A "BRA" CADABRA

[Magic Newswire]

Think man! Think! http://bit.ly/o9Ko77

[mrgoat]

Hahahah!

[Richard Hatch]

Bob Sheets is the only magician who has the requisite training to do this chestnut.

[mrgoat]

Bob Sheets is the only magician who has the requisite training to do this chestnut.

"chest" nut

ISWYDT!

[Ruben Padilla]

Thanks, Dodd, for keeping us abreast of the situation!

[Steve Bryant]

What knockers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9K9wiH2Lko

[RobertAllen]

OOps, I double posted about this. I should have known people would be on top of this story as it burst out of the headlines.

Found video of him doing a cut and restored rope. http://www.abingtoncam.org/apps/videos/ ... -8-30-2011

Now before they finish the Pledge, ask yourself, who's the magician?

[David Oliver]

A little trivia for you all - he's from the same town that Jay Marshall was born in - Abington, MA. So there.

[Dustin Stinett]

So clearly the water there has nothing to do with it.

One of the news reports the other day said that the meeting with the bra trick would be posted by now (the site is the local cable access station).

Dustin

[Richard Hatch]

Just heard a follow up report on the radio here in Utah that the guy has resigned from the school board. A google search turned up lots of follow up stories, such as this one in the Washington Post:
http://tinyurl.com/4xxayea

The local paper's story on this indicates they are fighting to get the video tape of the performance released:
http://bit.ly/qdMQCU

[Richard Kaufman]

Has anyone ever done a version of this trick with a guy's jockstrap when performing for athletes?

[Jonathan Townsend]

That's half an ad campaign for the right brand like speedos or such.
Something like this: Two gals give a guy their scarves to "hold" - then get...

[Richard Hatch]

Has anyone ever done a version of this trick with a guy's jockstrap when performing for athletes?

Wasn't Houdini Outstripped once a popular kid show routine in which a kid's boxer shorts were apparently produced? Another classic bites the dust...

[mrgoat]

I read only yesterday about a children's magician (female) that did the boxer trick thing. Can't remember where I read it.

[Dustin Stinett]

One of the many news reports Ive been followingI just love train wreckssaid that the video of the meeting would be posted to the townships cable access channel over which the event was originally broadcast. It said that the video would be posted by the end of the week it happened.

The video isnt posted yet.

While it might seem a simple matter of editing out the offending event, it might not be that simple. While I dont know this to be the case, its possible that the video is used as part of the official minutes of the meeting. Editing it could be a violation of law. Since, in other video I have seen, this person does his magic after the meeting is called to order, his performances are part of the official record. This could prove to be something of a dilemma for this board.

What a schmuck.

[Jonathan Townsend]

Please tell us he did not do the bit with a gag (giant or miniature) item.

[Dustin Stinett]

There have been no details of the bra size. I have no doubt it's whatever came with the trick when he purchased it.

[David Oliver]

Update #1: The school superintendent has issued a statement to local news stations. Basically he said, until he discusses the legal ramifications of rebroadcasting the video with the town's legal counsel, the video will not be made available to any news, cable or internet service.

Update #2: Mr. Fitzgerald wrote and submitted a public letter of apology to everyone involved, especially the female board member (his "volunteer") earlier this week.

Update #3: Due to numerous complaints, public fallout, and the overwhelming feelings of embarrassment for his lack of judgement, Mr. Fitzgerald tendered his immediate resignation from the school board yesterday. He is a life-long resident of the town, and had successfully served on the board for 11 years.

[Dustin Stinett]

Thanks David. What's the old saying, "I hate it when I'm right"?

A couple of our local boards use video as their means of recording the minutes. It's easy and expedient. And they must (by law) be made available to the public. I suspect that these are the "ramifications" they are looking into.

They'll probably rule the trick as being "out of order" (it is, unless it's actually an agenda item) and delete it. But since the meeting is already closed, it gets a tad tricky.

Bad magic strikes again...

Dustin

[David Oliver]

Dustin - Sad part is, he is a nice guy who has done many good things in, and for, his town. He's not a professional performer, and he tried to use his enjoyment of magic to lighten up the mood, prior to mundane meetings. The townspeople thought his performances were kind of fun, certainly a bit goofy, but applauded his attempt at keeping the meetings fresh. Unfortunately, his lack of taste in material, or not thinking about what is acceptable today, cost him his position on the board this time.

With his resignation tendered, I believe he is remorseful, and hope he (and others) learn from this incident. Does he deserve to be burned at the stake over it? Nah. IMO, he should apologize to the town on the cable channel, apologize to his "volunteer," (if he hasn't already, but my guess is that he certainly has done that) and move on. As one local news reporter queried, "Did he have to lose his job over a poor judgement in doing a magic trick? I don't think so. It was a stupid magic trick, people. He's just as embarrassed now about the incident, as his lady volunteer was that night. Let him apologize and move on."

I'm certainly not a fan of the effect. I'm certainly not defending him. However, who among us has not made a bad choice or two over the years?

And, no, I don't know him well, but we are acquaintances. I first saw him perform at a local VFW hall's Christmas party, more than 30 years ago, when I was a pre-teen and he was in college. It was a typical show, with standard effects and stock lines. We've all seen worse. Bad magic? Yes. Bad guy? Not so much.

As for the video release, I'll keep you posted on what legalities they are trying to use.

Here's the local FOX-News story from this morning. (And in typical FOX-fasion, even though they say the trick itself is embarrassing, they keep repeating footage from the web.)

http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/loc ... k-20111004

[Dustin Stinett]

Bad choices? Me?

Nahhhh!

(Two yesterday, and today is still young!)

[Dustin Stinett]

By the way, Im convinced this doesnt make the news if the Red Sox make it into the post-season. It all seemed to brake on the same day they were eliminated, so the Boston media were looking for somethinganythingto deflect the news of their monumental collapse. (Not that my team did any better!)