Magic News Network

Erik Mana Breaks the Magician Mold

Magicians do come in many flavors but we're all basically the same.  We can change our clothes -- we get a new shirt every ten shows -- but it doesn't change our approach to the art.

Erik Mana wants to change all of that.

Erik Mana's introduction on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/erikmana) starts out with a grabber - literally:

Long time ago, a wise man once told me "...pat your hand near his crotch, then pull it out!!"

I later realized that he was referring to how to lift a man's wallet from his back pocket whilst applying the necessary distraction. Since then,

I've been picking pockets, stealing watches and lifting jewelry like a bad habit, but then again - that's my job."

We've written about Mr. Mana on other web sites and found his fans to be the most loyal and enthusiastic of any of our subjects. 

Free Magic Download from Nate Kranzo

Only thing better than magic is FREE MAGIC!  If it's free, give us three!

We like anything for free and we like anything magic but most of the time we don't like the free magic we can download from the internet(s).

Unfortunately, the magic trick offered is either horrible, or stolen from someone else.  Some are even both stolen and horrible.

If we had the talent or the imagination, we could be better than Nathan "Nate" Kranzo.

But we don't even have the talent to imagine what we would be like if we had his talent and imagination. Moreover, we have no energy – at least not in comparison to Mr. Kranzo.

Mr. Kranzo updates his site constantly. And it's updated with material you might actually want to read, download, or buy.

Unlike that dry spell that hit Quinlan's Inside Magic in the late-1940s and we just updated our site with jokes we stole from the Dixie Cup Company.

Mac King Extends Run in Vegas

We heard some great news from Quinlan's Inside Magic favorite Mac King.  He sent word Harrah's has extended "The Mac King Comedy Magic Show" for five more years. 

The show has been popular with all demographics -- appealing to families and traditional Vegas visitors -- and it makes sense Harrah's would want to keep the unique draw right where it is -- center-Strip.

If you haven't seen Mr. King's great show, you have a little more time to do it.  If you've seen Mr. King's work, you can now plan to see it again.

Mr. King's "Comedy Magic Show" combines his unique comedy style with some outstanding magic like no other show we've seen.  We have no idea how he keeps it so fresh -- he's been entertaining guests at Harrah's since 2000.

Magic is to Be Enjoyed not Solved - Anslem Roy Speaks

Magic, unlike tap-dancing or classical guitar, either impresses and entertains, or stumps and irritates its audience. 

No one tries to learn the secret behind River Dance.  We don't even try to find out if the dancers are really from Ireland or if they've ever danced in any body of water.

We like magic a lot.  We like it so much it hurts sometimes but sometimes it feels real good and we forget the pain and ignore the rash. 

The Malaysian Star teases but doesn't expose in its recent article "Tricks of the Trade."

The article is written from the perspective of a magic-lover rather than a hardened, cynical defender of all things destructive and nihilistic. So from that perspective it's good.

Good stuff, this magic act. The enigmatic art casually mocks our senses and teases our logic. Some are so taken in they think it’s the devil’s handiwork. Reading minds, making famous structures disappear before your eyes, levitating – these are things the mind just can’t rationalise.

So what is magic?

“It’s all about illusions. There’s no supernatural stuff!” insists Anslem Roy, Malaysia’s top illusionist and president of the International Magicians Society Malaysian Chapter .

“It’s more difficult to create an illusion for a child than an adult,” he adds, noting that kids have less assumptions and preconditioning. “Among others there’s a lot of psychology involved in magic.”

Magician Charged with Sex with Child - Attempts Suicide with Dentures in Court

The Boston Herald reports the odd and sad story of kid show magician Mark Morton.

Mr. Morton is charged with sexually assaulting a young girl between June 1997 and August 1999.  The victim was six or seven at the time of the assault but recently went to the police to report the offenses.

Mr. Morton was also arraigned on similar charges for sexual assault four times between January 1997 and September 1998.

During a hearing last Thursday, Mr. Morton used his false teeth to slit his arms after pleading "not guilty" to the most recent charges. 

Mr. Morton's defense counsel told reporters "his client was overwhelmed by the charges against him and also suffers from a mental condition. 

'I think the combination of his mental state and the new charges was more than he could handle,' the attorney said.  'I also don't think that his mental health has anything to do with his case it doesn't prove him guilty.'"

More FISM News - Farquhar Does Canada Proud

Seconds ago, we broke the news from Nate Kranzo that outstanding Rick Merrill of Michigan picked-up the FISM Grand Prix Award in Close-Up, Second Place for Comedy, and a Special Award from the Swedish Magic Circle.

More news is filtering into the smoke-filled and otherwise cramped space of Quinlan's Inside Magic's world-wide editorial office. 

Pilou received First-Place honors for the Stage Grand Prix competition as well as a special honor from the Swedish Magic Circle. 

Michigan Magician Rick Merrill Wins FISM

We just heard from Nate Kranzo:

Just wanted to announce to all my friends that my buddy Rick Merrill is the new FISM Grand Prix Winner for Close-Up!!

"Rick Merrill from the United States won the Grand Prix for Close-Up Magic, also a second prize for Comedy, and also a special trophy from the Swedish Magic Circle."

Congratulations Rick!

Way to represent Michigan and the United States!

Matilda the Magic Chicken and SEAM Celebrated this Weekend

Mort the Mystifying lost his long-time partner, Matilda, in February of this year. 

Matilda was more than a partner and guest on the Jay Leno Show. She was more than the World's Oldest Chicken. She was an essential part of Mort the Mystifying and Donna show. 

The Judge Arnold Drennen Ring No. 35 will hold a Broken Perch Ceremony to pay tribute to her contribution to her adopted family as well as the greater magic community.

Ring Member Bob Sanders told reporters of the Birmingham News how magicians differ from heathen professions or backward civilizations. "In other cultures, you might throw a shovel of dirt in the grave or crumble a flower and throw it in the grave. What magicians do is break a wand and give it to the family."

Trevor Lewis to US: Rare Experience to Learn from the Medium of the Well-Done

We love hearing from Sammy Smith.  We'd love to learn how he can work so hard, for so long and still be pleasant but his secret is safe with us -- and he probably wouldn't tell anyway.

Mr. Smith of a great event set for August 25th.

Trevor Lewis, like Mr. Smith, has invented effects you probably use in your act already. 

Mr. Lewis is the author of Party Pieces, More Party Pieces, Still More Party Pieces, Further Party Pieces, Favorite Party Pieces, and Final Party Pieces. 

Arthur Trace - Too Good For Words for FISM Reporter

Sometimes the story is just too much fun and makes it too hard to work.  We think that's what happened to the Associated Press reporter assigned to cover FISM.

We smell boondoggle and not the new body wash for men from Old Spice; "Rough and Ready for Fun and Frolic on the Man's Dime" is the slogan of that boondoggle.

The boondoggle we smell wafts over us from a high-flying jet carrying a writer over to Stockholm, Sweden (that's Europe) to attend the FISM conclave.

FISM boasts 2,000 or more magicians are in attendance and have traveled from around the world. 

Why?