FRANZ HARARY ACCUSES STEVE WYRICK OF STEALING HIS MAGIC

Steve Wyrick wrapped up Ellen's Magic Week with this effect:

In an email widely circulated to the magic community after Steve Wyrick's recent appearance on the Ellen Degeneres show, Franz accused Steve of ripping off the tank illusion.  In the email Franz ztated   "I sued him for this.He went bankrupt, and is now ripping me off again.  If I can not stop him, at least I can let the magic community know what's going on."

It appears that there is more to the story than is revealed in that email and that Harary had in fact sold the rights to that illusion to Wyrick and that sale is the subject of a lawsuit that is in stasis  (Case No. 08-A-561018, Harary v. Wyrick, filed in Clark County District Court, NV)  after Mr. Harary’s attorney, Phillip Varricchio filed a motion to withdraw as counsel in the case against Mr. Wyrick on June 23, 2010, due to Mr. Harary’s failure to pay his legal bills in the lawsuit. Mr. Harary’s former attorney also filed an “attorney’s lien” against Mr. Harary due to non-payment.

You can read the complete text of the email after the jump. 

Click to read more ...

PENN JILLETTE TO GUEST START ON THE DEFENDERS

According to Digital Spy, Penn Jillette is set to guest star on an upcoming episode of the Defenders. The article states:

He is expected to play a magic shop owner called Reuben Charles who meets the Defenders when they take on a case involving a famous Las Vegas illusionist.

Our friends at iTricks have also received word that Justin Kredible has been chosen to play the role of the "Famous Las Vegas Illusionist." Congrats to Mr. Kredible  as well!

CONJURING ARTS RELEASES THEIR FIRST COMMEMORATIVE DECK!

My friend Bill Kalush of the Conjuring Arts Research Center is very proud to release their first decks of Erdnase 1902 brand cards. These commemorative decks designed by Guy Hollingworth (with additional face artwork by Dan White) are printed on exclusive Bee Casino 825 paper and are made with a special coating to ensure the best handling. They've been cut the same way as Richard Turner has his cut so they faro and shuffle extremely well.

They are releasing the first design and color in what will be a series. This First Design is the Black Smith Back named in honor of Marshall D. Smith the illustrator of The Expert at the Card Table. The overall Bee-like pattern is actually made up of tiny reproductions of the hands in the illustrations of the great card classic (click on the image to the left). These decks also use the original faces used by U.S. Playing Card Co. in 1902. These great faces have somewhat larger pips and somewhat smaller indices which combine to create an unusually attractive face.

A Conjuring Arts representative supervised all aspects of the production of these cards, including personally overseeing production of printing the backs, embossing, crushing and the final cutting and casing at the U.S. Playing Card Co. factory.

We truly believe that we’ve made the finest cards that US Playing Card can produce at the present time. These cards were printed in a very limited quantity and there is no guarantee that they will be re-printed. If you need some of these to perform with, practice with, or add to your collection, this is the time to get them.

These are currently only available to members at a discounted rate but will be available, if they do not sell out, to non-members soon. Further, we have done our best to get you the best prices possible on these excellent decks (as low as $2.99, shipped!).

IS NATHAN BURTON INSANE?

I just received word from Emily Burton that our friend Nathan is is participating in a pretty insane fundraiser for the "Special Olympics" tomorrow.  Nathan will be repelling down 52 stories of the Rio Hotel.  (Emily notes that she thinks that it must be on the back side so that he won't literally be walking down Penn and Teller's new building wrap).  You can make a donation to show your support HERE before going on to read the official event press release below:

 Special Olympics Fundraiser Invites Adventure-Seekers to Rappel 51 stories from Rio’s Masquerade Tower, VooDoo Lounge

LAS VEGAS, Thursday, September 2, 2010 — If you’re an adrenaline junkie and you’re looking for something new to do in Sin City, you might consider joining your friends and a few celebrities on the roof off the 51-story Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino next week and enjoying the views as you rappel more than 400 feet to the bottom.

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MAGICAL HOOTERS

A group of Vegas headliners assembled early this morning at Hooters Casino Hotel.  What might bring the likes of David Copperfield, Carrot Top, Amazing Jonathan, the Kenners  and Nathan Burton to Hooters Casino at 12:01am?  The critically acclaimed Dirty Joke Show.  Geechy Guy, Mickey Joseph and Todd Paul put on a special performance for this gathering of Vegas entertainers. Rob Sherwood and Mat Black made guest appearances during the show.

The evening started off with the guests being greeted by Valerie, a Hooters Girl who was select for the 2011 Hooters Calendars.  Valerie posed for photos with the guests and signed copies of the new 2011 Hooters Calendar to the headliners who attended.  Valerie is happy to represent Hooters Casino Hotel in the 25th Anniversary Edition of the Hooters Calendar.

MAGIC WEEK ON ELLEN CONTINUES

Sos & Victoria bring their quick change to the next day of Magic Week:

DOES IT REALLY WORK?

Idaho Falls' KDIK has set out on a quest which they describe as follows:  "Over the next couple weeks, we will make some magic with home magic kits and products for "Does it Really Work?"  With the help of Magic Mike McKellar, they begin with a test of the "Fugishi Anti-Gravity Ball."

"It's not really a magic trick, what this is is juggling," says Magic Mike McKellar.

The infomercial claims that anyone can pick up Fushigi and make it look like it's floating. The included DVD shows a basic introduction then various tricks. 

Our expert magician who seconds ago was baffling me time and time again with his tricks, was having some trouble with the Fushigi. 

Back on our Eyewitness News Magic Stage, Magic Mike and I took turns to 'Make it Float.' 

Our moves looked nothing like what we saw in the infomercial. 

"People are going to get disappointed if they think they can do what he's doing," says Magic Mike.

Read More Here.

DENNY TALKS STREET MAGIC

Photo by LeventOur friend and previous Magic Newswire guest Denny Haney recently sent out an interesting essay on street magic which is well worth a  read. That being the case, here you go!

A FEW THOUGHTS ON “CLOSE UP” MAGIC.

I was just sitting and thinking about how much magic has changed since David Blaine, Criss Angel, and the Internet.

The name “Close Up Magic” seems to have been replaced with “Street Magic.” This seems to be all the rage with new products constantly being produced and sold on internet shops throughout the world. When you watch live demos of these “new” effects, the accent seems to be on spectators running down the street and yelling obscenities about what they just saw.

I have been told that this is “progress” and a few have suggested that I must change with the times.

Well, I gave it some thought and I must admit that this is the way magic is “sold” today. Some have said that I am old fashioned and stuck in my ways. Again, I thought about that. They are correct again.

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IT IS MAGIC WEEK ON ELLEN

After the smashing success of "Cat Week," Ellen kicks off Magic Week with Mike Super. Here's the video from Hulu for those able to see it :

DAVID BLAINE :: ICONOCLASTS

David Blaine performers some magic at the premier party for the new season of "Icoloclasts" in NYC last night. He also spoke with the Wall Street Journal:

“I think on one side of it, it’s pretty simple,” Blaine said. “It’s a digital fixation, like the love of continuously moving my hands to manipulate things. The other part of it is an intense love of science, logic and math, so the combination of those things create the magician.”

His great teacher was “my mother definitely. She was a school teacher and loved interacting with people. I read many magic books growing up but the one I used as a guide was Houdini. I liked his showmanship and ability to affect people.”

Blaine will be featured on the show on November 6th.