Hoo boy. Canadian photographer Jonathan Hobin is creating a lot of controversy with his new series entitled In The Playroom. The artfully composed portraits feature children reenacting the most horrifying tragedies of our era, including the death of Princess Diana, 9/11, Abu Ghraib and more. Specific to this site, he features a shot of the infamous Roy Horn tiger attack.
If you’d like to see the uncensored photo, click AFTER THE JUMP.
Meanwhile, VICE interviewed the artist here. (more…)
The last big run at a topless magic show in Las Vegas was mounted by John Lewis at the Riviera starring the young magician Scarlett. Flanked by her seductive ladies of magic, the show closed in 2010 and what followed was a very messy (yet engrossing) story of domestic violence, alleged alcoholism and wasted money.
Scarlett (aka Rachel Jesse) has long since left Vegas. And although she was the only female member of her cast to not go bare herself beyond pasties, she headlined a “Topless Equality” rally in Washington D.C. last August.
As for Lewis? He seems to be tilting at the same windmill opening a new topless magic show, Centerfolds of Magic, at the Plaza Hotel. This incarnation will feature Penthouse Pet Taya Parker in an attempt to offer a slightly skewed version of the nudity + celebrity = success formula recently employed by Peep Show and Absinthe.
Centerfolds of Magic opens May 1st and will run at 11 pm every night except Thursdays.
Horrifying thought: what if actual magic magazines had centerfolds? Would vintage collectors hunt for the October ’82 Blackstone Jr. pictorial?
Although much of the Las Vegas press remembers Peter Reveen as a power player amongst magic headliners, the Vancouver Sun focused on his performing career as Reveen the Impossibilist.
After immigrating to Canada from Australia in 1961, he began his career knocking on the doors of businesses in small towns in British Columbia, offering free tickets to shop owners if they put up his poster in their windows, she said.
As a youth he was a stage magician, but he later studied hypnosis and developed a show that emphasized audience engagement. He performed in front of packed theatres and school audiences around the world. But Cathy Reveen said he was particularly fond of entertaining crowds in small communities in Atlantic Canada, where he made his final tour in 2008.
Meanwhie, Lance Burton, for whom he managed for 20 years had this to say.
“Peter Reveen was a giant in the world of magic. His illusion shows were lavish and innovative. As a stage hypnotist, he had no peer; he was simply the best in the business. As my manager for 20 years, he was my most trusted adviser. Reveen was my very close friend for 30 years. I am sad today. I will miss him.”
Reveen was 77. The iTricks staff offers our sincere condolences to his friends and family.
Congratulations to Tommy Wind who will perform his 100th show at the Boulevard Theater this Tuesday the 19th. Wind was also featured on the cover of What’s On Magazine.
With Burt Wonderstone shooting in Las Vegas last summer, there were plenty of problems to be solved. We’ve previously reported that director Don Scardino was insistent on the magic effects being live instead of CGI.
But as the producer in charge of making that happen, former Daily Show correspondent and producer on the film Vance DeGeneres had to make that happen.
“We had to solve a number of magic trick problems,” said Executive Producer and “Daily Show” Alumni Vance DeGeneres. “Luckily for us, a young, up and coming magician named David Copperfield offered his help with some of our tricks. The guy has a future.”
But even with the considerable magic muscle of Copperfield, it was up to the talent in the movie to make the illusions work…
As a consultant on “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone,” Copperfield trained Carell and Buscemi to perform one of the film’s most difficult illusions.
“My team and I designed an important illusion that had to be done in one shot,” said Copperfield. “There was a lot of trial and error, but they were real troopers about it and kept going. I was really proud that it finally came off.”
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone opens March 15th.
One of the more dynamic performers of the last season of America’s Got Talent will be featured in the cast for AGT’s Live Show bowing at the end of the month.
Jarrett & Raja will join Comedian Tom Cotte, Season 7 winner Olate Dogs, Lightwire Theater, David Garibaldi and 13-year old musician and singer/songwriter Anna Graceman. The show begins on February 25th and will be seen in six shows per week at The Palazzo.
A new look into some of the most interesting magic stories on the planet might never reach a screen near you unless they get a little help. Subjective Films is asking for $30,000 in post-production costs so they can edit together footage of Jon Armstrong, Lance Burton, Mac King, Max Maven and Jan Rouven as well as many other boldface names around The Magic Castle and Las Vegas.
After only a day on the site, they already have over $7,000 raised and 29 days to rake the rest in. Watch the video below and chip in if you’d like to see the footage shaped into something awesome.
