Blackstone Magik involved with new TV show
November 15, 2008
The wife of Harry Blackstone Jr. has announced a new magic show to air in 2009.
The Inside Magic blog published a letter from Gay Blackstone detailing tapings for a 13-part series related to magic, to air in January on MyNetworkTV. Though short on details about the show, the letter invites magicians and their families to attend tapings from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 18-20 at Renmar Studios, located at 846 N. Cahuenga Blvd. in Hollywood. From the letter:
“With the success of the 2008 World Magic Awards, Associated Television International, some of the brightest names in magic and myself, the executive producer of this event, are bringing to television a 13 part magic series airing on Fox MyNetwork beginning January 2009. This hasn’t been done in several years and has the world of magic buzzing. I would love to have you in the audience as my guest to share this very special event.”
Blackstone is the wife of legendary Harry Blackstone, Jr., who passed away in May, 1997. She leads the production company Blackstone Magik Enterprises, created by Harry in 1971. That gives us a great feeling about what the special will be.
But, MyNetworkTV is the network that aired “Secrets of Psychics Revealed,” “Secrets of Street Magic Finally Revealed” and the Masked Magician’s latest foray into exposure, “Magic’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed.”
Lance Burton to levitate Heidi Klum for German show
November 7, 2008
If you’ve been wanting to keep up with who Criss Angel has been dating, and from whom he has been stealing girls, then this blog apologizes. We 1.) don’t care, 2.) get all those Playboy types confused and 3.) know it will last until the next big project comes along. (We’re a little jaded about celebrity relationships.) So, I almost missed this little, itty-bitty blurb about Lance Burton and Heidi Klum. (No, they are not dating.)
Robin Leach, in his Celebrity Watch column for the Las Vegas Sun, reported that Burton has been asked by Klum to assist with her “Germany’s Next Top Model” program. Burton will assist in several segments, to be filmed this January, and a levitation of Klum will be part of it. The Las Vegas Review-Journal said it will be filmed at the Monte Carlo.
The Inside Magic blog is pleased, calling the Burton hiring confirmation of how Klum is “classy and intelligent.”
Bearwin Meily filming second installment of ‘Thou Shalt Not Blink’
October 28, 2008
In honor of Da Bear’s third TV special, soon to hit the air, we’re typing this entry with no edits:
Filipino entertainer Bearwin Meily is hitting the streets to film his second special, “Thou Shalt Not Blink 2.” No air dates have yet been announced for the special, which Meily is currently filming — and loading with Ellusionist effects, he told us via e-mail.
The high-energy Bearwin got his start in the show “Naks!” on GMA7. When the show was canceled, he self-produced a street-magic series called “Stealing Minds.” In April of this year, GMA aired “Thou Shalt Not Blink,” his second magic special devoted to eliminating edits. The feature effect of that special was a teleportation from the GMA studios to his home:
Bearwin said he trained under renowned parapsychologist and Inquirer columnist Jaime T. Licauco. He also rehearsed regularly with his team and his wife Lara, the show’s cinematographer. Teleportation requires no supernatural power, Bearwin said. “Anyone can do it,” he said. “You only need to study and train. Licauco’s has a research that shows a lot of documented incidents of teleportation in the country.”
Keep checking back here for more about him, his upcoming special, and why he would rather be called “an entertainer in the art of magic.” Until then, enjoy this card catch:
Bennett turns an eye to paranormal in two new TV shows
October 22, 2008
Magicians have long had a fascination with the truly paranormal. Houdini spent a considerable part of his career studying psychic claims. Criss Angel offered a bristling challenge and a confrontational gauntlet on NBC’s Phenomenon to anyone who claimed to really read minds. James Randi has his famous challenge. Penn & Teller have their popular show calling out liars.
Add Canadian Jeremy Bennett to the list of magicians searching for real magic. In addition to releasing his new Web site, Bennett is currently working on two TV shows aimed at studying the paranormal:
Supernatural Investigator: Bennett is filming all over the world for this show, airing on Vision TV. In the show, he performs magic and mentalism, then shows the difference between his magic and what other people claim is real magic. “I attend and take part in their rituals and often find myself in some pretty controversial activities,” Bennett told Ellusionist’s Jonathan Bagwell. “For example, in Chicago last month we filmed a full blown possession ritual. I had to take part in this ritual. The guy that was ’supposedly’ possessed was foaming at the mouth, screaming in different languages and rolling around in the ground.”
Occam’s Razor: Named for the rule of thumb that suggests the simplest explanation is usually correct, Bennett travels around the world — again — and investigates supernatural phenomena in depth. Subjects include UFOs, crop circles, telekinesis, ghosts, possessions and other subjects. Each show will include interviews with the people who claim it can be done/really exists, and with field experts who weigh in with real-world, non-magical possibilities. “The message behind the show is this: If I can replicate it using magic, which is just illusion, then don’t always believe what you see,” Bennett said.
Below is the trailer for his new Web site:
Brad Christian responds to quote in Page Six story
October 8, 2008
Brad Christian, President and founder of Ellusionist.com, is featured in a newly-released podcast from Magic Newswire.
He speaks for 30 minutes about a recent misquote in a Page Six Magazine story, gives personal thoughts on David Blaine and the recent special, “David Blaine: Dive of Death”, and speaks about the beginnings of Ellusionist and magic on the Internet.
The podcast is featured here:
Earlier this week, Page Six published the report about David Blaine and his feelings about the flubbed ending. Reporter Rachel Syme talked to Blaine, some fans and members of the magic community and wrote a story that Jonathan Bayme, CEO of Theory 11, told iTricks “was not a fair assessment at all.”
Christian was quoted in the story as saying Blaine was considered “a bit of a joke” among certain groups of magicians. His quote was used to suggest the magic industry feels betrayed by Blaine and his attention to stunts instead of magic. However, he told Justin Robert Young, of iTricks, earlier this week that he was taken completely out of context.
Today, Christian spoke at length with Magic Newswire about the story behind the story of the story. He also talks about the history of Ellusionist and more about David Blaine’s career.
Magic news sources protest TV show
October 2, 2008
A popular, respected news source about the magic industry is ready to call out those who would expose illusions. Another is calling for a boycott of a TV show and its advertisers.
The show causing the concern features the Masked Magician, a professional magician who risks breaking the magician’s code in order to reveal secrets of many major illusions, from the classic sawing lady in half to simple street-magic card tricks. iTricks broke some disturbing news about the show: An anonymous source reports that members of The Magic Castle have been contributing to the exposure. Young said he will name those alleged to have helped the show profit at the expense of other magicians.
Keep in mind, that charge about Magic Castle members is still an allegation. If proven to be true, it would be heartbreaking to many. Membership in the group is significant, and earning the chance to perform there is an honor.
But here’s the question: How does exposure affect you? Tremendously, some would argue. If you spent money and hours of practice on perfecting Tattoo Joe, then perform it for a crowd on the street, only to have someone yell, “I know how you did that! You’re blanking a blank that has been blanked,” it would seem your performance, credibility and future gigs have disappeared like that bass on Russell’s arm.
But consider this: The Masked Magician has been doing his shows since 1997, yet magic is incredibly popular right now. Look at all the new shows that have cropped up on TV and in Vegas. We have seen David Blaine, the Mindfreak, Phenomenon, CelebraCadabra and many incredible performers. And the Masked Magician isn’t the only one exposing magic these days. Yet magic has thrived. Ellusionist has grown since its creation THREE YEARS AFTER the first special. (Don’t get us wrong: Ellusionist condones NO FORM of exposure of any magician’s effect.)
ITricks and Magic Newswire are doing what they can to fight the problem. You can fight the problem by simply performing this art you have discovered. Many people know that magic is accomplished through sleight of hand, and they love watching it anyway. A strong performance persona and compelling style will bring back spectators and fans, even if they know how all your tricks are done. Don’t believe me? Consider that one of the MM’s shows was about street magic, yet the field has grown by leaps and bounds, and Blaine and Angel still have popular shows.
If exposure still gets you down, do a search through target=”_blank”>the Ellusionist forums. You’ll find great advice on dealing with exposers, hecklers and other malcontents.
Rough week for well-known magicians
October 1, 2008
Man, what a week for magicians.
First, David Blaine’s spectacular, super-secret finale to “Dive of Death” bombs because of technical glitches. Now, Criss Angel is getting pasted with awful reviews for “Believe,” his new collaboration with the Cirque du Soleil folks on stage in Las Vegas. Though magicians regularly like to debate the differences between Blaine and Angel, the two have a lot in common this week.
Blaine has been getting ripped by countless bloggers, talking heads, comedians and even a snitty Anderson Cooper. Pretty rough for a guy who actually apologized the morning after the big jump. Still, none of it compares with the indignity of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog pulling a Mary Jane Watson on Blaine.
But Blaine has had it relatively easy compared to Angel. You’ve probably already seen Doug Elfman’s review of audience members’ take on the show in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Elfman eschews the show and opts to interview audience members who were, at best, ruthless. An alleged PR rep for Angel told the magician’s side of the story to Perez Hilton. Other bloggers and columnists have made the people quoted in the Elfman story look like soccer moms (too many links for linking, sorry). Unfortunately, a review written by a columnist who actually saw the show doesn’t give much hope for it, either.
Lost in all this is the magic. Angel’s fourth season of Mindfreak is improved from previous seasons, in regards to actual magic being shown. Tickets for “Believe” are selling fairly well. And Blaine’s “Dive of Death” featured some of the best magic since, arguably, his first, groundbreaking special. If your friends and co-workers are dogging Blaine or Angel, don’t get disheartened. Blaine and Angel are larger than life, because of their ambitious projects that don’t always pan out. That doesn’t mean you can’t still floor your friends with your ambitious card routine.
Magic’s most dangerous tricks
September 29, 2008
The sword cabinet. The straitjacket escape. The trick with the spike under the cups. The roller coaster escape.
While you’re waiting for BentTouchSlink, think about this: What’s the most dangerous magic trick of all?
The good people at Listverse.com have their top 10, and published them over the weekend, along with a lot of videos that feature David Copperfield, Harry Houdini, Criss Angel, Penn & Teller, Lance Burton and David Blaine, among others. Agree, disagree? Discuss.
Dive of Death: Spectacular magic, controversial ending
September 24, 2008
Now that it’s over, here’s my take: This was a magic climax straight from the mind, or spirit, of Andy Kaufman. We are meant to be talking about this, because it is completely NOT what we were expecting. Hindsight shows that the poster gave us a clue. For those who didn’t see it: Blaine jumped from the top of his rig, floated down, then ascended up into the air and disappeared.
There’s some general disappointment from the users in the iTricks chat; Justin Robert Young suggests the bullet catch would have been a better ending. All the way around, it was an awesome special packed with incredible magic. Look at all the tricks he did below.
Here’s our running account of the street magic performances David Blaine does in “Dive of Death.” Keep checking back for more (latest tricks on top)…
- Interesting climax with the dive. He plummeted to the platform, then ascended into the air… and disappeared. This is going to be controversial for a while.
- Justin Robert Young rocks the Iron Man mask. Only Downey does it better.
- One word for the bullet catch: WOW. Two more: Slow motion.
- Here’s a shout out to those following on the iTricks live chat.
- Blaine did the matchbook trick again (see below) for a New Orleans Saints fan (WHODAT?!) living in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward. He then changed five $1 bills into $100s with just a twist of the bills. He then passed them out. An outstanding, charitable Extreme Burn. The bullet catch is coming up…
- Blaine took a signed, borrowed dollar bill, then moved a seal from one side of the bill to the other. John Mayer didn’t have anything to say this time… he was gobsmacked. Blaine just committed Fraud.
- Blaine had Serena Williams choose a favorite card and hold on to it. Her mother then chose a card at random. Written on Serena’s card was a prediction of what card her mother would take.
- Blaine took a borrowed quarter, then stretched it like it was Silly Putty.
- This one wasn’t magic, but impressive as all getout: He took not one, but two shots in the gut from mixed martial arts fighter Kimbo Slice. OUCH.
- Blaine had a woman choose a card sign it, then put it back in the deck. Blaine had another woman choose a different suit. He held the deck in his hand, which visibly melted away, leaving only the chosen suit and the signed card. He did the same effect for John Mayer, who said it was done with pulleys.
- Blaine had a man choose one card, sign it then hold it in his hands. Blaine had another man name a card at random, then light a match and burn it under the first card. The card changed to the second. The first card? It was the matchbook.
- Blaine did some classic card magic for the New York Giants, including an ambitious card routine. Most of what he did can be learned from Crash Course in Card Magic volumes 1 and 2. CC2 teaches the ambitious card routine — a classic in card magic — and several enhancements to it.
- Blaine had a spectator sign a quarter, then hold it in a closed fist. After everyone in the crowd touched her hand, the quarter bent. Check out a similar effect: The Superman Coin Bend.
- Blaine called for a butterfly, which appeared out of nowhere and landed on his finger.
- Blaine made a little piece of paper jump from his hand to a little girl’s hand.
- Blaine had a girl think of a card, cut the deck, then flip over half of it. The chosen named card was on the top of the flipped half.
- Blaine had actor Orlando Bloom choose a card from a pile of 10 cards while holding a pile of 10 more cards behind him. Bloom thought of a card from the original pile, which then appeared in the pile hiding behind his back. This effect is one of Blaine’s favorites. It’s called Strange Travelers.
- Blaine set up four cellphones circling a plate. He had the owners of the phones call the other phones, then put a quarter on the plate. The quarter started dancing, shaking and vibrating.
- Blaine took a signed dollar bill, ripped an end off and ate it. Then, he blew on the ripped dollar bill and restored the eaten part — on the wrong end.
- Blaine had a man drain a glass bottle. Blaine took the cap, slapped it on the bottom of the bottle… and the cap jumped inside the bottle. He then had another spectator hold his hands near the bottom of the bottle, which drops off by itself. If you liked this effect, check out Bullet and Factory Sealed.
- Blaine had a man take a cell phone picture of another man, then struck an outstretched dollar bill with the phone. The second man’s face appeared on the bill, in place of Washington’s face.
- Blaine had random spectators call out random numbers. He then pulled out a lottery ticket with each of the chosen numbers.
- Blaine had a spectator choose and sign a card. Another man shuffled the deck. Blaine sprang the cards out, then threw a dart. The selected card was on the dart.
- Blaine drew three Xs in a triangle on a man’s hand, then placed a quarter between all three. One by one, he wiped the Xs off, then picked up the quarter… all three Xs were underneath.
Blaine attracts turnout, heckling puppet
September 24, 2008
Kevin Reylek, of the New York Magic Project, has posted an updated timeline of day three of Blaine’s “Dive of Death.” The hours covered in the timeline are from 1 to 6:30 a.m. EST. According to his report, the stunt has attracted a crowd, including many magicians and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. We’re pretty sure there is no way the dog can get enough altitude for Blaine to be something to poop on.
Other events include rigging Blaine into an L shape so he can catch a little bit of sleep and the construction of a pool-type setup underneath him.
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