Baseball Magic

It's that magical day each year when America's past time awakens from its winter slumber: Baseball returns.

I'm keeping up with my hometown team, the Detroit Tigers, but also with my new local favorite, the Chicago Cubs. Being a Northsider, I'm not allowed to root for the White Sox, or so they say.

But how could I incorporate baseball with magic? We do have one trick: All-Star Slugger. A playing card is selected and lost in the deck. A small packet of baseball cards are shown to be all different. After mixing the baseball cards the top one is seen to be a baseball player swinging a bat. The spectator inserts the baseball card anywhere in the deck. He is told that the baseball card will find his selection. The cards above and below the baseball card are checked and found not to be the selection. For a startling conclusion the baseball card is turned over to reveal that the player in the picture is now holding the selected card instead of his bat.

Now, there are countless other ways to incorporate baseball into a magic act. There is one young man whose name escapes me: he won either the IBM or SAM (maybe both?) with a baseball-themed act that included a baseball Zombie.

When I was living and performing around Lansing, Mich, I was approached by the local minor league team - the Lansing Lugnuts - to perform strolling magic during the baseball game. I first thought "Wow, aren't people trying to watch the game? Why have a magician?" But it turned out they had a large playground area, a picnic area, and of course, plenty of luxury suites that needed my entertaining prowess. It was a great gig, and a fun place to watch a ballgame.

Here's a little video I found on YouTube of FISM World Champion Jason Latimer performing some baseball magic for the White Sox JumboTron. I have no idea when he did this for them, but I'd say it's time to bring it back, if not to see more Jason Latimer.

A Sticky Situation

Remember all the fun arts and crafts you used to do as a kid? Making things with glitter, paper, glue and scissors was a great activity (and made a great mess). Whoever thought I'd get to have a job where I do arts and crafts in making prototypes of magic tricks?

Part of being the new guy at FUN means I'm still learning the ropes of just how tricks are produced. I'm working on the development of several different projects at the moment, but the one I spent most of today on involves creating templates for applying spray adhesive.

Using an Xacto knife and the hands of a surgeon, I lovingly handcrafted several templates to use. Then, I did a run of the project myself for about an hour - to learn what worked, what didn't work, and how we could change things to make for the most efficient project.

Thinking about magic in such a radically different way is challenging, but fun. Rather than trying to engineer a series of sleights to accomplish an effect, you're engineering a gimmick or gaff - then engineer how to make it.

What this experience has taught me is a little bit more about how to think inside, outside, and about the box, and to look at a situation from all the angles - not just the familiar ones.

Solomon's Thoughts on Thoughts Across

David Solomon is one of Chicago's most prominent card men, a student of Ed Marlo's and a creator of countless card ideas. His book, Solomon's Mind was released to great acclaim in the late 1990s. Earlier this year, FUN Inc. released Knaves Gone Wild, a fantastically-visual assembly effect of his devising. On Monday, March 24th, FUN released another spectacular effect of Solomon's: Thoughts Across. What follows is a brief conversation with the card master himself. Enjoy!



Fajuri: Describe a little bit about your inspriation for Thoughts Across.



Solomon: What I wanted to do was something that I saw Juan Tamariz do - a thought of card across effect. The effect was great, but he had to palm to accomplish it. And he then had to use gaffed cards in a way in which the person who he was performing for couldn't deal or handle the cards. I thought the effect was great, and I set out to replicate it, but without palming and where the spectator could count all the cards, and that's what we've accomplished with this effect.



F: How long did it take to come up with your routine?



S: It took about a year to come up with the handling, and the first set of cards for the trick was made by Gary Plants. The effect was then presented at Escorial. I showed Juan the cards and he immediately wanted a set. But to make a set that way cost $60! Now, to make a set for yourself for $60 isn't so bad, but I wanted Gary to make more, and he didn't want to make any more sets. Five years later, I teamed up with FUN to make it widely available."



F: Can you tell us a little bit more about how you devised the effect?



S: The method came from No Palm Cards Across came from my book Solomon's Mind, combined with the gaffed cards which allow two thought-of cards to travel from one packet to the other.



F: Can you offer handling tips for the effect to our readers, something that might not be on the DVD?



S: Even though the trick is performed on the table on the DVD, it can be performed in the hands, as well. This idea came from the Spanish magicians at Escorial. They thought the presentation should be more free, more open, and encouraged me to perform it in the hands.



I should also point out that I am able to do the trick repeatedly - four or five shows in a row. It resets easily, if you mark the backs of the cards. So, when performing it over and over for different groups you can get ready to go again very quickly. You can literally perform the effect table-to-table, though there is some deck-management required if you want to work it that way.

And don't forget about the bonus effects on the DVD. I'm excited to present my version of the Scarne trick, Switchcraft (called Double-Crossed Switchcraft) on the video. It's a clean and surprising version of the trick and uses a little-known subtlety, Marlo's Buffaloed in a very disarming way. I encourage everyone to check it out.

F: Can you talk a little bit more about your new book, The Wisdom of Solomon?



S: There are a number of tricks that surprise people when I perform them. You have to pay attention to understand what's happening. And by that, I mean, you have to take the cards in hand and really walk through the effect. In some books, it's hard to do that; there are so many tricks in them it's like The Encyclopedia of Card Tricks -- dense stuff. On the other hand, the tricks in my book are ones that have been put together over a ten year period and I don't think there's a bad one in the bunch. There's something new to them. It's not just a re-hash. I'm proud of the book and I'm proud of the two effects that I've released with Fun Inc. I just did the Knaves trick in Florida and the reaction was phenomenal. Like real magic! These are magicians and I had them oohing and ahhing like laymen. And Thoughts Across is a really, really strong trick that can be done for all audiences. And while I lean toward the method with sleight of hand, the method without sleight of hand, when done properly can be just as good.

Red Hot Prediction = RED HOT!

In the magic business, you never can tell when a new product is going to be a dud or if it's going to sell big. Some items I thought were awesome turned out to be poor sellers - and then there's the rare item that you know will be a big seller and it proves you right.

Cameron Francis' Red Hot Prediction has been flying off the shelves since we released it a few weeks ago. This easy-to-do effect was impressing magicians at the convention I attended a ways back, and keeps on going!

What could be simpler than this: two cards are touched from a face-up spread. Another card is freely named. Having explained a premonition you had prior to the performance, you show the two touched cards reveal the named card written on their backs!

Quick reset, excellent shop demo - what more could you ask for?

We're working right now on producing some more of these - we sold out already! Check with your local dealer to get one for yourself - before they're gone again!

Bits of business at the register...

With April fool's day around the corner, I'm sure class clowns and practical jokers of all ages will be heading over to their local magic/trick shop.

Most of our magic customers carry gag novelties. In fact, at the shop where I worked, practical jokes were always the bread and butter...along with ROYAL/beginner magic. The whopee cushions, hand buzzers, fake vomit, and dollar snatchers sold themselves. I can't even count the number of times where after a wonderful magic demo, the kid said,"how much is a fart whistle." Come to think of it, anything with the word "fart" usually sold well.

Just recently I spoke with a shop owner who told me they have a lot of fun with ICKLE PICKLE'S counterfeit detector. He leaves it at the register and waits for patrons to put their money in the quirky contraption. Basically, it's a chinsy looking gizmo with a sticker that says counterfeit detector. When the customer's place their bill in the contraption, it apparently shreds their bill.

I've tried this out and it is a VERY convincing illusion. The shop owner said the expressions on his customer's faces are priceless. Especially when he reaches into the machine and retrieves mounds of shredded money (which you can purchase at most hobby shops for next to nothing). Of course the bill is unharmed, but it's a nice little gag to play. The shredded money addition is an excellent little "touch". We've sold plenty of counterfeit detectors. Stock them high, watch them fly.

I also know a magic shop owner who surprises his customers by dropping a phony spider onto the backs of their hands. The spider is reeled down on a string from the ceiling. I've actually seen this happen. It was fun to watch them jump. Also, the customers usually seemed amused. The shop owner made sure to choose his victims wisely.

One of the perks of my job here at FUN is that I get to chat with shop owners. Many of my customers have wonderful senses of humor. My next blog is on April fools!

Thoughts Across now available!

A direct, devious handling of the classic Cards Across plot, Thoughts Across is brought to you by the devious mind of David Solomon.

Now available to dealers at www.funinc.com, Thoughts Across includes detailed DVD instructions and all the necessary cards, custom-printed by the U.S. Playing Card Company.

Check out my stellar performance:









Also, thanks to iTricks.com for explaining how I roll.















That really is how I roll.

New Stuff or Classics?

When I decided to get more serious with my magic, I made a conscious decision: I wanted to avoid all the flashy DVDs with finger-breaking cuts and flourishes, and concentrate on learning solid classic magic - effects that have withstood the test of time.

When I was entering this more serious phase, I was an attendee at a convention where Gazzo lectured. He uttered a phrase that has stuck with me ever since: "A classic is a classic for a reason."

Don't get me wrong; the flashy DVDs do have things to contribute. With so many of these DVDs coming out constantly, all the folks seem to want are the "newest" things. Whenever folks ask me what's new, I usually tell them "If you haven't seen it, it's new to you."

Case in point: At a recent convention, I found myself sessioning with a 14-year-old card magic enthusiast. He could do all the fancy cuts and moves - stuff I can't do. When I showed him Marlo's Estimation Aces routine, he was floored! That day, I sold him on buying a copy of Revolutionary Card Technique and on the power of the "old" classic texts. He promised me he'd put down the DVD remote and pick up the books.

Because a magic trick or book has been published for years and years, doesn't mean that it's old and stale - it means it's old but powerful. For the beginning magician wanting to impress his friends or the guys at the club, reading the "old" books and learning the "old" tricks is what will set you apart and open more opportunities for you in the magic world.

Have it Your Way

For the most part, Fun Inc. supplies retailers (magic shops, toy stores, novelty shops, websites) with a large line of merchandise. The Fun factory cranks out tricks and jokes and magic sets for these customers. At the core of that line are the Royal Magic tricks, sets, books and DVDs - staples that are suited for beginning and intermediate magicians.

But the Fun factory also produces custom-made and private label products: products that end up being sold under another brand name, by another company.

And Fun also manufactures tradeshow giveaways and advertising specialties: magic tricks and novelties that are used as giveaways and for promotional purposes at trade shows, fairs, in mass mailings, and elsewhere. Over the last 20+ years, since Fun started producing customized and imprinted products, it has filled orders for pharmaceutical companies, automakers, technology firms, and everything in between. Special orders have included runs of 100,000 Thumb Tip and Silk sets, millions of Three Card Monte sets (with custom logo cards), hundreds of thousands of magic sets (for Marshall Brodien, Lance Burton, Marvin's Magic, Paul Daniels, etc.). Virtually anything available in the Fun Inc. (Royal Magic) product line can be customized in one way or another.

From imprinting a company logo on an item to producing special packaging and instructions for more elaborate projects, it's all possible. In fact, on the shelves of one room on the second floor of the Fun Inc. factory, are myriad examples of projects the company has worked on.

In recent years, due to the company's capabilities as a silk-screen printer, it has manufactured thousands of gaffed cards for close-up magic tricks sold in magic shops world wide.

Do you have an idea for a product? Do you need a knowledgeable and experienced manufacturer (with a domestic factory!) to manufacture, package and warehouse a product for you. Look no further!

Closet Magicians

It may or may not surprise you, but there are dozens of famous movie stars, athletes, and politicians who are or once were magicians.

Many people know that Steve Martin got his start in show business as a magician. His recent autobiography, "Born Standing Up" gave his thoughts on why magic is great to to get on stage. Essentially, all you need to do is walk into a magic shop, buy a Svengali Deck, and boom! You're in show business.

Some other famous people who are lesser known as magicians might be folks like Orson Wells, Johnny Carson, or even a few contemporaries like Steve Valentine (recently seen on "House" and "Crossing Jordan) or one of my favorites, Harry Anderson. Neil Patrick Harris of "Doogie Howser" fame is a noted amateur; he's been spotted performing on Ellen and on The Food Network. And who could forget Jason Alexander (better known as George Costanza), the Magic Castle's reigning Parlor Magician of the Year?

Actors aren't the only profession amateur magicians may turn to. President George H. W. Bush was an avid enthusiast, frequently patronizing Al's Magic Shop in Washington D.C. during his term as Ronald Reagan's V.P. I also have it on good authority (that being the Congressional Research Service) former U.S. Representative Jed Bradley (R-NH) was an amateur magician at one time. I guess there's still hope for my future run for Congress. Politics and magic have a lot in common: misdirection, subterfuge, etc.

Several notable athletes are noted for their magic enthusiasm. Many folks know of Muhammad Ali's love of prestidigitation. The Greatest of All Time was a frequent attendee at the Abbott's Get-Together in Colon, Mich.

Another boxer, Wladimir Klitschko, is a great enthusiast of sleight-of-hand. Eric DeCamps frequently speaks highly of the giant Ukrainian's abilities. I even managed to score a YouTube video of Klitschko performing. Can anyone translate?

But the most surprising to me was when iTricks posted this video of O.J. Simpson doing a magic act. Despite the weirdness of pro footballer-turned-actor-turned-well, you know, this is actually a pretty decent magic act. There are simply too many jokes to choose from, so I can't pick one. Leave your favorite O.J. Simpson doing magic joke under the comments!

But now we are going to have Celebracadabra from VH1, where several esteemed members of our magic community (David Regal, Jeff McBride, and Max Maven to name a few) will train celebrities to do magic. I hope this show does well. With guys like Maven and McBride, I trust the magic will be treated with dignity.

Shameless self promotion

Just the other day a shop owner commented that he really enjoyed our Amazing Magic with Rope DVD. Don't be fooled. Yes, it's an inexpensive DVD, but the material is strong. There are many routines taught. Including a professor's nightmare and several cut & restored effects. In fact, I'm the magician on the DVD! Although my name is no where near the cover art, I AM the guy on there. Needless to say, I think I impressed him.

Actually, I am on 5 FUN Inc. instructional DVDS.
My first release was the Rope DVD, then FUN was interested in my Cardiologist Deck.

Ever see this trick? We've sold thousands. It's my favorite trick. Personally, I think of the Cardiologist Deck as an act and not a trick. You can do a whole 10 minute bit to this thing. I also developed many effects with David Goring's Exchange. We've sold thousands of these as well. The gimmick is super deviant. I always sell out of these in my lectures.

Oh, and many people recognize my name from the Geek Magic DVD. Yes, I was part of a side show troop. This DVD is fun to watch and the tricks are all workers. It's basically my act for sale.

I'm the magician on the McDonald's Aces DVD. I incorporated many different productions/moves to the famous card routine. The DVD is also fun to watch and there are plenty of fantastic sleights taught. Serious card nerds will love this release.

There you go. Five DVD releases in 3 years. Not sure how I found the time....probably magic!

Thoughts Across = March 24!

The newest mind-blower from David Solomon will be available from FUN Inc. starting Monday, March 24 - one week from today.

I was performing some previews of this effect on my last trip to the Abbott's Close-Up convention. I had many folks come up to me asking where they could purchase it.

Where do YOU want to perform?

I went out to a stand-up comedy club last night to see a very dirty comedian. Every other word was a swear word (of varying filth degrees), but the crowd was rolling. I started to think of why he put an act like this together and where it could play...

A few days previous I was visiting a local magic shop. When I entered, a customer at the counter had a long list of products one of his friends recommended. When I asked him what sort of audience he wanted to have and where he would perform, he explained he just liked doing a few party tricks for his adult friends.

When the owner and I made several suggestions to him of small pocket tricks and books he would find useful, he insisted on getting a rather large drawer box and a set of multiplying balls. Basically, he went against our well-reasoned (and requested!) advice to buy items that would NOT be easily carried in the pocket and that would NOT be good to play in a bar or party.

When you go about choosing what effects to learn from thousands that are out there, what do you take into consideration?

Personally, I want my act to pack flat/play big, have room for improvisation, jokes, clean comedy, and be visual enough to play to a large crowd. I like to be able to walk into a stage/parlor gig with a single briefcase and nothing else. Stringent though my requirements are, I think I've done well sticking to it.

Are you looking to entertain friends and family at a party? What about your friends at school and on the playground? A quick trick over lunch in the breakroom? What about your first professional gig at a children's party or a restaurant?

For those starting out in magic, my advice is to be careful not to bite off more than you can chew. Like bodybuilding, you have to lift lighter weights before you can lift heavier ones. Make sure to seek out the advice of a local magician, be it at the shop or your local club. They can steer you to what's best for you, and when you're ready to move on to more advanced things, they can help you there, too.

In the Public Eye

Yes, Fun is stocking a lot of new products. Yes, many of them are books, and magic books are near and dear to my heart.

But I'm not going to talk about magic books today. No, I'm going to talk about magic in a magazine.

The current issue of The New Yorker, the stalwart of the Conde Nast stable of publications, features a lengthy article by Adam Gopnik about the current state of the magical arts. The piece is entitled "The Real Work" and heavily features the magic scene in New York City, and specifically Gopnik's friend, Jamy Ian Swiss.

This morning, I listened to an interview with Gopnik and Swiss on NPR (check it out here). It raises several interesting points about the public perception of magic, why men are attracted to magic more often than women (as performers, not as spectators), and more.

My plan for the evening - other than going to see Otto & George at a comedy club here in Chicago - is to stop by a bookstore on my way home to pick up a copy of the magazine and see what all the buzz is about. The last time The New Yorker ran a lengthy piece on magic, it was penned by Mark Singer, and painted an illuminating, if flattering portrait of Ricky Jay. This is the story that made many, many magicians fall in love with Jay's brand of magic, and stare agog at the pages of the magazine wondering how the hell he does what he does with a deck of cards. You can read this piece by clicking here: http://www.rickyjay.com/newyorker.htm.

TONS of new stuff!

Apologies for the lateness of my post, but I have been so busy today adding in new items to the website and filming a new demo vid, that time just got away from me.

We have several new products: DVDs from the Greater Magic Video Library on Paul Daniels, Juan Tamariz, Dr. Hiroshi Sawa and Bro. John Hamman.

Here's a quirky pair of items: Balanced allows you to stand a quarter, nickel, and dime on edge. Your spectators can even examine the coins! We also have Nickel to Nickel; the same effect except with only two nickels.

Also just in, David Solomon's book Wisdom of Solomon. David had been selling this exclusively through his own website, and just recently decided to let us carry it as well. If you don't know David, you probably know him through Knaves Gone Wild and the soon-to-be-released Thoughts Across. Pick up this book quick!

You probably have been reading about the release of Kirk Charles' Bolted Aces - well now you can see it too! Yes, I'm proud to say those are my hands. Enjoy!

Hello Friends of FUN

Fun Incorporated has had a star-studded couple of months! Not only do we have the exclusive on John Bannon's new masterpiece, we just released Kirk Charles' Bolted Aces. This trick is super easy to do. In fact, there are ZERO "moves". Kirk is responsible for FUN’s release of Hidden in Plain Sight.

Cameron Francis is definitely a name to look out for! He’s been releasing plenty of products to the magic fraternity lately. FUN collaborated with Cameron to release his Red Hot Prediction. Another simple, hard-hitting, card effect. You’ll wish you thought of this one! There’s only 1 simple “move”.

Earlier this year, FUN released Dave Solomon’s Knaves Gone Wild. To me, this is the BEST CARD TRICK I’VE SEEN IN YEARS. Oh, and FUN also is having great success with top mentalist Ross Johnson’s Simply Psychic. Have you seen the reviews?

FUN has also worked with Joshua Jay and his Split Decision, Bill Goldman’s Mental Yarn and plenty of effects with Dan Harlan.

We are proud to collaborate so many great magic minds. Make sure to ask your local dealer about great magic from FUN!

RED HOT PREDICTION now available!

Yes, it's finally here: Cameron Francis' Red Hot Prediction is available at long last!

I had a great time performing this one at the recent Abbott's Close-Up convention, and a lot of the attendees were excited to get their hands on one.

Spreading a blue deck face up between your hands, you ask your spectator to name any two cards she sees. Placing those cards on the table, you ask her to name any other card (by free choice). Say she names the Ten of Hearts.

You explain that the other day you removed two cards from a red deck and wrote on their backs. The first two selected cards are turned over to reveal a 10 drawn on the back of one card, and a Heart shape on the other!

It works with any card, and requires almost no sleight-of-hand. There's only ONE "move" in the whole thing, and it's a really really easy one.

Also, I'm proud to say that this represents my demo video debut for FUN Inc. I hope I don't sound too nasal...

Fun Magic Weekend

I had a great time at the Abbott's Close-Up Convention this past weekend. I was introduced to some lecturers I had not seen before, and learned a lot. I think I may have seen enough card tricks to last me for the rest of my life!

Gabe was also there, so we took a little time out at post-convention party to film some demo videos for Cameron Francis' Red Hot Prediction and for David Solomon's upcoming release, Thoughts Across. For Thoughts Across, I don't want to give too much away, but let's just say we had folks at the convention clamoring to buy one, even though it hasn't been released yet!

My favorite part of attending any convention is the time we get to just visit with each other, show each other some new tricks, and even get feedback on routines from magician we respect and admire. Having been a participant in the Michigan magic convention circuit for some time now, I always look forward to seeing the many friends I've made at these conventions.

I also had the opportunity to do a show while I was visiting my folks in Detroit. It was a charity gig, 2 hours of strolling and close-up magic. When I could, I performed The Royal Scam for the lay people, to see their reaction. Let me tell you, it was every bit as great as the magicians I had showed it to at the convention! Pick one up from your favorite dealer today!

Random magic tidbits

After Gabe's rather non-sequitor post yesterday, here are a few random magic-related tidbits I've been collecting:

- How many of you saw the rerun of "Dinner: Impossible" that featured Chef Robert Irvine cooking for the Magic LIVE convention? It was nifty to see them make "illusion food," or food that wasn't what it looked like. It was also nice to see a few names like Max Maven and Marvin Roy commenting on the meal. If you watch close, you can catch glimpses of Jeff Hobson and Bill Malone, two of my personal favorite magicians.

But, according to a story first reported in a Florida newspaper, Chef Robert fabricated parts of his resume, and so the Food Network is canceling his show over the controversy. The Chef claimed he cooked (chefed?) for the British Royal Family and a few U.S. Presidents here and there. I guess it was a deceiver cooking for a deceiver convention...

- Speaking of the Royal Family, I have no idea where this stuff really comes from (oh wait, it's from my Google Alert), but according to GuruBlog, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (yes, the Queen of England) fancies a career in the performing and conjuring arts once her son takes over the throne.

Let's hope it's not a Royal Scam the Queen is pulling ("Her Maj" to her friends), nor is it a Royal Fantasy. If Her Maj is going to start working up a magic act, she should take the Royal Road to Card Magic and not become Wandering Royalty.

Oh mercy... that's about all the puns I have strength for today. See you on Monday!

FUN Friday!

No, not just because I work at FUN Inc. This afternoon I depart the Windy City for good ol' Colon, Michigan. Abbott's Magic Company is hosting its annual Close-Up Convention, and fellow blogger Gabe Fajuri will also be attending. The convention is only a fraction the size of the August Get-Together, but there's also so much fun to be had. The small size of this convention gives each participant a very personal experience... plus, some magic bigwigs like to show up, like FISM Grand Prix Champ Rick Merrill. I've got a story about Rick and the Close-Up Convention that I think I'll share another time...

We've been getting a major influx of new products this week, and the stuff keeps rolling in. Between Pleasant Nightmares and Subtle Card Creations, we're also releasing Kirk Charles' Bolted Aces starting today, and we've got Cameron Francis' Red Hot Prediction coming out next week.

We've also got Part II of the Fractal Card Magic trilogy on the way, as well as a mind-blowing effect from David Solomon. Stay tuned.

Books, Books, Books!

I'm a huge book nerd, especially for books on card magic. The new Nick Trost book, Subtle Card Creations Vol. 1, looks chock-FULL of clever stuff to impress your friends. Personally, I've always been a fan of Nick's 8 Card Brainwave effect. Please don't call me this weekend, I'll be studying.

Oh, and have you seen the new Bill Neff book from the S.S. Adams Company? Holy cow, it's awesome! Seriously, get some copies fast before it's out of print. I couldn't even imagine all the hard work it took to compile all the wonderful pictures and newspaper clippings. A must for magic collectors.

David Solomon's new book The Wisdom of Solomon will be available soon. Dave's new material is fantastic. I've been fortunate to session with him; he's a card magic machine!
He just keeps going! Best of all, they're all his original tricks. How on earth does he think of this stuff?

All the routines are top shelf, so get this book if you want to fry brains. So far I've been performing "Just Friends" (the first trick in the book) a lot. It looks like sleight of hand, but totally self-working. In fact, while first learning the routine, I fooled myself! I could see Michael Ammar putting this on an Easy To Master Card Miracles release. Again, how does he think of this stuff?!?!?

True, reading is like kryptonite to most, but demo this trick and people will be THROWING THEIR MONEY ON THE COUNTER to read the secret. Other recommended routines are "Oh Henry Jazz Aces" and the "Which Switch," which is a "worker".

FUN carries a nice line of books. In my next post I will expand on some forgotten goodie titles.

Oh, and how are my blogs? Is their any particular magical products/FUN Incorporated topics you'd like for us to expand on? We'd love to hear from you!

Ten Magical Thoughts

It's not for lack of trying - I promise. And I really shouldn't have trouble coming up with a subject for this week's post, considering that I skipped last week's entry. Even so, after considerable contemplation, I was unable to come up with a complete topic. Instead, I've opted for the easy way out: a list of ten magic-related ideas. Here goes:

1. I recently heard a wonderful magic-related quote, the source of which I have forgotten. It goes something like this: "Anything can be believed but the need for illusion is deep."

2. The new Bill Neff book is worth a look. It's chock-full of photos of magic tricks, and talks about the life of a little-known magician who made a big impression on American audiences with a spook show, was featured in comic books, and a boyhood friend to Jimmy Stewart (who he performed magic with for a time). It's also full of pictures of scantily-clad babes. Neff once appeared in Rogue magazine (if I'm not mistaken) performing a number of illusions.

3. Magic conventions can be a lot of fun. This weekend, I'll be attending (along with co-blogger John Sturk) Abbott's Close-Up convention in Colon, Michigan.

4. It's easy to forget about tricks you used to sell in your shop. Why is it that no one demonstrates the Pop-Eyed Popper deck anymore? I was recently badly fooled by one of these decks.

5. David Solomon has a lot of Widsom to share. Next week, we'll receive his new book, The Wisdom of Solomon. I'm looking forward to its arrival.

6. John Carney is coming to Chicago. He'll be performing his one-man show Carney's Wonders on May 2nd, for one night only. To complete this shamelss plug, visit www.squashpublishing.com for more details.

7. The great mechanical magician Joseffy tried to use the brakes on his car as infrequently as possible, prefering to coast to a stop whenever he could.

8. Ted Annemann used the following stunt to create a lasting impression. He carried a bag of ice in his coat pocket. Before shaking hands, Annemann would press his hand firmly against the bag. That way, when introduced to someone, they'd feel a chill in Annemann's hand.

9. While I am able to think of ten important magic books that I would recommend to anyone starting a serious magic library, I can think of no single DVD that I think an essential learning tool.

10. If someone says "do a trick" and you're not able to with the items at hand, you're not much of a magician, are you? Or are you? Is this a double-standard, as far as the performing arts are concerned? When you meet a violinist, do you instantly ask him to play you an etude? When you meet a ballerina, do you ask her to pirhouette for you? I'm just sayin'...

Lecture Ettiquette

I'm pleased to report that my lecture was well received. I heard positive feedback from many of the attendees. One man in particular said he appreciated the energy with which I performed.

However, there were a few hiccups during the lecture, although not necessarily my fault. It was certainly a different experience for me, to be giving a lecture instead of watching one. So here are a few simple lecture faux pas that you should try to avoid.

1) Be polite to the lecturer, even if you know them well, and especially if you don't.
I know that friends like to razz one another while performing, especially in a magician-friendly setting like a lecture, but it is rather disturbing to the lecturer and others if you try to interrupt with a joke or quip. A lecture is no place to start a heckling battle, with your buddy, no matter how funny you think it might be.

What's worse than friends heckling each other, is a complete stranger. The lecturer has gone through a lot of trouble to put together his presentation. All they really want is a polite audience to present it to.

2) Minimize disturbances.
Turn off your friggin' cell phone. If you have to take the call, make your way out of the room, so as not to disturb others. Or else, face the ire of the lecturer and other attendees.

3) Bring a notebook.
It's always a good idea to take notes. Something brilliant might be said in response to a question that's not in the lecture notes. Besides, you'd never attend a lecture in school without taking notes, would you?

4) Buy the lecture notes.
I'm not just saying it to sell my own stuff. But you have to remember that when magicians are asked to lecture or work a convention, they are working for significantly less than their normal fee. Purchasing their product gives them a chance to recoup some of their usual fees, as well as giving you a memento of your lecture experience.

FUN Inc's new website!

Yes, the new website is finally here!

Naturally, there are tweaks to be made through feedback from our users, but we are very excited to present what we hope will be a site that's easier to navigate and more pleasing to the eye.

So please, take a click around, and let us know what you think!

Follow the link: www.funinc.com

Preparing a Lecture

I like to think of myself as a knowledgeable magician, but my performances usually contain magic classics that every magician already knows (if not performs), like Egg Bag, Linking Rings, and Cups and Balls.

So I was very surprised when the Wizards' Club of Chicago asked me to lecture. The membership is composed mainly of seasoned magicians who have been in the business longer than I've been alive. So I asked myself "What could I possibly teach them that they don't already know?"

Rather then trying to come up with half-baked ideas in the month I had to prepare, I decided to stick with what I knew. I wrote up my lecture notes that contain many of these classics, along with citing some of the best sources I've found in learning them.

This lecture is far different than my first. My local IBM Ring in Lansing, Mich. asked me to lecture. I knew at the time I was far from ready. I considered myself (and still do) to be of intermediate skill. The difference now is the vast amount of performing experience I accumulated since that first lecture in 2005.

That experience is what gives me the appropriate background to share my thoughts and opinions, and to know what works for me may not work for anyone else.

If you are planning on putting together a lecture or release a new product or routine, always make sure it has been thoroughly tested in front of the real world audience to work out all the bugs. Releasing something that is half-baked does a disservice to yourself and your consumer.

Here at FUN Inc, our staff of expert magicians looks at new items from every angle, not just if the trick "works" or not. We ask questions like "What sort of magician might like this? How is the reset? Are the instructions clear? What performing situation would this effect be best for?" along with many others. Rest assured, we don't sell it unless we're sure about it!

In my next post, I'll let you know how my lecture went!