Stanley Itoya, performing under the name Felvin Brain, is working not only to build a carrier but to change the perceptions of the Nigerian public about magic.
Stanley Itoya, performing under the name Felvin Brain, is working not only to build a carrier but to change the perceptions of the Nigerian public about magic.
Mat Franco on TBN’s Huckabee kicks off our Tuesday!
Another tribute to the late, great Al Cohen, this time from Washington Jewish Week.
The Wall Street Journal just printed another look at magic acts going virtual.
Still sick, thanks for asking. Doc says this could last six or seven weeks… I have already lost count. There is some magic news, though, and it is pretty much all out of Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Sun has an interview with Penn Jillette and confirms Penn & Teller: Fool Us will be coming back with another season. Fair warning, though, Penn does talk some politics too.
Tommy Wind is the latest magician to get his Vegas show back up and running; his Amazing Magic Show opened last Friday.
And finally Fantasy, the female revue show which features guest performer Murray SawChuck, was awarded the Best Production Show in the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s 2020 Best Of Las Vegas… which, ironically, you can read about on the Vegas News website.
The Hollywood Reporter is reporting the film based on William Kalush and Larry Sloman’s Secret Life Of Houdini is moving forward with Ben Affleck in a starring role, but not as Harry himself.
John Stessel on a recent Elvis Duran 15 Minute Morning Show kicks off a special Saturday iTricks News News Round Up. Yes, I am still sick… not getting worse but not necessarily getting worse, either. Hopefully iTricks will be back to normal by the end of the week.
Depending on when you read this you might be able to still get on Potter and Potter’s magic auction Saturday afternoon (Dec 12).
Lance Burton has gone on to his old Kentucky home… read all about it in this Las Vegas Review-Journal article.
Tonight David Copperfield and Harry Houdini will be inducted to the National Museum of American Jewish History’s Hall of Fame in a free to stream ceremony at 8 PM eastern at the NMAJH website.
Last week the LA Times broke a story outlining several accusations of sexual harassment, assault and racist behavior leveled at the private club, which you can read here (via the Chicago Tribune website). At time of writing iTricks could find no official response from the Magic Castle.
I am still sick, not sure if there will be many posts the next few days,* but this story was too important not to post and there is a deadline!
Magic, Inc. is an American magic fixture– you can read about the store’s nearly century long history in this Chicago Sun Times article– and it is in trouble. You can also read about how the Covid-19 lockdown has crippled the business in the article.
Bottom line: Magic, Inc. needs everyone’s help. They have established a GoFundMe page to try to put together what they need to re-new their lease and survive into 2021 and the post-pandemic era. I know everyone is feeling the effects of the Covid economy right now and holiday expenses are pressing down on us as well… but if you can help out Magic Inc. please do. They are one of the brick and mortar dealers who have made magic what it is today.
Magic Inc., by the way, is not an advertiser. They did not ask us to share this and as far as I remember I have never actually met anyone associated with them… but I do have a fair amount of Magic Inc. publications in my magic library!
* After two and a half weeks I still have a low grade fever and your general flu-like symptoms. I am not really getting better but I am not getting worse either. If it was not for the dizziness and headaches which seem aggravated by screen time I would be updating iTricks. As soon as they ease up I will be back, I promise. If you have a story for iTricks, please send it my way (mjlauckwriting AT swbell DOT net)! The less time I spend looking at the computer researching posts means the more time I can put in posting!