This may be an evil questions but......

Discuss general aspects of Genii.
Steve V
Posts: 642
Joined: January 20th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Silver Springs, NV
Contact:

This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Steve V » February 5th, 2003, 5:46 pm

For years I've heard the name Jeff Busby spat out nearly universally as of one found a bug in their koolaid. I almost came to the point where I thought he was a made up character like the boogie man....what is the story on this fellow that makes him as popular as Penn at a Gospel Magic Convention?
Steve V
Steve V

John LeBlanc
Posts: 903
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby John LeBlanc » February 5th, 2003, 6:12 pm

Originally posted by Steve V:
For years I've heard the name Jeff Busby spat out nearly universally as of one found a bug in their koolaid. I almost came to the point where I thought he was a made up character like the boogie man....what is the story on this fellow that makes him as popular as Penn at a Gospel Magic Convention?
Steve V
One of the things I enjoyed in school was science projects. Object lessons tend to illustrate far better and with greater colorful precision and persuation concepts that could not adequately be illuminated with weeks and weeks on end of lecture.

Here's a science project for you:

Go to eBay and create an auction for a set of Paul Fox cups.

John LeBlanc
Houston, TX

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 5th, 2003, 8:41 pm

Jeff Busby is a crook, plain and simple. He took tens of thousands of dollars from people and never sent the stuff. I subscribed to Epoptica, Arcane, and The Braue Notebooks. I NEVER received a single issue of Arcane, a single issue of Epoptica, and only 8 of the promised 15 issues of the Braue Notebooks, which was supposed to be published in 24 months and after over a decade still isn't finished.
He's also a liar and a lunatic!
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

Steve V
Posts: 642
Joined: January 20th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Silver Springs, NV
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Steve V » February 5th, 2003, 9:15 pm

So he is real....I recall you writing about him in The Looking Glass, thought he was an urban myth.
Steve V
Steve V

Dave Egleston
Posts: 429
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Ceres, Ca.

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Dave Egleston » February 5th, 2003, 10:08 pm

[QUOTE] [Go to eBay and create an auction for a set of Paul Fox cups./QUOTE]

To take that experiment one step further:

If you bid on the item - He bans you from ever bidding on any item he ever puts up for bid from that date forward.

However he will let you buy directly from his store. --- As if!!!

Dave

User avatar
Pete Biro
Posts: 7124
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Hollyweird
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Pete Biro » February 5th, 2003, 11:00 pm

Try to talk to him. He and I grew up together (more or less) and I considered him a good friend in our early days.

Yet, I have called the business and whoever answers the phone just plain will not put me through to Jeff.

Friends of mine have called to order Paul Fox (R) cups and the receptionist answers with no answer really, just we'll put you on the list.

You say "when will any be available?" Answer is often I won't tell you.

Price asked, "Not sure, we'll let you know."

I have correspondence with Paul Fox master craftsman, Danny Dew's lawyer (Danny, now deceased, made all the real original Paul fox metal items) in which he states that Busby never paid the amount asked for the dies and rights to continue making these items. The lawyer offered to sue Busby (pro bono) but Danny, in ill health at the time, and a nicer guy you would never find, didn't feel like proceeding.

Danny's widow, Melba, is in a care facility, and word is if she even hears the words Jeff Busby, she would suffer a setback she gets so upset.

Another slant, Paul Fox's heirs are beginning to go after Busby. I haven't heard much on this, if anyone can add to this, I'd like to know.

It is unfortunate that Jeff got so screwed up and left so many holding the bag, and taking their money and not delivering. He had a great line of goods to begin with, but seems to be running out of contacts and friends.

Stay tooned... :mad:
Stay tooned.

Steve V
Posts: 642
Joined: January 20th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Silver Springs, NV
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Steve V » February 5th, 2003, 11:20 pm

So you guys are saying that if one tries to sell these Fox Cups Busby will try to disrupt the sale? Amazing. That is really a shame. Why someone would want to make some kind of business in magic (or any other field) then procede to ruin your own name in that business is beyond me.
Steve V
Steve V

User avatar
Pete Biro
Posts: 7124
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Hollyweird
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Pete Biro » February 6th, 2003, 10:39 am

I put up a Paul Fox rising card onto ebay... (luckily with a "buy it now" feature)... and Busby got ebay to "PULL" it and send me a nasty letter (email)... that I was infringing on his copyright.

I responded saying, "Uh, if I have a used Chevrolet to sell, does this mean I cannot use the brand name?"

Duh...

Oh, the buyer closed the deal moments before Busby nailed me, so I got the sale off and was paid. I really did it to see what would happen more than to sell the item.

:mad:
Stay tooned.

Andy Hurst
Posts: 163
Joined: March 18th, 2008, 12:55 pm

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Andy Hurst » February 6th, 2003, 3:04 pm

Busby can come post in reply anytime he wants (unless he's banned from the forum?). There are many, many stories of how Busby has screwed people over, and its hard to find anyone that would defend him.
It's near impossible to sell ANY item that is a Busby product on Ebay. I listed a used copy of a book he published on Ebay. Busby had the listing pulled and got Ebay to send me one of them 'legalish emails'. About a month later Ebay notified me that on his request they had furnished him with my Name, Address, etc so that he could keep it on file in case I infringed his rights again.
I used to be able to say that "I don't hate anyone" (although I might dislike the odd person here and there), but I can't say that anymore... I hate Busby and I hope he dies soon.

Andy

P.S. Since 'nosey parkers' post was deleted mine doesn't have the context it did. So while I can't quote him, I hope its acceptable for me to edit this post and add this note... his post claimed it wasn't fair to dis Mr Busby if no one was here to defend him.

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 6th, 2003, 4:14 pm

To those who correctly deduced that nosey parker was Mark Lewis, I congratulate you and thank you for using the "Moderator Alert." I have deleted his posts and modified others accordingly.
Just in case my own feelings aren't clear, Jeff Busby is a psychopath who should be in a padded room, bouncing off the walls, in a strait jacket.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

User avatar
Pete Biro
Posts: 7124
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Hollyweird
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Pete Biro » February 6th, 2003, 5:14 pm

You're too kind... :eek:
Stay tooned.

Todd Karr
Posts: 299
Joined: March 13th, 2008, 9:03 am

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Todd Karr » February 6th, 2003, 6:32 pm

I was recently told Busby had a stroke not long ago.

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 6th, 2003, 7:54 pm

While it's possible he had a stroke, I certainly wouldn't put it past Busby to spread false information that he was ill to gain any sympathy he could.
If he's able to scour eBay constantly and get auctions pulled off all the time, how ill can he be?
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

Guest

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Guest » February 6th, 2003, 8:07 pm

That's very interesting to me that Mark Lewis was a "nosey" spy on here.

User avatar
Brian Morton
Posts: 398
Joined: March 12th, 2008, 11:43 am
Location: Bawlamer, Merlin
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Brian Morton » February 6th, 2003, 9:18 pm

I'm sure ol' Mark still surfs and lurks constantly. He just can't help himself and has to poke his nose in to post occasionally. He can only torment the people in alt.magic for so long -- his whole game is to stir up the animals enough so they'll be curious enough to check out his Svengali pitch, and then make the sale. There are more "real prospects" here than there, so it's like the kid and the candy store -- he can't stay away.

It's a shame he's such a schmuck online -- a friend tells me the pitch ain't bad (if you're into that.)

brian :cool:

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 6th, 2003, 9:25 pm

Mark's Svengali pitch is killer. It's the best handling of the deck I've ever seen--am saying this from watching the video on-line. I can't recall if I saw it in person or not.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

Terry
Posts: 1303
Joined: January 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Kentucky

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Terry » February 7th, 2003, 4:53 am

It's a shame he's such a schmuck online
Watch it Brian or you'll get a nasty email from the troll. Then he'll sign onto alt.tragic as Dr X, cut and paste parts of your reply, and then sign on as the troll himself to attack you.

The troll belongs in the same looney tune cell as Busby.

opie
Posts: 501
Joined: March 14th, 2008, 10:43 am
Location: austin tx

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby opie » February 7th, 2003, 6:26 am

I believe the comparison of Busby and Mark is totally out of line.....I don't know Busby, but if he is a crook, okay; I will have to accept others' word on that.....but, as far as I know, Mark is not a crook....

...BUT, Mark is a guy who enjoys going around having a good time, with an intentionally abusive sense of humor. The folks who hate him most are those with a ballooned ego....

...I had a problem with him at first, until I realized that I could get to him by playing the same abusive game with him....But he was better at it than I am, and I stepped over the line and posted his home phone and address on line....

....The posting caused him to get some abusive phone calls, and I am totally ashamed of that....His response to me was one of anger, and I figured I was really in for some slamming on the web....BUT that did not happen, and I slowly began make some friendly overtures to make amends....

...My efforts did not get any positive results, until I jokingly threatened to move in with him during the convention coming up near him this summer....I guess that was the tongue-in-cheek response he was looking for, to show that I was at least understanding of his intentions. Now, he visits over at the Magic and Illusion Forum, and has become a popular asset there....

BUSBY OR MARK.....No comparison.....Hey, I will take the little troll any time....

opie

User avatar
John Smetana
Posts: 264
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Morganville, NJ
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby John Smetana » February 7th, 2003, 6:43 am

I'll second Richard's thoughts on Mark's Svengali Pitch. The book is excellent and contains many anecdotes about other Svengali workers such as Joe Stuthard. A good read.

Best thoughts,
John Smetana

David Mitchell
Posts: 172
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: St Catharines
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby David Mitchell » February 7th, 2003, 7:14 am

This Busby guy must be one card short of a deck.

And while we are speaking of short cards, I too fell afoul of the Mark Lewis "sense of humour". Took things much to personally, and did a few stupid things. Sad part was, after I bought and read the book, I too had to agree that while I may not have liked the person, the product was extremely good.

I've seen the pitch demonstrated, and though the performer was in my eyes, a bit dated and therefore not to my tastes.... his handling was indeed good.

It's just to bad he keep getting everyone's hair in a knot.

David.
David Mitchell

User avatar
David Regal
Posts: 491
Joined: January 22nd, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Burbank, CA
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby David Regal » February 7th, 2003, 7:22 am

Where can I go to see this Svengali video online, or learn more about Mark's pitch?

User avatar
Brian Morton
Posts: 398
Joined: March 12th, 2008, 11:43 am
Location: Bawlamer, Merlin
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Brian Morton » February 7th, 2003, 7:41 am

Normally Mark has a RealVideo on his website that has him performing the pitch, but I think he torqued off someone on alt.magic a bit too much, and they brought down his website.

If you've got high-bandwidth, though, drop me an e-mail and I might be able to help you out...

brian :cool:

Guest

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Guest » February 7th, 2003, 8:05 am

I have to say, Mark is a funny and real luvable guy once you get to know him.
There for the grace of God go I. :D
gibby

Guest

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Guest » February 7th, 2003, 1:10 pm

Originally posted by gibby:
[...]
There for the grace of God go I.
gibby
Gibby,

The correct phrase is: "There BUT for the grace of God go I."

The internet abounds with "minced oaths", but it happens just as much in real life. Despite my best efforts, my wife still says - of something that she thinks is irrelevant - "It's here or there..."

Regards
Thomas "I never seek to amaze me" Wayne

User avatar
Joe M. Turner
Posts: 422
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Fred Kaps
Location: Atlanta, GA
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Joe M. Turner » February 7th, 2003, 1:11 pm

All I can say is that Mark Lewis in person is a different being than the devil incarnate character he plays on the Internet. I've met him and he is a funny guy.

Is he a nut? Could be. But he's a nut with a great svengali pitch and the ability to charm a crowd of laymen.

He is a little like the guy in The Princess Bride who keeps saying "Inconceivable!"

Mostly harmless unless you actually believe what he is saying.

JMT
...thinks Mark Lewis may be the Phil Hendrie of the magic world...

Kendrix
Posts: 162
Joined: January 31st, 2009, 1:36 pm

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Kendrix » February 7th, 2003, 5:54 pm

I have received several emails from Paul Fox's daughter and have gotten to know her fairly well. She is very upset with Busby's treatment of her faher's items. She has strong feelings about Danny Dew as well. She put some of her father's items on Ebay a year or so ago and was upset when Busby won the items. She tells me he "borrowed" many writings/manuscripts for a book that has never become a reality. These were never returned.
I wouldn't get a Jeff Busby item if he were giving it away.

User avatar
Pete Biro
Posts: 7124
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Hollyweird
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Pete Biro » February 7th, 2003, 6:13 pm

Kendrix: You should get the Fox daughter in touch with Robert Bleumle, Attorney. I think he moved to Florida. He was the one that wanted to help Danny Dew get the rights back from Busby. Rights, that he really doesn't own.
Stay tooned.

Dave Egleston
Posts: 429
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Ceres, Ca.

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Dave Egleston » February 7th, 2003, 6:16 pm

Kendrix writes:
I wouldn't get a Jeff Busby item if he were giving it away.[/QUOTE]

I don't think you have to worry too much about that

Dave

Guest

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Guest » February 7th, 2003, 11:07 pm

Originally posted by Pete Biro:
Kendrix: You should get the Fox daughter in touch with Robert Bleumle, Attorney. I think he moved to Florida. He was the one that wanted to help Danny Dew get the rights back from Busby. Rights, that he really doesn't own.
Last I heard (mid to late part of last year), Bleumle (or is it Blumle?) is up in Vermont, IIRC. If Tim Trono's still around these parts, he can get you in touch with him.

Guest

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Guest » February 8th, 2003, 5:23 am

Richard writes: "Mark's Svengali pitch is killer. It's the best handling of the deck I've ever seen--am saying this from watching the video on-line. I can't recall if I saw it in person or not."

I've seen him do it live, and I can confim that Mark's handling is superb!

cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aol.com

User avatar
Ryan Matney
Posts: 978
Joined: January 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Abingdon, Va
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Ryan Matney » February 8th, 2003, 6:02 am

What would happen to all the Braue Notebooks, Paul Fox Items and whatever else if Jeff Busby were to pass away? Do they revert back to owners?
Get the Dirty Work - Available now at http://www.ryanmatneymagic.com

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 8th, 2003, 7:48 am

Busby owns no rights to either Danny Dew or Paul Fox materials, or to the use of their names. And he doesn't own the Braue notebooks, either. If Busby were to die then someone else might legitimately purchase the rights and put some of the material out.
Busby has NEVER sued anyone in magic, despite sending out hundreds of "cease and desist" letters. It's amazing people are still scared of his stupidity.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

Guest

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Guest » February 8th, 2003, 7:57 am

Thomas. just give it up. The Genii is out of the bag. People will mutilate hominyms no matter what side of your bread the butter is on. As my good friend Michelle always says, "You can't kick an old dog twice." --Asrah

John LeBlanc
Posts: 903
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby John LeBlanc » February 8th, 2003, 8:12 am

Originally posted by Richard Kaufman:
Busby owns no rights to either Danny Dew or Paul Fox materials, or to the use of their names. And he doesn't own the Braue notebooks, either. If Busby were to die then someone else might legitimately purchase the rights and put some of the material out.
Busby has NEVER sued anyone in magic, despite sending out hundreds of "cease and desist" letters. It's amazing people are still scared of his stupidity.
I'm sure more than one person around here recalls the ruckus Busby created when Jim Sisti offered for sale his excellent set of cups. If memory serves this was around 1999.

That ruckus resulted in Jim engaging Cowan, Liebowitz and Latman to answer Busby's charges.

The interesting thing to me was the fact that, in answering Busby's charges, Jim's attorneys posed several questions which, unless I'm mistaken, were never adequately answered from Busby's side of the fence.

It's going to take someone with a set of Paul Fox cups or a Paul Fox Gimmick to attempt to sell them on eBay, have the auction pulled as a result of Busby, and then sue Busby's ass (and the rest of him I suppose) in court so that he could prove his legal right to such action.

As a result of the litigation, it would then be brought out for public record whether or not Busby owns any rights at all to the Paul Fox stuff and the issue would be put to bed once and for all.

John LeBlanc
Houston, TX

Guest

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Guest » February 8th, 2003, 8:57 am

I put a Richard Osterlind book on Ebay recently, and our good buddy, Busby, pulled it off!!

His claws are far reaching...

What's the connection?

John LeBlanc
Posts: 903
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby John LeBlanc » February 8th, 2003, 9:01 am

Originally posted by ChrisDavid:
I put a Richard Osterlind book on Ebay recently, and our good buddy, Busby, pulled it off!!

His claws are far reaching...

What's the connection?
Busby was the publisher of Richard's stuff.

I'd love to see Richard sell one of his own Busby published books on eBay just to see Busby's reaction.

If I didn't treasure my Paul Fox Gimmick and my Osterlind books, I'd be the crash test dummy myself.

John LeBlanc
Houston, TX

Steve V
Posts: 642
Joined: January 20th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Silver Springs, NV
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Steve V » February 8th, 2003, 4:11 pm

Is there the chance that this guy can attack sales of the Fox material until he can claim squaters rights or something? It's very odd that he would not allow people to sell what is theirs on ebay. One isn't forced by any law that I know of to continue to own something if they wish to sale it.
Steve V
Steve V

opie
Posts: 501
Joined: March 14th, 2008, 10:43 am
Location: austin tx

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby opie » February 8th, 2003, 4:56 pm

I would wager that Busby's "claws" are nothing more than a call or e mail to EBAY stating that he is the "owner" of the "copyrighted" or "patented" material being sold by someone, and EBAY is reluctant to question it; so they drop the item.....

John, I agree with you; I wish I owned something that Busby claims is "his". I also agree with Steve; if I bought and paid for something, it is mine to sell, give away, barter, or use it for whatever.....

What is the guy's problem, and why hasn't someone done something about him?

opie

User avatar
Pete Biro
Posts: 7124
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Hollyweird
Contact:

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Pete Biro » February 8th, 2003, 9:45 pm

His first wife did. She left him. :p
Stay tooned.

Guest

Re: This may be an evil questions but......

Postby Guest » February 9th, 2003, 12:01 am

I once tried to sell an Allan Ackerman video (store bought original), and Busby had eBay kill it because Ackerman has an effect called "Impromptu Paul Fox" listed on the box.

Allan Ackerman...A1 Magicalmedia tape...one trick out of a dozen on the tape...

I later relisted the tape, without "Impromptu Paul Fox" in the description.

Truly bizzare, and more than a little annoying.

Cheers,
Bob Mills


Return to “General”