From the January 8th upload on Alex Boyer's YouTube channel:
Penn and Teller Fool us: ALEX BOYER performs THE most dangerous magic trick ever!
What an amazing abs unforgettable time I had performing for some of the world’s best magicians! My goal was to create something unique, as you can see that’s exactly what I did! Thanks to all of you for watching and thanks to all the people who made this possible! Truly a dream come true! I’m freaking out! Xo
From Chai Lifeline Canada:
On the occasion of my Bat Mitzvah, I have chosen to support the important work of Chai Lifeline Canada. Chai Lifeline is devoted to supporting children and families facing illness. For over 15 years they have given thousands of families across Canada the concrete services and emotional support that enables patients, siblings and parents to find joy in their lives. My goal is to raise $18,000.00 to provide critical support services, including therapy, to children as well providing funding so that families can create some long lasting and special memories through experiences.
Families coming together and laughing is something we can all enjoy. On Sunday February 6th, please join me as The Toronto Magic Company delights us with their UNBELIEVABLE virtual magic show that has been entertaining thousands across the globe. Ben Train and Jonah Babins will mesmerize us and it is definitely something you won’t want to miss!
An Interactive Virtual Magic Show for all ages!
Date: February 6, 2022
You may recall that Michael Close and the Evasons consulted for the film Nightmare Alley.
From the January 11th article "Reel Beach: Born in the Beach, The Amazing Randi was a top magician and crusader against fraudsters" by Bernie Fletcher in the Beach Metro:
In Nightmare Alley Bradley Cooper plays a carnival huckster who learns the art of deceit and becomes a nightclub mind reader. The clothes are fancier, but he uses the same old tricks.
The film is based on the dark 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham (1909-1962), an amateur magician who was fascinated by the carny underworld. Like Harry Houdini before him, Gresham exposed many of the techniques used by phony spiritualists and psychics.
In 1959 Gresham wrote a biography of Houdini and dedicated his book to “the greatest living escape artist, The Amazing Randi” magician James Randi who helped him with the illusions.
Randi began life in 1928 as Randall James Zwinge (rhymes with “Swingy”) in the newly-built Victoria Park Apartments on Queen Street East near Willow Avenue, which was just down the street from the Prince of Wales Theatre (now the Fox).
A century ago streetcars came all the way out to the new Neville Park Loop and spurred a building boom along the eastern end of Queen Street.
...
Life comes full circle. Nightmare Alley was filmed at the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant (originally the Victoria Park Filtration Plant) just down the street from Randi’s first home. In 1928 the waterworks were still a dream in the eyes of Neville Park Boulevard resident R. C. Harris; a vision of clean, safe water for Toronto.
From the January 12th Facebook post by The Society of American Magicians:
From The Magic Inn:
The Magic Inn started at the start of the pandemic as a social way to interact with other entertainers around the world.
The concept started as a online virtual venue, unlike something that is managed by a magic clubs or companies, we are a group of magicians with an aim to wanting to bring people together globally through the online environment and also have fun in the process.
From the January 8th Facebook post by Shawn Farquhar:
From the January 14th article "Here’s how math art inspired the mirror verse moments in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’" by Ian Failes at Befores and Afters:
b&a: Tell me about that artefact, first?
Adrien Saint Girons: We designed that. That was, very bizarrely, one of the things that we spent a lot of time on. You wouldn’t think it, but it was a very time consuming process. It took a lot of iterations to come up with exactly the right look and the right mechanism for the box. There were a lot of changes that occurred. It used to be a much more mechanical kind of puzzle–I don’t know if you ever saw those Chris Ramsey [sic] videos online where he’s solving big puzzles. There was a whole backstory to it that got simplified in the end.
Can we find this guy??! #mcu #SpiderManNoWayHome pic.twitter.com/b4UjgYJ838
— Chris Ramsay (@chrisramsay52) January 15, 2022
Tickets at Eventbrite.
From the January 10th article "Making Magic: The Majinx Virtually Impossible Show" by Joel Haslam at CTV News:
In a time of lockdowns, restrictions and isolation, entertainer Lawrence Larouche believes the show must go on.
“We all need a little miracle once in a while to make us smile,” said Larouche.
Larouche is a magician. For more than 30 years, he’s typically performed for live audiences on stage.
“Suddenly, when the pandemic hit, we couldn’t do any of that. We had to find another way.”
That “way” would be found in a workshop on Larouche’s St. Eugene, Ont. property. A building, where he designs and builds props would become the backdrop for a virtual magic show.
“I thought, 'Let’s give them a peek behind the curtain so they can see what it looks like in a real magic workshop.'”
Larouche set up lights and a video camera, and using the "magic" of Zoom technology, he now brings the “Majinx Virtually Impossible Show” to audiences worldwide.
