Nearly Normal Presentation on Drugs Scheduled for SAMInside MagicMagic News Updated Daily for the Professional Magician

Boston’s Irish Await Magicians

Bob Steiner, SAM Past National President and Chair of the Freedom from Drugs Program, will chair a blue ribbon panel entitled “Magic with a Message” at the National Convention in Boston, July 7 at 9:30 PM.

The panel will suggest many ways to communicate this important message, benefiting the audience members for a lifetime, while entertaining young people with your magic. Other members of the panel will include award-winning drug counselor Harris Deutsch, probation officer Tom Gentile and SAM past national president Jann Wherry Goodsell.

Mr. Deutsch is popularly known to magic fans and certainly readers of Ring 2100 and SAMTALK as The Nearly Normal Magician and a self-proclaimed Doctor of Laughology.

We have featured Mr. Deutsch in past issues of Inside Magic and complimented his website design and graphics so much we were accused of trying to “guilt the lilac” by one reader.

Mr. Deutsch works with Middle and High School Students in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, their families and community. His official title is a Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist. Deutsch is much more. Along with his clinical

skills, Harris has many tricks in his counseling briefcase. (This could be a business briefcase or a blue Duck-Tales gym bag) He cleverly combines the arts of improvisational theatre, magic, puppetry including marionettes

and ventriloquism to create energizing events which will have you laughing and thinking. He was awarded the 2002 COMBAT Substance Prevention Specialist of the Year. His lovely wife Annie’s background in theatre as an actress and

director is instrumental in Harris’ programs.

But Mr. Deutsch’s work in schools is not the only foundation upon which constructed his nearly normal counseling, entertaining, and lecturing work. He was at one time in the Big House. Prior to his work in prevention, he worked at Kansas’ Oldest Bed and Breakfast. Some of you may know this as Kansas Correctional Facilities. Mr. Deutsch took on the position of Primary Counselor for the Maximum Security prisoners.

Richard Pryor said the best thing about being funny in prison is that you don’t get beat-up. The worst thing, he said, was when you run out of jokes. Mr. Deutsch discovered his special talent on the maximum security yard where he entertained the lifers and serious bad guys with a game of “Harris Sez” (his version of

Simon’s Game).

Mr. Deutsch has been described as a cross between a family-oriented improvisational comedian, and Mr. Rogers.

Check out his website and be sure to attend his presentation at the SAM in Boston. He will not only speak from experience but will do so in a nearly normal manner.

Congratulations to Mr. Deutsch and thank you for making all of us look good.