R-H-P is H-O-T!

It's being called one of the best tricks to hit the market in recent times. A sleeper hit. An under-the-radar smash.

Cameron Francis' Red Hot Prediction continues to gain steam in the magic world. Recently, I found myself demonstrating behind the counter at a well known Chicago magic shop. The gentleman I was talking with described his performance style and stituation, so I demonstrated RHP. The gentleman bought it on the spot!

As I was performing, the store's manager was watching from afar. "Why haven't I been doing that one?" he exclaimed. "If I had taken the time to learn it, I would've sold dozens of 'em by now!"

The best part - it takes only moments to learn. Magic shop owners and demonstrators have to learn a lot of magic, with precious little time available to them. RHP is a surefire hit, everytime, and takes only moments to learn.

Just take a look at this thread on the Magic Cafe!

Add this one to your display case before we run out.

Magic Dealers of the World: UNITE!

Despite the collapse of all civilization amid a global financial meltdown, we at FUN have been working diligently to serve the magic world with the same high standard of service as always.

Our focus of late has been to expand our global network. One of my first ideas when I started at the company was to monitor magic news globally via a Google News alert. It has been helpful many times, but none quite so much as when an item ran across my desk about a new magic shop in Guam.

Guam, the tiny unincorporated U.S. territory in the South Pacific, is about three times the size of Washington, DC. A hotspot for tourists, the island now has its own magic shop, The Trick Stop, catering to the local population of 160,000 and to the thousands of tourists that pass through each year.

It is shops like these that keep magic alive all over the world. If you know of a small shop in your corner of the globe, let us know about it! I don't want to rely on Google News alerts for everything!

What Happened to the Magic Box?

Last week (or was it two weeks ago?), David Blaine's latest television special hit the airwaves. The Dive of Death landed with a resounding "thud" in many an American household.

Ten years ago, I would have been glued to my TV set on the night of the broadcast. Blaine-mania and magic-on-tv-mania had what I took to be a stranglehold on the magic community in general. Every magician I interacted with seemed set on watching whatever magic appeared on TV. It was as if watching magic on TV had become part of every magician's job description, be he an amateur or professional. Magic shops used to report waves of phone calls on the days following a major TV magic special. Is that still the case, still the trend? I'm not so sure.

It now seems that fewer members of the magic community are as dedicated to tuning in on broadcast night than before? Is this simply a matter of personal perspective (since I don't watch them anymore, that doesn't necessarily mean that no one watches them anymore), or does it have something to do with the way entertainment is being consumed these days? Or worse yet, is the culprit of my suspicion directly related to a general disinterest in magic on TV in general?

It seems that the second supposition above - the good 'ol Internet's effect on broadcast media - is the most likely answer. While I didn't see Blaine's special on ABC-TV, I did check out the disappointing finale and the part where Big, Bad Bill Kalush shoots Blaine in the mouth (for real) on YouTube. And guess what? If more of the special were available on YouTube, I'd probably watch those clips, too.

So, dear readers, is there a general malaise out there in TV-magicland, is streaming video killing off TV (as I recently heard reported on NPR), or is there some other impetus for my possibly incorrect hypothesis that magic on TV just ain't the all-consuming magic community rallying point that it used to be?

Customer Service Friendly TOMAS!

One of the many perks of working for FUN is that I get to chat with just about every magic store owner in the world! Fortunately for them, I KNOW MAGIC LIKE A NERD. I get asked plenty of questions in regards to products and magic in general.

I am very familiar with not only our line, but with all the products we distribute. I know what they do, how they work, who makes them, and which are better than others. I've even coached tricks to shop owners via telephone! If, for whatever reason I am stumped, then my co-workers will have an answer for sure!

Why am I telling you this? Many customers have complained to me that other wholesalers aren't too familiar with their product. Product that most would consider "basic", like thumb tips or Svengali decks! Not at FUN! We all know our stuff. Please feel free to call me with any comments, questions, or even suggestions. I am always here to help!

FunInc.com Improvements

It took a long time, but I finally finished a pet project of mine: to categorize every single one of the 2,100 items listed on FunInc.com. If you visit the site, you can click on "Magic Tricks, etc." under Wholesale magic to see the various categories.

Along with Gabe, he and I combed through every single item individually to update descriptions, images, and categories. It was a tedious job, but one we knew our customers wanted and appreciated.

We have been experiencing some server issues lately. Our ISP is working on that, and things seems to be moving faster than the molasses-like crawl we had last week. Rest assured, you can always contact the FUN team at 1-877-4-FUN-INC to speak to a real live person. Often it seems the art of interpersonal communication gets lost, but I know that Tomas and I both love interacting with our customers. We only wish we could teleport ourselves to your shop in order to demo products live! Sadly, the technology is too far away.

I really think this internet is going to take off...

As Exposed on TV!

For those of you who missed the newest reincarnation of our old friend, The Masked Magician, MyNetwork TV last night premiered the first in a new series of specials continuing the Breaking the Magician's Code series. Personally, I was watching the vice-presidential debates, but I recorded the special for later consumption.

As was expected, he gave away methods to mostly large illusions, but I was surprised to find quite a few close-up effects were exposed as well.

In one of the close-up segments, MM tipped a method for floating an aluminum soda can via a thumbtip and suction cup: FUN Incorporated's own Universal Floating Gimmick!

Despite the outrage that I should feel, I am mostly amused at the decision to expose the Floating Gimmick. If anything, my hope is that magic shops around the country will experience a demand for Floating Gimmicks rather than DeKolta chairs or the old Vanishing String Quartet trick.

Which, going back to Valentino's speech, is exactly what he wants. He wanted to generate more interest in magic, and I think it's fair to say he has. Despite the last several specials, this series hasn't hurt magic - it certainly gives a point of conversation when I introduce myself as a magician. I will use whatever I can use to build a rapport with my audience.

To be honest, this is not the first time MM has exposed a FUN Incorporated product. Take a look at what he's done with our venerable Magic Coloring Book.

Propless Wonders

Last night I had the opportunity to see a rare public performance by Ross Johnson, one of America's premier psychic entertainers and star of Fun Inc.'s Simply Psychic DVD. Ross' show relies on his theatrical ability to entertain rather than flashy props. It's a study in simplicity, an economy of motion.

Aside from Simply Psychic, here's some other resources you can look to for minimum props, maximum entertainment:

Twisting Arm Illusion DVD: This is an impromptu routine, which is easy to do and uses absolutely no props. The magician asks a spectator to copy his actions. Both place their hands palm down on the table and begin turning them in a clockwise direction. The spectator turns his hand part way, while the magician turns his hand in a full circle one and a half times!

Pen Sation: This has been a very popular item, and it's lean toward the impromptu is part of its success. Divine a thought of number, word, or symbol. Even though you had your back turned, you are instantly able to name the original thought! An outstanding utility tool for mentalists. Great for Living and Dead tests!

The Piatt Envelope: This is one of the most devious and ordinary looking props a magician and mentalist can use. The concept of multiple outs is a powerful weapon when used in a mental effect. Books have been written on the subject and hundreds of props have been invented to produce the desired results. The Piatt Envelope is among the best and fairest methods ever invented for this purpose.