"THAT'S MAGIC"

It's been out for almost a year, but I was recently reminded of it again and thought that you all may enjoy seeing it again... or for the first time.

That's Magic! from Brandon McCormick on Vimeo.

RICKY JAY RETURNS TO THE STAGE

When asked if his penchant for collecting ephemera related to unusual performances is an obsession:

Yeah. I mean, sure. I’d be reluctant to eliminate the word “obsession” from phases of my life. Sitting with a deck of cards in your hand all day is an obsession. Visiting print shops and bookstores and libraries is an obsession. And writing about this is an obsession. I think, in general, most collectors are obsessed. I think the only form of a rationalized greed is when you’re collecting something you are supposedly serious about.

Talking about his role as Eddie Sawyer in Deadwood:

Well, maybe saving the craziest for last, huh? I hope you like the show. I just thought it was a remarkable show. But I will say that life offstage of Deadwood was as dangerous as it was onstage. 

Read the complete interview here.

STEVE COHEN WORKING TO MAKE HUNGER VANISH

Steve Cohen of Chamber Magic has teamed up with millionaires, billionaires and others for a Magic4Mercy Benefit on December 8th. The Action Center will be transformed into a stage for Cohen, whose elegant Chamber Magic show in a private suite in the Waldorf-Astoria Towers suite has delighted more than 250,000 guests over the past 9 years. Woody Allen described his performance as "a religious experience." Called the "Millionaires' Magician" by Forbes magazine and "a heart-stopping act" by The New York Times, Cohen's fans include Warren Buffett, Barry Diller, David Rockefeller, Michael Bloomberg, Jack Welch, Martha Stewart, Stephen Sondheim, Senator Chuck Schumer, and the Queen of Morocco. Proceeds from the event, which will begin at 7:00 p.m. with a champagne reception, will benefit the Action Center, opened one year ago at 6 River Terrace in Battery Park.

COPPERFIELD GOES ON THE RECORD

After a three year hiatus from phone interviews, David Copperfield recently spoke with the Las Vegas Review Journal's Mike Weatherford on a diverse group of topics.

Did he (and David Blaine) really steal a guy's "godly powers" in order to do their magic, as Minnesota plaintiff Christopher Roller alleged?

Everyone laughed, but "that lasted for years and years and cost me lots of money."

With the Masked Magician exposing the traditional illusions on TV, is magic going to have to find a new path?

"I always liken those exposure shows to a car accident on the highway. People are curious. ... You slow down and look and then go, 'Oh, I wish I didn't see that.' A peek behind the curtain is really a disappointing experience.

"Magic is the basis of it all, what they're coming to see. But when they go home, it's really (about) the feeling that I give them."

Read the complete interview here.

THE DRAPER DIARIES #1

Paul Draper delivers his first edition of the Draper Diaries for the Magic Newswire. Paul will share his thoughts, interviews, musings and more as he explores the world of magic and mentalism from his home in Las Vegas. In this edition, Paul reports from the World Gaming Expo where he chats with Jackson Rayne before and after his Guiness World Record attempt for the straight jacket escape, Magician Eric Buss, performer Audrey Anderson and the International Association of Amusement Parks convention.

THE MAGIC NEWSWIRE IS SPONSORED BY:

Chamber Magic   •   Mak Magic    
Potter & Potter Auctions   •   Lybrary.com   •     •   The Levit Wand
Maxello Magic   •   Street of Cards   •   Blue Microphones

THE DRAPER DIARIES #1:

RSS :: GET IT AT ITUNES :: ZUNE :: MP3 DOWNLOAD

MILBOURNE CHRISTOPHER MAGIC

Because we've been talking about him so much in our podcast recently, I thought that many of you would enjoy seen a rare bit of video from his magic specials:

CHRIS KENNER IS A DAD!

Just a quick congratulatory post to Chris & Katie Kenner on the birth of their daughter Zoe.

From Chris's Facebook: "We are parents. Zoe was born. 5.5 pounds at 1:44 via c-section. I love life. I love my wife. We both love Zoe!"

MNW #176 :: BEN ROBINSON

As discussed in our interview with Robert Wallace regarding the recent release of the manual that John Mulholland produced under contract for the CIA,  I thought it only appropriate to explore this topic further.  In this episode, we talk to Ben Robinson, the author of the only biography of this individual, MagiCIAn : The Secret Life of John Mulholland. John Mulholland became a consultant to the newly born CIA in 1953. His assignments included working with billionaires and inventors, cracking codes and delving into the clandestine world of ESP research, LSD use and the secret MK-ULTRA world headed by the notorious Dr. Sidney Gottlieb. During this period, CIA Dr. Frank Olson died the day after Thanksgiving, 1953. This book examines Mulholland’s role during this dramatic period in the CIA’s history and goes against the current trend of accusing Mulholland as having a role in Olson’s fatal fall from a hotel window. Enjoy exploring the fasinating topic with the Magic Newswire.

THE MAGIC NEWSWIRE IS SPONSORED BY:

Chamber Magic   •   Mak Magic    
Potter & Potter Auctions   •   Lybrary.com   •     •   The Levit Wand
Maxello Magic   •   Street of Cards   •   Blue Microphones

LISTEN TO MY INTERVIEW WITH BEN ROBINSON:

RSS :: GET IT AT ITUNES :: ZUNE :: MP3 DOWNLOAD

NEVER BEFORE SEEN HOUDINI MAGIC FILM

According to TradingMarkets.com, So Act Network, Inc. announced today that it has been granted the exclusive world-wide rights to an original film property titled "The Magic of Houdini." "This footage has never been seen before and promises to be incredibly entertaining and quite educational for our members. So Act has built a Group Profile on its network called the "The Great Houdini -- The Truth Behind His Escapes...Revealed." So Act Members who sign up for the Houdini Group will immediately receive a Welcome Message with 10 minutes of video edited from the never before seen footage. Within that same portal, the members will be offered the opportunity to purchase the video as a download for $8.95 or as a DVD for $9.98 plus shipping."

Though not a part of the above referenced collection, here is the only known recording of Houdini's voice for anyone interested in the magician, but not interested in joining yet another Network. This recording was made from the wax recording of Houdini's voice in the Houdini museum in Appleton, Wi

BLAINE STYMIES POGUE

NY Times Technology columnist and author of "Magic for Dummies" David Pogue has been blogging and Twittering about David Blaine since being stymied by the magician at a recent conference encounter.

Fron his Twitter: Remember how I told you how David Blaine did an impossible trick to me? Here's the annotated video...got ME baffled!