The Genii Forum

I'm looking forward to April's issue for the Zabrecky! He's a great performer.

To me, watching his show is like seeing Snidley Whiplash tie a damsel in distress to the railroad tracks. And then you realize Zabrecky is playing the part of Snidley and the train conductor and Dudley Do-Right and the damsel in distress AND THE WHITE HORSE... which colored his own spots with a sharpie marker.

When does the electronic version hit ask alexander? OH it's there already! I gotta go! Need to read!

Craig

Yes, it's there NOW.

Awesome piece. That must have been fun to work on.

Perhaps I'm missing a thread on this somewhere else on the redesigned Forum, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading every word on the Rob Zabrecky section of this month's issue. I'm also grateful that RK gave ample space for Robert Byrnes mini-biography of this performance artist for the 21st Century.

I further appreciated Mr. Byrnes' candor in writing about John Lovick. Now I know it's not all in my head; he really was sneering at me.

Delighted to hear that Bill McFadden enjoyed the Zabrecky piece, the best of which is attributable to the beautiful job Richard and his wife did making it attractive and readable, as well as Rob's generous engagement in all aspects. A quick clarification about John Lovick: While he isn't one to suppress a well-earned sneer, like a lot of very intelligent people who demand a lot of themselves, his pensive moments are often misread as contempt or indifference. While he certainly wasn't what I'd call approachable the first several times I encountered him, I suspect that's the experience of lots of those who ultimately discover him to be full of originality and and the kind of critical insight magic needs. And his friends, particularly those who are performers, universally value his input, and without exception they identify it as coming from a place of affection. Lovick holds his own with magic's best, biggest thinkers - Max Maven, Ricky Jay, Jamy Ian Swiss - all of whom have at times been assailed for aloofness or refusing to dull their critical edge. For my part, I'm glad I stuck around and got to chat with Lovick, because he almost always challenges or expands something I thought I knew or believed. If his first book reviews for Genii are any indication, he will amply fill his predecessor's big shoes and demonstrate just how fair, thorough, smart, and informed he is.