Posts
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 06/16/2010 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Performance Theme: Silent 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
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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
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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.
Friday, June 04, 2010
2010-06 From the Editor
Thanks first to Dennis, Doug and Bob for their contributions this month.
This newsletter come to you from 35,000 ft as I cruise back from another week in the LA area (Isn't inflight Internet great!). While the travel back and forth is a bear, at least I get the opportunity to visit the Magic Castle, as I did last night. Even though the performers this week were not as famous as the gaggle of greats two weeks ago, the entertainment was still high class. The Castle is a great venue and it is often nice just watching the visitors, as much as watching the performers, as you get a number of Hollywood glitterati there.
URGENT
A quite number of members have not converted to the new Google mailing list. We would like to close down the old Yahoo list in the next few weeks if we can get more members on the new, more reliable list. If you have lost (or did not get - check your SPAM folder) the invitation, just go to http:goup.google.com and search for Ring170. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE sign up soon.
Summer is here, I hope that everyone is enjoying the heat
Your Editor
Stefan
This newsletter come to you from 35,000 ft as I cruise back from another week in the LA area (Isn't inflight Internet great!). While the travel back and forth is a bear, at least I get the opportunity to visit the Magic Castle, as I did last night. Even though the performers this week were not as famous as the gaggle of greats two weeks ago, the entertainment was still high class. The Castle is a great venue and it is often nice just watching the visitors, as much as watching the performers, as you get a number of Hollywood glitterati there.
URGENT
A quite number of members have not converted to the new Google mailing list. We would like to close down the old Yahoo list in the next few weeks if we can get more members on the new, more reliable list. If you have lost (or did not get - check your SPAM folder) the invitation, just go to http:goup.google.com and search for Ring170. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE sign up soon.
Summer is here, I hope that everyone is enjoying the heat
Your Editor
Stefan
2010-05 Ring Report Ring #170 The Bev Bergeron Ring
President Craig Fennessey called the meeting to order on May 19th and introduced the Ring's officers to the 31 members and guests in attendance and acknowledged the attendance at the Ring's Annual Banquet and Show that had taken place the previous week. Craig reminded the members that this was Magic Week on the David Letterman Show and among other notable magicians, Orlando's own Michael Ammar would be appearing. He went on to say that Wayne Houton had been booked as a future lecturer and arrangements were also being made to book Bob Sheets for a future lecture.
Scott Rosenfeld introduced himself and stated his desire to become a member of the Ring. Scott's specialty is clown magic.
Those Ring members who are appearing around Orlando include Dan Stapleton at Give Kids The World, Mark Fitzgerald at the Hard Rock Cafe and Bev Bergeron at The Red Fox Lounge on Thursday nights. Doug Otto will also be appearing this month at the Wizardz of Magic in Kissimmee. In June, Bev Bergeron will attend the SAM Convention in San Diego and appear at the Magic Castle on the same California trip. Mark Fitzgerald attended and subsequently reported his experiences at Fechter's Close-Up Convention held earlier this month in Batavia, N.Y.
It was reported that Don Masters, one of the founders of Ring 170 has passed away. A memorial service will be held for him at our next meeting. (or another date, see separate post to the mailing list - Ed.)
If anyone was interested, our President announced that banquet photos could be seen on the Ring's website.
A teach-in by Bev Bergeron followed where he demonstrated his expertise at impromptu magic with a repertoire of paper napkin magic. Dan Stapleton spoke of his experience performing for a client in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and told of his success utilizing a Finger D-Lite and a double-shooting magic wand during a hastily rehearsed show.
Phil Schwartz presented Magic History Moment #22, a Treatise on Trays. He produced from his collection several types of trays that were utilized in coin, ring and card production and other effects. Phil closed his presentation by demonstrating his Di-Flyto Tray. The membership were enlightened and enjoyed his presentation.
Jennifer Smith spoke briefly to the Ring concerning Women in Magic and perspectives of the women's role in Magic as assistants as well as magical performers.
After a short break VP Chris Dunn emceed the members performances. Mark Fitgerald came out first with a Gold Candy Coin Manipulation and followed with a well executed Oil and Water Card Trick. Will Wortman was next demonstrating a well performed Coin and Card Matrix. Ring 170 Alumnus Jon Armstrong, visiting all the way from Los Angeles, performed Harry In Your Pocket with an astonished audience member. Dan Stapleton performed the Matrix Poker Card Effect with the predicted outcome and Charlie Pfrogner closed the performances with a Rabbit and a Ribbon Production from a trash can.
Sheldon Brook
Scott Rosenfeld introduced himself and stated his desire to become a member of the Ring. Scott's specialty is clown magic.
Those Ring members who are appearing around Orlando include Dan Stapleton at Give Kids The World, Mark Fitzgerald at the Hard Rock Cafe and Bev Bergeron at The Red Fox Lounge on Thursday nights. Doug Otto will also be appearing this month at the Wizardz of Magic in Kissimmee. In June, Bev Bergeron will attend the SAM Convention in San Diego and appear at the Magic Castle on the same California trip. Mark Fitzgerald attended and subsequently reported his experiences at Fechter's Close-Up Convention held earlier this month in Batavia, N.Y.
It was reported that Don Masters, one of the founders of Ring 170 has passed away. A memorial service will be held for him at our next meeting. (or another date, see separate post to the mailing list - Ed.)
If anyone was interested, our President announced that banquet photos could be seen on the Ring's website.
A teach-in by Bev Bergeron followed where he demonstrated his expertise at impromptu magic with a repertoire of paper napkin magic. Dan Stapleton spoke of his experience performing for a client in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and told of his success utilizing a Finger D-Lite and a double-shooting magic wand during a hastily rehearsed show.
Phil Schwartz presented Magic History Moment #22, a Treatise on Trays. He produced from his collection several types of trays that were utilized in coin, ring and card production and other effects. Phil closed his presentation by demonstrating his Di-Flyto Tray. The membership were enlightened and enjoyed his presentation.
Jennifer Smith spoke briefly to the Ring concerning Women in Magic and perspectives of the women's role in Magic as assistants as well as magical performers.
After a short break VP Chris Dunn emceed the members performances. Mark Fitgerald came out first with a Gold Candy Coin Manipulation and followed with a well executed Oil and Water Card Trick. Will Wortman was next demonstrating a well performed Coin and Card Matrix. Ring 170 Alumnus Jon Armstrong, visiting all the way from Los Angeles, performed Harry In Your Pocket with an astonished audience member. Dan Stapleton performed the Matrix Poker Card Effect with the predicted outcome and Charlie Pfrogner closed the performances with a Rabbit and a Ribbon Production from a trash can.
Sheldon Brook
2010-06 Special Magic Flea Market in TN
Magic Friends,
Your help and participation are sought and needed.
As you may be aware, The Nashville Ring 37 had to cancel convention plans for September due to the loss of facilities since the recent flood there. We have no SEAM this year to avoid conflict with the SAM convention in Atlanta in July.
Therefore, Lucy and I have decided to do what we can afford to get a magicians’ get together for September at Magic Valley Ranch. It is not a true convention at all. It is a Magicians’ Flea Market. There are no plans for lectures or night shows. (There is also no plan for an admission charge either!)
The date is Saturday September 11, 2010. The place is here at the ranch (Magic Valley Ranch 395 County Road 478, Clanton, AL). Admission is restricted to magicians and their guests. The vendors are the magicians with treasures (and some white elephants) to trade.
Facilities are a bit unusual. The arena is reserved for booth spaces for magicians with magic for sale. If more space is needed, it is certainly available. There is also an outdoor stage near the arena; special areas (covered and in the shade) for close-up magic “discussions”, bull sessions, and deep conversations about the strategic importance of entertaining others; an indoor theater (Bunny Heart Theater) for stage magic; and food vendors working for local charities. Otherwise it is rolling grassy hills, wooden fences, a lake and horses, goats, geese, etc. It is a gated community due to the horses! We are private. Yes, there are bathrooms!
Both vendors and bargain hunters are sought. There is no charge to be either or both.
Things to bring are a chair, walking shoes, camera, money to buy magical treasures and lunch, magic trade goods, tall tales, the need to associate with other magicians and magic to show and tell or just walk around and use for conversation starters with others. Pets are not allowed (except for caged doves and rabbits) since we already have animals here we don’t want bothered by other animals.
Vendors will need tables and, if desired – and recommended - a shade cover of some sort.
Coolers are OK but please remember that Chilton County is a dry county. It is also an election year (November) and the local sheriff will hopefully be replaced. (He’s not happy about that.)
Opportunities to perform exist. What interest you: walk-around, close-up, stage?
There is plenty of lodging available locally. There are three (count them!) Robert Trent Jones Golf Courses here, the national tournaments for BassMaster are held within ten minutes of the ranch, less than 50 miles south of the ranch in Montgomery are the Shakespeare Festival (http://www.asf.net/index.aspx) , the Hank Williams museum and a good zoo. If you want a night show I recommend the Shakespeare Festival. It is ranked 7th in the world. Even from the outside, it is something to see.
North is Birmingham. The ranch is almost exactly dead center between Birmingham and Montgomery about five miles off exit 208 on I-65. There is only one turn. A map and directions are attached.
Please use MagicValleyRanch@MagicValleyMagic.com for emails about this. Your comments and ideas are welcomed.
Please do let me hear from you.
Magically yours,
Bob
Bob Sanders
Magic Valley Ranch
395 County Road 478
Clanton, AL 35046-3213 U.S.A.
(205) 755-6882 Ranch
(334) 412-5789 Cell
Bob@MagicBySander.com
http://www.magicbysander.com/
Map to Magic Valley Ranch
From I-65 Exit 208 (Clanton exit for Shoney’s and Love’s)
1. From I-65 Take Exit 208
2. Go east (Toward Love’s) for about 4.8 miles on CR 28 (unmarked)
Locally it is known as Lake Mitchell Road.
3. Turn RIGHT onto County Road 97 at sign for Providence Church for 0.1 mile
4. Continue straight (Left curve) on cemetery side onto County Road 478
5. Around the curve on the LEFT look for the Magic Valley Ranch gate (about 0.1 mile)
6. If you see wooded fences, barns, arena, a lake and horses, You are passing the ranch!
Your help and participation are sought and needed.
As you may be aware, The Nashville Ring 37 had to cancel convention plans for September due to the loss of facilities since the recent flood there. We have no SEAM this year to avoid conflict with the SAM convention in Atlanta in July.
Therefore, Lucy and I have decided to do what we can afford to get a magicians’ get together for September at Magic Valley Ranch. It is not a true convention at all. It is a Magicians’ Flea Market. There are no plans for lectures or night shows. (There is also no plan for an admission charge either!)
The date is Saturday September 11, 2010. The place is here at the ranch (Magic Valley Ranch 395 County Road 478, Clanton, AL). Admission is restricted to magicians and their guests. The vendors are the magicians with treasures (and some white elephants) to trade.
Facilities are a bit unusual. The arena is reserved for booth spaces for magicians with magic for sale. If more space is needed, it is certainly available. There is also an outdoor stage near the arena; special areas (covered and in the shade) for close-up magic “discussions”, bull sessions, and deep conversations about the strategic importance of entertaining others; an indoor theater (Bunny Heart Theater) for stage magic; and food vendors working for local charities. Otherwise it is rolling grassy hills, wooden fences, a lake and horses, goats, geese, etc. It is a gated community due to the horses! We are private. Yes, there are bathrooms!
Both vendors and bargain hunters are sought. There is no charge to be either or both.
Things to bring are a chair, walking shoes, camera, money to buy magical treasures and lunch, magic trade goods, tall tales, the need to associate with other magicians and magic to show and tell or just walk around and use for conversation starters with others. Pets are not allowed (except for caged doves and rabbits) since we already have animals here we don’t want bothered by other animals.
Vendors will need tables and, if desired – and recommended - a shade cover of some sort.
Coolers are OK but please remember that Chilton County is a dry county. It is also an election year (November) and the local sheriff will hopefully be replaced. (He’s not happy about that.)
Opportunities to perform exist. What interest you: walk-around, close-up, stage?
There is plenty of lodging available locally. There are three (count them!) Robert Trent Jones Golf Courses here, the national tournaments for BassMaster are held within ten minutes of the ranch, less than 50 miles south of the ranch in Montgomery are the Shakespeare Festival (http://www.asf.net/index.aspx) , the Hank Williams museum and a good zoo. If you want a night show I recommend the Shakespeare Festival. It is ranked 7th in the world. Even from the outside, it is something to see.
North is Birmingham. The ranch is almost exactly dead center between Birmingham and Montgomery about five miles off exit 208 on I-65. There is only one turn. A map and directions are attached.
Please use MagicValleyRanch@MagicValleyMagic.com for emails about this. Your comments and ideas are welcomed.
Please do let me hear from you.
Magically yours,
Bob
Bob Sanders
Magic Valley Ranch
395 County Road 478
Clanton, AL 35046-3213 U.S.A.
(205) 755-6882 Ranch
(334) 412-5789 Cell
Bob@MagicBySander.com
http://www.magicbysander.com/
Map to Magic Valley Ranch
From I-65 Exit 208 (Clanton exit for Shoney’s and Love’s)
1. From I-65 Take Exit 208
2. Go east (Toward Love’s) for about 4.8 miles on CR 28 (unmarked)
Locally it is known as Lake Mitchell Road.
3. Turn RIGHT onto County Road 97 at sign for Providence Church for 0.1 mile
4. Continue straight (Left curve) on cemetery side onto County Road 478
5. Around the curve on the LEFT look for the Magic Valley Ranch gate (about 0.1 mile)
6. If you see wooded fences, barns, arena, a lake and horses, You are passing the ranch!
2010-06 Product Review - Amazing Card Changing Sleeve
Over the Memorial Day weekend I took a trip back to my home town of Cleveland, OH. While I was there I stopped to visit the place where magic found its way into my heart, Whip’s Magic Emporium, Geneva-On-The-Lake, OH.
I was saddened to learn that my mentor and friend Jonathan Whipple had passed away. His brother Bill and sister Pat are still running the shop, one of Geneva-On-The-Lake’s landmarks. While I was there, Bill demonstrated the Amazing Card Changing Sleeve by Fun, Inc. and needless to say I came home with one.
From the manufacturer: “This is one of the most amazing close up "illusions" to have appeared in recent times. In effect a playing card in a clear plastic sleeve instantly changes into a completely different card without any cover. The change is visual and takes place in an instant under the audience's nose. You can hand over the changed card for examination, and show the clear sleeve completely empty at the finish.”
The operation is quick and simple. Within a minute I was changing cards. The sleeve can be kept in a jacket pocket with a deck of cards for those quick “Do a trick” moments. After choosing a card and “mixing” it back in the deck, a “random” card is drawn face down. The sleeve is shown and the audience can see thru the clear plastic. The “random” card is inserted into the sleeve and when turned over is (of course) not the chosen card. But I can fix that in the shake of a hand. A simple shake of the card and it changes to the chosen card, which can be removed for inspection and the sleeve can be shown as clear I give this a thumbs-tip up.
by Doug Kalcik
(click on title above for a video - Ed.)
I was saddened to learn that my mentor and friend Jonathan Whipple had passed away. His brother Bill and sister Pat are still running the shop, one of Geneva-On-The-Lake’s landmarks. While I was there, Bill demonstrated the Amazing Card Changing Sleeve by Fun, Inc. and needless to say I came home with one.
From the manufacturer: “This is one of the most amazing close up "illusions" to have appeared in recent times. In effect a playing card in a clear plastic sleeve instantly changes into a completely different card without any cover. The change is visual and takes place in an instant under the audience's nose. You can hand over the changed card for examination, and show the clear sleeve completely empty at the finish.”
The operation is quick and simple. Within a minute I was changing cards. The sleeve can be kept in a jacket pocket with a deck of cards for those quick “Do a trick” moments. After choosing a card and “mixing” it back in the deck, a “random” card is drawn face down. The sleeve is shown and the audience can see thru the clear plastic. The “random” card is inserted into the sleeve and when turned over is (of course) not the chosen card. But I can fix that in the shake of a hand. A simple shake of the card and it changes to the chosen card, which can be removed for inspection and the sleeve can be shown as clear I give this a thumbs-tip up.
(click on title above for a video - Ed.)
2010-06 Dennis' Deliberations
Well, just as the school year was winding down and my substitute teaching jobs were drying up, I got a fulltime job. Finally! A “gig” if you will! It isn’t teaching. It is a continuation of an old career in one of my other job skills since there are no openings in Education here. Most school systems across the nation are anemic and struggling to stay afloat as property taxes and their income base shrinks.
I am a morning radio newsman at WSVA Radio and the other four stations in the group here in Harrisonburg. It is a lot of fun getting back into radio. The basic skill of writing and reporting hasn’t changed but the production now is high tech and all done on computer. I still read live during the prime time broadcasts. We just posted our new WSVA Radio website and we are now streaming to the Internet live 24-7. Streaming via the Internet is redefining “Broadcasting”. Now YOU are in our coverage area! To hear me, our website, is http://www.wsvaonline.com/ . When you go on to the site you will see a “Listen Live” bar on the upper right. When you click on it, it will open the “Live” window and play a one-time-only 15 second video commercial and then you are linked to the live radio audio stream.
My daily schedule for reporting the radio news is Mornings from 5AM! (Top and bottom of the hour) until 9AM and then top-of-the-hour through Noon. Afternoons I do 12:05,1:03, 2:03 pm, Monday through Friday. Yes, I have to be there at 4AM to prepare! I get up at 3AM, slop down some oatmeal with walnuts and blueberries and head out for the station which is 3 miles away. I can see the towers from my house. I greet the night manager who usually has pulled the Associated Press updates for me from the dedicated computer and I go to work.
I pull mp3 feeds from the Virginia News Network and put together the newscasts for Lite 96.1 FM. In my best Walter Cronkite voice I try to make the latest local Tupperware Party sound like a significant International event if that is all that is happening. Every once in a while there is some “big” news like a fire or wreck overnight. I also rework press releases and whatever else is newsworthy. H.L. Mencken, the great newspaper reporter, once defined a good news story as anything that makes your 80 year old grandmother say, “what???” The town just jailed a multiple offender for being a Peeping Tom. I led with “A Peeping Tom will be peeping out from behind bars for 5 years!” Much of this area is as bucolic as Mayberry R.F.D. We are innocents from a previous age. In my past broadcast news environment we had signs around the newsroom, “If it bleeds, it leads!” and “If you’ve got the time, we’ve got the crime!” That formula does not work here. This is not Orlando. There just isn’t enough blood, guts and gore. Every once in a while there is some carnage in I-81. The big story one day last week was a “log laying” ceremony as they celebrating reconstructing and old Mennonite log farmhouse at a heritage museum. It was big news because historical heritage is huge around here.
At 5AM the news cycle on 550 AM Radio begins. All morning long I am rewriting and fishing for news from Associated Press, websites, E-Mails, tips and press releases. Every story gets a Virginia and local slant. In between all this, I am bantering with the 2 man morning team both on and off the air. One of the guys got back today from a cruise vacation to the Caribbean…”See any oil slicks?” “I just found out that BP stands for “Broken Pipe”. “See any magicians on the cruise ship?”
I am the oldest person on the staff at age 62, so my age has become a running gag. “Come on Mike, I am into Heavy Metal!” “Dennis, at your age you gotta be kidding!” “No, I am not kidding, I am into Heavy Metal: gold teeth, silver hair and lead in the bottom!” You can see the people I work with at the radio stations if you watch this short video.
Now, with Internet Streaming, it is like I am local in Florida again. The Internet is changing the reach and style of radio. It is a brand new world! Speaking of a shrinking world, you can now catch former Orlando illusionist Joe Conrad .He seems a bit physically heavier. He is based in Thailand according to the clip. You may enjoy reading all of what he says about himself.
Well, both Jon and Charlotte Pendragon are performing again! At this point they are not working together. I really think that they will get back together again eventually. They have to. They are a team and both need each other. When a team breaks up, rarely do they each have individual success. Perhaps Martin and Lewis did? Ha, all you young guys are saying, “He means Martin Lewis?” No, I mean Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. They were a two man comedy team who eventually broke up and each found individual success. I don’t believe that the Pendragons will be so lucky. Both he and her will have to work until they have their “Assdragon”? If for nothing more than pure monetary reasons! As Tina Turner says, “What’s Love got to do with it?”
A local magician in my Ring recently gifted Wes Iseli and me with a hundred or so VHS magic tapes. This guy was a card freak. Most of the tapes are on card magic. After watching 90 hours of all the greats, Bruce Cervon, Dai Vernon and many more, I am blind! The lingo is baffling! “Vernon used the Fred Black stack with an Elmsley move and a combined Buckle and reverse shuffle. Now if you do the Pass and just the Hamman’ Flustration count after the slop shuffle you will find that it works as well. I prefer to do the Biddle Grip and just do a Glide and push off… but Vernon was a little more technical”……Sheeze! I enjoy card stuff but I am lost. I also like watching medical TV shows but I could never actually do the brain surgery they do or explain it. Never the less, I am trying to improve all of my card skills. Cards are cheaper to lug around than a ton and a half of illusion crates. Steve Wyrick of Las Vegas fame has declared bankruptcy. It was like 54 Millions dollars worth of plop! How could a person lose that much money? It reminds me of the old line: “Do you know how to make a million dollars as an illusionist? Start with 10 million!” You can check out the story for yourself here. Paul Osborne told me that there was more to this story that simple failure and he says that Wyrick has other things in the works.
Finally, RIP Martin Gardner. He was a genius and I used to exchange E-mails with him. His math magic was incredible. I will miss him. There will be no other like him…
It is 8:32 PM and I have to be up at 3AM…..zzzzzzzz
Dennis
I am a morning radio newsman at WSVA Radio and the other four stations in the group here in Harrisonburg. It is a lot of fun getting back into radio. The basic skill of writing and reporting hasn’t changed but the production now is high tech and all done on computer. I still read live during the prime time broadcasts. We just posted our new WSVA Radio website and we are now streaming to the Internet live 24-7. Streaming via the Internet is redefining “Broadcasting”. Now YOU are in our coverage area! To hear me, our website, is http://www.wsvaonline.com/ . When you go on to the site you will see a “Listen Live” bar on the upper right. When you click on it, it will open the “Live” window and play a one-time-only 15 second video commercial and then you are linked to the live radio audio stream.
My daily schedule for reporting the radio news is Mornings from 5AM! (Top and bottom of the hour) until 9AM and then top-of-the-hour through Noon. Afternoons I do 12:05,1:03, 2:03 pm, Monday through Friday. Yes, I have to be there at 4AM to prepare! I get up at 3AM, slop down some oatmeal with walnuts and blueberries and head out for the station which is 3 miles away. I can see the towers from my house. I greet the night manager who usually has pulled the Associated Press updates for me from the dedicated computer and I go to work.
I pull mp3 feeds from the Virginia News Network and put together the newscasts for Lite 96.1 FM. In my best Walter Cronkite voice I try to make the latest local Tupperware Party sound like a significant International event if that is all that is happening. Every once in a while there is some “big” news like a fire or wreck overnight. I also rework press releases and whatever else is newsworthy. H.L. Mencken, the great newspaper reporter, once defined a good news story as anything that makes your 80 year old grandmother say, “what???” The town just jailed a multiple offender for being a Peeping Tom. I led with “A Peeping Tom will be peeping out from behind bars for 5 years!” Much of this area is as bucolic as Mayberry R.F.D. We are innocents from a previous age. In my past broadcast news environment we had signs around the newsroom, “If it bleeds, it leads!” and “If you’ve got the time, we’ve got the crime!” That formula does not work here. This is not Orlando. There just isn’t enough blood, guts and gore. Every once in a while there is some carnage in I-81. The big story one day last week was a “log laying” ceremony as they celebrating reconstructing and old Mennonite log farmhouse at a heritage museum. It was big news because historical heritage is huge around here.
At 5AM the news cycle on 550 AM Radio begins. All morning long I am rewriting and fishing for news from Associated Press, websites, E-Mails, tips and press releases. Every story gets a Virginia and local slant. In between all this, I am bantering with the 2 man morning team both on and off the air. One of the guys got back today from a cruise vacation to the Caribbean…”See any oil slicks?” “I just found out that BP stands for “Broken Pipe”. “See any magicians on the cruise ship?”
I am the oldest person on the staff at age 62, so my age has become a running gag. “Come on Mike, I am into Heavy Metal!” “Dennis, at your age you gotta be kidding!” “No, I am not kidding, I am into Heavy Metal: gold teeth, silver hair and lead in the bottom!” You can see the people I work with at the radio stations if you watch this short video.
Now, with Internet Streaming, it is like I am local in Florida again. The Internet is changing the reach and style of radio. It is a brand new world! Speaking of a shrinking world, you can now catch former Orlando illusionist Joe Conrad .He seems a bit physically heavier. He is based in Thailand according to the clip. You may enjoy reading all of what he says about himself.
Well, both Jon and Charlotte Pendragon are performing again! At this point they are not working together. I really think that they will get back together again eventually. They have to. They are a team and both need each other. When a team breaks up, rarely do they each have individual success. Perhaps Martin and Lewis did? Ha, all you young guys are saying, “He means Martin Lewis?” No, I mean Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. They were a two man comedy team who eventually broke up and each found individual success. I don’t believe that the Pendragons will be so lucky. Both he and her will have to work until they have their “Assdragon”? If for nothing more than pure monetary reasons! As Tina Turner says, “What’s Love got to do with it?”
A local magician in my Ring recently gifted Wes Iseli and me with a hundred or so VHS magic tapes. This guy was a card freak. Most of the tapes are on card magic. After watching 90 hours of all the greats, Bruce Cervon, Dai Vernon and many more, I am blind! The lingo is baffling! “Vernon used the Fred Black stack with an Elmsley move and a combined Buckle and reverse shuffle. Now if you do the Pass and just the Hamman’ Flustration count after the slop shuffle you will find that it works as well. I prefer to do the Biddle Grip and just do a Glide and push off… but Vernon was a little more technical”……Sheeze! I enjoy card stuff but I am lost. I also like watching medical TV shows but I could never actually do the brain surgery they do or explain it. Never the less, I am trying to improve all of my card skills. Cards are cheaper to lug around than a ton and a half of illusion crates. Steve Wyrick of Las Vegas fame has declared bankruptcy. It was like 54 Millions dollars worth of plop! How could a person lose that much money? It reminds me of the old line: “Do you know how to make a million dollars as an illusionist? Start with 10 million!” You can check out the story for yourself here. Paul Osborne told me that there was more to this story that simple failure and he says that Wyrick has other things in the works.
Finally, RIP Martin Gardner. He was a genius and I used to exchange E-mails with him. His math magic was incredible. I will miss him. There will be no other like him…
It is 8:32 PM and I have to be up at 3AM…..zzzzzzzz
Dennis
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