Houdini's water torture cell in Canada?

From the January 29th post "A Water Torture Cell has been discovered in Canada " by John Cox at Wild About Harry:

Today I have something truly astounding to share. Below are photos of what appears to be an exact duplicate of Houdini's Water Torture Cell. This was purchased from an elderly man in Canada who, unfortunately, would not provide any information about where he got it. The buyer of the cell wishes to remain anonymous. I have NO idea if this is the biggest find of all time or the biggest fake. But there are aspects of this cell that are very intriguing.

Scott Dietrich in Bradford Today

From the January 19th article "'I Can and I Did' inspires kids to believe in themselves" by Miriam King in Bradford Today:

"I do teach a lot of magic classes, and I do have a lot of kids say, 'I can't do it'," he said - frustrated by the difficulty of their first magic trick. "That's when I stop the class, and tell them that there are two bad words  - 'can't' and 'never'."

Instead, Dietrich helps them to persevere and overcome the challenge, fostering what he calls "positive doubt... What else did I think I couldn't do, that I can?"

Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” That's the basis of Dietrich's philosophy, and of the book "I Can and I Did!", a story about secrets, surprises, and unlimited possibilities.

Dietrich calls the book "a gift. It just kind of came to me." Written in just two hours, it's the story of Stephanie, who initially gives up on a math problem in frustration. "I can't!" she says - until her grandfather introduces her to Henry Ford's "secret." Not only does she solve the problem, with "Gramp's" help, she discovers that her grandfather is a pilot, and that she too can learn to fly, "but only if you believe you can."

Read more.

'I Can and I Did!' inspires kids to believe in themselves. Read all about @denisegarrido and my book in @BradfordTodayCa's brand new article: https://t.co/qgeIR53P97

— Scott Dietrich (@scottdietrich78) January 22, 2020

Shin Lim makes guest appearance on "America's Got Talent: The Champions"

From the January 13 upload "Marc Spelmann Blows Minds With Magic! - America's Got Talent: The Champions" on the "America's Got Talent" YouTube channel:

"America’s Got Talent: The Champions" brings together the world’s most talented, memorable and all-around fan-favorite acts from past seasons of "AGT" and the other "Got Talent" franchises, spanning 194 territories.

Diverson on TF1 January 24th

It's official 👉 new #distraction Friday, January 24th at 21 pm on #tf1 💫 forget everything you think you know about magic and let yourself embark on the incredible universe of our magic!

· See original ·
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— with Luc Langevin : Page Officielle, Viktor Vincent, Gus, Enzo Weyne - L’insaisissable, Caroline Marx - Magician performer and Antonio le Magicien.

#Diversion✨

Oubliez tout ce que vous croyez connaître de la magie et laissez-vous embarquer dans l’univers incroyable de @Diversion avec @Arthur_Officiel💫

RDV Vendredi 24 janvier 21h05 sur @TF1 avec de nombreux invités @VITAA @Slimaneoff @BrunoGUILLONOff @CamilleLou_Off... pic.twitter.com/c9KuUuqOpq

— TF1 Pro (@TF1Pro) December 30, 2019

Carisa Hendrix in the news (and in Nashville and Toronto)

Carisa's January dates at the House of Cards in Nashville and February dates for The Art of Magic in Toronto are at the bottom of the post.


From the January 3rd article "Compelling Calgarians: Carisa Hendrix" by Barb Livingstone in The Calgary Herald:

Carisa Hendrix imagined a future as an author or teacher. But in the present, she was always juggling, eating fire, doing card tricks.

“It was never supposed to be a career; just what I was doing to survive.”

The 32-year-old Calgary-born magician is today at the top of her game, performing in iconic clubs — in her sexy Lucy Darling persona — setting a Guinness world record for fire-eating, guesting on Penn and Teller’s TV show and co-hosting Shezam, a popular feminist podcast on magic.

Read more.

From the January 3rd article "Stars of 2019: It was a good year for these wild roses" by Eric Volmers in The Calgary Herald:

Carisa Hendrix became a bonafide star on the magic circuit in the U.S. this year, infiltrating what is often regarded as an old-boys club. A veteran magician and children’s entertainer in Calgary, Hendrix found an international audience a few years back when she debuted saucy alter-ego Lucy Darling at the Melbourne Magic Festival. On top of being a skilled illusionist and sleight-of-hand expert, Darling is also an elegant and tart-tongued comedienne who has taken the insular world of magic by storm. She was invited to the Magic Castle in Los Angeles, an inner sanctum for magicians and magic enthusiasts, and recently completed a residency at the Chicago Magic Lounge.

Read more.

Lucy Darling is ready to baffle and bewilder on our Carter the Great main stage, Jan. 13 - 19! Don't miss her awe-inspiring magical performances: https://t.co/NtpY44e7nb
(📸: Carisa Hendrix ) pic.twitter.com/nBdgWZiTXx

— House of Cards (@hocnashville) January 3, 2020

Canada's Magic in The Linking Ring

I'm honoured to be interviewed by Dennis Schick in The Linking Ring magazine this month!  (Such a terrific way to start the year.)





Thank you for all of your hard work Dennis! 



Welcome IBM members.  Have a look around and enjoy your stay!

Reader's Digest puts Acer on 2019 watch list

For those of you keeping track, David Acer was on last year's list of  "22 Canadian Comedians to Watch Out For—and Their Best Jokes."



From the article "50 Canadian Comedians to Watch Out For—and Their Best Jokes" at Reader's Digest Canada:

36. David Acer

I just bought a Canada Goose jacket. I love it—it’s warm, it’s comfortable. The only problem is, whenever I run into other people wearing Canada Goose jackets, we all have to walk in a V-formation.

Follow Montreal comedian David Acer on Twitter @David_Acer.

Read more.

ICYMI: Unsolicited Advice for performing on Penn and Teller Fool US

Matt's blog post (below) is also quoted in the Looper article "The untold truth of Penn & Teller: Fool Us" by David Lebovitz.  (The article also has a nice shout out to Michael Close.)



From the November 25th blog post "Unsolicited Advice for performing on Penn and Teller Fool US, a repost" by Matt DiSero:

Regarding the actual shoot. Look, I’ve been a full time act since I was 16. I’ve never had a day job. I’m a lifer and as a result, like many of you, the social aspect of being on a multi person show is huge. It IS the juice. I have better sets when I’m joking around with the other acts before I go on. It helps me get into the zone. This will NOT happen on Fool US. When you shoot you’ll be isolated from the other acts.

You can’t watch them do camera block, tech rehearsal or shoot the live show. You can’t be in the audience. You literally sit in a little room waiting to be called to go out and tape. After make up you’re kind of in a jail cell. If you’re hoping to hang with the acts backstage, forget it. Afterwards in the bar yes, but during the show, no. It’s hard to be alone and not get to chill with the acts especially on such a high pressure shoot. Be aware of that and get ready for it.
 
Read more.

Chris Ramsay, green backed cards, and cardistry

A fabulous combination if I've ever heard one.  Don't believe me?  Have a look at this video he posted to Instagram last week:

View this post on Instagram

Just having fun. #cardistry // jacket: @fairplaybrand

A post shared by Chris Ramsay (@chrisramsay52) on Nov 14, 2019 at 5:32am PST

Merry Fool Us and Masters of Illusion Christmas Magic

From the November 12th post "Penn & Teller: Merry Fool Us: CW Announces Holiday Episodes and Specials" by Regina Avalos in TV Series Finale:

It is about to look real holiday like on The CW. The network announced for all their upcoming holiday specials, and it looks like Penn & Teller: Merry Fool Us will help kick things off. A new holiday special featuring the pair will air on November 29.

also ...

The CW will broadcast the holiday special MASTERS OF ILLUSION: CHRISTMAS MAGIC 2019 Wednesday, December 18 (9:00-10:00pm ET). This special from Associated Television International and hosted by Dean Cain features some of today’s hottest magicians. An encore presentation of MASTERS OF ILLUSION: CHRISTMAS MAGIC 2019 will air Tuesday, December 24 (8:00-9:00pm ET).

Read more.

From Michael Close's Facebook post:

Scott Hammell on "Shoulders of Giants"

From PodTail:

OELC/CASO: Shoulders of Giants focuses on the extraordinary achievements of OELC alumni. Nathan Adams interviews these “Giants” to discuss the impact their time at the Ontario Educational Leadership Centre had on their journey.

Episode 2 - Scott Hammell (magician, escape artist and leader):

In this episode Nathan interviews Scott Hammell.   Scott shares his unique perspective on leadership and facing fear as well as the impact OELC/CASO has had on his life.

Scott Hammell, the four-time Guinness World Record holder has hung upside down from a hot air balloon while locked in a straitjacket and chains at 7 200 feet (World’s Highest Suspension Straitjacket Escape), dangled by his ankles and juggled for over a minute and a half (Longest Inverted Juggling Duration), successfully completed a card trick while skydiving (World’s Fastest Moving Card Trick) and jumped from an airplane to skydive while blindfolded and handcuffed (Highest Blindfolded Skydive). 

Seattle: "Bridging the Gap" with Billy Kidd

From Billy Kidd's Facebook post:

Hey all, I'm bringing the show I did in Pittsburgh " Bridging the Gap" to Seattle for limited run at Hales Ales Palladium Nov 8,9, 15, and 16th. Get your tickets ASAP if you want to hang out for a couple of hours:) Here is a review of the show from the summer

From the June 13th article "BWW Review: BILLY KIDD: BRIDGING THE GAP Fuses Magic, Comedy, Surrealism at Liberty Magic" by Greg Kerestan at Broadway World:

To avoid spoilers for the magic show, this review will be brief. Billy Kidd, the actor and magician, is almost certainly playing a character, the (fictionalized) magician Billy Kidd. "I have issues," she jokes at the beginning of the show, and the whole evening's loose plot revolves around this: our narrator has deep-seated, unresolved issues about growing up. A Peter Pan complex is not that unusual in a magician, but part of the charm of the Billy Kidd character is the way her neuroses not only fuel the banter and monologue sections, but at times begin to impact the tricks and stunts as well.

Read more.

Michael Close's November 2019 newsletter

Just finished reading the November newsletter from Michael Close.  You may be interested in:

• A couple of Stephen Bargatze stories that are very entertaining, especially if you hear Michael's voice reading them to you!
• Michael tips us to a film to begin shooting in Toronto and Buffalo next year.
• Michael Close has a podcast for subscribers, titled "Conversations with Close."   This month's guests are Merrill and Bargatze. 
• Michael wrote up a fabulous review of the recent Ontario Week of Wonder Magic Convention.
• From the playing card patent files by Lee Asher.
• The Magic of Science 
• It's Not Magic... But
• The Art of Conjuring by Mick Ayres.
• A nice shout out to Jonah Babin's Discourse in Magic interview with Ryan Hayashi. 
• A Ricky Jay tribute by Tom Zito.
• Technically Speaking by by Bruce Kalver.
• and many other newsworthy tidbits from the magic community!

Sign-up at MichaelClose.com to receive Michael's newsletters. 

Dean Gunnarson recreated Houdini's 1915 suspended straitjacket escape

From the August 18th post "Dean Gunnarson recreates Houdini's L.A. escape in 1987" by John Cox at Wild About Harry:

On October 29, 1987, escape artist Dean Gunnarson recreated Houdini's 1915 suspended straitjacket escape in Los Angeles to promote the live Halloween television special, The Search for Houdini. Dean was introduced as James Randi's protege, and Randi was on hand to assist in the stunt.

Read more.

Regina: Oliver, the ventriloquist dummy made in the 1910s

From the October 17th article "Black Museum exhibit in Regina shows off creepy side of Canada's true crime history" by Samanda Brace in CBC News:

One of those creepy items is Oliver, the ventriloquist dummy made in the 1910s by an RCMP member who was a magician and ventriloquist that put on shows for children.

Unfortunately, Oliver hasn't aged well, according to Eskritt. He has been designated the host of the exhibit.

"Now I can't verify that it's true or not, but some of our visitors in the past have said that it feels like his eyes follow you as you move around the exhibit, so that adds to the whole sort of atmosphere," Eskritt said.

Read more.

Comedy Nest celebration and David Acer in the Montreal Gazette

From the Comedy Nest:

The Comedy Nest 40-ish Anniversary – October 24, 25, 26

Celebrate 40 years of funny at Montreal’s original comedy club with some of the city’s finest comedians from past and present, including JEFF ROTHPAN (The Tonight Show), MARTHA CHAVES (CBC’s Just For Laughs), RICK BRONSON (CBC’s Just For Laughs), BOWSER & BLUE (The Comedy Network), HEIDI FOSS (Comics Unleashed), JOEY ELIAS (The Comedy Network’s MatchGame), DAVID ACER (CBC’s Just For Laughs), PHIL SHUCHAT (The Rick Mercer Report) and many more!

Read more and buy tickets.

This Thursday to Saturday (October 24-26) catch our 40-ish Anniversary celebration with @jeffrothpan @TheMarthaChaves @bowserandblue @TheRickBronson @Heidi_Foss @David_Acer @bruins_514 @Shuchat and more great guests every show! Info/tix: https://t.co/Ut7kpMIO96 pic.twitter.com/a1tjLkmm6S

— Comedy Nest (@comedynest) October 21, 2019

From the October 23 article "Brownstein: Did you hear the one about the Comedy Nest turning 40?" by Bill Brownstein in the Montreal Gazette:

Acer and Shuchat shone among the first wave of anglo comics in the early years of the Nest.

“I go way back to the 1920s with Bob Hope,” Acer quips. “Actually, I did my first set at the Nest in 1989 … when we didn’t have microphones and comedians talked through rolled-up paper cones. Okay, I may be misremembering that a little.”

Read more.

Huge thanks to @billbrownstein and the @mtlgazette for this fun article about The Comedy Nest crossing over into middle age! https://t.co/tfyS2SmFtQ

— Comedy Nest (@comedynest) October 23, 2019

CAM, Close, and Vanish

No, it's not the name of a new law firm.  It's all the reading there is to enjoy this weekend!



From Ryan Pilling's post in the Facebook group for the Canadian Association of Magicians:

September 2019 Northern Peeks published!

• CAM members should have received the latest magazine download link in their email this past week.
• Murray Hatfield remembers meeting the real Mandrake the Magician
• Joan Caesar shares the news about the OWOW Magic Festival coming up this month in Ontario.
• Renee-Claude Auclair tells us more about the FISM North America championship (and the Canadian Magic Championship) happening next year in Quebec.
• Mike Fisher writes about the Great Wizard of the North including his tours in Canada and the United States.
• Jason Verners shares some tips on productivity and how he has kept busy performing at music festivals all summer long.
• I write about my experience at the Ottawa Fringe Festival and lessons learned from producing and performing my new show.
• Gerry Frenette talks about the Too Perfect Theory and how the entertainment often comes out of the diversions from the straight path.

Michael Close's October 2019 newsletter

Just finished reading the August newsletter from Michael Close.  You may be interested in:

• Great summary of his recent Toronto lecture, a complementary eBook, a look ahead to the Ontario Week  of  Wonder  Magic  Festival (talent includes Steve  Bargatze,  Rick  Merrill,  Jay  Sankey,  Greg  Frewin,  Carisa  Hendrix,  Nicholas  Wallace,  and  Paul  Rohmany), and Penn & Teller Fool Us season 7.
• Michael Close has a podcast for subscribers, titled "Conversations with Close."   This month's guest is Ryan Joyce.  
• Review of Paul Wilson's "Just Think.
• A playing card patent article by Lee Asher.
• The Magic of Science by Tina Hesman Saey
• The Art of Conjuring by Mick Ayres.
• Technically Speaking by by Bruce Kalver.
• and many other newsworthy tidbits from the magic community!

Sign-up at MichaelClose.com to receive Michael's newsletters.  

 Vanish magazine, October 2019, Edition 63

• Articles by Peter Mennie, Colin Underwood, Louie Foxx, Joe Ledoux, Ben Robinson, Tod Karr, Thomas Swieclack, Felicity Field, Nick Lewin, Hal Meyers, and Jeff Christensen.
• Read and subscribe at VanishMagic.com

Darcy Oake's "BGT: The Champions" semi-final performance

A reminder that Darcy performs one night only at London’s Leicester Square Theatre on October 31st!

From the Britain's Got Talent YouTube channel, watch as Darcy Oake turns back time to honour his brother:


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From Darcy Oake's Twitter feed:

Darcy performs one night only at London’s @lsqtheatre on October 31st! Don’t miss this phenomenal night of magic! Tickets on sale now at https://t.co/1Ns9UiUNQT pic.twitter.com/U6iavBOqfg

— Darcy Oake (@DarcyOake) September 13, 2019

Austin Kaiser interviews Jay Sankey

From the August 12th post "Interview: Jay Sankey, A Magician Who Vanishes Into His Audience" by Austin Kaiser on Medium:

A: What is magic to you, personally?

J: Magic is also the experience in the magician. Fifteen minutes into a gig, I’m starting to flow. I have this wonderful experience of not being anywhere else. I’m in a pure response mode. It’s surreal. I’m inspired by the Dadaists, the Greeks, and Salvador Dali.

A: What is it that people love about magic? What makes them fall in love with it?

J: In this age of Google, we apparently know everything. One hundred years ago there was not that feeling. Magic and people’s love of magic can be a response to the idea of a know-it-all world.


Read more.

Eric Leclerc in "ScienceXplosion"

A reminder that season three of Eric's show "Tricked" kicks off on October 6th.


Join a live Twitter chat with the @SciXplosion team Friday, September 20th at noon EST.


From Eric Leclerc's Facebook page:

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