Magic Addict? Is this a Joke?Inside MagicMagic News Updated Daily for the Professional Magician

We received a letter
— a long letter — that we thought was a joke at first. We decided to publish it in its entirety and
to quote the letter's authors, "let you be the judge." We have not
included the address or web site address for the organization and will not
until we can determine it is legitimate.
The claim that it is a not-for-profit charity hasn't been demonstrated
to our satisfaction but we will update this article with the contact
information once we receive verification.
Also, we have not edited or corrected the several typographical or
grammatical errors in the letter. The photo below was taken from the pamphlet sent by the organization and had the caption, "why is she really taking such good care of her nails?"

Dear Friend:

Magic Addiction is a serious problem and no longer
associated with the "Skid-Row Magician." Anyone can become addicted to magic. The National Institutes of Health study
"Addiction in America"
note: "Ten percent of all people exposed to magic will be susceptible to
addiction." There is no such thing as "Safe Magic." Any exposure – from an uncle making a pebble
vanish to Lance Burton
performing the finest 12 minutes of manipulation ever – can be sufficient to
cause addiction.

Contrary to the popular theories of the late 1970's, Magic
Addiction is not evidence of a character flaw or weakness in its victim. It is a disease as real as any other malady
and often more costly to the victim.

The disease affects ten percent of the population regardless
of their race, creed, color, gender, or socio-economic status. Unfortunately, in some segments of society
the Magic Addict is ostracized or excluded because of his or her illness. The fear of shame or shunning keep many Magic Addicts from
seeking the help they so desperately need.

Traditional medical insurance does not cover treatment for
Magic Addiction even though there is no longer any debate in the medical
community as to its reality and devastating effects on the victims. Even medical insurance coverage broad enough
to provide for psychological or psychiatric care, often excludes Medical
Addiction.

A recent report by the United Nations' World Health
Organization noted "the lack of appropriate treatment in combination with
the societal pressures forces the Magic Addicted Person into seclusion and
often leads to
participation in "risky magic" in a vain effort to regain the
"high" felt when first introduced to magic."

Treatments and therapies are not readily available and the
Magic Addict cannot "just snap out of it." Clinical evaluation of Magic Addict's brain tissue evidence the very
real organic differences from the average human. Scientists cannot say whether
this difference is the cause of the Magic Addiction or if is the result of the
malady.

If you are a parent or caretaker for young children,
remember the best prevention for a life-long addiction to magic is
prevention. Have a talk with your child
before he or she is tempted by magicians and magic clubs. The internet is filled with sites dedicated to
nothing more than to seduce your child into the world of magic.

Magic has infiltrated entertainment your children see. Hillary Duff was featured in a commercial for a magic show as was Lindsay Lohan. Why?

The magic industry, like other industries promoting
addictive substances, denies
the tragedy of Magic Addiction exists.
Their paid agents counter valid scientific evidence based on clinical
trials and post-mortem examinations with ambivalent, poorly constructed,
studies paid for by the industry itself.

In 1973, a former high-level employee with one of the more
prominent magic producers received immunity from prosecution and testified before
the United States Senate's Committee on Addictive Behavior. This witness brought forth documents from
within the vaults of the magic manufacturers and magicians to show the
industry's deliberate manipulation of their product to "hook" or
"produce a craving in" young people.
The industry denied the allegations and suggest (to this day) the quotes
were taken out of context.

You be the judge:

"Magic is fun, easy, and mystifying!"

"Easy to Learn! Fun to Do!"

— Advertisements from popular
line of magic effects sold in retail shops (Not Just Magic Stores!!)

"Our job is to make magic accessible to the novice of
any age so that he will have a passion for a lifetime."

— Comment
of industry executive to business magazine.

"We know that once we get them hooked on our magic,
they'll never want to go anywhere else."

— Memorandum from magic mail-order
company of the late 1960s. The company's
executive suggested the statement should be read to mean "customers will
never want to go to any other magic company to buy their props." (Senate
Tr. 74-220-1 pp. 3029 – 3030). One
wonders why the magic manufacturer's memo is not so specific. Perhaps the statement should be taken as
written – "once we get them hooked on our magic, they will become
psychologically and physically addicted to our products"?

And the most damning of all statements came from a 1970
internal memorandum from a prominent magic dealer:

"If we can get a kid to stand
up in front of his class and perform just one trick, the reaction he receives
will be enough to make him 'love' magic the rest of his life. He may not become a professional but he'll
buy tricks and encourage other kids to learn magic."

As magicians say, the cards are stacked against the common,
unsuspecting boy or girl who happens to see a magic show or learns how to do a
magic trick.

There are parents who worry about what their children see on
television or the type of video games they play who have no qualms about
sending those same children to birthday parties where magicians will perform.

Why not
send the children to an opium den or a racetrack instead?

The parents are not bad, just uninformed about the dangers
of Magic Addiction.

What are the causes of Magic Addiction? As we established
earlier, scientists and physicians do not know.
But they know it is real and not some weakness.

While we may not know the cause, sociologists and social
workers are well-aware of the problems associated with Magic Addiction.

Consider the testimony of Helen Wagner:

"Because the Magic Addict
seems normal by all external appearances, they are often given the benefit of
the doubt until they "hit bottom."
Then it all comes falling down around them and the ones they love. They are often without funds, without
friends, and without a "real job."
Even those who practiced magic as an avocation rather than their
"day job," find their years of buying new tricks or books have
brought financial ruin. We've seen some
Magic Addicts who we thought wouldn't live to see the light of day. Then with their last ounce of strength, the
patient will leave the hospital setting to drive all night to a convention or
to watch a lecture. It is really
sad."

Ms. Wagner told senators Magic Addicts develop "coping
skills" to fool not only their audiences but themselves. "They actually fool themselves into thinking the
world of illusion is real and worth their time and their money."

The theory of Magic Addiction is not without its
critics. Two of the major magician
organizations recently issued press releases questioning whether anyone can be
truly addicted to a "hobby" or a "profession."

"Magic is no more addictive than any pleasurable
activity. It provides a sense of
fulfillment for young and old to both perform and watch."

And another defense "Magic is not addicting in the same
sense as tobacco or hard drugs. It may
be enjoyable and the object of enthusiasm by its admirers but it is not
addicting."

Yet, the man who practically invented the modern magician,
Robert-Houdin, is famously quoted as saying, "A Magician is an actor who
plays the part of a Magician." In
other words, Magicians are fakes who dupe their audience into believing they
are something they are not. Self-deception
about one's very nature is exactly the standard psychological profile of an
addict. No dope addict proudly
admits they are addicted to dope. No
cigarette smoker or drinker would ever suggest they are without the ability to
control the substances that actually control them.

Critics say, "But so what? No one has ever gotten
seriously hurt by magic."

The statistics say otherwise.

According to one major weekly newspaper, "Magicians
stand a seven times greater chance of being killed on stage than an audience
member."

Just as in pornography, the addict turns to more risky or
extreme forms of "the art" to get his kicks.

For the pornographer, the "snuff film" is the ultimate
obscenity. For the magician or magic
addict, it is the Bullet Catching trick.

Thirteen magicians have died performing the Bullet Catching
trick. Absent addiction, what
explanation can be given for doing something as foolhardy as having a bullet
shot at you on a nightly basis — especially if you know several others have
died doing the very same trick?

The
simple magic set you purchase for a child is the equivalent of a reefer
cigarette. They will quickly
outgrow the "high" received from their introduction to the lifestyle
and won't stop seeking the "high" until they are dead.

According to the Bureau of Census the majority of magicians
who have ever lived (both professional and amateur) are dead. Do you like those odds?

What can you do to stop the addiction before it starts?

Follow the ABCD method as promoted by the United Nation's World Health
Organization:

A: Find ALTERNATIVES to magic shows, magic
tricks as gifts, or books allegedly "teaching" magic. You cannot protect your children forever but
you can at least give them a healthy start.
Don't send them to birthday parties where magicians will "entertain." Do encourage them to take up singing or
dancing if they are interested in the performing arts.

B: BEWARE of the hidden or subliminal
demonstration of magic. Many commercials
feature magicians to promote the advertisers wares. Watch what your children are watching and
take an active role in their lives. Even
innocuous sources of text like the back of cereal boxes may encourage your
young breakfast eaters to learn a "neat trick to show their
friends." The combination of sugary
cereal and the subliminal seductive promise of impressing friends can prove to
be a lethal combination.

C: CRITICIZE magicians or magic books when
you see them in your child's presence.
Just as you would discourage your child from admiring the dope user
while he slaps his forearm looking for a vein to inject his opium, you should
take the opportunity to convey your honest feelings about this evil.

D: DESTROY magic books, tricks, sets, or
movies before your child can fall victim to their influence. Would you allow your child to play with
cigarettes or hypodermic needles? Of
course not. No one would think you
extreme for destroying these objects to protect your child. Go to your public library and permanently
"check out" all of the magic books on the shelves. (They are in section 793 under the Dewey
Decimal System).

One recovering Magic Addict defended this simple method of
protecting children. He told a weekend
news program in the Midwest that he only
wished his parents had followed the ABCD method.

It is not too late.
You cannot be too drastic. Your
intervention could not be more necessary.

Signs a loved one may be a Magic Addict or developing the
addiction:

1.
More than one deck of cards in his or her room. Be diligent.
Check his room for tell-tale signs of bad influence. Why would a teenager need more than one deck of cards (if he
even needs one)? There is no card game
commonly played by teenagers that requires more than one deck of cards. Experts tell us elder magicians advise their
victims/students to get new decks of cards often — so they don't wear out when
practicing.

2.
Silk handkerchiefs on the premises. If you have a male child, there is no good
reason why they should have genuine hand woven silk handkerchiefs anywhere near
them. None. The certainly shouldn't be found neatly
ironed and folded for storage with metal tubes or flesh-colored objects. If you have a female child, consider when the
last time you saw the child actually wear one of the handkerchiefs. Even the most picky dresser, will at one time
or another wear the clothes and accessories in their closets or drawers. You may also hear these items referred to as
"Silks" — even if they are not made of silk at all. "Silks" is magician slang for scarves or handkerchiefs used
for magic tricks. Don't let your
child use code to fool you.

3.
Spending time with friends who do magic tricks or magic
shows. This is self-evident but so many
parents or spouses miss this blatant clue. Would you buy the excuse that your
loved-one is just hanging out at an opium den or an adult bookstore? Wonder why they are going to the magic store
at the mall?

4.
Long
sleeves can indicate many addictions — especially when worn during warm
months. Yes, sleeves can hide a dope
user's track marks, or bruises from participation in a "Fight Club,"
or even tattoos. But if your child does
not show other evidence of dope use, melee participation, or body
"adornment," chances are "there is something up his
sleeve." Many magic devices are
hidden in sleeves worn by magicians. In
fact, there is an entire school of magic dedicated to the art of
"sleeving" or the use of sleeves to produce or vanish objects. Grab your child's forearm just below the
elbow to feel for hidden objects or devices used to make objects vanish or
appear.

5.
Palming involuntarily.
Palming is more magic code for the practice of hiding an object in your hand
by holding it secretly in the palm while your hand is in a natural and
unsuspicious position. Remember, the
whole point of "palming" is to make the object hidden and the hand
hiding it look natural. Depending upon
your child's indoctrination into magic, his skills may be so good that you'll
have to occasionally grab
his hands, turn the palm up, and examine them.

6.
Animals like dogs or cats are expected in any happy
home. But a teenager uses animals like
pigeons (or "Doves" in magician code) or a rabbit for only one
purpose and that is magic. The magician
often uses the pigeons (sometimes dyed different colors) to produce or vanish
during a show. The same goes with
rabbits. Do not accept any other rationale for their keeping these
animals. No, they are not doing
experiments for biology to see if certain shampoos will hurt a rabbit's eye; or
training "homing pigeons" to communicate with their friends.

7.
Self-Aggrandizing behavior is typical in several
psychiatric conditions such as manic mood disorder, hyper-mania, and even
traits associated with sociopaths.
Unfortunately, the same over-confidence and dramatic poses match up with
the Magic Addict profile. Magicians use grandiose
terms to refer to themselves. "The
Great Houdini," "The Amazing Kreskin," "The Master Magician
Lance Burton," and, "Siegfried and Roy – The Masters of the
Impossible." In fact, Siegfried and Roy use their title as
a "magic word," SARMOTI. Does your child call himself "the
Amazing" or "the Incredible" or a "Master"?

8.
Long skinny balloons are not the type of balloons you
would buy for a child's birthday party or even receive as a gift at a family
restaurant. These special balloons can
be inflated to more than four feet in length but with very narrow diameters to
make "balloon animals" or "balloon sculptures." While not magic, this type of balloon manipulation
often goes hand-in-hand with magic. One
recovering Magic Addict said, "if you hear squeaking coming from your
child room and you know you don't have mice, look for balloons." The twisting and turning of the balloons in
on themselves makes a distinct squeaking sound.
Much like the smell
of marihuana, it is distinctive and a tell-tale indication of unhealthy
activity.

9.
Neatly clipped or even manicured fingernails on a boy
child can only mean one thing: he is doing magic. Boys do not care how they look in
general. Their hair is often tussled or
dirty. Their clothes often unwashed and
poorly fitting. It should strike you as
odd to see your little boy with neatly clipped or groomed fingernails. No dirt or damaged cuticles to be found. Just neatly rounded nails with a slight
buff. Experts tell us this may mean your
child is already into magic and may already be addicted. The well-groomed fingernails are required for
any magician performing a type of magic called "close-up." This is as bad as it sounds. Close-up means your child will be within an
arm's length of his audience — closer to their intoxicating praise and
admiration and closer to you loosing him forever. One recovering Magic Addict observed that even dirty "street
magicians" like David Blaine or Criss Angel can look disheveled and
unkempt but their fingernails will be clean, artfully clipped, and
manicured. So much for the
"street" in "Street Magician."

10.
Sewing materials and fabric are fine in the den area of
a home where mother and daughter can make dresses for high school dances or
even for a fun get-together during the summer.
But why would your child want to have needle, thread, and expensive
fabric in their room. Is it really
likely that your daughter wants to make a dress out of a two foot by two foot
piece of dark blue velvet cloth — or that she intends to attach this very
small dress with Velcro? When did your
son become so interested in the best way to hem a piece of cloth that looks more like a vampire's
cape than a curtain? Just as a
bent spoon and wooden matches can be found in any ghetto shooting gallery or
dope house to make heroin, Velcro in any quantity in a boy or girl's room is
irrefutable proof of magic trick manufacturing.

This list isn't exhaustive — there may be other indications
your child is on the wrong path. But any
of these ten signs indicates you need to take an active role in your child's
life. Practice the ABCD method. Talk with your child about the dangers they
could face.

Magic Addicts is a non-profit group dedicated to helping families from the heartbreak
that too often accompanies the physical and emotional addiction suffered by an
unfortunate but significant percentage of people exposed to magic. You may order additional copies of this
report or our educational aids from Magic Addicts headquarters.

Your church or synagogue or civic group may also book one of
our speakers or rent our DVD presentations developed by ex-addicts, social
workers, doctors, and family members. Please
consider a donation or contribution so that we may continue this life-saving
work.

Dr. Geoffrey and Janet Howell

Co-Directors

Magic Addicts

Wellington,
Florida

We received a letter
— a long letter — that we thought was a joke at first. We decided to publish it in its entirety and
to quote the letter's authors, "let you be the judge." We have not
included the address or web site address for the organization and will not
until we can determine it is legitimate.
The claim that it is a not-for-profit charity hasn't been demonstrated
to our satisfaction but we will update this article with the contact
information once we receive verification.
Also, we have not edited or corrected the several typographical
or
grammatical errors in the letter. The photo below was taken from the
pamphlet sent by the organization and had the caption, "why is she
really taking such good care of her nails?"