Nico Moretti and Johnny Bryson: OSMAP

From Metro News:

“It beats working in an office,” said Nico Moretti, 22, of London. “I spend the day sitting outside and grilling with my buddy.”

Moretti and Johnny Bryson, 22, also from London, opened their pop-up grilled cheese stand at Dundas and Talbot streets in June. 

With Moretti’s background in business and Bryson’s in hospitality, the business team is a match made in heaven. One cooks while the other keeps customers busy, doing magic tricks and telling jokes while they wait.

Read more.

 I've been told that Nico and Johnny are Sorcerers Safari magic camp alumni.  Very clever idea!

Jay Sankey at The Session

Jay Sankey will be appearing at The Session, the UK's only close-up magic convention, in January 2013.  At that time, Jay will receive their Lifetime Achievement Award!

Congratulations Jay!

The secret to Sorcerers Safari's success

Almost sixteen years ago, armed only with the idea of making magic more accessible to kids who want to learn magic, "Magic Mike" Segal opened the doors to Sorcerers Safari magic camp.  Flash forward to 2011 to see how far Segal's magic camp has come from its humble beginnings.  Sorcerers Safari is Canada's only sleep away magic camp, hosting up to 150 campers a year.

What is the secret to this Canadian magic camp success story?  I spent 24 hours at camp in August 2011 and here's what I discovered.

Video of 1987 Dai Vernon roast

From The Magic Newswire:

Thanks to Michael Ammar for sharing this video from the 1987 roast of Dai Vernon at the New York Magic Symposium.. According to Michael :

If you are a magician or if you love magic this is a real treat.  This is the only known footage from the roast of Dai Vernon, the Professor, in 1987 at the New York Magic Symposium.  Tom Mullica is the MC and everyone who speaks is renowned in the world of magic. 

Read more.

Watch the video on YouTube:

Summerworks review of Lies, Damn Lies and Magic Tricks

From Now Toronto:

Affable magician James Alan presents an hour-long show that toys with the theme of art and reality. A comical opening bit grabs attention, and tricks flow together well.

Read more.

Tony Eng Memorial Peoples Choice Award

From The Daily Deception:

The very first Tony Eng Memorial Peoples Choice Award was given out at this years PCAM 2012, and will continue to be given out each PCAM to follow. This award is voted on by the people and features the 1st place winners of the competitions from the convention.

Read more.

Watch the award presentation:

[h/t: @james_alan]

The magic life

From The Magic Newswire:

I love Magic Documentaries. I know.  I'm a magic Nerd. That's ok, because some of my magic friends are involved in a project that I want to bring to your attention.

The Magic Life is a film by Nelson Chang featuring Juliana Chen, Jonathan Levit and Richard Turner.

Read more.

From The Magic Life Film:

An Inside Look at a Very Different Career Path

Three aspiring individuals try to turn their passion into a career. Can they pull off the biggest trick of their lives and become working magicians?

Read more.

Watch the trailer:

The Magic Life - Documentary Trailer from Nelson Cheng on Vimeo.

Mark Beltran living his dream

From ABS-CBN News:

A young Filipino-Canadian is living his dream of doing magic in the streets.

Mark Beltran has been interested in magic since he was a kid. But it was a backpacking trip to Australia where he watched an amazing magic show on the street that did the trick.


Read more.

US politics on this blog?

From The Globe and Mail:

As a teenager growing up in Toronto, Dan Senor used to perform as a magician to earn money. These days, he is attempting a different kind of feat – getting Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney elected.

Read more.

A little bit about Edwin Empinado

From Sun Star:

LONG before he became a nurse and a councilor of the municipality of Kitimat in British Columbia in Canada, Edwin Empinado was a magician. He lugged a suitcase that contained the secrets to the vanishing coin, the chick in a hat and other tricks that teased the mind and pleased the eyes.

Read more.

Shawn Farquhar: International Vice-President

From Shawn Farquhar's Facebook page:

Proud to announce I have been elected the International Vice-President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. The biggest and best magic organization in the world...

Congratulations Shawn!

Wishing Guy Camirand a speedy recovery

Edited on August 28 to include this update from Evelyn at Perfect Magic's Facebook Page:

You can't keep a good man down! Was it last week or the week before that Guy Camirand had his triple by-pass surgery? Although we did not speak to Guy, we did get an eMail and he is doing fine. He is still in the hospital and did a 15 minute Magic Show for the nurses.

According to Evelyn Matlin over at Pefect Magic, Guy Camirand is in a Quebec hospital waiting for triple by-pass surgery.  According to Evelyn, "He’s in good spirits and is being well taken care of."

Read more about Guy's experience at a walk-in-clinic over at Perfect Magic's blog.

Join us in wishing Guy a speedy recovery.

James Biss interviewed by Larry Smith

Watch James Biss be interviewed on Larry Smith's imaginary talk show at the Hamilton Fringe:

We're at the fringe talk show hosted by Larry Smith. @jamesbiss and I are up for a "Larry" Award. Hope we win :)
— James Alan (@james_alan) July 29, 2012

We won a "Larry" award! twitter.com/james_alan/sta…
— James Alan (@james_alan) July 29, 2012

James (and James) just completed the run of "Lies, Damn Lies and Magic Tricks" at the Hamilton Fringe and will be bringing his show to Toronto's Summerworks Festival this month.  For show and ticket information, visit the Abracadabaret website.

Toronto: Rob'd Illusions

From Ticketbud:

Rob'd Illusions LIVE SHOW!
August 23, 2012

Read more.

Paul Pacific in MUM magazine

Paul Pacific is in the August edition of MUM magazine!  Read about "The Day It Went Horribly Wrong" on page 52 in James Munton's "Pro File:  True Stories from the Files of Working Pros."  That was quick thinking and a great solution to the problem Paul!

Michael Picard nominated for the LA Comedy Awards

From the Thunder Bay Netnews Ledger:

Thunder Bay’s Michael Picard is the first Canadian performer to be nominated for the LA Comedy Awards. He is also the first to be nominated for more than one category in the same year, one in the area of stand-up comedy and also for best variety act. Max Worthington, executive producer of The LA Comedy Awards said “Michael’s stand-up comedy was spectacular!”


Read more.

Trevor Moore in Golf West magazine

Yeah...for those who get the Golf Westmagazine...check out page 29. twitter.com/magicoftrevor/…
— Trevor Moore - Magic (@magicoftrevor) July 23, 2012

James Alan's in a music video!

Watch James Alan in the Summerworks Song music video:





James is just finishing up his run of "Lies, Damn Lies and Magic Tricks" at the Hamilton Fringe and will be bringing his show to Toronto's Summerworks Festival in August.  For show and ticket information, visit the Abracadabaret website.

Montreal Gazette on "Play Dead"

From the Montreal Gazette:

Teller will be back in Vegas on Saturday to perform with Penn in their residency at the Rio Hotel and Casino; but on Friday, he is in Montreal with pal Todd Robbins to present the world premiere of their movie Play Dead at the Fantasia International Film Festival.


It’s a document of the one-man, off-Broadway spook show directed by Teller, starring Todd Robbins, and written by both. Therein, Robbins leads a rapt room on a journey into darkness. True stories of serial killers, sexy spiritual hucksters and carnival freaks are recounted in gripping fashion, bringing the dead to life between jokes and magic tricks.


Read more.

Murray SawChuck and mentors

Visit iTricks to see a photo of Murray SawChuck backstage at his Laugh Factory show, with Shawn Farquhar and Marvin Roy.