Category: Magic News

News from the World of Magic

Magic News, Magic of Malta

Malta’s Chamber of Mysteries Opens to Public

Inside Magic Image of Brian Role and Lola Palmer

We have not yet been to Malta but hope to include it as part of our Inside Magic European Tour scheduled for early 2012.   

There are many reasons to see Malta and if you are a magician, above the natural beauty, rich culture and incredible history, great magic is first and foremost.

Our current International Brotherhood of Magicians' President Vanni Pulè and long-time Inside Magic Favorite Brian Rolè take turns as stars in what is described as "Malta's most amazing night out."

The Chamber of Mysteries is more than an all new evening dinner/theater show, it is a passage way into a previously hidden alcove of magic.

The Chamber was recently discovered in the renown Razzett L-Antik restaurant in Qormi and may have been the secret meeting place of medieval wizards until the Inquisition. The magicians correctly assessed it was too dangerous to meet – even in a hidden vault. Reluctantly, they concealed a part of the chamber behind bricks and what appeared to be an ordinary wall. The plan was to re-open the chamber when the world was safe for wizards.

Unfortunately, the last of the wizards passed away before the chamber could be re-opened.

Flash forward to recent times. The building's current owners discovered the chamber when planning renovations. The owner noticed the one room's measurements were significantly askew from the century old plans. There appeared to be a significant portion of the building that appeared on the building schematic that did not exist.

Once the owners removed the brick wall, they found the chamber and a treasure trove of mysterious items and paraphernalia just as it had been left by the medieval wizards.

The purpose and proper use of these artifacts remained a mystery until Brian Rolè and Vanni Pulè found an ancient manuscript, with precise details of the items, their workings and secrets behind their mystery. Revealed to them was a world of mystery, wonder and delight and through their findings the items finally took life. 

The two magicians now share those secrets with visitors along with a three-course meal of the finest traditional Maltese cuisine accompanied by free-flowing wine. After dinner, guests are escorted to the formerly concealed section of the Chamber of Mysteries.

Continue reading “Malta’s Chamber of Mysteries Opens to Public” →

Magic Book Review, Magic News

Penn Jillette’s God No!

Inside Magic Image of Penn Jillette's Book "God No!"Simon & Schuster invited us to review Penn Jillette's newest book, God, No!: Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales. We were flattered and excited to get the advance copy and read it several times over the last couple of weeks but resisted writing a review.

    Our resistance was not logical. After all, we promised we would write it up and we try to stick by our word – as long as it is convenient or makes us look good. Also, we always need copy for the internet's number one web site with a domain name that includes the words "magic" and "inside" and is not about Walt Disney's properties, a NBA franchise from Orlando, or images depicting things that may be "magic" but are a bit too "inside" (some images are practically "internal" or even "interstitial") for our refined taste in exploitive media web sites featuring three-day trial subscriptions for $1.00.

    Our hesitancy was more at the sub-conscious level. As many readers of Inside Magic know, we obtained an advanced degree from a prestigious seminary with a focus on scripture and patristics (study of the church fathers). The experience was grueling and in many ways more difficult than our later studies at law school. Seminary and law school shared epistemological philosophies if not content. The first year of law school challenges students to think like a lawyer. We learned to assume nothing is true without proof of sufficient strength to withstand an opponent's best challenge. We gained the ability to identify significant issues and methods to either use them to our client's advantage or blunt their impact on our client's position.

    Seminary dedicated the entire first year to challenging the reasons for our faith. The professors wanted to be sure our spiritual world-view was not based on superstition or self-deception. We were being taught to think like a lawyer as well as theologians.

    There is a significant drop-out rate among first years students in seminary and law school. Some leave to follow a different career path, some fail to adopt the mindset needed, and some just fail out for academic reasons. At the end of our first year in seminary, we were convinced we had been stripped of our faith. The cozy intimacy we felt with the subject and persons of Christianity was gone. Within one academic year, we were left to ponder deeply and constantly questions we thought were long resolved.

    Did God exist? Assuming existence, was God anything like the entity we thought we knew? Should we care whether God exists? What is the reason for suffering and pain in the world? Was Friedrich Feuerbach right when he claimed in The Essence of Christianity that God is nothing more than man's projection of his best hopes, highest ideals personified as a transcendent being? When man prays to God he is speaking to his alter-ego?

    We continued our studies and pressed on with the hope (and faith) that everything would come into balance.

    And so the point? How does this have anything to do with Penn Jillette's newest book, God, No!: Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales?

    We think it is related to our hesitancy to write this very review.

    We enjoy Penn Jillette's writing and performing on any subject – even magic or atheism. His style fits neatly into our 8-bit processor size brain and is always just the right mix of irreverence, hyperbole, out-of-the-box thinking, humor and substance. Unlike the class clown who is always "on," Penn Jillette has the courage to not be funny on every page and in the description of every event.

    His cadence never seemed forced or the result of sophisticated and marketing driven editing. The reader is given a chance to meet Penn Jillette without apology or shading. The writing had us laughing out loud in our high-pitched, embarrassing, girl-like screech and within two or three pages we were in tears, unable to speak due to the lump in our throat.

    When we tried to read portions of the book aloud for friends, we were often incoherent either because of our laughter or tears. Penn Jillette's recounting of his father's passing and his own battle with hospital social workers was unexpected, moving and impossible to read out loud.

    So far, so good. The book is a wonderful read for magicians or lay folk. Yes, the language is a bit salty but we doubt you expected anything else. If the book was nothing more than an enjoyable grouping of stories about this incredible performer's life and passions, it would be well worth the cover price. But the book is more – at least for us.

    The purpose of the book is to convince the reader that Atheism is not just valid alternative to Theism and more specifically Christianity and Judaism; it is the only explanation that holds water. To be an atheist, he writes, you don't have to be smart, brave, a martyr or a saint. You need only to say "I don't know." Of course there is "I don't know" and there is "I don't know (and don't really care)." He distinguishes the Atheist's "I don't know" from the Agnostic's in a humorous but superficial way. And that is okay. Agnosticism does not hold much sway for Penn Jillette. He essentially rejects it as a serious school of thought within the first chapter.

    Atheism and Theism are significant philosophical / theological concepts that have occupied the thoughts of great thinkers over the centuries. This book adds nothing to that legacy. But we think it was never intended to advance discourse on such a lofty subject. We are guessing Atheism was forced to fit over the story collection to provide an apparently unifying theme that just happened to be a great title for a book written by someone like Penn Jillette.

Continue reading “Penn Jillette’s God No!” →

Magic News, Magic of Ireland, Magician Feature

Keith Barry is coming back with a new show

Inside Magic Image of Keith Barry's Poster for the January 7, 2012 Appearance of Eight Deadly Sins How does a magician and/or mentalist top a great five week engagement at Dublin’s beautifully appointed Olympia Theatre (“theater”)?

Good question, that.

We asked a random sample of passers-by outside the Inside Magic editorial offices here in Mystic Hollow, Michigan.  Fortunately, the folks in this town know magic and magicians.  The question would make no sense otherwise.

Two of the twelve thought he should take over for Criss Angel in Las Vegas.  They were all of the opinion that Criss Angel has too much going on and that he needed to have a steady guest star.

A woman who describes herself as Criss Angel’s Number One Fan said she has seen the show five times and is not sure the Mindfreak Magician can keep it up.  “It is not an easy show to do and he’s got a lot going on so something is going to have to give.”

She knew of Keith Barry from his incredible television series here in the US.  on the Discovery Channel.  She raved about his work in the police station (the fourth episode titled “Cops and Robbers“).

One woman thought Keith Barry should perform at Victoria and Albert Hall in London.  She said the believed it was the equivalent of our Carnegie Hall.  Her friend corrected her that it was actually called The Royal Albert Hall and was built by his widow, Victoria.  Regardless, the first woman maintained, Mr. Barry would be perfect for such a “dignified setting.”

There were a smattering of non-statistically significant suggestions that we  have left out.

It turns out, Keith Barry will be back in theater (theatre in metric languages) with his killer show, Keith Barry – Eight Deadly Sins.

It will not be a long run.  Actually, it will be a very special, one-night only event on Saturday January 7 2012 at the beautifully appointed Royal Theatre Castlebar.
Continue reading “Keith Barry is coming back with a new show” →

Magic News, Magician Feature

Criss Angel Proposes to Girlfriend in Cabo
Inside Magic Image of a Generic Proposal - Used in Lieu of Violating Copyright Laws for Republishing Images from E!
Not Actual Photo of Criss Angel and Fiance Due to Copyright Restrictions

Magician Criss Angel popped the question to girlfriend Sandra Gonzalez last week. The two were taking some time off in beautiful Cabo San Lucas (a regular stop on ABC Television’s The Love Boat) at the time.

The magician’s public relations team describe the young couple as “ecstatic.”

The couple had just finished dinner whilst gazing upon the setting sun when Criss Angel bestowed upon Miss Gonzalez a subtle but symbolic piece of jewelry: a 5-carat princess-cut diamond on a platinum band. As one would expect, Criss Angel co-designed the token of affection.

The illusionist and star of Las Vegas’ Believe apparently anticipated an affirmative response to his life-changing question. He arranged for Miss Gonzalez’ family to join them immediately after she accepted the proposal. The public relations team also inform reporters all was capped with “fireworks began blasting overhead.”

Here is the Inside Magic strange quote of the week. It comes from E!’s story on the proposal:

This will be Angel’s second marriage, his first having ended in 2006 after four years and one instance of the husband being buried alive. He also dated Holly Madison for awhile.

We are not sure what the author intended by the two sentences. Actually, we’re puzzled over the “his first having ended in 2006 after four years and one instance of the husband being buried alive.”

It could be this is a clever use of metaphor or a literal use of public relations hyperbole or neither or both.

The Holly Madison bit is thrown in to confuse and confound – to ensure readers will not easily understand whether the “buried alive” statement is fanciful language or a description of an illusion Criss Angel performed about the same time as he was dating Playboy Playmate Holly Madison and performing an endurance stunt in public.

Regardless, we wish the young couple the best of luck. We will keep Inside Magic readers apprised of developments and wedding date scheduling.

Continue reading “Criss Angel Proposes to Girlfriend in Cabo” →

Magic News

King Copperfield Joins Roster of Magic Royalty

Inside Magic congratulates David Copperfield on his deserved ascension to the awesome position of King of Magic and awarded the “Magician of the Century” designation.

The Society of American Magicians (“SAM”) bestowed both accolades upon the peripatetic and prolific prestidigitator.

Mr. Copperfield has earned many titles and laudatory commendations throughout his incredible career but unlike us, is not willing to rest on his laurels. The SAM’s press release notes the ever-young performer still puts in an honest day’s work by presenting his full show more than 500 times a year.

The Society previously picked him as “Magician of the Century” for the 20th Century – quite a feat considering the incredible lot of magicians that performed from 1900 through 2000.

This is the first time the Society has named a “King of Magic.”

Our U.S. Constitutional research shows Mr. Copperfield’s acceptance of this title does not run afoul of Article 1, Section 9:

No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.

See, Cornell’s fantastic resource, the Legal Information Institute here..

Note,  it is a popular misconception that a more strict prohibition against titles was added to the Constitution by Amendment.  While there was a Titiles of Nobility Amendment passed by the Senate, House of Representatives, it was not ratified by the requisite number of states and is not law.

We would like to go on record as saying that even if the Titles of Nobility Amendment had been ratified and Mr. Copperfield’s acceptance of the title “King” violated that law, we would not turn him in.

The Society gave the title in recognition his efforts “to advance, elevate, and preserve magic as a performing art, to promote harmonious fellowship throughout the world of magic, and to maintain and improve ethical standards in the field of magic.”

However, as Inside Magic reported recently, Mr. Copperfield earned the more significant and lasting title of Father with the recent birth of his daughter, Sky. The magician and his beautiful French model girlfriend, Chloe Gosselin kept Sky’s arrival under wraps for about 16 months before the lay and magic press discovered the happy news.

Under traditional rules and customs pertaining to royalty, Sky would properly be considered a Princess of Magic but Chloe Gosselin could not attain the title of Queen of Magic unless she married the then-existing King.

Additionally, we are informed by a scholar on royalty that kingship is rarely attained by talent or popular acclaim. In fact, 77.41 percent of all kings or queens attained their position simultaneously with the murder, execution, coup d’état, or suspicious disappearance of the previous monarch.
Continue reading “King Copperfield Joins Roster of Magic Royalty” →

Magic News, Magician Feature

Penn Jillette: Card Trick as Rhetorical Tool

Inside Magic Image of Magician and Author Penn Jillette Penn Jillette is a gifted and entertaining writer of things magic and otherwise.  We have reviewed his written work on this unworthy magic web site in the past and we’ll have a review of his newest book, God, No! Signs You May Already be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales next week.

Mr. Jillette could probably write a pretty decent Magic for Beginners book and teach basic sleights effectively.  But that’s not how he chooses to use his remarkable talent.  Like his silent partner, Teller, Mr. Jillette uses magic as a device or tool to offer his unique and usually correct perspective (from our point o’ view) of the topic or issue he has chosen to explain.

His writing seems effortless and spontaneous.  We would like to think that style is a result of thousands of drafts, re-writes, third-party editing, and gut-wrenching revisions.

We presume, however, his writing style reflects his true persona.  We don’t have that gift.  In fact, the sentence, “We don’t have that gift” took two and a half hours to craft.  We began with “we not as good as he is at writing that way,” worked our way towards “he is better at writing than speaking and he is very good at speaking too,” and finally “We don’t have that same ability that he, Penn Jillette has.”

Our point?  We like Penn Jillette’s writing.

In fact, we are not ashamed to say we would marry his writing if such a thing were possible.  We don’t know if that makes us gay for wanting to marry the writing style of a man, but if it does, we’ll take those slings and arrows and make lemonade served in slings with arrows for stirrers.
Continue reading “Penn Jillette: Card Trick as Rhetorical Tool” →

Magic News

Go-Go Gal Getter: The Magic Castle
Inside Magic Image of Magic Fan Samantha PadillaThe overpaid  Inside Magic editors and unpaid interns peruse all media constantly for interesting leads.  We wish we could say that was how we stumbled upon the Samantha Padilla  interview from the July, 2011 edition of Low Rider Magazine.
Actually, we read Low Rider to get the latest news on the pneumatic lift technology used in the creation of God’s gift to body shop artisans, Hoppers.
The big Phoenix Hopper Contest sponsored by Low Rider magazine just left us lusting for more of the great PSSSWhtchhsss Clunk sounding goodness that is a high-quality lowrider hopper.  We did not enter this year because the elders in our familial unit loathe a good hoppin’ ride.
But the magic aspect to this story comes from the insightful interview of the young and physically attractive, Samantha Padilla.
(We would say she is attractive but we haven’t seen her inside.  Outer beauty if fleeting and subjective. We’re big on the inner beauty.  We’re not shallow like those who put a premium on how someone looks on the outside.  In fact, we seek women with large mouths and few teeth so we can get an unobstructed look down their esophagus whilst we pretend to be fixing a light or painting the ceiling — we need to explain why we’re on a ladder and need them to stand just under our perch).
Ms. Padilla calls herself a “Self-Made Hundredaire” and describes her profession as “Go-Go Dancer.”  We haven’t heard the expression “Go-Go Dancer” in years.  She is clearly an old soul or renaissance woman interested in the rich history of dancing for drunk guys.  (See, Introductory chapter of our best seller The History of 3D: Dancing for Drunks in Dives, New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010).
The interviewer asks how he could interest the Low Rider beauty:

LRG: How does he keep your attention?
Samantha: If I knew there would probably be a guy out there that would still be holding my attention.

LRG: So you have a hard time finding a guy to hold your attention?
Samantha: Ummm. Nam. Nam. Nam. I don’t know. I don’t know the correct answer to that one. Maybe B? What’s the question?

We thought the Hundredaire comment was classic but this passage convinced us Ms. Padilla has an Inside Magic kind of humor.

So, where would one take Ms. Padilla if one wanted to have a successful first date?

LRG: Where should he take you?
Samantha: I got asked out yesterday and he took me to the Magic Castle. That was fun. If a guy can’t make me laugh we have a problem.

We knew there had to be someone out there who would understand.  She’s just 40 years too late.

How to not impress the young hopping car enthusiast?

LRG: What’s the best way for a guy to get your number?
Samantha: Show genuine interest in me and don’t holler at me like a dog.

That could explain our dating years / involuntary celibacy era.
Continue reading “Go-Go Gal Getter: The Magic Castle” →

Magic News

Creepy No More, Clowns Urge

Inside Magic of Attractive Woman in Clown Outfit - Sort ofWith a tip of the Hatlo Hat of Magic to Carl Jones and his always interesting listserve, we read with great interest of the clowns looking to change their perception from “creepy” to “charming.”

We write about clowns and their status in our society with knowledge of John Steinbeck’s caveat, “Writers are a little below clowns and a little above trained seals.”  We take solace in our position above a marine mammal.

The author asserts and we have verified it to be true that until John Wayne Gacy  and Stephen King depicted clowns as evil predators, clowning was accepted in polite society.  Gacy did it in reality and King via his novel IT.

The article notes that clowns perform as clowns to entertain.  Clowns get into show business more for the show than the business.  Like all of us, clowns have feelings and can be hurt when children or adults exhibit fear and not enjoyment.

Paul Kleinberger — who performs as Fuddi Duddy the Clown around Albany, N.Y. — says King’s 1986 novel, “It,” with its evil clown character Pennywise, is blamed by most contemporary clowns for hurting their image.

“Some people say that if it wasn’t for Stephen King, clowns would have an easier time,” Kleinberger told HuffPost Weird News. “I don’t know if that’s the case. I mean, when someone tells me they’re afraid of clowns, I say, ‘Well, I’m afraid of bankers.’

We read Mr. Kleinberger’s retort not as a joke but a profound statement on the inequality our painted brethren and sistern suffer daily.  No doubt most clowns fear bankers and their incessant debt collection calls.
Continue reading “Creepy No More, Clowns Urge” →

Latest Magic News, Magic News, Magician Feature

Magician v. Clown Follow-Up

Inside Magic Image of Female Magician Kathleen Lakeland Beating Clown in ContestWe have said it many times and written it here just as often: all magicians need to subscribe to Alan Watson’s weekly newsletter Magic New Zealand® here. It is truly essential reading for anyone interested in magic.  Mr. Watson gives us an update on Inside Magic’s most read article of last week.

Magician v. Clown

Regarding (Cornflake the Clown) Justin Lane and his magic clone Magic Matt for making false and misleading claims on awards for publicity purposes.

The New Zealand Commerce Commission has concluded its investigation into this matter and has issued Cornflakes Magic World (Justin Lane) with a Compliance Advice Letter.

A Compliance Advice Letter informs the trader that the New Zealand Commerce Commission has received complaints, outlines the details of the complaint and informs the trader that the Commission is of
the opinion that they are at risk of breaching the Fair Trading Act 1986.

Justin has now complied with the Commerce Commissions requests and removed from all his websites, social media and promotional material items that were of concern and he also has apologised.

If you have similar problems with dishonest and misleading advertising by performers in your area or country then it is worthwhile looking at what legal channels you can pursue to have these false or misleading advertising claims removed.

Alan Watson

Latest Magic News, Magic News

David Copperfield New Dad

Inside Magic Image of Lovely French Model Chloe Gosselin - Mother of Child with David CopperfieldMagician David Copperfield and French supermodel Chloe Gosselin are the proud parents of a 16-month-old baby girl, Sky.

We are not sure whether she will go by the last name Copperfield or Gosselin or some combination of the two surnames. We have a team working on that issue and should be able to post the answer shortly. Mother and father live in Mr. Copperfield’s private island.

This news comes to us from the almost never reliable New York Post newspaper. Worse still, it comes from the least reliable portion of that tabloid, Page 6.

Our editors believe there is sufficient indicia of credibility to permit publication of this great news here on the hallowed pages of the oldest magic news site with a domain name consisting of a preposition and the word “magic.”

Inside Magic congratulates Mr. Copperfield and Ms. Gosselin on their blessed event.

On the other hand, The Post drives us nutty.

Because they lack creativity or they are lazy, the New York Post’s coverage led with the blasé.

Abraca-baby . . . Illusionist David Copperfield has become a dad after his French girlfriend, Chloe Gosselin, gave birth to a beautiful girl, Sky, Page Six can exclusively reveal.

Seriously? That’s your lead, “Abraca-baby”?

Abraca-baby is not even internally consistent much less witty.
Continue reading “David Copperfield New Dad” →