Search found 197 matches
- April 3rd, 2024, 10:00 am
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: Nicole Cardoza article
- Replies: 1
- Views: 296
- January 10th, 2024, 9:40 am
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: Brooklyn Magic Shop
- Replies: 4
- Views: 845
Brooklyn Magic Shop
I'm rooting for this little brick-and-mortar family-run shop. They opened in 2021, and are located next door to where I lived in the 1990s!
Finally, a reason to go back to Brooklyn
https://www.brooklynmagicshop.com/
Finally, a reason to go back to Brooklyn
https://www.brooklynmagicshop.com/
- December 4th, 2023, 12:19 pm
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: Being a Woman in Magic
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1470
- November 25th, 2023, 10:13 pm
- Forum: Alternative Media
- Topic: AI Generated Magicians From The Past
- Replies: 29
- Views: 4417
Re: AI Generated Magicians From The Past
Bob, these are images created from scratch from a variety of text prompts I used in an AI image generator program. So in a certain way, I feel a sense of authorship about them. My choices about even a single word in the prompt changed the results entirely. It's been interesting to see what current A...
- November 22nd, 2023, 8:43 pm
- Forum: Alternative Media
- Topic: AI Generated Magicians From The Past
- Replies: 29
- Views: 4417
- November 21st, 2023, 10:41 pm
- Forum: Alternative Media
- Topic: AI Generated Magicians From The Past
- Replies: 29
- Views: 4417
Re: AI Generated Magicians From The Past
I tried many variations of "Sawing a woman in half magic trick" but the results looked nothing like any recognizable rendition of the illusion in any form. They were creepy, bordering on horror.
- November 21st, 2023, 3:09 pm
- Forum: Alternative Media
- Topic: AI Generated Magicians From The Past
- Replies: 29
- Views: 4417
Re: AI Generated Magicians From The Past
I mostly used generic prompts, such as "Vintage photo of a magician doing a trick with eggs." I also used ones that said, "Old photo of Ricky Jay performing a magic trick for an old lady," and "Vintage photo of Houdini performing the cups and balls magic trick."
- November 21st, 2023, 1:02 pm
- Forum: Alternative Media
- Topic: AI Generated Magicians From The Past
- Replies: 29
- Views: 4417
- November 15th, 2023, 8:49 am
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: Magicians aren't "crazy artists" says study
- Replies: 3
- Views: 649
- August 31st, 2023, 8:36 am
- Forum: General
- Topic: Magic in NYC
- Replies: 9
- Views: 15572
Re: Magic in NYC
The must-see magic show in NYC right now is Asi Wind's Inner Circle, if you can get tickets. Great for the whole family!
- August 8th, 2023, 5:31 pm
- Forum: Close-Up Magic
- Topic: Understanding the Bermuda Triangle
- Replies: 38
- Views: 14402
Re: Understanding the Bermuda Triangle
I had a wonderful opportunity to perform this trick last week while on vacation at a family camp in Maine. At the end of the week-long camp there was a variety show, and I was planning to perform it then. However, the Activities Director added “Ten Minute Ted Talks” (presented by campers) to the sch...
- May 22nd, 2023, 7:58 pm
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: Copperfield piece on CBS Sunday Morning
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1287
Re: Copperfield piece on CBS Sunday Morning
D.C...comes off as not being fully present. He is there right in front of you, but you get a sort of overly polished and scripted version of himself and his personality." This is a very accurate description of the DC I saw a couple of months ago at the MGM Grand. The appearing spaceship was co...
- March 27th, 2023, 8:57 pm
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: A salvaged tutorial
- Replies: 11
- Views: 2616
Re: A salvaged tutorial
I think the original impulse for a place where magicians could share "fringe skills," is a good one. Among the ones Tom mentioned I would add Maker-type skills for building props with 3D printing and laser cutting. I recently was looking for info on the best ways to add hinges to 1/8"...
- March 14th, 2023, 11:36 pm
- Forum: General
- Topic: Baritone magicians
- Replies: 14
- Views: 4640
Baritone magicians
Watching a clip of Blackstone Jr. with his deep, baritone voice, I was reminded of Max Maven, another baritone magician.
Any others, living or dead?
Any others, living or dead?
- February 22nd, 2023, 7:52 pm
- Forum: Close-Up Magic
- Topic: Understanding the Bermuda Triangle
- Replies: 38
- Views: 14402
Re: Understanding the Bermuda Triangle
Does anyone else find the vanishing object presentations more deceptive than the "to feed many" presentations of this effect? I agree that the vanishing presentation is the one I'd defer to. However, I saw that a magician named Lew Books had a presentation for kid shows where his son woul...
- February 20th, 2023, 7:51 pm
- Forum: Close-Up Magic
- Topic: Understanding the Bermuda Triangle
- Replies: 38
- Views: 14402
Re: Understanding the Bermuda Triangle
If you're performing at an Oscars party, you can make it the "Triangle of Sadness."
- February 19th, 2023, 7:58 pm
- Forum: Close-Up Magic
- Topic: Understanding the Bermuda Triangle
- Replies: 38
- Views: 14402
Understanding the Bermuda Triangle
I just discovered (for myself) the brilliant trick, Understanding the Bermuda Triangle, from Jim Steinmeyer's Impuzzibilities. I'm still trying to wrap my head around how great this trick is. It may be the best impromptu self-working trick I've ever seen, with a bonus that it isn't done with cards! ...
- February 7th, 2023, 7:28 pm
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: Joint Magic
- Replies: 6
- Views: 1494
Joint Magic
Today I had a nice visit to NYC's newest magic shop, Don't Blink, run by Magick Balay. The shop was featured in Genii's The Eye a month or two back. In one of his glass cases were a bunch of joints, spliffs, and blunts. Magick said a friend of his hand-carves and paints them. They're very realistic,...
- January 9th, 2023, 8:36 pm
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: Juan Tamariz in NY Times
- Replies: 21
- Views: 2246
Re: Juan Tamariz in NY Times
Again, it's not whether it was a "big deal" or that Tamariz can do "any damn thing he wants." That's boring stuff. The interesting part is the reasoning behind his decision as it relates to the value of so-called exposure as part of magic's toolbox.
- January 8th, 2023, 7:48 pm
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: Juan Tamariz in NY Times
- Replies: 21
- Views: 2246
Re: Juan Tamariz in NY Times
I don't like it but sometimes you do what you have to do. Far more interesting, at least to me, is not whether he should have done it (breaking the magic "code"), but why he thought showing the workings of the knives to be the solution to his problem rather than show another trick. The as...
- January 8th, 2023, 2:11 pm
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: Juan Tamariz in NY Times
- Replies: 21
- Views: 2246
Re: Juan Tamariz in NY Times
I'm not disparaging Tamariz - quite the opposite. He showed a trick to the TV executive in charge of greenlighting a TV show for him and the executive wasn't bowled over enough to say yes. So what does Tamariz do? Does he show him another trick? No. Does he gather around more people and show the tri...
- January 7th, 2023, 7:10 pm
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: Juan Tamariz in NY Times
- Replies: 21
- Views: 2246
Re: Juan Tamariz in NY Times
Interesting that in a desperate move to land a close-up magic TV show, Tamariz intentionally exposes a trick.
- December 31st, 2022, 5:52 pm
- Forum: Light From the Lamp
- Topic: Hot Rod force
- Replies: 44
- Views: 10919
Re: Hot Rod force
I was just throwing out ideas for Robert, a couple of which I've used quite successfully. If they're not your cup of tea - like the hot rod force isn't mine - then rock and roll with what works for you. That's cool. I'm just curious as to what it is about the spelling in the hot rod force that is d...
- December 31st, 2022, 4:15 pm
- Forum: Light From the Lamp
- Topic: Hot Rod force
- Replies: 44
- Views: 10919
Re: Hot Rod force
None of these seem as effective and fair as the Hot Rod force. There are six colors, so choosing a number between one and six is eminently fair and easy to understand. If it ain't broke...
- December 31st, 2022, 3:50 pm
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: Did Tenyo screw up this optical illusion?
- Replies: 29
- Views: 9528
Re: Did Tenyo screw up this optical illusion?
One of the most effective presentations of this optical illusion I've seen was the simple display of it at The Museum of Illusions in NYC (Per "The Eye" another one of these museums has opened in DC). They had the two boomerangs mounted on the wall behind the glass at eye level. One could ...
- December 31st, 2022, 3:32 pm
- Forum: Light From the Lamp
- Topic: Hot Rod force
- Replies: 44
- Views: 10919
Hot Rod force
In the January issue of Genii, David Regal reviews "Our Very Best" Hot Knife Set. At the end of the review, he implores readers to not use the classic Hot Rod force when forcing one of six colors. He said the four-out-of-six chance of spelling of the number has "bugged the hell" ...
- December 7th, 2022, 12:28 pm
- Forum: General
- Topic: Dani DaOrtiz
- Replies: 132
- Views: 90474
Re: Dani DaOrtiz
My son is still talking about that performance. He thinks DaOrtiz is the best magician.
We have tickets to see Asi Wind this month...
We have tickets to see Asi Wind this month...
- November 11th, 2022, 2:28 pm
- Forum: General
- Topic: Dani DaOrtiz
- Replies: 132
- Views: 90474
Re: Dani DaOrtiz
My 12-year-old son and I watched this the other day on Fool Us. My son, who is generally not that enthused about card tricks, said DaOrtiz's performance was the best ever he'd seen on Fool Us. I agree. Coincidentally, I listened to Penn Jillette's podcast today, and he said that if anyone watched on...
- November 3rd, 2022, 2:06 pm
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: RIP Max Maven
- Replies: 69
- Views: 11412
Re: RIP Max Maven
I am so sad to hear about Max Maven’s passing. I will always feel lucky and honored that I got to perform on the same bill with him for one special night and that he also got to witness my little act up close - offering kind, encouraging words (even though I succumbed to the “Max Maven Curse” - scre...
- October 18th, 2022, 5:35 pm
- Forum: Close-Up Magic
- Topic: Who is the best coin magician you have seen?
- Replies: 82
- Views: 16437
Re: Who is the best coin magician you have seen?
Herb Scher does the most amazing coin rolls I've ever seen.
- September 11th, 2022, 4:26 pm
- Forum: Light From the Lamp
- Topic: Danny's Panel Board
- Replies: 26
- Views: 6684
Re: Danny's Panel Board
I guess there will always be disagreements about what apparatus are perfect, with no room for innovation. With the Panel Board, I believe the lip is a legitimate improvement for ease of handling. It takes a move that requires much practice and consistency (getting the door to line up to the slot eve...
- September 10th, 2022, 11:18 pm
- Forum: Light From the Lamp
- Topic: Danny's Panel Board
- Replies: 26
- Views: 6684
Re: Danny's Panel Board
The bottle cap is just cover for when you do the move. Check out Evil Dan's routine in the video. It's nice.
- September 10th, 2022, 8:30 pm
- Forum: Light From the Lamp
- Topic: Danny's Panel Board
- Replies: 26
- Views: 6684
Re: Danny's Panel Board
I'm glad you used to do it fairly well, Richard. And I envy you for seeing Danny do it live. However, if you apply that same attitude about the lip to cards, then I guess you wouldn't like card gaffs either, which I know isn't the case, as you worship DeLand. Even Yedid agreed that the lip modificat...
- September 10th, 2022, 7:53 pm
- Forum: Light From the Lamp
- Topic: Danny's Panel Board
- Replies: 26
- Views: 6684
Danny's Panel Board
I received one of these boards recently, and I agree with B. Henderson's review of the product in the Sept. 2022 Genii. I have two thoughts I'd like to throw out there: In light of the difficulty to perform this trick smoothly and consistently, I was happy to see Evil Dan's presentation in the accom...
- July 14th, 2022, 10:21 pm
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: GeniiOnline is Back in Action
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1676
Re: GeniiOnline is Back in Action
I'm assuming Genii Online has been dormant for weeks because R. Kaufman has been busy with New Greater Magic - a reason for which I am perfectly happy.
- May 18th, 2022, 2:42 pm
- Forum: General
- Topic: Introductory book
- Replies: 36
- Views: 17010
Re: Introductory book
"And back at the Wilshire, Pedro sits there dreaming
He's found a book on magic in a garbage can
He looks at the pictures and stares at the cracked ceiling
"At the count of 3," he says, "I hope I can disappear"
Lou Reed - Dirty Blvd.
He's found a book on magic in a garbage can
He looks at the pictures and stares at the cracked ceiling
"At the count of 3," he says, "I hope I can disappear"
Lou Reed - Dirty Blvd.
- April 19th, 2022, 4:42 pm
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: Blaine teaches magic
- Replies: 34
- Views: 2809
Re: Blaine teaches magic
With all due respect to Michael Weber (and I do mean respect), I think it’s unfair to dump on David Blaine like he’s doing. Of all the “top names in magic,” Blaine has to be the most mysterious and mind-blowing in the eyes of the public. He has people wondering what’s real and what isn’t more than a...
- April 5th, 2022, 8:42 am
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: GeniiOnline is Back in Action
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1676
Re: GeniiOnline is Back in Action
I don't mean to sound snarky or unappreciative, but I have to ask, What is the point of Genii Online? After announcing its resurfacing last month with a promise of a new post every day, I see that it is struggling to meet that standard. I haven't seen a new post in days. It begs the question, does m...
- March 3rd, 2022, 10:29 am
- Forum: Buzz
- Topic: GeniiOnline is Back in Action
- Replies: 9
- Views: 1676
Re: GeniiOnline is Back in Action
Cool. As long as this doesn't take away time from Greater Magic