Many religions have a fear of magicians and their craft, sometimes branding our tricks and illusions as "works of the devil." However, I was born and baptized into the Mormon religion myself. This isn't really evident to anyone who knows me personally as I am not exactly shy anymore about being an Atheist. But I can say one thing about the Church of Ladder Day Saints (Mormons) which I have learned to appreciate, that is, that they do have a love for the performing arts and magic, to them, is a performing art. So when I added a visit to Logan Utah on my journey, I really didn't know what to expect but I knew that if I kept quiet about my Vegas trip, that I'd probably survive the trip.
The drive into Logan is the first taste of that beautiful mountainous country which surrounds Utah and those other Rocky Mountain States through which I would travel over the next week. Coming through the mountain passes and over into the Logan valley is breathtaking to say the least. It was a beautiful sunny morning, and the air was as clean as a Mormon comedian. Invigorated as I was, I was a little anxious when I headed into Logan. I was meeting and staying with a magician whom I had respected and admired for years, yet we didn't know each other well. His name is Richard Hatch, but he began going by "Dick" ever since his name was associated with the controversial contestant on the show "Survivor" of the same name. I didn't know what to expect from Dick Hatch, but I had begun to wonder if I was going to stay in a Mormon household. If so, I'd have to be sure and curb my New York vernacular where, the "F-bomb" is the most often used verb, adjective and noun in the English language. I'd have to not discuss my religious views, and of course worst of all it meant, "no martinis" for me. But I probably needed a martini break anyway.
Magician, Dick Hatch
I first knew of Dick Hatch, from my magic days in Houston. He was a full time pro working the local venues at the time. Dick was the consummate magician. If you look up "magician" in the dictionary I'm sure there must be a picture of him included in the definition somewhere. He is one of those magicians which I could easily pick out of a crowd. He has an air of mystical confidence about him. He has a very professorial look and demeanor. He always seemed to have a very class act, even back in the day, especially compared to my "slightly" risque material.
Dick is an expert in the classics of magic, like the linking rings and the cups and balls. Take a minute to enjoy a video of him doing the classic cups and balls. You can't help but be amazed by his sleight of hand and the way the balls vanish. I've been doing this stuff a long time you know, and I am in awe when I see him vanish those little balls with such ease.
Dick had invited invited me to come visit him in Utah before I'd begun my magic life trip, so when I was coming within a hundred miles of his domain, I decided I'd ask him if he'd be up for a visit. And as fortune would have it, his wife was out of town and he was even performing at the time I was there and he was more than happy to let me flop in his guest room.
Thatcher-Young Mansion
When I pulled up to the location where Dick had his magic school, I almost had my Mormon suspicions confirmed. He was working in a beautiful old Victorian home. This
beautiful restored home is the Thatcher-Young Mansion built in 1878 by
George W. Thatcher and his wife, Eunice Caroline (Luna) Young Thatcher, a
daughter of Brigham Young. Brigham Young actually used to stay there. I felt at home from the moment I set foot inside. Not because of Brigham Young was a father of the Mormon Church, but the guy had so many women in his life, 55 women which were "sealed" to him, that I almost felt a strange admiration, a sort of Lions, Tigers, and Bears, OMG,... kinship.
Dick performs an afternoon show
Now this once den of polygamy, houses a photography studio, magic, and music studio. Up the narrow and quickly rising stairs into the small room, which is the magician's lair, lies the Hatch Academy of Music and Magic. And I got to witness the magical properties which the building itself possesses. Seems that there is a place where gravity seems to have lost it's pull. Dick demonstrated this to a couple of kids who dropped in for a visit.
Right behind this wonderful home lies an amazing theater for the performing arts. Dick was kind enough to take me on a tour of all of the theater facilities. And it amazes me the amount of theater which this small town about 50,000 people, of Logan Utah is able to support. But Mormons, then again, who don't support polygamy anymore, do support the arts. But much to my surprise and fortune, turned out that Dick, like myself was no longer a practicing Mormon. I had been fooled by the illusion, just like so many laymen are by magic, into thinking that a magician living in Utah, working in a former home of Brigham Young, whose magic seemed clean cut, would of course be a Mormon himself. But then, this is my magic life. So we managed to take a trip to a local pub. And as fate would have it, the pub was owned by a magician himself, and we performed magic for one another all evening while drinking some very large beers.
When I have to tell someone where I "grew up" it's usually something about "all over the western states." However I like to say that my real roots took hold in a place called The Magic Valley, Idaho. It is where I spent most of my High School years at Twin Falls High, it is where I first printed a business card that said "magician" on it. Twin Falls is actually famous for a few things (besides me of course), first it is one of the only great bridges in the country that allows base jumpers to jump off. I met a guy in South Beach one time who told me he was parachute instructor, and I asked him if he'd ever been to Twin Falls, Idaho and jumped off the Perrine Bridge. He lit right up and said, "How do you know about the Perrine?" He told me that amongst base jumpers that it was known around the world. For me it was always a place where I fantasized hanging from the middle and doing my strait jacket escape.
Famous place to make out as a teenager living in Idaho.
Another reason to visit Twin Falls, is the falls. Just outside of town on the Snake River is a beautiful, amazing, if not magical waterfalls called Shoshone Falls. It was near here that I had my first make-out session, as did most of the people who went to high school in Twin. My first girlfriend and I used to skinny dip in the pools near the falls. There are a few dirt roads into hidden lakes and camp sites that made a great place for a 17 year old to take a girl to watch the stars. I won't name names. But you know who you are.
Evel Knievel's Sky Cycle
And those of you who really know trivia, know that Twin Falls and the Snake River Canon was where Evil Knievel made his famous rocket cycle attempt to jump the canyon and failed. As a young teen, I actually got to see that jump up close and personal, because my best friend knew the family that owned the land, and we actually hid under some tarps in the back of his pickup truck to get past the gate without paying. Oh I was so wild as a teen.. ha! I took a few pictures that day and felt the crowd surge forward as he went into the canyon. I remember thinking, "people are going to die" as the chain link fences which kept people back from the canyon ridge were pushed over.
I actually met Knievel years later in Houston and told him that I sneaked in to his jump. First thing he said, was, "well that was a party wasn't it." Then he asked me to buy his video and said we're even.
There Randy.. Are you satisfied? LOL
When ever I go back to Twin, it is a trip down memory lane for me. And it becomes mostly about seeing those people I've known over the years. Mostly now I love to see which old friends have recently become single, well, it is. but I really do enjoy visiting old friends and of course meeting new ones. Twin Falls had both for me. I met some old high school buddies and of course old girlfriends. One of the great guys I know, Randy Givens wanted me to put his picture in here. What an egomaniac, right? LOL
The most refreshing and surprising meeting of the trip was a girl named Jana. Jana had become my friend on Facebook and told me she was from Twin. So when she said, "I'd love to meet you" I was more than happy to see if we could meet.
One of the most interesting aspects of this situation was my contacting her and setting up a meeting. You see, Jana wrote to me on Facebook, and gave me her number, but she also told me that she had been in an accident years ago which left her with a brain injury which impaired her mobility and made it extremely difficult to speak. She asked me if I knew how to sign. Unfortunately that isn't one of my talents. So I told her that we'd make it happen, and if she couldn't speak, then she'd just have to listen to me talk or we'd just have to hug a lot. She gave me her number and I called her up. I admit speaking with someone who "can't talk" on the phone is somewhat difficult. Jana does great at making herself understood, even on the phone. But after a struggle of trying to understand, I decided to tell her, "OK you just give me yes and no answers and I'll ask questions." So I asked her if she would meet me at the weekly "Music on Main" where a local band always plays music on Wednesday evenings. Jana and I had a lot of fun and of course we made quite a pair dancing. Thanks Jana for putting yourself out there and living a magic life!
The Rhinestone Roper
But I needed to find a magician there and unfortunately I didn't know of any other regular magicians in Twin Falls, Idaho. But I did know someone famous who did tricks. Or rather his horses did tricks.
The Rhinestone Roper and Ace Starry
One of the truly amazing magic life magicians I know is a man named Dan Mink. Dan and I attended the College of Southern Idaho together and had performed together in theater productions while attending the Junior College. Dan and I became good friends back then. But then, I went on to become a magician bum, and Dan decided to do something worthwhile with his life, he became a lawyer.
That was until years later when he decided that he was going to chuck his law career and become a trick roper, a real life Bronco Billy. He decided to actually follow his dream and create his own wild west show. He is now known as the Rhinestone Roper. Dan tours the country performing his amazing act and showing off his amazing skills and amazing trick horses.
Dan took me out to his place and showed me the "ropes." Actually he showed me his truck and trailer, that he had built to haul his show and horse. Dan is an amazing guy and has had some really wonderfully magical moments in his life.
You can see the knife caught mid throw between the trees.
One of which was his being on America's Got Talent performing his knife throwing act. If you find this on YouTube, it is really worth a watch. Dan actually took me over to where he practices throwing his knives and gave me a lesson. Believe me I really can't throw anything, but Dan had me sticking the knives in just a few minutes. Dan and I talked about life and it's trials and tribulations. One of which was how America's Got Talent set him and his horse up for failure just so they could make more drama for the program. When Dan decided to use his horse in the act, he told them that they needed to have no loud noise and that the lights couldn't be so bright in the eyes of his horse. He told them this and they told him, they'd make sure the horse had the proper working conditions. So instead of doing that, the producers probably thought they'd get the horse to buck and go out of control if they simply upped the music and lights trying to scare it. So that was what they did. Instead of creating the drama of a horse gone wild, the horse was just not able to perform his tricks. He pretty much didn't do anything. So by trying to create drama they just ruined the bit.
But Dan has a positive attitude and is currently looking for a permanent venue for his show. I'm sure he'll find one, and keep living his magic life. This was magic like no other on my trip.. Thanks Dan.
On with the magic.. next stop Logan Utah with magician Dick Hatch.
Boise, Idaho is a wickedly, wonderful, and wondrous city. It is one of my favorite magical places, I find it and Austin, Texas surprisingly similar. Both are state capitols and have the political fixtures which go along with being such. Both have a river running through them and a well enjoyed green belt along the river. They both also have a major university (of which I attended, both) and if you think about it, one is the Broncos, whose mascot is a horse, and University of Texas has a longhorn as their mascot, so in other words, one is full of bull and the other is just B.S. (Boise State). I really had to reach for that one folks. But really, besides reaching for the obvious jokes, I love both schools and follow both football teams with a passion.
They both have a love for country music, and both seem to have more than their fair share of beer drinking cowboys. But my favorite similarity is the many beautiful, blonde, cowgirls. Most of those girls seem to share something in common too. They all seem to share the same shortage of cloth in their skirts and buttons on their blouses. I've never seen so many mini skirts in one place as I did when I sat down to dinner in downtown Boise and that includes Vegas, but we're not going there again.
I spent a few days staying with relatives there in Boise. I have an older brother and his wife, Kirk and Pam, my niece Melissa and her husband Shawn, and their little boy Coop and my nephew, Colin.( I won't even mention my cousin Ron and his wife, Carla and their son, Bryon and his wife Melissa, cause he never reads this, he just always wants to see some magic.) The first evening they shared with me, a surprising
statistic. According to Shawn, Boise has a "butt-load" of MILFS. (I don't
even know that that means.) We'll discuss that in more detail later when I tell you about my night out on the town.
My nephew, Coop is such an amazing little guy. I think he should have his own show. And that show should be called "Cooper Love's His Uncle Ace Who Took Him To See The Trains Best ." But I since I haven't asked permission to show his picture, here is one of me at the Boise train station. And I wore this shirt to solidify the now well known fact that I am indeed the megalomaniacal narcissist you believe me to be. Someone recently gave me the definition of "narcissist" for my own enlightenment on Facebook. Of well if the shoe fits...
Wow! I don't remember looking that dorky.
Boise was where I really started my own career in magic. When I attended Boise State University to get my degree in theater back in the... well a while back, I worked at my first magic shop, a place called "Tricks and Trash," or something like that. I got my first regular magician's job as what we call a "table hopper" in the business, a guy who does magic in a restaurant. For me it was the Grizzly Bear Pizza parlor. And I hooked up with another theater student, a girl named Wendy, to perform corporate gigs and some school shows as "The Wiz and Wendy." We'd do a standard magic show with a few doves, linking rings and such. Wendy was my girlfriend, which you may have figured is a standard among magician's and their assistants. If they don't start with a romantic involvement, they eventually have one. (think about that one Linda..hehehe, someday it could happen.)
I was also elected president of our own magician's group, the Idaho Magic Guild. I remember running meetings in a pizza parlor of about 14 or 15 magicians who would meet once a month, share tricks, compete against one another for trophies all the while drinking beer. Several lifetime professional magicians sprang from this group.
While I there in Boise, I was sitting in Starbucks, looking at my Facebook page and suddenly a notice appeared on my wall, I don't know why, maybe because I was saying the word "magic" so much in my postings. I don't really know how those things work, but there was a notice that there was a meeting of a Treasure Valley Magician's Group, there in a pizza parlor, on a night which I would be in Boise. So I knew that I just had to go and see what the state of magician's meetings had become in Boise years after my own stint as a magician's group leader.
Work-a-day Magician, Kipp Sherry in Boise
I discovered a very small, but still enthusiastic group of about half-dozen semi-pro and amateur magicians. There was only one young boy in the group, who was there to learn magic the old fashioned way (from actual magicians.) If this was a typical meeting, which I have no reason to believe otherwise, I'd say that magic may be in the decline in Boise, Idaho. Not because of the attendees lack of enthusiasm, but because of the lack of attendees. I do think that the old style, learning from other magician's is indeed dying, at least in Boise.
The meetings were in fact being run by their President, a magician whom I came to Boise to interview. His name is Kipp Sherry. Kipp is Boise's main working magician whom I've known for a few years. He is what I call a work-a-day magician, a pro who makes his living doing mostly birthday parties and corporate dinners. He advertises his business on his pick up truck and works hard to make a living at magic. There are a few magicians in Boise and a city of that size can only support a couple pros at most, and making a living at magic can only be achieved with hard work. To quote one of my faves, Ted Turner of CNN fame, "Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise." Kipp is one of those magicians who makes a living at it because he "works like hell and advertises."
I talked with Kipp about a lot of things in his life and about the current state of magic. He is one of the magicians who believes that magic is undergoing and change, and "people don't like change."
Kipp says that the new breed of magicians are learning from each other still, but are using chat rooms and Skype to actually teach each other the moves. However anyone who has ever been in an online chat room will tell you that people behind an avatar often become brazen because of their anonymity. Thus things can get a little "weird" as he told me. And he is concerned that magicians of today aren't learning how to "entertain" they are learning the moves, but not the concepts which make it entertaining. "Anybody can go out and get a packet trick and learn a packet trick." A packet trick is another term us magicians use for a few cards which usually are sold in an envelope, along with instructions, and do one trick, as apposed to a deck of cards. Because packet tricks usually come with a "patter" (the spoken routine) when most young magician's do a packet trick they all use the exact same wording along with it. Thus, if a packet trick becomes popular, you'll see ten magician's in the same town doing the same trick, saying exactly the same thing. Many magicians do packet tricks and do them well. I have nothing against these tricks, as I, for one, made a reputation for myself performing a simple packet trick. One that I and only and handful of magicians in the world new at the time. I'll share it for you here:
See a packet of cards can be presented in a way in which it is sleightly entertaining, (a play on words,) however you can tell that the patter to this trick can't really be varied much. Of course I added my own start and corny lines to it which I always do to a routine.
Kipp believes that you should be able to create your own magic as a magician. And so do I. Many magicians who actually work for a living scourer places like Home Depot or Michael's Hobby Shops to see if we can find something which can be made into an illusion. Kipp demonstrated something he created with a couple things he found at the lumber yard. A simple chain and a ring come together for a great little illusion. He performed it for me and told me a couple different patters which he uses.
But the real magic in Boise is found downtown on a Friday night. I told you I'd share what happened that night when I was out. Well I went to a place called Hannas in downtown Boise. There I met the cutest little bartender, Sara. When a magician meets a cute bartender who likes magic, it can only mean one thing to them... future assistant... no, it means do a trick which will end in them giving you a kiss. I just happened to have such a trick which of course I performed for the attractive Sara. In the end of the trick I usually bet two things of equal value, a kiss on the cheek from them, against my car or house. Of course they believe they will win because it's an obvious bet, but magic prevails and they are humiliated into a "kiss on the cheek." And of course when I do receive my "kiss on the cheek" I quickly turn and give them a peck on the lips.. It's all in good fun, and it makes for a little humor along the way and even sometimes it leads to a new assistant.
However when I went to get the kiss on the cheek from Sara, she just plants one right on my mouth and completely ruins the entire routine. Can you believe that? Must have been that Axe body wash I used or something. But the night was still young. I asked her what time she got off. At which time she decided to inform me that her boyfriend was picking her up at 2:30.
Sara had made my drinks a little stiff.. yes I said "drinks." And since she wasn't open for breakfast, I asked if there were a late night restaurant where I could go have some breakfast and sober up before driving home. She smiled and sent me on to a place called "Solid" just a stone's throw away, telling me it was where all the late night people would gather for a "last chance." It sounded like fun.
So I wandered over to this late night happening and, much to my chagrin, there weren't but a few people hanging around inside, but I was there just to have something to eat anyway. So I was sitting alone at the bar eating their version of eggs Benedict, when out of no where, this cute little blond wearing a mini skirt and two few buttons on her blouse leans onto my shoulders from behind me. First I'm startled, but then I see how cute she is and I'm pleasantly surprised.
"Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt your meal," she says coquettishly, "do you know where the bathroom is?"
She is a little tipsy, I can tell, and I have no idea where the bathroom is, but I put my arm around her, since hers is now around me, and say to her, "honey, I'll help you find it."
I find a waiter and ask him for directions. He gives me some convoluted instructions and I realize that the bathroom isn't really that easy to find, but I would be able to get her there. So I walk this girl through a labyrinth, to the ladies room door. She turns, wraps her arms around my neck, and plants a very sensual kiss on me. "Thank you so much," she says, pulling me towards the door. And I don't even know her name.. again, is it the Axe Body Wash or what?
Rather than a trip to the ladies room, I tell her, "you're welcome." And I leave her and go back to my eggs like a good boy. Well, a few chews and swallows later, she's back.
"Sorry to interrupt you again, but how am I going to get in touch with you . I have no idea how to contact you," she says.
"Well I can give you my cell," I said, "I just need to get something to write it on."
She say's to the bartender, "do you have a pen and paper?"
He hands her a pen and dinner ticket to write on. She doesn't hand it to me, instead she writes her name, and phone number on it and says, "Call me tomorrow, I've got to go, my boyfriend is in the other room waiting, and he is probably wondering where I am."
Women... they are the magic, the mystery...and what is a MILF anyway? ;-0
One of the most prominent sights in San Francisco looms in the distance across the bay. Alcatraz island rises out of the water as a monument to the inescapable. There is a question to this day as to the validity of its stated record saying that during its 29 years as a penitentiary, no prisoner had successfully escaped. It is known that 36 prisoners attempted, two men trying twice; 23 were caught, six were shot and killed, two drowned, and five are listed as presumed drowned. The question as to the "presumed" drowned became one of the most famous escape movies of all time, "Escape From Alcatraz" staring Clint Eastwood.
But probably the most cheesy use of this as a backdrop for an escape was done by David Copperfield. This takes me back, back to a time when magic was... well... cheesier than a warm brie wrapped in a wine port cheddar..mmm so tasty.
Escape has been a part of my life for many years. As a young magician many of us read of Houdini and realize the impact escape can have upon an audience. I don't really know why audiences like to watch a person free themselves from bonds, prison cells, etc. But they do enjoy a good escape performance when it is done with the proper flair and death defiance.
I made a small undeserved reputation as an escape artist when I performed my strait jacket escape dangling by the ankles 300 feet in the air from a burning rope. I've even performed an underwater handcuff escape. And I was at one time attempting an underwater strait jacket escape which resulted of my being pulled from a pool and given mouth to mouth resuscitation. And now you know why I wasn't that famous as an escape artist.
Many magicians have an escape or even two in their repertoire. And a
magician who goes by the name of "Big Al Catraz" was no different. As I walked to the back of the Pier 39 shops, there was a very large crowd looking upon a small outdoor stage.There tied to a chair, was a working magician in all his cheesy magic show glory
performing a comedy escape for the tourist crowd and an audience filled with children screaming with delight. It was a classic performance of an often
performed escape. I hadn't seen him actually get tied up, but there he was dancing a rendition of that famous of musical numbers "The Hokey Pokey." It certainly made and interesting addition to his chair tie escape.
Because of Al's "bigness" it made the performance even better. There is something about a big guy doing the "hokey pokey" while tied up to a chair. Of course he eventually falls over and threatened to fall off the stage onto the kids who were at one time clamoring to be in the show. They of course backed up rather quickly when he tumbled.
And the show wouldn't have been complete without him taking his bow to the crowd and his pants dropping to the floor revealing his boxer shorts. I believe that the most successful escapes can be made even better by adding corn ball cheese to them. Maybe this is what made Copperfield so famous. But I'm not sure he was trying.
I had the pleasure of chatting with Al for a while after his performance. I wanted to find out more about him than meets the stage floor. So we talked about the creation of his character of "Big Al" and how it came about. One thing that differentiates Al from other magicians is that he studied acting and was an actor before he became a magician. This gives him a great background with which to derive his character. When he first decided to become a "pro" magician, he knew he wanted something iconic to be associated with San Francisco.
He actually thought of the name when he was driving by a "Big Al's Clothing" store. We talked about how lucky he was to have a permanent stage show. And we talked about a couple of interesting things, one of which was the "DEATH OF MAGIC." Al hasn't been a magician for that long, only ten years. I think that may have shaped his thinking. You see Al doesn't believe that magic is dead at all. In fact he thinks it is thriving. He sees the Internet as promoting and distributing magic to young people, not ruining it's potential.
"The kids who are watching magic on the Internet are absorbing information quicker, they are taking the principles which they learn and creating new ways to use them, better than ever before... I think magic is going to live on, but it is going to change. And people don't like change."
Worries about and early death because of his weight.
He does think that kids posting the secrets to the tricks they learn is a problem, but he has chosen to ignore the magician doomsday preachers and naysayers who say that magic is in a decline. (Of course it is a lot easier for a guy who has an audience every day in a tourist venue such as he does.) And believe me he is lucky to be there and he knows it. Most magicians have to work everyday to find a paying gig. So lucky are the guys who work at Theme Parks, or tourist traps such as Pier 39. But he hasn't seen or felt the decline as many magicians struggling to get a paying gig have. And it would follow of course that he wouldn't fear the death of magic.
He may not have been afraid of the death of magic, but this big guy did express a fear of his own death. He confided in me that he has been concerned for his weight and health. Like all of us, magicians are just people too. I know that is an astonishing revelation, and as such, we worry about things like weight and dieing before our time. It seems that Al's father died when he was too young and Al told me he worries that he too will suffer the same fate. But he is doing something about it. Al has been working at losing "big" from his show through a newly adopted diet and workout. Of course when the subject turned to that I had to tell him about Lions, Tigers, and Bears OMG! my web page and future book for guys in the midst of a midlife crisis.
Of course how could we turn to a discussion of LTBOMG without a workout picture for all of you overweight guys with a lowering libido. (not saying Al had a lowering libido just for the record) So before I go on to my next blogging opportunity, I'll leave you with a picture of Brittnay doing one of her workout poses. I hope this is motivational to you and your lowering libido, LOL. I know it always motivates me.
Well on to Reno then Boise... keep living the magic!
As I took a picture from the window of my Jeep, a Hells Angel appears from nowhere.
It was difficult to leave Southern California behind with it's amazing people and beautiful beaches. Los Angeles is a city of angels (hells angels?) and even more a city of kings. (think hockey.)
However, as I crossed the bridge into San Francisco, I marveled at the magical mysteries in front of me. It is a city like no other, a bay often clouded in mysterious mist, with a history as colorful and rich as the gold which filled the leather satchels of the forty-niners during the gold rush. To this day the song still rings out "open up those golden gate, California here I come."
The city by the bay has a flavor (mostly Chinese) and temperature all its own. It's often said, "the coldest winter I ever spent was the summer I spent in San Francisco." But even after purchasing a sweatshirt because of an unexpected temperature on July fourth, San Francisco is an easy place with which to fall in love. I've often felt as I do now that, "I left my heart ... in San Francisco." It is beautiful, has amazing food, but I'm sure that living in San Francisco must have it's ups and downs (that's a joke.) I once walked up and down the entire city from downtown to the bay. If you don't have good shoes, and strong legs, take the trolly car.
When I got to San Fran I had two wonderful friends to stay with, Mike and Lisa. Lisa reminded me that we have a tradition for spending the 4th of July together. I'm not sure she recalls our very first, but many years ago, 1998 to be exact, we were out with her and her boyfriend on 4th of July in Martha's Vineyard, and I was friends with her boyfriend and really didn't know her all that well. After a night of drinks and fun, I told her and my wife at the time, that we needed to go home. She told me, "A, it isn't happening, and 2, you're a f%$#ing @#!hole" So the next day I brought it up jokingly and she was embarrassed about the incident. So in order to defuse any tension, I told her that now because of that, we were going to be friends for life. I figured we had to be friends because she had my number, and it was the number: "2."
Mike and Lisa and new baby.
Mike and Lisa were great hosts, and we spent the 4th of July at a family BBQ. Of course it wasn't over 'til I did a little magic. Then one of the little girls told me that she knew a trick. Of course it was one with 21 cards. (An inside joke for magicians) You see almost everyone in the world that "knows a trick" wants to show you the 21 card trick. So much so that my friend, magician, Jon Racherbaumer, (from an earlier posting) wrote a book dedicated to what to do when someone brings up the 21 card trick, which is available at H&R Magic Books.
Louie, Louie, Louie, Louieeee
I had a wonderful time and I usually wouldn't complain about anything, but I think this is worth a mention. You see, their dog, Louie, must have had one too many sausages at the BBQ. Seems that he is "sausage intolerant." That dog passed gas sitting next to me that made my eyes water. I had no idea such a cute little guy could be so powerful. I think that Louie would be a great weapon of war because he seems to be filled with deadly gas. However I do believe that I need to switch gears and write about magic, since farting dogs really have nothing to do with magic at all. Unless you need to make an audience vanish, in which case Louie would be a great addition to the show. Okay back to magic.
I had no idea where I'd meet a magician in San Francisco to interview. But, as fate would have it, when I got there Mike told me that right around their house lies a little magic shop. One of the last of a dieing breed. Most Magic shops have pretty much disappeared from existence because of competition with the online magic sites. But there are still a few spread around the country and this one is called, Misdirections Magic Shop. I thought that I had found my magic connection for San Francisco, as I hadn't really booked a magician to talk to and just figured that the magic universe would somehow provide one for me. Now I could just walk around the corner and talk to the proprietor about the vanishing magic shops around the country and once again, the death of magic.
But I found that magic was indeed dead. At least July 3rd through 5th, as the shop was closed for the holiday. So much for my theory that the universe was going to provide everything so easily. I decided that I'd have to go down to Fisherman's Wharf and see if I could find a magician working the street. If not then San Francisco could end up being a total bust.
I found a place to park and wandered the streets for a while searching for someone doing magic. Instead I saw and smelled amazing sea food. My search was looking somewhat bleak, as I wanted to get on the road before 3:00 in the afternoon so I would make it to Reno before night fall. I was beginning to think my San Francisco search was a bust, however, it was a beautiful day down at Fisherman's Wharf and I so I stopped in the oldest seafood restaurant in San Fran. It established in 1925, a place called Alioto's, and at least the food was magical. Of course when you are in San Francisco, at the Fisherman's Wharf, there are two things which I believe you should eat. First and foremost, Crab in garlic butter dip and you have to absolutely have some clam chowder. And this is exactly what I did before I continued my search for the elusive San Francisco magician.A delicious meal and I was once more invigorated to find a magician. Then I saw someone that I just new would point me in the right direction. It was as if the very gold of the gold rush had come to life to show me the way. There he was a shining pedestal of gold. Of course I gave him a dollar and asked him if he knew where I could find a magician performing. "Sure," he replied, "Just go on down to pier 39, you'll find one there." Just as the forty-niners before me I had struck gold.
When I got to pier 39 life was once again shouting, "MAGIC!!" at me. There was a magic shop on location, a theater showing a magician three nights a week, and as I wondered to the back of the pier area, there was the prize, a real live magician performing. His name was ""BIG AL CATRAZ."
.... next time we talk to Big Al about the death of magic.
Movies are but an illusion of captured light, still images which create movement due to a trick of the eye and confusion of the brain. Of course it would make sense that one of the earliest movie makers was himself an illusionist. French stage magician, Georges Melies. Melies was not only one of the first feature film creators, he was the first to use "trick" photography in his movies. His very first film was called "Playing Cards" and his first production company was named "Star Film Company." This information is coming to you from a guy who received his magician name, "Ace Star" in this very place, Southern California performing card tricks at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
Magician/Musician/Movie Mogul
My visit to Southern California didn't include a trip to Hollywood, a place where I've ventured many times in my life. But Southern California includes many magical places. I was on a mission to find a magician whom I'd known for many years. His name is Tony Maclaren. He invited me over to his home in Chatsworth, California, a different kind of movie making capital. (for a laugh, look it up.) OK I won't make you look it up. It's the porn capital of the world. So naturally when this old magician/rockstar friend of mine tells me he's making movies and living in Chatsworth, naturally, I have to wonder to myself. (Then he tells me that he may even have a part for me.) Of course as I drove to his home, letting Nelly, my navigation system lead the way, my mind wandered, exploring the possibilities of the magic this interview might conjure up. LOL!!!
However, I was relieved (slightly disappointed) to discover that he is making a feature film called THE FROZEN TUNDRA, which he described to me during our visit. The story is one of a neurotic guy who fears life, who has a sudden journey almost forced upon him and has to learn to deal with his on phobias. (Wow come to think of it, this is sounding familiar)
Tony Maclaren is one of those rare breed of individuals who is extremely blessed with multiple talents. I've found that many magicians are talented musicians as well and have a knack for writing songs. He is very bright and creative beyond belief. He has been a professional guitarist, and an accomplished song writer, as well as a talented conjurer. As a young boy he was a guitar prodigy, and if you ever hear him play, he'll blow you away. If and when I get to interview him on video we are going to get him to play a little guitar for us too.
As most magicians are, Tony was bitten by the magic bug at an early age and began performing magic when he was only 6 years old. I met Tony when he was a working pro magician in Southern California which he has done for quite a few years. So when he told me that he had finally given up on magic to produce, write and direct movies, I was quite taken aback. The fact that this life long magician would now leave his life's work, was one of the most surprising things I've heard during this amazing journey. Then when he told me why, I was even more astounded and I admit somewhat depressed. You see he told me, "Magic is dead."
From a guy who has been in the magic business for more years than me, that was a seriously depressing remark. What another of my interviews, Jon Racherbaumer, had mentioned was that he believed was a change in the culture of magic, was now coming out of Tony's mouth as "the death of magic." And after listening to his rational, I was almost ready to agree with him. IS MAGIC DEAD????
For you, the non-magicians, things may appear to be the same. But to the working professional, the world of magic has changed dramatically. When Tony began magic, it was an art which had to be studied and almost revered in order for one to participate in it's realm. Now with the world of Internet, cable TV, and YouTube, the world of magic has been turned upside down. Today anyone with a cellphone can immediately go online and search for the trick which they have just seen performed. And usually they will discover that its secret is readily available for a simple click. Why are kids who learn a trick these days so quick to jump on the Internet and reveal the secret? I'm not sure what they derive from it? Is it is an ego boost for them or something. But they are doing this over and over. Here, I'm going to give you an example:
This is a simple trick and I'm not certainly on to reveal tricks, so it pains me to even put this on the blog. But this is a well known trick that was easy to master once the secret was known. However, it is so sad to me that some kid goes to all the trouble to put the very secret to a trick he didn't create, and probably learned by watching a video like this in order to somehow gain recognition he so craves.
A long time ago I decided not to put my own magic on the Internet. Years ago, I invented a couple of sleights which were very magical and back then I decided to put them on YouTube. It was a matter of hours and the postings began about how to possibly do the trick, as if I was looking for them to solve a puzzle. So I quickly took them off. It wasn't that the posters had even figured out what I was doing, but that for some reason, they saw my video as a challenge to come up with and post the solution, which of course it wasn't at all. I just wanted to share the magic feeling that they should derive out of seeing the impossible accomplished. If magic is performed as a challenge to the audience then it's true magic is lost.
When I asked Tony if he'd perform something original to me to video tape for the blog, he politely said no. Without considering my own policy, I'd asked him to do that very thing I was against. He told me that their was no point to putting things on the Internet for others to run over and over again, in order to discover its secret. "For what purpose?" he asked, "so they could then post the secret to show how smart they are?" He told me in his last days of being a working professional magician that he would quit whenever he saw someone recording him with a phone. Is this what magic has come to?
If it's not the YouTube wanna be magicians aren't enough to make one think that magic is over, working magicians have another real problem. He is that guy who calls himself, THE MASKED MAGICIAN. We all know him, and quite frankly he disgusts me.
Sawing a lady illusion I built by hand.
I'll tell you why. Many magicians are making a living doing small shows, trade shows, even birthday parties. These guys don't have a nine to five with health insurance, and for the most of them, they don't make a lot of money. So to improve the show, a guy like me will build or buy a small illusion, such as sawing a lady in half. Time money and effort go into making this a valuable part of the show. An illusion like that may cost him $5000 or even more. For most of us, that is a major investment. But, once the masked magician puts how to do it on his show, that illusion is nothing more than a box with a couple of mirrors. Kids who used to stare wide eyed in amazement now yell, "I know that one! It's a mirror! Right there, look everyone he's a fake!!"
For another magician to reveal the secrets of magic to kids, is the equivalent of running through a toy store at Christmas time and yelling, "Santa isn't real! He's your parents! Don't fall for it kids, your parents put that stuff under the tree." What is the point of taking that magical feeling away from them. For any of you who are a parent, please don't take that magic away. Let them discover the magic in life.
Life is the synthesis of the passing of time and specific events all of which seem random at first, but eventually they coalesce into something beautiful, and when we reflect on them, they show us patterns, much like the turning of a kaleidoscope. What seems to be just a few objects trapped in a telescopic tunnel, when turned to the sunlight, they shine inspiration and reflect memories for us in magnificent colorful patterns. This is the kaleidoscope of life, it at time appears random and then suddenly when you look into the light, life changes from random events to form colorful concentric images almost perfect in their beauty. Here in Wichita Kansas, I found myself looking into that wonderful color-filled tube of life. This is a moment in my life where I reflected and suddenly it all came into focus if for only a brief moment.
I'd only been to Wichita once before in my life. It was a moment which was almost surreal in my foggy un-focusing memories. You see one of the women in my past was friends with Kirstie Alley's family (she is from Witchita) actually she babysat Kirstie, when she was a kid, as she lived next door to her parents. But that's another story. Anyway, it was Christmas time and we were invited over to their house to have a drink with Kirstie and her husband, Parker Stevenson. Of course I was invited for one reason... to perform magic. So the only memory I really have of that time in Kansas was that I did some tricks for Kirstie and Parker. I never knew I'd be asked to perform magic again in Witchita.
When I began my Magic Life journey I wasn't planning on visiting Kansas. Yet I made a comment that "Magicians are given a rare opportunity to peek behind the curtain and see the workings of the wizard in this marvelous world." That of course is a reference to THE WIZARD OF OZ. Thus I may have inadvertently opened up the heavens and a tornado of serendipity may have caused my path to end up in the land of the yellow brick road. It was after that, that I received a message from a friend from my past asking me if I would be close to Wichita during my travels.
Linda Swafford in High School
Her name is Linda, just think of her as the "good witch" in this tale of magic. Linda was a girl with whom I attended high school. On the acknowledgements page of THE MAGIC LIFE there is a list of
names which are people within my life who have been my teachers. The
list starts with a young carpenter who worked for my father when I was
just a little boy. His name was Marty Barts and everyday I should thank him
for something he taught me. He taught me to tie my shoes. There
is my English teacher in that high school who really inspired me to become a
writer, Carol Allred. These are people all who I treasure in one way or
another. Well, one of those person's on that page, whose name is there in
small print is a young girl named "Linda Swafford." Linda, (as she was then in the picture) was my first magician's assistant.
Well Linda went on to develop something of a love for the conjuring arts herself. Never becoming a true pro magician, she does perform magic at least once a year. Her son has also developed a love for magic and has performed magic in his talent show. She is an amazing person and has devoted herself to teaching, loving, and helping those in need. Over the years I've heard from Linda now and then asking me about magic and where to find a new trick or two.
Linda "Swafford" Dickerson and I Today
I truly believe that life will give us so many opportunities for magic if we simply follow it's flow and stop swimming upstream. I mention this, because it was in a book which my English teacher, Carol Allred, mentioned above, had assigned and the concept stuck with me and changed me and eventually led me back to Kansas. It was this book by Richard Bach, ILLUSIONS, about a reluctant messiah, a pilot, who traveled the country in a bi-plane, barnstorming, and teaching his philosophy that inspired me to write THE MAGIC LIFE. And it was this philosophy which inspired me to "go with the flow" when I received an invitation from Linda. Is it a coincidence that the main character was barnstorming, in a mythical place like Wichita Kansas?
So when I started my drive from Dallas to Wichita I pulled on the freeway and a huge billboard caught my attention, it said, "Be Sure and Try the Magic of Magic Dental." Then I turned on my radio and a song by Heart was playing, "Magic Man." I smiled, knowing I was on the right path that morning.
Later that evening, Linda wanted to share Wichita with me, almost apologetically, since some of the people who posted about my blog had made a few seemingly disparaging remarks. Well her and her boyfriend, Craig, took me to one of their favorite places to hang out, and there was a band playing. The bands name, THE BAND OF OZ, and of course they had to be singing, Steve Miller Band's song "ABRACADABRA."
It was then that the amazing magic life came full circle. Out of nowhere, a girl approaches us at the table. As if to tell me, "Don't ever forget that life is filled with magic" she states that she is with a bachelorette party and is on a scavenger hunt. She asks, "Can any of you do a magic trick?"And now I have two memories of performing magic in Wichita. There may not be two "t's" in Wichita, but there does seem to be magic to be found there. Thanks Linda, you are bewitching. Thank you for inviting, allowing me to stay at your home and again for reminding me of our magic time together.
And so I will continue my journey.. going with the flow of this magic life.
My latest stop on this Magic Life journey was Dallas, Texas where I stayed with my brother, Carl, a master of the smoked meats, especially his home made beef jerky....mmmmmmmmmmmm. He made me a whole batch to take on the road, but now as I ready to leave I've realized it is nothing but an empty plastic bag.
Dallas brings to mind beef brisket bar-b-que, blonde two-stepping divorcee's, and tall glistening glass buildings. I always see in my mind those longhorn statues, dashing through a fountain in front of those big shiny buildings. Perhaps you think of the most amazing professional football team ever known, (for cheerleaders in hot pants that is) the Dallas Cowboys. Not to mention a giant sized stadium filled with over-sized foam cowboy hats. But I often think of Dallas itself as filled with cantankerous cattlemen or billionaire oil barrens, sitting around a Texas Holdem poker table, gambling more on a hand than we make in our lives. Betting those big glass buildings, as we would a stack of chips. Seems that most of those high stakes billionaires, for some unknown reason eventually become real estate developers. I was involved in real estate here in Texas and my younger brother Carl is a developer here in Dallas. I've seen many of those billionaire/millionaire developer types over the years.
This is a typical Dallas girl, so friendly.
Why do they become developers? I'm not sure. Maybe they do it so they can eventually dump the woman who gave them a wonderful family and "land" a beautiful blond trophy wife, whom they then can then buy huge... tracks of land. You thought I was going to say " fake boobs" didn't you? But it didn't really fit in the whole "land" concept now did it?
The real wealth in Dallas comes from the land, and not just from the oil. And one thing Dallas has is lots and lots of beautiful, build-able, flat land. And when I visit Dallas, I think of this land filled with wonderful buildings, and beautiful golf communities with lakes and amazing country clubs. I can almost hear the theme song to the show, Dallas playing in my mind as I write this blog; with scenes of the famous South Fork Ranch, home to JR Ewing. But Dallas is a huge place and has many magical things to offer.
One magical thing they always seem to have an abundance of is beautiful blond women. And they know how to flaunt it. With restaurants like, Twin Peaks, Hooters, and Bone Daddy's you can always find an over abundance of beautiful blonds to bring you a cold Lone Star beer.
Model Brittnay Lynn
I really hadn't planned what magician I'd try to meet in Dallas when I first decided to come here. Mostly I just wanted to spend time with my younger brother Carl and his wife, Steffany and their beautiful little girl. (No, not to chase those blondes) But THE MAGIC LIFE sometimes just hands me things out of thin air, almost like magic. And it did again.
Dallas is a home to two great mysteries of our times and both involve who shot whom? We may never know who really shot JFK here in Dealy Plaza. And we may never really know who shot JR either. But it was a different kind of shooting all together which led me to a Dallas based magician. It was a photo shoot of a beautiful model named Brittnay Lynn (in the previous blog) who led me to a young magician named, Aaron Stone. This is a good enough reason to put in another picture of Brittnay, isn't it?
I called Aaron and told him I'd like to interview him over breakfast and he was as amazing as those mysteries for which Dallas is famous.
Dallas Magician Aaron Stone
Aaron, is a young professional magician here in Dallas and I can see that he is indeed a real pro. It doesn't take long in our conversation to see that I'm talking to one of "us" and not just some kid who wants to be a magician. He drops the proper names and talks good trick trash. Aaron has been performing magic for over 10 years. He reminded me of so many of "us" who started as a teen and found ourselves living with a deck of cards in our hands over a period of years, until finally we have a revelation, that someone will actually pay us to do tricks. He is young and is trying to look cutting edge. He had an eyebrow piercing and a dash of bright red in his otherwise black hair.
There is a point among magicians where one discovers that magic works not on secrets, but upon principles. I think it is around this time that we start discovering our own magic. Watching a magician perform something which he has created in his own mind and then mastered at his own fingertips is always a pleasure for me. Aaron showed me one of his own creations and I've chosen to share it with you on his video.
But I wanted to delve deeper to find what made this guy, who went out
of his way to apologize for his recently died red finger nails, (which
changed colors when he colored the top of his hair) tick. How was he, so
many years younger, and so different on the surface, so much like me.
Many of us grow up with family strife and relational issues in this day and age. Aaron was raised not knowing his mother. And the one thing which most professional magicians will tell you is that, "their father never supported their career choice." Here was something which Aaron and I shared. Both of us decided to become a magician in spite of our father's wishes. My father almost disowned me when I decided to pursue magic, and Aaron's father was no different. They offered no support and certainly would be reticent to come watch their son's perform. I remember when I finally "forced" my father to come watch me perform and recall his eating crow, telling me that he had no idea I was so good at what I'd chosen to do. He said, "if I'd known you were going to be this good, I'd have told you to do it."
But Aaron's story takes the cake in this contest.
All boys want to please their fathers and receive their praise. Many of us spend years trying to please our fathers, and some of us, rebel against having to seek their approval. For Aaron, I think he really took his father's denial to heart. Maybe it was because he was the child of just a single parent. But Aaron, tells the story of how he put a special tribute to his father in his show: and no, not the good kind. During the show he actually tells the audience to give his father the finger, in a clever way of course, for not supporting his choice to become a magician. Well years after he'd used the line a hundred times, he gets his father to come to see the show. When he gets to the part in the show where he says to "give his father the finger," he paused and thought about whether or not to say it. He didn't tell his father to stand, or point him out of the crowd at least before he continued.
However, his good judgement probably derailed due to some emotional train wreck going on in his head, and he decided to go ahead and use the same routine. Maybe it was for a little payback, or maybe for his own pride, but he used his same routine and his father sat there and heard him ask the audience to "give him the finger." I'm sure it was an emotional, if not educational, moment for both of them. I can only imagine his father's hard swallow as that huge crow passed down his esophagus.
However, this story does have a happy ending, as his father was moved by the show and afterwards apologized for not believing in his son. I doubt that my father would have been so generous, I think he'd have come back stage and hit me behind the ear with a two-by-four.
Austin, a strange mix of cowboys and college students, of politicians and programmers, creates an atmosphere where almost anything, even magic can happen. Austin is full of eclectic eccentricities. It's a place where Michael Dell started a computer company and Willy Nelson lost everything to the IRS (and now has a street named after him.) Both strange and wonderful is this city on the Colorado River. And the Austinites know it. In fact you can often see them wearing the slogan on a tee shirt, "Keep Austin Weird." Weird yes, but the one thing that almost everyone says who goes to school there or practically anyone who has ever lived there is, "I love Austin."
Brittnay Lynn in Cid's Apartment
Having spent time as a student at the University of Texas, I too say, "I love Austin."
In my book, THE MAGIC LIFE, the main character, James, first comes in contact with the magician at a street festival in this magical place. The scene in the book is actually based upon my own experience of performing on the street at the Pecan street Festival. Austin is indeed a magical place, which has several note worthy magicians.
When I put Austin on my map, I figured I'd go ahead and stay with one of my old college buddies and call up one of those local magicians for an interview. I called my old college compadre Cid Galindo, an amazing friend I've had for all these many years. Cid gave me the thumbs up and pretty much said, "mi casa es su casa." So Austin was going to be included and I'd also get a chance to see my friend and patent attorney, Anthony Campbell, who was my first editor in grad school.
My intention was to get an interview with one of the local magicians there in Austin, but my magic life seemed to take an interesting turn which never included interviewing a magician. First there was meeting Cid's wonderful little girl Lola. That was where I got to use some of my own magic, Lola wanted me to do a couple tricks for her, so I did. When her Mom came to pick her up, (Cid and her are separated) she wanted to see some too. So I showed her and Lola magic, and also sang them a couple of songs which I figured I'd video for you there in Austin, because after all it is a music mecca.
But I decided to get some work done and unfortunately, or actually amazingly fortunately, work led to fun which led to never interviewing a magician or even recording my songs.
Instead I have to share my wonderful happenstance meeting with a beautiful model named Brittnay Lynn. I decided to shoot some workout shots with her for the Lions, Tigers, and Bears, OMG! website. Which led to trying to find a bikini bottom, which she didn't have, and eventually buying her a pair of tie-dyed shorts for the workout shots. Cid offered the use of his Hilton Fitness Center membership and I was allowed to use their gym for the shoot. This was a great location and Brittnay was absolutely beautiful and she actually got a pretty good workout during the photo session too.
We had so much fun at the shoot that she asked me to take her out afterward for a drink, which led to dinner, then more drinks. She started getting really hot, and I'm not just talking about my "beer goggle eyes" here either. No her skin was getting hot and flushed. We then discovered that Brittnay was allergic to something we had for dinner. Soon she was breaking out with hives. (End of the evening for me unless I take care of her.) So of course we had to go back to Cid's place and get her an allergy pill and lay her down in his bed. I gave her an Allegra and put some cold wash cloths on her, and we watched "Adult Swim" cartoons for a while. Eventually she was OK. And she was actually ready to rally just as Cid came in the door from his evening out. He had quite a surprised look on his face when he saw me sitting on the bed with Brittany in it wearing wet wash cloths. Come on, she was hot, she had to take her cloths off to put the wet wash cloths on her. (I know your minds are in the gutter at this point.)
Even Hot with Hives
But this was the beginning of a wonderful, magical night with Brittnay and Cid in Austin.We went out 'til way too late, and Brittnay led the way. By the end of the evening, or about when the sun was to come up, we had to call it a night, so we went back to Cid's to dance in his gallery and continue the night. My diet certainly seems to be going to hell on this trip as we not only stopped for a slice of pizza but then Cid made us all a sandwich at his place. And of course the magic life wouldn't have been complete without a little bit of the bubbly.
