CELEBRACADABRA! SILLY BILLY RETURNS

David Kaye returns to the Magic Newswire in order to complete the interview in which he began telling us the story of his experiences on the set of Celebracadabra and with his celebrity student, Lisa Ann Walter. After her elimination on the last episode, the two finalists heading to the VH1 Celebracadabra finale are Hal Sparks and C Thomas Howell.     Listen to Part 1 of our interview with Silly Billy Listen to Part 2 of our interview with Silly Billy

BULLFIGHTING CRISS ANGEL

According to Norm from Vegas Confidential, "Illusionist Criss Angel is sporting a black eye after what his publicist said was a "run-in" with a nasty 2,000-pound Brahman bull two weeks ago. The shiner is under Angel's right eye. Angel was shooting a video at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area for his upcoming Cirque du Soleil show at the Luxor titled "Criss Angel Believe," which opens in September."The bull won the battle but Criss won the war," said Angel's publicist Steve Flynn." "He was not gored," Flynn explained. "He was caught between the bull and the fence.

CIGARETTE TRICK GREENLIGHTED

John Milner, from The House of Magic (UK), has been given a reprieve from the law banning the demonstration of cigarette magic in his shop. The Halesowen News reports,  "After ten months deliberation officials have ruled a Stourbridge magician's vanishing lit cigarette trick will not have to disappear." "John, who is a member of the Inner Magic Circle and International Brotherhood of Magicians, asked Dudley Council whether he could continue to include the trick in his act after the ban on smoking in public places became law in July 2007."

THE HIP HOP HOUDINI MEETS DAWN AND DREW

Chris "Kid" Reid, also known as the Hip Hop Houdini, mad a recent appearance on the Dawn and Drew show. listen in as dawn and drew have a conversation with the one and only, Chris “Kid” Reid. we talk about his experience on Celebracadabra, podcasting, drag kings, partying with prince, and his new music, including a song he let us play called “Why Don’t You Stay”   Visit Dawn & Drew online or listen below:

MONDAY NIGHT MAGIC IS MOVING

Monday Night Magic, New York City's longest-running Off-Broadway magic show, is moving to our biggest and best location yet! Now in our 11th continuous year as New York's home for magic, we are thrilled to announce that on June 23rd - that's just three weeks away! - the curtain will go up on Monday Night Magic at The Bleecker Street Theatre. The Bleecker Street Theatre is newly renovated with comfortable seating, an intimate theater design, a spacious lobby (soon to feature its own bar and café!), and, along with being our largest theater yet, outstanding sight lines from every seat. Thanks to your loyal patronage, Monday Night Magic is in need of a bigger and more modern facility (not to mention terrific air conditioning among other improvements), and we are thrilled to be moving near our downtown roots, at a convenient intersection in the heart of "Noho," one block north of Houston Street and just east of Lafayette Street. The neighborhood features nearby restaurants, nightlife, other theaters, plenty of parking, and the #6 subway station literally across the street! So, start spreading the news ... we're gonna make a brand new start of it in New York, New York ... beginning Monday, June 23rd, at the Bleecker Street Theatre. Come join us for the big opening night show - we can't wait for you to see us there! WHAT: The same great MNM, at a new and better location WHERE: The Bleecker Street Theatre 45 Bleecker Street (just east of Lafayette Street) OPENING DATE: June 23, 2008 (btw, that's also our 11th Anniversary!)

CELEBRACADABRA FINALISTS SPEAK OUT

Hal Sparks & C. Thomas Howell join us for this edition in our series of conversations with the celebrity contestants and their coaches from the VH1 reality series "Celebracadabra." CLICK PLAY TO LISTEN TO THE FIRST PART OF OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH TOMMY AND HAL (Subcribe to the "Magic Newswire" via iTunes HERE.)

DIGGNATION LIVE NYC MASSIVE HIT

Diggnation LIVE in New York City was a massive hit according to Appscout.com which reports, "For those not in the know,Diggnation is the wildly popular, weekly online videocast hosted by DiggFounder and Chief Architect Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht. The show covers tech and whatever else interest the hosts (who mostly just sit on a coach with their laptops, drink beer and talk). If there was any question about the wide-spread popularity of the show, it was answered by the line winding around the corner to the entrance of the Brooklyn nightspot Digg chose for the event." Scam School host Brian Brushwood served as the opening act for the event. "One of the newest [shows] , Scam School, is all about scamming, bar tricks, street cons and so on. Show host and magician Brian Brushwood served as the first "act" and proceeded to eat fire, put pins in his eyes and hammer a nail into his nose. The crowd ate it up, I felt a little sick." CLICK PLAY TO LISTEN TO BRIAN ON MNW - 06.02.08 ALONG WITH PUSSYCAT DOLL KIMBERLY WYATT (Subcribe to the "Magic Newswire" via iTunes HERE.)

THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD APPEARS IN SEATTLE

Among the many films to be showcased during the final week of the Seattle Film Festival is the centerpiece,  "The Great Buck Howard," a show-business comedy produced by Tom Hanks and starring his son Colin. Also starring in the film are John Malkovich and magician Ricky Jay. In the film, which first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, Law-school dropout Troy Gable answers an ad for a “personal assistant to a celebrity performer,” hoping it will catapult him to a glamorous career in the entertainment industry. Little does he know that performer is Buck Howard, a "mentalist" infamous for his 61 appearances on The Tonight Show, who has been reduced to a has-been magician in need of a pretty big trick to get him out of this slump. 

RICKY JAY BREAKS THE BANK!

Variety reports that the Geffen Theater "set a box office record Monday when it sold $62,468 worth of tickets to "Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants" in a single day." This doubled "the previous high at the West Los Angeles theater: A 2001 production of Conor McPherson's "The Weir" and Jay's 2006 appearance at the theater each did about $30,000 in one day.Variety continues to laud Jay's show by saying, "Jay's show, directed by David Mamet, is considered the fastest sellout in Off Broadway history. His other one-man show, "Ricky Jay: On the Stem," has not played in Los Angeles.

SHWOOD WANTS YOU TO iSCAM iTUNES

Brian Brushwood wants you to help him Bum-Rush the iTunes charts! Via Twitter and also by phone, Brian Brushwood has asked for our help! Starting at 6PM today, Brian asks that everyone subscribe to the Scam School podcast on iTunes. The goal is to see if they can get the show to number one for even a moment. Brian wants you to do it now! If you don't, he's sworn that he'll come to your house and drive a nail up your nose! DO IT!