CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

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Gary Kosnitzky
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CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Gary Kosnitzky » February 9th, 2012, 12:48 pm

This was in the Las Vegas Review Journal today - 2/9/2012.

CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION
An associate [Joe Monti] of Luxor headliner Criss Angel filed a police report Wednesday, alleging he was roughed up in the illusionist's office warehouse.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/-political-mad ... 98379.html
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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Q. Kumber » February 9th, 2012, 1:16 pm

Inside scoop: Criss got really annoyed because there was no Wizard Product Review this week. They had been due to cover his magic kit and he wanted to find out if it was any good.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Brad Henderson » February 9th, 2012, 1:20 pm

Joe was always very supportive of criss on the cafe, chastisizing others for expressing criticism. Apparently be has now learned what so many have learned before him. I'm sorry he was the victim of violence, but haven't we all known all along that criss angel will do absolute anything in order to serve criss angel. Criss angel's magic may be the fakery of camera tricks, but the scars he leaves on those he uses are undeniably real.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 9th, 2012, 2:54 pm

I've known Joe Safuto since we literally were kids--I put a great trick of his in CoinMagic. He always defended Criss, so I can't imagine what must have happened for Joe to have taken this type of action.
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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Donal Chayce » February 9th, 2012, 3:49 pm

Joe is such an easy-going guy...he must've really been pushed (literally and metaphorically).
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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 9th, 2012, 4:14 pm

We really can't state opinions on what might have physically taken place because we don't know. And I don't want to get sued. :)
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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Brad Henderson » February 9th, 2012, 4:57 pm

But we can say that Criss Angel is a piece of dog sh1t who cares only about himself and will use anyone or anything including the reputation of magic as a whole to serve his egotistical desire for attention and fame.

It's called vigorous epithet, it's legally protected.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Jim Maloney » February 9th, 2012, 5:02 pm

Thought he doesn't name any names, this was posted on Joe's Facebook account:

Today my body and heart ache. Yesterday (2/8) someone I considered a very good friend verbally then PHYSICALLY attacked me. NO ONE should put up with violence in their life male or female. Move on. You're better than that!


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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby MaxNY » February 9th, 2012, 7:21 pm

Roid Rage

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 9th, 2012, 7:47 pm

There is no evidence that Criss Angel has taken steroids and is suffering from roid rage.
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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Brad Henderson » February 9th, 2012, 9:25 pm

I don't know Rk, his magic kit explicity stated has 'small balls and parts'. I thought that was a known side effect n

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 9th, 2012, 9:49 pm

Ho, ho, ho. You just too funny.
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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Donal Chayce » February 10th, 2012, 12:55 am

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Pepka » February 10th, 2012, 1:28 am

Richard Kaufman wrote:There is no evidence that Criss Angel has taken steroids and is suffering from roid rage.

I think he meant hemorrhoid rage.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Devious » February 10th, 2012, 1:38 am


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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Brad Henderson » February 10th, 2012, 1:40 am

Criss is a bad actor even when he's not acting.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Brad Henderson » February 10th, 2012, 1:42 am

An article attached to the recordings:

http://www.lvrj.com/columnists/normclar ... 56994.html

(soon the vultures will be posting these links as news)

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Master Payne » February 10th, 2012, 3:21 am

Richard Kaufman wrote:There is no evidence that Criss Angel has taken steroids and is suffering from roid rage.


Quite true as no one has ever seen any evidence that would lead one to believe he was working under the influence of a performance enhancer :)
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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Q. Kumber » February 10th, 2012, 5:00 am

Don't see how anyone could call this being violently attacked or have any reason to call the police.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby mrgoat » February 10th, 2012, 5:09 am

Richard Kaufman wrote:There is no evidence that Criss Angel has taken steroids and is suffering from roid rage.


There is evidence he is a massive [censored] though. In my opinion. Allegedly.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Gary Kosnitzky » February 10th, 2012, 6:06 am

When you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby John Archer » February 10th, 2012, 9:56 am

I met someone in Finland who liked him.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Roger M. » February 10th, 2012, 10:03 am

You know, I go to half a dozen different meetings at work every day of the week, and I have never had my pocket recorder set to record "just in case".

I tend to go "mmmm" when somebody just happens to have a recording handy to help make their case.

Not that CA isn't a dic_k, evidence seems to indicate that he probably is.......but I'd posit that this incident wasn't random, wasn't unexpected, and may have even been something resembling a set-up.

Two sides to the story.........as always.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Jonathan Townsend » February 10th, 2012, 10:18 am

Let's say a meeting isn't going well. Most of the time it's fine to just say "let's pick up that item tomorrow or our next meeting" and leave the matter there. There's something unusual happening when either party gets agitated.
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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby IrishMagicNews » February 10th, 2012, 10:38 am

Extortion or PR stunt? That is the question.
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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Jonathan Townsend » February 10th, 2012, 10:45 am

IrishMagicNews wrote:Extortion or PR stunt? That is the question.


I hope that event was not planned as either.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Q. Kumber » February 10th, 2012, 11:50 am

"Well your honor, he asked me to leave the office a number of times. I didn't so he picked me up and put me outside. I can't believe he actually touched me, after all we've known each other for fifteen years. This was such an unexpected development in our relationship, I just had to go and broadcast it all over Vegas and tell the police. ... Oh ... the taping? That's a tip I got from David Penn."

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Brad Henderson » February 11th, 2012, 4:11 am

Luke Dancy (perhaps the one magician on Criss's team he has yet to abuse) has hinted that "there is more to the story than it seems."

http://www.thedailydeception.com/2012/0 ... oe-montie/

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Gary Kosnitzky » February 11th, 2012, 6:51 am

Criss Angel denies allegations of fight with fired employee-

http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/blogs/lux ... d-employe/

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Loopback » February 11th, 2012, 9:59 am

Touched by an Angel indeed.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 11th, 2012, 11:36 am

Brad, you should know that your statement, "perhaps the one magician on Criss's team he has yet to abuse" might be considered libel. You need concrete proof that every magician who has ever worked with Criss--EVERY magician--has been abused in order to make that statement in public. While you may have heard lots of anecdotal stories, you don't have concrete proof unless you've paid to have depositions taken from every magician who has ever worked with Criss Angel.

I'm not defending Criss Angel (believe me when I tell you that I have no reason), just pointing out that you should be careful in what you write on a public forum.

As to whether this is a publicity ploy ... it might be, but the tape doesn't sound like it. And what would be the point of negative publicity for BOTH parties?

As to why Joe was carrying a recording device in his pocket ... you'll have to ask him. In some states it's illegal to record someone's conversation without their consent, so if that's the case in Nevada, then Joe might have broken the law in making the recording (assuming Criss didn't consent--and the only reason he might have consented is if it was a publicity ploy). People who have had problems with others in the past sometimes do carry a recording device so the next time they have evidence of whatever misdeed they feel has occurred.

Luke Dancy's comment, as reported on that weird website The Daily Deception, "We have been in contact with Luke Dancy who is Joe Montis manager under Criss angel and he has informed us that, the news about this is all FALSE!" is really strange. Whose manager is he? Does he work for Criss or Joe?

And then Robin Leach writes this, which Kosnitzky linked to above in the Las Vegas Weekly: "Ken Woloson, Crisss attorney, told Vegas DeLuxe, 'Criss Angel was in the process of firing Joe on Wednesday when Safuto became abusive, and Criss asked him to leave.' His decision to fire Joe was in response to repeated complaints from co-workers and other magicians about Joes abusive and violent behavior and general ineptitude."

I've known Joe Safuto since he was 14 years old, and I have a hard time imagining him as "abusive and violent."

As to why the police did not arrest Criss Angel for battery, we'll find out later when the police report is made public. However, you can't just point to someone and claim they battered you and expect an arrest. I would assume that Joe had no visible evidence of battery (i.e., no black eye, no bloody lip, or whatever might constitute evidence that he was struck within the last few hours).

I guess we'll be hearing more in the coming days.
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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Brad Henderson » February 11th, 2012, 12:13 pm

Working with criss angel and realizing his 'vision' is, by definition, abuse. I can't imagine how any conscientious magician would experience it otherwise. I cant imagine not being scarred from that experience Not as bad as sitting through Believe, but I imagine it must be close.

Luke must be strong. I predict, in time, he will have his scars too.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 11th, 2012, 1:16 pm

This statement "Working with criss angel and realizing his 'vision' is, by definition, abuse" is nonsense.
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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Pete McCabe » February 11th, 2012, 1:25 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:As to why Joe was carrying a recording device in his pocket ... you'll have to ask him.


Or you could ask everyone who owns a cell phone, virtually all of which include some voice record function.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 11th, 2012, 1:35 pm

Oh yeah, I'm a bit of a Luddite and never thought about that.

At least I haven't butt-dialed anyone this week! :)
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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Brad Henderson » February 11th, 2012, 5:13 pm

Rk: that would depend on one's definition of abuse and feelings about criss angel's 'magic vision'.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Daily Deception » February 11th, 2012, 5:46 pm

As to why Joe was carrying a recording device in his pocket ... you'll have to ask him. In some states it's illegal to record someone's conversation without their consent, so if that's the case in Nevada, then Joe might have broken the law in making the recording (assuming Criss didn't consent--and the only reason he might have consented is if it was a publicity ploy). People who have had problems with others in the past sometimes do carry a recording device so the next time they have evidence of whatever misdeed they feel has occurred.


Luke Dancy is Criss Angels head consultant and manages his consultant team.

Hope that clears up some of the confusion.

www.thedailydeception.com

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Donal Chayce » February 11th, 2012, 7:21 pm

Daily Deception wrote:Luke Dancy is Criss Angels head consultant and manages his consultant team.

Hope that clears up some of the confusion.

www.thedailydeception.com


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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Roger M. » February 11th, 2012, 8:27 pm

thedailydeception, seems an odd little news site, with an endless parade of yellow, or otherwise totally slanted journalism.

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Re: CRISS ANGEL ALTERCATION

Postby Roger M. » February 11th, 2012, 9:03 pm

Luke Dancy gives the lawyers some advance unsworn testimony to work with by publicly sharing what "exactly" went on in Angel's warehouse offices.

Dancy identifies himself as "Joe Monti's supervisor".

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/view ... 36&start=0


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