was. I think most entertainers on the alleged "downside" of their careers wouldn't be so forthcoming... going around telling every rinky-dink hack journalist in the backwaters of nowhere, that you're losing the game...
There have been a lot of losers lately.
NEWSFLASH--- My ultimatum!
I have decided that unless they move the Magic Castle to Harrisonburg, Virginia, I intend to publically burn my entire magic library. It will go viral on the Internet and inflame thousands of magicians. Maybe I can make it to the TV news or have David Copperfield and Cris Angel call me wanting to work out a deal?
The world has gone insane….
Dennis Phillips
Harrisonburg, VA
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
2010-08 Famulus Newsletter
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 08/18/2010 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Performance Theme: Rope Magic
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – srjart@earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 08/18/2010 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Performance Theme: Rope Magic
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – srjart@earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.
2010-08 From the Editor
WE are into the last part of summer, and the heat continues. Hopefully for our working members it means that people are glad to be watching entertainment inside in the air conditioning. For the professionals it is almost time to start preparations for the holiday season, contacting prospective customers, polishing up acts, buying new effects.
We have some interesting lectures coming up, thanks again to Craig's tireless efforts to bring us top quality lecturers, see below.
Your editor
Stefan
We have some interesting lectures coming up, thanks again to Craig's tireless efforts to bring us top quality lecturers, see below.
Your editor
Stefan
2010-08 Award to Dave Koenig
THIS FRIDAY. August 13th… IBM Ring 170 member Dave Koenig is receiving the Merlin Award! …and you are all invited to attend. Come and support one of your members. Details below….
Dave Koenig, The Professor Slim King, will be receiving the MERLIN AWARD this Friday Aug. 13th from Tony Hassini , President and CEO of the International Magicians Society.
The award is for RADIO MAGIC. It's kind of like a magical Oscar
LOCATION:
The presentation will be at The International Palms Hotel on I-Drive at 8PM.
The Presentation and Parking are Free.
There will be a dinner show at The Laughing Tiki following the presentation (Around 8:30) .
There will be a reduced ticket fee if you'd like to stay for the show and buffet. I will be performing an effect or two for the guests during the show. It is a family friendly comedy show. Salad, Pizza, and Desert is on the menu. Everyone can come to the Presentation and meet Tony Hassini and several other movers and shakers in Orlando (Brad Lineweaver and Rozzie Franco). There's no obligation to attend the dinner show although it is a great deal.
There will also be the usual crew hanging around the lounge area after the show.
NOTE:
Dave will be beginning a weekly magic and mind reading show .... MAGICAL MIND GAMES on Thursday evenings starting on August 19th.
Dave Koenig, The Professor Slim King, will be receiving the MERLIN AWARD this Friday Aug. 13th from Tony Hassini , President and CEO of the International Magicians Society.
The award is for RADIO MAGIC. It's kind of like a magical Oscar
LOCATION:
The presentation will be at The International Palms Hotel on I-Drive at 8PM.
The Presentation and Parking are Free.
There will be a dinner show at The Laughing Tiki following the presentation (Around 8:30) .
There will be a reduced ticket fee if you'd like to stay for the show and buffet. I will be performing an effect or two for the guests during the show. It is a family friendly comedy show. Salad, Pizza, and Desert is on the menu. Everyone can come to the Presentation and meet Tony Hassini and several other movers and shakers in Orlando (Brad Lineweaver and Rozzie Franco). There's no obligation to attend the dinner show although it is a great deal.
There will also be the usual crew hanging around the lounge area after the show.
NOTE:
Dave will be beginning a weekly magic and mind reading show .... MAGICAL MIND GAMES on Thursday evenings starting on August 19th.
Monday, August 09, 2010
2010-08 Trevor Duffy Lecture
Lecturing for FAME of Greater Orlando IBM Ring 170
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 7:30 pm
Trevor Duffy is a professional magician and innovator of magic, who has performed in the United States, England, Australia, parts of Africa and now resides in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has received Gold medal awards in South African National championships. In 2002, he won a Gold medal in the category of invention, and placed 2nd in the Australian I.B.M Close-up competition.This lecture has been fifteen years in the making, experiences gleaned from his many travels, meeting with world class performers as well as his own experiences as a working magician.
This is an extremely interesting and thought provoking lecture, entitled 'Crossing the Fine Line'. The crux of the topic is, 'When you have finished your performance, do people go away saying, "That was a nice show!" or do they say, "Wow, that was unbelievable, what an experience... I'll never forget it!" There is a Fine Line between those two responses and Trevor shares valuable insights and ideas, in the form of seven principles, on how to cross over that fine line.
Trevor has also added a number of personalized magic routines and effects, to this part of the lecture. They assist in illustrating what he is sharing and he explains how they are done. Trevor has produced an exclusive range of magician's products and is known for his innovations with 'thin cards'. He discusses them, and they are available for purchase. Think the “PHIL” deck.
BONUS!!! Trevor will be including in our Ring 170 lecture some additional material not presented at his other Florida lecture stops!
ADMISSION:
PAID MEMBERS: $ FREE $
NON-MEMBERS: $10.00
LOCATION:
I-HOP restaurant
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 7:30 pm
Trevor Duffy is a professional magician and innovator of magic, who has performed in the United States, England, Australia, parts of Africa and now resides in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has received Gold medal awards in South African National championships. In 2002, he won a Gold medal in the category of invention, and placed 2nd in the Australian I.B.M Close-up competition.This lecture has been fifteen years in the making, experiences gleaned from his many travels, meeting with world class performers as well as his own experiences as a working magician.
This is an extremely interesting and thought provoking lecture, entitled 'Crossing the Fine Line'. The crux of the topic is, 'When you have finished your performance, do people go away saying, "That was a nice show!" or do they say, "Wow, that was unbelievable, what an experience... I'll never forget it!" There is a Fine Line between those two responses and Trevor shares valuable insights and ideas, in the form of seven principles, on how to cross over that fine line.
Trevor has also added a number of personalized magic routines and effects, to this part of the lecture. They assist in illustrating what he is sharing and he explains how they are done. Trevor has produced an exclusive range of magician's products and is known for his innovations with 'thin cards'. He discusses them, and they are available for purchase. Think the “PHIL” deck.
BONUS!!! Trevor will be including in our Ring 170 lecture some additional material not presented at his other Florida lecture stops!
ADMISSION:
PAID MEMBERS: $ FREE $
NON-MEMBERS: $10.00
LOCATION:
I-HOP restaurant
2010-08 Banacheck Lecture
Lecturing for FAME of Greater Orlando IBM Ring 170
Monday, August 30, 2010 - 7:30pm
BANACHEK
Described as the "Cream of the Crop" when it comes to entertainers, Banachek is the world's leading Mentalist. His talents are so incredible that he is the only mentalist ever to fool scientists into believing he possessed 'Psychic powers' but to later reveal he was fooling them.
Performers around the world such as the colorful Penn & Teller, "The Amazing" James Randi and television's unique street magician David Blaine seek his performing expertise. Companies and theaters seek him for his outstanding performing abilities.
As a tribute to his expert performing abilities Banachek has been awarded the Campus Performer of the year two years in a row, from the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities and the Year 2000 Campus Novelty Act, beating out all other comedians, bands and other novelty acts. He has also received the coveted Psychic Entertainers Creativity award for his outstanding original contributions and inventions in the world of Mental entertainment.
You do not want to miss….
"The mind of the Man Who Fooled the Scientists, Banachek."
ADMISSION:
PAID MEMBERS: $15.00
NON-MEMBERS: $20.00
LOCATION:
I-HOP restaurant
Monday, August 30, 2010 - 7:30pm
BANACHEK
Described as the "Cream of the Crop" when it comes to entertainers, Banachek is the world's leading Mentalist. His talents are so incredible that he is the only mentalist ever to fool scientists into believing he possessed 'Psychic powers' but to later reveal he was fooling them.
Performers around the world such as the colorful Penn & Teller, "The Amazing" James Randi and television's unique street magician David Blaine seek his performing expertise. Companies and theaters seek him for his outstanding performing abilities.
As a tribute to his expert performing abilities Banachek has been awarded the Campus Performer of the year two years in a row, from the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities and the Year 2000 Campus Novelty Act, beating out all other comedians, bands and other novelty acts. He has also received the coveted Psychic Entertainers Creativity award for his outstanding original contributions and inventions in the world of Mental entertainment.
You do not want to miss….
"The mind of the Man Who Fooled the Scientists, Banachek."
ADMISSION:
PAID MEMBERS: $15.00
NON-MEMBERS: $20.00
LOCATION:
I-HOP restaurant
2010-08 Dennis' Deliberations
You have to laugh at me and Cindy. This past year in Harrisonburg, Virginia has produced the coldest winter and most snow in the past 40 years. This summer has been the hottest and driest in 40 years. Most of Virginia is drought stricken but we were saved here in the Shenandoah Valley by the higher water table due to the heavy snowfall last winter. Our family here in town believes that we jinxed this place. I don’t believe in jinxes. I would rather believe we are all dealt a hand and we must make the best of it. I never moved here believing the weather would be perfect or even average. Remember the story about the statistics professor that drowned in the lake with an average depth of 2 feet.
I never enjoyed being disillusioned by extraordinary examples such as people that won the Lottery got very lucky by being in the right place at the right time. My mind often recalls the disillusioned magic wanna-bees that I have known or the hobbyists that always dreamed of making it big but never did.
I was thinking about the tens of thousands of starry-eyed kids around the world to believe that "making it" in magic -- even with exclusively close-up magic, isn't very difficult. This impression is further buttressed by the "con artists" who hustle get rich quick schemes for magicians; and the magic magazines that month-after-month feature a seemingly endless parade of young illusionists successfully playing their trade in "Vegas-like" venues and such. The rags-to-riches stories, the flashy colored photos of the artist working expensive-looking illusions, and surrounded by gorgeous, scantily-clad babes and all.... What incredibly naive teenager, deeply in love with conjuring, could resist this kind of hype?
And no one in magic seems to see any advantage, either for themselves, their profession, or for all the future potential "victims" -- in blowing the lid off this scam. There are no whistle-blowers in magic!! And there never will be. In fact, they all hate like heck to even admit when magic falls into the doldrums, saying instead, "Just wait -- this is all very temporary, very cyclical, in a few years, in a few decades, whatever -- MAGIC is gonna come roaring back!" ...When in fact, it may be all over for this generation... but the whining.
In the end, 99 percent of us turn out to be losers ... statistically speaking. But that makes lousy copy. The truth is not what most people want to hear or know.
The last Monday of the month is when Ring #320 here in the Valley holds their monthly meetings at the Woodrow Wilson rehabilitation center in Fishersville. President Eddy Toby suggested that the ring members do a stage show for the center patients as a “thank you” for letting us use a room each month for our meetings and lectures.
The last Monday of July we did the show.
Here is the “thank you” note I wrote to Eddy and it has a recap of my act which closed the show:
Eddy,
Thank you for being the spark plug on the WWRC show. In the final analysis you did a great job, both as Emcee and as performer. It was successful and enjoyed by the audience and that is what counts. I mean when a guy even gives his wife to the cause… that’s commitment! Seriously, Yvonne did a great job. She had big shoes to fill and she did!
I need to explain this to everyone else in the ring! It is a private joke between Eddie, Yvonne and me.
A week or so ago Eddie volunteered me to close the show with “a couple of illusions”. I explained that I had the props and costumes but I needed a female assistant and a couple of male assistants. We had the guys covered with Eddie and Dave , but we needed a “tah-dah” girl. Eddie picked up a cute nurse who worked at the center during the Sunday rehearsal and got her to agree to help us on Monday Night.
On Sunday afternoon, Eddie and Dave and the nurse and I went over the routine, the moves, how to walk, how to stand and I took measurements for her wardrobe to pull from my costumes to bring on Monday. She was 5 feet 7 inches and a dress size 8 and size 7 shoes.
Followed the rehearsal, Eddie and Yvonne came by my house in Harrisonburg to help me figure out why my computer was not cooperating with my I-Tunes program so I could burn the music track we needed. It took Yvonne’s son on the cell phone to figure out why we were having so much trouble with my computer.
Monday, I did my last newscast of the day at WSVA Radio at 6PM and went by my house for my rabbit and doves and headed to Fishersville. Lucky! No wrecks to block I-81. I get to the auditorium and guess what? No nurse. They got short-handed at the center and forced her to work in another area of the place!
In steps Yvonne! What a good sport! Of course, she now had to fit her dress size 4 into a size 8 dress and her size 4 shoes into size 7. Lots of stuffing in the toes with toilet paper! We had just enough time to walk her through the sequences and it was curtain time.
Music! I came out with the dancing cane and then did my signature trick, "cane to botania"
I place my rabbit into my Indian Basket illusion and 5 Swords are thrust through and removed. The rabbit comes out unharmed! Not much of a mystery until out of the same basket comes Yvonne dressed as Dorothy from the Land of Oz. A choral version of “Somewhere over the Rainbow” played as Yvonne was placed on a board and levitated (Super X Suspension)
Finally, I used a Crystal Silk Cylinder and transformed red, white and blue silks into an American flag as I told the story of how Betsy Ross made the American Flag. We concluded with the music of Lee Greenwood singing his classic hit, “God Bless the USA” as Eddie and Dave were showing and rotating a Bryce’s Screen. It was shown empty and then from it produced Yvonne dressed as the Statue of Liberty.
It all worked!
Thanks for making me look good…
I hope everyone now realizes just how complicated it is to even do a short illusion act with any production values, but we did it!
Anyone in their right mind will stick with close-up!
You guys (and girl) were great…Pat yourself on the back!
Keep the magic in your heart!
Dennis Phillips
I never enjoyed being disillusioned by extraordinary examples such as people that won the Lottery got very lucky by being in the right place at the right time. My mind often recalls the disillusioned magic wanna-bees that I have known or the hobbyists that always dreamed of making it big but never did.
I was thinking about the tens of thousands of starry-eyed kids around the world to believe that "making it" in magic -- even with exclusively close-up magic, isn't very difficult. This impression is further buttressed by the "con artists" who hustle get rich quick schemes for magicians; and the magic magazines that month-after-month feature a seemingly endless parade of young illusionists successfully playing their trade in "Vegas-like" venues and such. The rags-to-riches stories, the flashy colored photos of the artist working expensive-looking illusions, and surrounded by gorgeous, scantily-clad babes and all.... What incredibly naive teenager, deeply in love with conjuring, could resist this kind of hype?
And no one in magic seems to see any advantage, either for themselves, their profession, or for all the future potential "victims" -- in blowing the lid off this scam. There are no whistle-blowers in magic!! And there never will be. In fact, they all hate like heck to even admit when magic falls into the doldrums, saying instead, "Just wait -- this is all very temporary, very cyclical, in a few years, in a few decades, whatever -- MAGIC is gonna come roaring back!" ...When in fact, it may be all over for this generation... but the whining.
In the end, 99 percent of us turn out to be losers ... statistically speaking. But that makes lousy copy. The truth is not what most people want to hear or know.
The last Monday of the month is when Ring #320 here in the Valley holds their monthly meetings at the Woodrow Wilson rehabilitation center in Fishersville. President Eddy Toby suggested that the ring members do a stage show for the center patients as a “thank you” for letting us use a room each month for our meetings and lectures.
The last Monday of July we did the show.
Here is the “thank you” note I wrote to Eddy and it has a recap of my act which closed the show:
Eddy,
Thank you for being the spark plug on the WWRC show. In the final analysis you did a great job, both as Emcee and as performer. It was successful and enjoyed by the audience and that is what counts. I mean when a guy even gives his wife to the cause… that’s commitment! Seriously, Yvonne did a great job. She had big shoes to fill and she did!
I need to explain this to everyone else in the ring! It is a private joke between Eddie, Yvonne and me.
A week or so ago Eddie volunteered me to close the show with “a couple of illusions”. I explained that I had the props and costumes but I needed a female assistant and a couple of male assistants. We had the guys covered with Eddie and Dave , but we needed a “tah-dah” girl. Eddie picked up a cute nurse who worked at the center during the Sunday rehearsal and got her to agree to help us on Monday Night.
On Sunday afternoon, Eddie and Dave and the nurse and I went over the routine, the moves, how to walk, how to stand and I took measurements for her wardrobe to pull from my costumes to bring on Monday. She was 5 feet 7 inches and a dress size 8 and size 7 shoes.
Followed the rehearsal, Eddie and Yvonne came by my house in Harrisonburg to help me figure out why my computer was not cooperating with my I-Tunes program so I could burn the music track we needed. It took Yvonne’s son on the cell phone to figure out why we were having so much trouble with my computer.
Monday, I did my last newscast of the day at WSVA Radio at 6PM and went by my house for my rabbit and doves and headed to Fishersville. Lucky! No wrecks to block I-81. I get to the auditorium and guess what? No nurse. They got short-handed at the center and forced her to work in another area of the place!
In steps Yvonne! What a good sport! Of course, she now had to fit her dress size 4 into a size 8 dress and her size 4 shoes into size 7. Lots of stuffing in the toes with toilet paper! We had just enough time to walk her through the sequences and it was curtain time.
Music! I came out with the dancing cane and then did my signature trick, "cane to botania"
I place my rabbit into my Indian Basket illusion and 5 Swords are thrust through and removed. The rabbit comes out unharmed! Not much of a mystery until out of the same basket comes Yvonne dressed as Dorothy from the Land of Oz. A choral version of “Somewhere over the Rainbow” played as Yvonne was placed on a board and levitated (Super X Suspension)
Finally, I used a Crystal Silk Cylinder and transformed red, white and blue silks into an American flag as I told the story of how Betsy Ross made the American Flag. We concluded with the music of Lee Greenwood singing his classic hit, “God Bless the USA” as Eddie and Dave were showing and rotating a Bryce’s Screen. It was shown empty and then from it produced Yvonne dressed as the Statue of Liberty.
It all worked!
Thanks for making me look good…
I hope everyone now realizes just how complicated it is to even do a short illusion act with any production values, but we did it!
Anyone in their right mind will stick with close-up!
You guys (and girl) were great…Pat yourself on the back!
Keep the magic in your heart!
Dennis Phillips
Sunday, July 18, 2010
2010-07 Famulus Newsletter
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 07/21/2010 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Performance Theme: Picture Magic
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – srjart@earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 07/21/2010 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Performance Theme: Picture Magic
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – srjart@earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print.
Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.
2010-07 Ring Report
President Craig Fennessy called the meeting to order on June 16th and introduced the Ring's Officers to the 28 members and guests in attendance.
Craig had attended a preview visit to the new Harry Potter attraction at Universal Studio's Islands of Adventure and was very impressed by its detail and attractiveness but warned of the crowds that will be encountered. He has made arrangements for future lectures with Trevor Duffy, Ken Scott, Richard Turner and Bob Sheets. The membership will be notified by E-mail when the final dates and times have been established. Joanie Spina will also be putting on a workshop in the near future under the auspices of Keith Locke.
On the first Sunday of the month, Ring members have been meeting at Gator's Dockside for dinner and a close-up magic encounter. June 6 was no exception and it was standing room only for the restaurant audience and some of the participants. Several other Ring members are booked around town: Bev Bergeron at The Wizards of Magic, Dan Stapleton at the Portofino Hotel, Josh Stenkamp on I-Drive, Mark Fitzgerald at the Hard Rock Cafe and Doug Kalcik at Murphy's Pub.
Craig encouraged the Ring to participate in the sale of Aldo Columbini Magic and to do what ever possible to help in supporting the funding for Rachel Wilde's impending medical procedure. We all wish her a speedy and successful recovery.
Dan Stapleton spoke of the recent passing of Don Masters, one of the founders of our Ring. Don was the owner and operator of several magic shops in the Orlando area before the advent of the Theme Park Era. In addition to Magic Don had an interest in Mystery Books, Horror Movies from the old school and was a fan of character actors, Johnny Weissmuller, Boris Karloff, and Bela Lugosi, to name a few. Dan had been asked by Don's executors to dispose of scores of VHS tapes and other memorabilia that he had collected over the years. The Ring expects to conduct a memorial service for him in the near future.
Bev Bergeron continued his series of mini-teachins with match book magic and other comedy routines.
Phil Schwartz presented Magic History Moment # 23 with an introduction of the History of Magic Books initiated by Professor Hoffman(nee Angelo John Lewis) in 1876 titled Modern Magic and now showing to the Ring his contribution to the series with the first issue of his treatise titled "The Ultimate Thayer" co-authored with Dr. Robert Albo. The complete package consists of two volumes and 10 DVDs and is now on its way to the bookshelves of those who have pre-ordered and those of you who would like to have a copy please get in touch with Phil.
Chris Dunn volunteered to emcee the performance portion of the meeting and had no trouble in getting Josh Stenkamp to lead off with card effect that left many in the audience baffled. Colin Parks followed with a little Rope Magic and Cards. Mark Fitzgerald did another card illusion and then Dan Stapleton performed 2 packet tricks that came from the Don Masters Collection. Bob Swadling performed the mystery of the Sympathetic Match Box and demonstrated his method of card control utilizing a 'spring shuffle'. Doug Kalcik performed a thumb cuff escape and finished with a Candle Illusion changing flame to salt. Chuck Smith performed a Remote Viewing Matrix with prediction that amazed the mmbership. Sebastian closed the evening with a superlative performance mixed cards unmixing and Silver Dollars Transposing.
A fine time was had by all.
Sheldon Brook
Craig had attended a preview visit to the new Harry Potter attraction at Universal Studio's Islands of Adventure and was very impressed by its detail and attractiveness but warned of the crowds that will be encountered. He has made arrangements for future lectures with Trevor Duffy, Ken Scott, Richard Turner and Bob Sheets. The membership will be notified by E-mail when the final dates and times have been established. Joanie Spina will also be putting on a workshop in the near future under the auspices of Keith Locke.
On the first Sunday of the month, Ring members have been meeting at Gator's Dockside for dinner and a close-up magic encounter. June 6 was no exception and it was standing room only for the restaurant audience and some of the participants. Several other Ring members are booked around town: Bev Bergeron at The Wizards of Magic, Dan Stapleton at the Portofino Hotel, Josh Stenkamp on I-Drive, Mark Fitzgerald at the Hard Rock Cafe and Doug Kalcik at Murphy's Pub.
Craig encouraged the Ring to participate in the sale of Aldo Columbini Magic and to do what ever possible to help in supporting the funding for Rachel Wilde's impending medical procedure. We all wish her a speedy and successful recovery.
Dan Stapleton spoke of the recent passing of Don Masters, one of the founders of our Ring. Don was the owner and operator of several magic shops in the Orlando area before the advent of the Theme Park Era. In addition to Magic Don had an interest in Mystery Books, Horror Movies from the old school and was a fan of character actors, Johnny Weissmuller, Boris Karloff, and Bela Lugosi, to name a few. Dan had been asked by Don's executors to dispose of scores of VHS tapes and other memorabilia that he had collected over the years. The Ring expects to conduct a memorial service for him in the near future.
Bev Bergeron continued his series of mini-teachins with match book magic and other comedy routines.
Phil Schwartz presented Magic History Moment # 23 with an introduction of the History of Magic Books initiated by Professor Hoffman(nee Angelo John Lewis) in 1876 titled Modern Magic and now showing to the Ring his contribution to the series with the first issue of his treatise titled "The Ultimate Thayer" co-authored with Dr. Robert Albo. The complete package consists of two volumes and 10 DVDs and is now on its way to the bookshelves of those who have pre-ordered and those of you who would like to have a copy please get in touch with Phil.
Chris Dunn volunteered to emcee the performance portion of the meeting and had no trouble in getting Josh Stenkamp to lead off with card effect that left many in the audience baffled. Colin Parks followed with a little Rope Magic and Cards. Mark Fitzgerald did another card illusion and then Dan Stapleton performed 2 packet tricks that came from the Don Masters Collection. Bob Swadling performed the mystery of the Sympathetic Match Box and demonstrated his method of card control utilizing a 'spring shuffle'. Doug Kalcik performed a thumb cuff escape and finished with a Candle Illusion changing flame to salt. Chuck Smith performed a Remote Viewing Matrix with prediction that amazed the mmbership. Sebastian closed the evening with a superlative performance mixed cards unmixing and Silver Dollars Transposing.
A fine time was had by all.
Sheldon Brook
2010-07 From the Editor
How time flies when you are having fun, over half the year gone already. As you will have noticed from the previous Famulus, your editor has been spending quite a bit of time in the LA area, which gave me the opportunity to visit the Magic Castle a number of times. That is now at an end, but in my last visit I was able to see Jonathan Pendragon's return to magic. In this case, none of the flashy illusions for which he and Charlotte were famous, instead he is now doing a straight forward, but still very entertaining , mentalism routine.
Thanks to Roger, Sheldon and Dennis for their contributions. Remember if you have an idea for any long or short article about magic, put pen to paper - or more accurately, fingers to keyboard - and send me your creation.
Enjoy the heat
Your editor
Thanks to Roger, Sheldon and Dennis for their contributions. Remember if you have an idea for any long or short article about magic, put pen to paper - or more accurately, fingers to keyboard - and send me your creation.
Enjoy the heat
Your editor
2010-07 Stage Equipment Auction
I just received an announcement concerning a Public Auction, on Thursday, July 22, at 11:00 AM, at D.M. Dennett & Assoc. Auctioneers 1801 W. 1st Street (SR46) in Sanford, FL 32771, 407-322-1464.
This is a combined auction. There is a large amount of "Food Service Equipment" and... of concern to all of us might be the "Entertainment Stage Equipment" as follows:
"Custom Portable 24' x 24' stage with 16' tall aluminum truss gable roof w/ vinyl canvas cover, tandem axle mounted, fold up design, all Pro Lyte aluminum truss, all aluminum construction, 36" adjustable stage height, manual levelers, 2 aluminum stairs w/ hand rail, marine plywood decking, electric brakes, engineered drawings, etc.
Perfect for small concerts, Bike Week & Biketoberfest, Speed Weeks, Promotional Shows, community functions, special events, great for many outdoor activities!
*Like new $80,000 + replacement costs.
*Assorted Pro Lyte aluminum stage truss, road boxes, etc.
*Aluminum 12' diameter ladder truss ring w/ 2 rear projection screens.
*Over 500 new rock-n-roll concert T-shirts from shows produced in the
1970's thru 1990's, super collection!
*1999 GMC 3500 express cargo van, 1 ton capacity.
If you, or anyone you know, can take advantage of this auction please pass the information along!
Magically,
Roger "Cigam" Reid
321-945-7500
www.MagiClown.com
This is a combined auction. There is a large amount of "Food Service Equipment" and... of concern to all of us might be the "Entertainment Stage Equipment" as follows:
"Custom Portable 24' x 24' stage with 16' tall aluminum truss gable roof w/ vinyl canvas cover, tandem axle mounted, fold up design, all Pro Lyte aluminum truss, all aluminum construction, 36" adjustable stage height, manual levelers, 2 aluminum stairs w/ hand rail, marine plywood decking, electric brakes, engineered drawings, etc.
Perfect for small concerts, Bike Week & Biketoberfest, Speed Weeks, Promotional Shows, community functions, special events, great for many outdoor activities!
*Like new $80,000 + replacement costs.
*Assorted Pro Lyte aluminum stage truss, road boxes, etc.
*Aluminum 12' diameter ladder truss ring w/ 2 rear projection screens.
*Over 500 new rock-n-roll concert T-shirts from shows produced in the
1970's thru 1990's, super collection!
*1999 GMC 3500 express cargo van, 1 ton capacity.
If you, or anyone you know, can take advantage of this auction please pass the information along!
Magically,
Roger "Cigam" Reid
321-945-7500
www.MagiClown.com
2010-07 Dennis’ Deliberations
I have not given you a lot of details about my regular gig at the local Hookah Lounge. I will try to give you the complete low-down on what I do and how it all works.
The Hookah Lounge is the oddest gig I have ever been involved with in magic…
The Hookah Lounge was in the upstairs of an old “Café and Wine Bar”. The old place was an upscale artsy wine bar that never took off. They used the upstairs as a quiet sit down lounge where could go upstairs and be away from the city street level visibility and sounds. It used to look like a fancy den in someone’s home with a small raised stage at one corner with a mic. The owner was an older New Jersey guy who remembered the historic Borscht Belt style of entertainment and he tried to do it upstairs and run a yuppie wine bar on the street level. I don’t think this area can support such a concept. It never went anywhere.
I met the original owner after my wife and I stopped in after walking around the downtown for a deli lunch. We had just gotten into town last summer. We were about the only people in the bar and the owner came over to talk and try to turn us into regulars. It was not long before I knew his history and he knew mine.
He said, “Hey! You ‘get it’. I have an opening on Tuesday nights and if you want to come in and work 7 to 10pm, its all yours. Keep the tips” So I did and for 3 months it was abysmal. Rarely were there more than 3 tables an evening and most of them were 30-somethings cheating on their relationships who did not want to be seen or entertained. The place was an ideal “cheaters” lounge. I suggested, jokingly, that it be renamed, “The Scarlett Letter”. A cheater could park in one of many lots and not be traced to the place and there were ways of sitting that could protect your secret.
Finally the owner decided that he needed an income and he did not want to wait for profitability so he sold the place to a Middle Eastern family. The only workers are all in the same family, the father, the mother and the 4 sons! The upstairs was transformed into a “Hookah Lounge”.
A hookah is a water pipe with a mixture of flavored tobacco, spices and molasses that is heated-burned and the light smoke is drawn through a water bottle. I do not smoke but my one puff was like putting my face in a flavored vaporizer. You can choose from many different flavors of mixture to smoke. A bowl of mixture takes about 30 minutes to finish and you can use two hoses with each pipe. The experience is one of relaxation, chit-chat and socializing. The smoke mixture is not over-powering to non-smokers. The upstairs has a separate ventilation system as required by law.
The Hookah Lounge was the business turn-around for the place and my walk-around magic is a part of the overall atmosphere. My magic seems to blend with the exotic feeling of Near-Eastern water-pipes and the land of Ali Baba.
I dress in a bright red Nehru jacket with a black collarless shirt with a big jewel in the center collar button. I have tux pants and black patent leather shoes. I am the age that my hair is a mixture of black and gray and my physique vaguely resembles a older network TV anchorman. I have enough maturity so that my risqué funny lines seem a bit out of place for me. I hate to think it but it may be similar to George Burns’ lines about women.
I usually begin my introduction with, “The boss pays me weekly- very weakly” (I am sure you get the pun). “Hold all ruminations and remunerations until the end when you genuinely feel sorry for me.” I am sure you can see that I am setting up the idea that they need to tip me.
“I am a magician and people always say that a magician “magishes”. I am also a wizard and people always say that a wizard…uh, you get the idea. Well, at my age I don’t do that easily anymore. You young guys, uh, ask your old man.”
I really play to the young women (18-30). If they are into it, they are far more open and animated and easy to work with. I am not flirty or a dirty old man. I am more like an old friendly and helpful Geni who says what they are thinking. “Hey, you alone? See any nice hunks here? Why isn’t that guy over there coming over and flirting with you? Want me to go get him?” “ Why are all you ladies sitting here without guys? There’s got to be a few guys here you like?” “Hey, you are a cute one, I have to find a guy here for you.” “I like your name, with a name like that you have to be a guy magnet.” I make comments like, “Ha! My youngest daughter is twice your age, I know what you are going through”.
It took me a short while to figure out how to prompt tips and work the couches.
I carry a box about the size of a shoe box and in it are about 10 tricks. In one performance set, I have a 50 cent piece on an elastic sleeve pull, a “Squash” Vanishing Whiskey Glass on a belt pull. In my pocket is a ready Brass Bill Tube and my jacket pocket has a man’s white handkerchief with a bill gimmick sewn in the corner. In my right jacket pocket is Professor’s Nightmare (my routine is a lot more involved than the standard routine with a bit of Tabary) and a Jardin Ellis Ring and in my left pocket are four one inch red sponge balls and a color changing pocket knife.
In the box, for this performance set, I have: Color Vision (yes it is hoary but no one ever knows it!) Lethal Tender, Block and Rope, Jerry Andus’ Disc (I use that to rotate on a table to make them see their flesh bubbling) a deck of cards, dye tube with red and blue silk, Malini Egg Bag Danny Tong routine), a thumb tip with a ribbon silk in it, the rope for “Hang ‘em High” (through the body) and a Chop Cup. You may be getting the idea that almost everything I do can be examined!
I have 3 separate presentations with other materials that I rotate. I also have a clear plastic tip jar with a sign on it that says “Thanks!” It always has 5 or 6 one dollar bills in it. The back of my close-up mat (made from a 12 by 15 inch piece of black marine boat carpet) has the ragged side of an old brown shopping bag glued on it. It has Magic Marker scribble writing in a kid’s backward “s” that says “Will do tricks for food”. On ribbons one-by-one I can drop two small plaques that say, “Accepting” and then “Master Card-Visa-American Express”. This was a Daniel Garcia idea. It gets a big laugh and sets up the idea that I am not there for free.
I do not do the “One dollar to hundred dollar bill trick”. They might think that if I can do that, why am I working in the Lounge.
Using a dollar bill for the Bill Tube, which I usually do as a finale for the set, gets them used to handing me money. Almost always when they open the bill after being found in the tube they just hand it to me and say, “Here keep it, that was great!” I then take that bill and do the impromptu Bill Tear where you tear the face out of the bill and it restores. This is a powerful effect and gives me an excuse for not returning the damaged bill!
I have become a part of the total overall atmosphere of the Lounge and when I arrive many of the regulars cheer and ask me to come over and entertain their friends who have never seen me.
One final note on the Lounge: The waiters, who are all brothers in the family-owned business, work to encourage tips for me. They will often give a spiel at a table of people with words like, “You will like the magician and if you have fun, remember he takes tips.” They also bring over bills and put them into my jar. Customers give them change as they are checking out and ask them to put it in my jar. The waiters watch where I am in my act and visibly come over and put the bills in my jar. They work with me on encouraging tips because I am such a vital part of the package.
Hey… have you noticed that there is an insidious belief that the right “trick” will make us! “Man, if we could just make the Statue of Liberty disappear!”, “If I just had a hook like Marvyn Roy did with the light bulbs” , “All I need is something like a floating violin and I would be in!”
Magicians think “tricks”. They do not think style, entertainment and marketability. Example: I could do the color-changing plate of spaghetti trick. You know, from red to blue to green to chartreuse and then total black. Amazing! But, who the heck cares?
I just have gone through dubbing 23 HOURS of VHS magic tapes to DVD! They are entirely on cards!
Who the heck cares! I have 4 tapes on The Pass! Watching them was like ingesting morphine. The demonstrator was skilled but why do I need to be able to do this? I can fool the britches off of everyone with a Svengali deck.
Our radio station consultant had meetings with the staff…in a private meeting with the news staff he insisted that I show him a magic trick. I did the torn and restored bill, impromptu…with all my lines! As I was eating the torn part, I said, “Everyone always asks me if I know where this bill has been. They asked that about Clinton too!” I used a few other lines. He thoroughly enjoyed my nonsense. He said, “You have done that a lot!”
THAT is what most magicians are missing. You can take an Egg Bag and entertain the heck out of people.
John Carney, Danny Tong have done it.
My favorite line is from Jim Green, the owner of “Mr. G’s Magic Shop, Orange Park, FL”. He would be restocking his shelves with MAK or imports from India and say, “the paint job will sell this baby!” We are all suckers for the paint job, both visible or in the catalog description. We often forget that we are not showing off paintjobs, we are entertaining!
Have you ever seen Victor Borge on You-Tube? Now HE'S the perfect example of what I am talking about: His piano playing takes a distant back seat to his skill at ENTERTAINING. His closing lines were: "Ladies and gentlemen, I want to take this opportunity to thank my mother for making this evening possible. ...And I'd like to thank my children for making it necessary!" and finally, "Let me just caution you all, when you drive home tonight, DO drive very carefully. Because I walk in my sleep!" All the while his hands are in "auto mode" playing some gentle but complex Frederick Chopin, the skill imbedded in his very nervous system like dinosaur bones in rock.
... Which brings up the point: Sleight of hand, no matter how difficult, should be in the background of the performance. If a magic fanatic notices himself, that he's doing a pass, he's dead in the water from the get-go. ... A good performer does the pull-through shuffle or any other difficult false shuffle so perfectly, so off-handedly, that try as he might, he finds a NORMAL riffle shuffle takes more of his attention to pull off than the sleight! That's what practice does. He over-learns it, so he is free to project his personality and communicate directly to the audience. Let the brain and hands do the work, the mind has more important things to do: misdirecting the audience with sparkling one-liners and general conviviality! Many of today's youth are addicted to fancy flourishes (heavily promoted by the dealers pushing the “Street Magic” mentality), a kind of perverse juggling with cards that says "Look what I can do!" instead of "Would you like to see miracle of the secular kind?" Put the stupid cards away and be a real human being for a change and not just a juggler of the cardboard.
Larry Thornton, my Canadian friend, talked about many years ago he was at a convention and given a startling bit of news. Okay, he was young back then.
And old-timer said that the impeccable magician Richard Ross won the coveted, world-class, first-place Grand Prix of magic at FISM, with his 4-ring Linking Ring routine. He was heralded as the "champion of champions" in magic. In short, he had supposedly reached the very pinnacle of his craft and art, and not unlike a young, owl-eyed, vacant-faced Lance Burton with his classic dove and cards act.
Then Richard Ross, the Swedish darling of conjuring, went galloping triumphantly back to his small town in his country, ready to "take on the world" -- and nearly starved to death trying to make a full-time living out of magic. He couldn't do it!
The moral of the tale: There are two worlds in the lives of nearly all magicians: The magic world (of make-believe) and the real world. In the real world, where most people don't give a flying thumb-tip about magic, you have to be drop-dead sensational to make it as a magician, or more importantly, so eclectically entertaining (think: Paul Daniels) that if you had to give up magic tomorrow, the next day you could still find work in some capacity as a general entertainer. How many magicians can make that claim? One in a million, I say. At one point, Daniels hosted a TV game show in England and delighted home audiences without doing a single trick.
As for Lance Burton, he knows how to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em: He says he's now going to pack it all in, retire, and go home and go fishing. -- And I'm willing to bet he wasn't joking. Any magic he'd do from here on in (he's not the type to tour with a giant show a la Copperfield) after being at the top in Las Vegas, could only be downhill from there. When you've hit the jackpot, there's no sense in running around afterwards picking up nickels and dimes..... every entertainer needs to know when to go gracefully into the night.
Keep cool in Florida.
It is as warm as I want to be here in Virginia.
Dennis Phillips
The Hookah Lounge is the oddest gig I have ever been involved with in magic…
The Hookah Lounge was in the upstairs of an old “Café and Wine Bar”. The old place was an upscale artsy wine bar that never took off. They used the upstairs as a quiet sit down lounge where could go upstairs and be away from the city street level visibility and sounds. It used to look like a fancy den in someone’s home with a small raised stage at one corner with a mic. The owner was an older New Jersey guy who remembered the historic Borscht Belt style of entertainment and he tried to do it upstairs and run a yuppie wine bar on the street level. I don’t think this area can support such a concept. It never went anywhere.
I met the original owner after my wife and I stopped in after walking around the downtown for a deli lunch. We had just gotten into town last summer. We were about the only people in the bar and the owner came over to talk and try to turn us into regulars. It was not long before I knew his history and he knew mine.
He said, “Hey! You ‘get it’. I have an opening on Tuesday nights and if you want to come in and work 7 to 10pm, its all yours. Keep the tips” So I did and for 3 months it was abysmal. Rarely were there more than 3 tables an evening and most of them were 30-somethings cheating on their relationships who did not want to be seen or entertained. The place was an ideal “cheaters” lounge. I suggested, jokingly, that it be renamed, “The Scarlett Letter”. A cheater could park in one of many lots and not be traced to the place and there were ways of sitting that could protect your secret.
Finally the owner decided that he needed an income and he did not want to wait for profitability so he sold the place to a Middle Eastern family. The only workers are all in the same family, the father, the mother and the 4 sons! The upstairs was transformed into a “Hookah Lounge”.
A hookah is a water pipe with a mixture of flavored tobacco, spices and molasses that is heated-burned and the light smoke is drawn through a water bottle. I do not smoke but my one puff was like putting my face in a flavored vaporizer. You can choose from many different flavors of mixture to smoke. A bowl of mixture takes about 30 minutes to finish and you can use two hoses with each pipe. The experience is one of relaxation, chit-chat and socializing. The smoke mixture is not over-powering to non-smokers. The upstairs has a separate ventilation system as required by law.
The Hookah Lounge was the business turn-around for the place and my walk-around magic is a part of the overall atmosphere. My magic seems to blend with the exotic feeling of Near-Eastern water-pipes and the land of Ali Baba.
I dress in a bright red Nehru jacket with a black collarless shirt with a big jewel in the center collar button. I have tux pants and black patent leather shoes. I am the age that my hair is a mixture of black and gray and my physique vaguely resembles a older network TV anchorman. I have enough maturity so that my risqué funny lines seem a bit out of place for me. I hate to think it but it may be similar to George Burns’ lines about women.
I usually begin my introduction with, “The boss pays me weekly- very weakly” (I am sure you get the pun). “Hold all ruminations and remunerations until the end when you genuinely feel sorry for me.” I am sure you can see that I am setting up the idea that they need to tip me.
“I am a magician and people always say that a magician “magishes”. I am also a wizard and people always say that a wizard…uh, you get the idea. Well, at my age I don’t do that easily anymore. You young guys, uh, ask your old man.”
I really play to the young women (18-30). If they are into it, they are far more open and animated and easy to work with. I am not flirty or a dirty old man. I am more like an old friendly and helpful Geni who says what they are thinking. “Hey, you alone? See any nice hunks here? Why isn’t that guy over there coming over and flirting with you? Want me to go get him?” “ Why are all you ladies sitting here without guys? There’s got to be a few guys here you like?” “Hey, you are a cute one, I have to find a guy here for you.” “I like your name, with a name like that you have to be a guy magnet.” I make comments like, “Ha! My youngest daughter is twice your age, I know what you are going through”.
It took me a short while to figure out how to prompt tips and work the couches.
I carry a box about the size of a shoe box and in it are about 10 tricks. In one performance set, I have a 50 cent piece on an elastic sleeve pull, a “Squash” Vanishing Whiskey Glass on a belt pull. In my pocket is a ready Brass Bill Tube and my jacket pocket has a man’s white handkerchief with a bill gimmick sewn in the corner. In my right jacket pocket is Professor’s Nightmare (my routine is a lot more involved than the standard routine with a bit of Tabary) and a Jardin Ellis Ring and in my left pocket are four one inch red sponge balls and a color changing pocket knife.
In the box, for this performance set, I have: Color Vision (yes it is hoary but no one ever knows it!) Lethal Tender, Block and Rope, Jerry Andus’ Disc (I use that to rotate on a table to make them see their flesh bubbling) a deck of cards, dye tube with red and blue silk, Malini Egg Bag Danny Tong routine), a thumb tip with a ribbon silk in it, the rope for “Hang ‘em High” (through the body) and a Chop Cup. You may be getting the idea that almost everything I do can be examined!
I have 3 separate presentations with other materials that I rotate. I also have a clear plastic tip jar with a sign on it that says “Thanks!” It always has 5 or 6 one dollar bills in it. The back of my close-up mat (made from a 12 by 15 inch piece of black marine boat carpet) has the ragged side of an old brown shopping bag glued on it. It has Magic Marker scribble writing in a kid’s backward “s” that says “Will do tricks for food”. On ribbons one-by-one I can drop two small plaques that say, “Accepting” and then “Master Card-Visa-American Express”. This was a Daniel Garcia idea. It gets a big laugh and sets up the idea that I am not there for free.
I do not do the “One dollar to hundred dollar bill trick”. They might think that if I can do that, why am I working in the Lounge.
Using a dollar bill for the Bill Tube, which I usually do as a finale for the set, gets them used to handing me money. Almost always when they open the bill after being found in the tube they just hand it to me and say, “Here keep it, that was great!” I then take that bill and do the impromptu Bill Tear where you tear the face out of the bill and it restores. This is a powerful effect and gives me an excuse for not returning the damaged bill!
I have become a part of the total overall atmosphere of the Lounge and when I arrive many of the regulars cheer and ask me to come over and entertain their friends who have never seen me.
One final note on the Lounge: The waiters, who are all brothers in the family-owned business, work to encourage tips for me. They will often give a spiel at a table of people with words like, “You will like the magician and if you have fun, remember he takes tips.” They also bring over bills and put them into my jar. Customers give them change as they are checking out and ask them to put it in my jar. The waiters watch where I am in my act and visibly come over and put the bills in my jar. They work with me on encouraging tips because I am such a vital part of the package.
Hey… have you noticed that there is an insidious belief that the right “trick” will make us! “Man, if we could just make the Statue of Liberty disappear!”, “If I just had a hook like Marvyn Roy did with the light bulbs” , “All I need is something like a floating violin and I would be in!”
Magicians think “tricks”. They do not think style, entertainment and marketability. Example: I could do the color-changing plate of spaghetti trick. You know, from red to blue to green to chartreuse and then total black. Amazing! But, who the heck cares?
I just have gone through dubbing 23 HOURS of VHS magic tapes to DVD! They are entirely on cards!
Who the heck cares! I have 4 tapes on The Pass! Watching them was like ingesting morphine. The demonstrator was skilled but why do I need to be able to do this? I can fool the britches off of everyone with a Svengali deck.
Our radio station consultant had meetings with the staff…in a private meeting with the news staff he insisted that I show him a magic trick. I did the torn and restored bill, impromptu…with all my lines! As I was eating the torn part, I said, “Everyone always asks me if I know where this bill has been. They asked that about Clinton too!” I used a few other lines. He thoroughly enjoyed my nonsense. He said, “You have done that a lot!”
THAT is what most magicians are missing. You can take an Egg Bag and entertain the heck out of people.
John Carney, Danny Tong have done it.
My favorite line is from Jim Green, the owner of “Mr. G’s Magic Shop, Orange Park, FL”. He would be restocking his shelves with MAK or imports from India and say, “the paint job will sell this baby!” We are all suckers for the paint job, both visible or in the catalog description. We often forget that we are not showing off paintjobs, we are entertaining!
Have you ever seen Victor Borge on You-Tube? Now HE'S the perfect example of what I am talking about: His piano playing takes a distant back seat to his skill at ENTERTAINING. His closing lines were: "Ladies and gentlemen, I want to take this opportunity to thank my mother for making this evening possible. ...And I'd like to thank my children for making it necessary!" and finally, "Let me just caution you all, when you drive home tonight, DO drive very carefully. Because I walk in my sleep!" All the while his hands are in "auto mode" playing some gentle but complex Frederick Chopin, the skill imbedded in his very nervous system like dinosaur bones in rock.
... Which brings up the point: Sleight of hand, no matter how difficult, should be in the background of the performance. If a magic fanatic notices himself, that he's doing a pass, he's dead in the water from the get-go. ... A good performer does the pull-through shuffle or any other difficult false shuffle so perfectly, so off-handedly, that try as he might, he finds a NORMAL riffle shuffle takes more of his attention to pull off than the sleight! That's what practice does. He over-learns it, so he is free to project his personality and communicate directly to the audience. Let the brain and hands do the work, the mind has more important things to do: misdirecting the audience with sparkling one-liners and general conviviality! Many of today's youth are addicted to fancy flourishes (heavily promoted by the dealers pushing the “Street Magic” mentality), a kind of perverse juggling with cards that says "Look what I can do!" instead of "Would you like to see miracle of the secular kind?" Put the stupid cards away and be a real human being for a change and not just a juggler of the cardboard.
Larry Thornton, my Canadian friend, talked about many years ago he was at a convention and given a startling bit of news. Okay, he was young back then.
And old-timer said that the impeccable magician Richard Ross won the coveted, world-class, first-place Grand Prix of magic at FISM, with his 4-ring Linking Ring routine. He was heralded as the "champion of champions" in magic. In short, he had supposedly reached the very pinnacle of his craft and art, and not unlike a young, owl-eyed, vacant-faced Lance Burton with his classic dove and cards act.
Then Richard Ross, the Swedish darling of conjuring, went galloping triumphantly back to his small town in his country, ready to "take on the world" -- and nearly starved to death trying to make a full-time living out of magic. He couldn't do it!
The moral of the tale: There are two worlds in the lives of nearly all magicians: The magic world (of make-believe) and the real world. In the real world, where most people don't give a flying thumb-tip about magic, you have to be drop-dead sensational to make it as a magician, or more importantly, so eclectically entertaining (think: Paul Daniels) that if you had to give up magic tomorrow, the next day you could still find work in some capacity as a general entertainer. How many magicians can make that claim? One in a million, I say. At one point, Daniels hosted a TV game show in England and delighted home audiences without doing a single trick.
As for Lance Burton, he knows how to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em: He says he's now going to pack it all in, retire, and go home and go fishing. -- And I'm willing to bet he wasn't joking. Any magic he'd do from here on in (he's not the type to tour with a giant show a la Copperfield) after being at the top in Las Vegas, could only be downhill from there. When you've hit the jackpot, there's no sense in running around afterwards picking up nickels and dimes..... every entertainer needs to know when to go gracefully into the night.
Keep cool in Florida.
It is as warm as I want to be here in Virginia.
Dennis Phillips
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