Las Vegas magician Jan Rouven charged fellow Las Vegas magician Criss Angel swiped his “Bed of Death” illusion for Mr. Angel’s new Spike television series, BeLIEve. Mike Weatherford detailed Mr. Rouven’s claims in May 17th Las Vegas Review Journal column.
Mr. Angel claimed the inspiration for the stunt was Clive Barker’s film “Lord of Illusions.”
Mr. Rouven said Mr. Angel’s version of the escape differs from the film and more closely resembles Mr. Rouven’s version. In the film, a magician needs to escape falling swords. The version Mr. Rouven performs in his show at the Riviera has an audience member choose the order of the falling swords.
Mr. Angel denied the accusation flatly. “They’re in a glass house,” he said.
Mr. Weatherford reported that Mr. Angel alleged Mr. Rouven performs illusions without the inventor’s permission. The Rouven camp denied those charges.
“I go out of my way to get people’s permission,” Mr. Weatherford quoted Mr. Angel as saying. “I deal with this on a much larger level than any of these people. … Do you think I would really need to do something like that?”
Fast forward to Robin Leach’s Strip Scribbles column one week later.
Continue reading “Magicians Criss Angel, Jan Rouven & Malloy Magic Point Fingers”
