Genii Speaks Richard Kaufman Contact us by calling 301-652-5800, e-mailing [email protected] or surfing our website at www.geniimagazine.com

OUR COVER THIS MONTH features returning trick critic Danny Orleans, Joe M. Turner, and one of the most creative young magicians I’ve the ever-eloquent Eric Mead. seen in decades: Arthur Trace. His stage act, which has won the I.B.M. Gold Medal, is origi- On the Road: The weather is fairly cool here in Las Vegas in nal, ingenious, and refreshing. It centers around late February, but the World Seminar has kept me an abstract painting, involves the manipulation inside the Orleans hotel pretty much from the moment I of cards and balls, and has a pretty funky jazz arrived and so the chilly nights have gone unnoticed. I did soundtrack in the background. tells manage to sneak out and, with Walter Graham, went to us all about Artie, then David Acer describes see Penn & Teller’s show at the Rio the other night. It was seven of Artie’s clever routines using ropes, cups and balls, a lot of fun and except for two or three pieces, complete- a paintbrush, and some very fine card magic. Arthur has ly different than the show I saw several years ago when placed video demonstrations of the tricks that appear in they came through Washington, D.C. Teller performed a Genii on his website at www.the-doppler-effect.com. • Ice remarkable version of “The Miser’s Dream” where he McDonald has been a fearsome force in the world of stage scooped small handfuls of water from a large clear aquari- magic and we’ve all seen the cool image he presents um and the water turned into coins, first one at a time and onstage—Paul Critelli takes us behind the performance then handful by handful. Charming and mysterious. persona on p.40. • At the Conference on Tonight the AOI Filmfest, magic’s first short film festival, Magic History in November, 2005, British psychologist will be presented, with Chris Kenner hosting and it looks to Richard Wiseman (co-author with Peter Lamont of Magic In be fabulous—whether I’ll get to see it is another story. Theory) lectured on the first magician ever recorded on a On Thursday I fly out of Las Vegas in the morning and, moving picture. It was not, as many believed, David after connecting through San Francisco, settle in for the Devant, but the French prestidigitator Raynaly, pre-1894, 10-hour plus flight to London. Having a laptop computer captured by Parisian photographer Georges Demeny makes these long flights a piece of cake. In addition to using a process known as chronophotography where the working on the May and June issues of Genii, I plan on images are captured on a strip. Professor Wiseman tells us spending a good deal of the long quiet hours working on all about how he made this remarkable discovery on p.34 Mr. Jennings Takes It Easy. This will be the first book that and then on p.37 we present the very first film of a magi- I’ve both published and written since taking over Genii in cian ever recorded so you can make a flip book from the January, 1999. Many people have asked repeatedly, since images and see the movie for yourself. Professor Wiseman the publication of Jennings ’67 in 1997, when the second has also placed a videoclip of the film on his website at volume of the Jennings trilogy would appear—this year, I www.psy.herts.ac.uk/wiseman/research/magic.html. • In hope. The scope of the book is enormous: between 300 the fall I had the pleasure of visiting Bangkok, Thailand, for and 400 pages, and it will revolutionize the basic way in the first time at the invitation of the Asian Magicians which many magicians handle a deck of cards. It’s exciting Association to perform and report on their second annu- that the project is finally nearing completion, yet bitter- al convention. With a pretty large turnout I could count sweet because Larry Jennings isn’t here to see it. In addi- no more than six Westerners, and that included Jonathan tion, Michael Albright is days away from completing the Neal Brown, Henry Evans, and me—and we were all per- layout of The Vernon Touch, a 700-page book that will col- forming and lecturing. I hear people in the lect all of ’s columns in Genii into one compre- complain constantly about how they always see the same hensive, fully-indexed work. In addition, hundreds of pho- people at convention after convention. Well, you’d shake tographs of The Professor, many previously unpublished, that malaise in a moment if you go to the next AMA con- adorn the pages. We’re going to start taking orders short- vention in Shenzhen, China, this coming fall. There was ly: keep an eye on the Genii website for a pre-publication superb magic to be seen in Thailand, most notably the special, and also watch for ads here next month. The female stage magicians from China, Thailand, Korea, and Vernon Touch will only be available directly from Genii. Japan. It was refreshing and greatly enjoyable. So, take a look at what we saw in Thailand on p.76 and when there’s We’ve been writing about the coming of e-book “readers” news about how to register for the 2006 AMA convention since the Millennium and Sony is about to take a step clos- in China we’ll be sure to let you know. • Speaking of er to making it a reality this month with the release of the China, was one of the pioneer Western per- new Sony Reader. Priced at $299 to $399 (depending upon formers to enter the “Bamboo Curtain” and, on p.26, he accessories), this little marvel weighs about half a pound continues the story of his unique adventure. • Finally, and is a half-inch thick. The six-inch screen is not backlit so we’re happy to bring you new pieces from two of our there is no flicker, and it uses new E-Ink Display Technology most popular columnists, Al Cohen and Paul Osborne, so the page reportedly looks exactly like paper. It holds and we have our usual fine reviews—this month from about 80 books and has a hefty battery life of “7,500 page

10 GENII Now Performing turns” on a single charge. One of things that makes the Sony THE LAS VEGAS Reader more user friendly than previous versions is that you MARCH 27 TO APRIL 2 Compiled by David Neubauer Close-Up Gallery (www.dnmagic.com) can download Microsoft Word documents and PDFs into it. Amazing Johnathan I’m telling you, folks, once the school systems start ordering Early: 7:00, 7:45, 8:30, 9:15 Etienne Pradier 10 pm, (Dark Thurs.), Sahara these things in bulk and downloading student’s textbooks Late: 10, 10:45,11:30, 12:00 Jason Bird onto them, the days of the printed book are numbered. The Shops in Desert Passage— The Parlour of Prestidigitation Aladdin. Main stage, near the “V” Early: 7:30, 8:45, 9:30 Theater, Thurs.-Mon. Various times Chris De Palma from 1:15 pm to 8:15, Free Late: 9:45, 11:15, 12 Buck Wild Dick Barry Nathan Burton (as a redneck Palace Of Mystery magician), 7 pm covered shows 8:30, 10, 11:15 Mon.-Wed. & Sat. 9 pm Topless Aye Jaye shows (Over 18), Sahara (Dark Fri.) Skilldini , Master Magician Losander 7 pm Tues.-Sat., APRIL 3 TO 9 10 pm Tues. & Sat., Monte Carlo Close-Up Gallery David Copperfield Early: Taiga Endo 7:30 & 10 pm, 4:30 Sat. & some Late: Flip Sun. MGM Grand. The Parlour of Prestidigitation March 30-April 12 ebster Early: Aaron Fisher Collin Foster—Quicker Than The Eye Late: B.J. Hickman 4 & 6 p.m. (Dark Mon.) Palace Of Mystery Comedy Zone, Plaza Kerry Pollock Tyas Frantz, Chris Karpiak Daniel Chan Beacher's Madhouse 10 pm,

Photo by Damon W Kenneth Havard Hard Rock APRIL 10 TO 16 Haunted Vegas Tour & Show The online moderator of The Genii Forum, Dustin Stinett, Close-Up Gallery Robert Allen & Jac Hayden & Tim decided to play “Make a Funny Caption” to a potentially Early: "The Torture King" Cridland ,9 pm Late: Daryl tour and show (Dark Wed.-Thurs.), humorous photo of himself and Jamy Swiss which Damon The Parlour of Prestidigitation Greek Isle Webster snapped at the Los Angeles Conference on Magic Early: Dave Cox Illusionary Magic of Rick Thomas History last November. Here’s the photo: Late: Kerry Pollock 2 & 4 pm, Stardust (Dark Wed.) The winning caption, provided by Craig Matsuoaka from Palace Of Mystery La Femme Hawaii, is: “No Jamy; I will NOT pull your finger.” Al Lampkin Stephan Vanel, 8, 10:30 pm Runners up included: Brian Gillis & Sue (Dark Tues.), MGM Grand “Look, buddy...there’s only enough room for one verbose Goldfinger & Dove Comedy Magic Show APRIL 17 TO 23 reviewer in this magazine!” (From Jim Maloney) 1 pm, 3 pm, (Dark Sun. & Mon.) Close-Up Gallery Harrah's Clint Holmes Theater “Wait a minute: You actually *watch* all those DVDs?!?” Early: David Stryker Penn & Teller (Anonymous) Late: R. Paul Wilson 9 pm, (Dark Tues.), Rio “What’s that on your shirt? GOTCHA!” (Anonymous) The Parlour of Prestidigitation V, The Ultimate Variety Show Early: Dennis Forel Jeff Hobson, Nathan and Sarah, For Fans of Ricky Jay, the following was posted on Ain’t it Late: Woody Pittman 7 pm and 9 pm, Aladdin Cool News: “I’ve come across an interesting project that the Palace Of Mystery World’s Greatest Magic Show amazing Ricky Jay is involved in. I’m a huge fan of his so I’m Joe Monti , Joseph Gabriel, Matthias Rauch always on the lookout. … Well, the project he’s in is called The Majestixs, Kozak. Derek Robert Jägerhorn Roberts, Billy Fergueson & Chris ESP Billy, and he plays some sort of hillbilly online psychic. I APRIL 24 TO 30 Randall (pre-show). April Guest think these movies are just for the internet, but I’m hoping Close-Up Gallery Stars: 1-23 Roy Shank (sub for they’re released on DVD sometime in the future. They’re pro- Early: Ralf Gagel Kevin James) & Ardan James, 24-30 Kevin James returns, Guest duced by the ad agency Fallon who put together the BMW Late: Timothy Shoesmith The Parlour of Prestidigitation Stars: Scott and Muriel 6 pm Sat. - Films series that John Frankenheimer, Ang Lee, Wong Kar Early: Thurs., 8:15 Fri., Greek Isle. Dec. Wai, Guy Ritchie, John Woo, Tony Scott, … They were all Late: Tom Ogden Xtreme Magic Starring Dirk Arthur directed by a new directing duo named Honest. … I think it’s Palace Of Mystery 2 and 4 pm, (Dark Fri.) hilarious to see Ricky playing this character, he even does a Paul Driscoll Tiffany Theatre, Tropicana ‘card trick’ as a wink to his fans. Right now you can only see Murray Restaurants the Pilot in Quicktime, the rest of them you have to watch in Tamaka & the Empress Eric Allan Outback Steakhouse, some weird Windows format, but I think they’ll be updating Magic Castle Information Those with guest cards, (Green Valley), Fri. & Sat. that soon.” Go to ESPbilly.com. In addition, Ricky has been and those who belong to Jayden LaCross nominated for a Helen Hayes award (the Washington D.C. the IBM or SAM, are TGI Fridays, Wed. & Sun. equivalent of a Tony award) for Best Actor in a Non-Resident admitted to The Magic Castle Production for his 2005 performance in Ricky Jay and his 52 with dinner reservations. Please call 323-851-3313 Assistants, while the production itself has also been nominat- for more information. ed for best play. The winner will be presented on Monday Updates to the performing evening, April 17, 2006. schedule can be found at GENII SPEAKS, continued on page 13 www.MagicCastle.com. APRIL 2006 11 home without it. Neither do I. Although it is a finessed the Joker lies. The deck is then ribbon-spread face up to elaboration of Kenton Knepper’s trick, it ably demonstrates reveal the location of the face-down Joker. Next, the magi- the potency of the underlying idea. (Bob Sheets beat me cian asks if the face-up cards on either side of the Joker are badly with his presentation of the original.) Other killer the selection. The spectator says “no.” He then asks the tricks are unceremoniously recorded, becoming like “mes- spectator if he sees his signed selection among the face- sages in bottles” to be fortuitously found by vigilant and up cards in the spread. Again, the spectator says “no.” The persistent explorers. Consider the following: If this effect selection has ostensibly disappeared! Finally, the face- were described as a dealer ad, it might read like this: The down Joker with the spectator’s signature is slid out of the magician shows a regular deck—no gimmicked cards, spread by the spectator and is turned over to reveal the duplicates, rough-and-smooth, strippers, or short cards. A signed selection? There are no switches or sleights. No card is freely chosen and signed by the spectator—no skill is required. forces. The selection is genuinely lost in the deck—no How much would you pay for this amazing feat? Believe sleights, controls or maneuvers. A Joker is tossed onto the it or not, this trick is in print and was developed by Dave table and signed on the back by the spectator. This Joker Solomon. Like the truth, it’s “out there.” is returned face up to the deck, which is then cut and legit- Onward … • imately shuffled. The magician really does not know where © Copyright 2006 by Jon Racherbaumer

GENII SPEAKS, continued from page 11 What Would Harbin Think?: toilet, a nose with green stuff running out of it, etc. The set For no good reason, I was of two paddles are adorned with more green stuff, so if in a comic-book store flip- your deepest desire has been to present “Jumping ping through the pages Boogies” then you’re in luck. And instead of “Peter Rabbit” of various issues (don’t ask sponges we get, again … “boogies.” And if you still me why—I don’t read comic haven’t had enough fun with the stuff, then you get two books, though I do have a white hankies, one clean and the other covered with green great appreciation and “boogies.” (Hard to guess, wasn’t it.) Now let’s move onto soft spot for Will Eisner’s the (literally) crappy tricks: you are given a miniature white The Spirit). In an issue of plastic toilet the size of a small Chop Cup. It has an Adventures of Superman insert/load chamber. Since you’re also given a small tub of (“646, Jan 06”) I came brown “slime” you can guess the trick. The titles of the across an ad for Juicy Fruit tricks are doggedly single-minded: “The Long Boogie,” Sours gum which pictures “Appearing Boogie,” “Boogie Up your Nose,” “Boogie in an insane geek magician your Pocket,” “Jumping Boogies,” and “Boogie Family.” performing a psychotic Did you know that “boogies” are just like version of “Zig-Zag.” Looks rabbits and reproduce when held in a like the assistant’s revenge small dark space? Oh—I forgot to tell to me! you about the plastic garbage can covered with green dripping slime Simon Lovell’s show Strange and Unusual Hobbies has cel- that is also a Phantom Tube ebrated its first anniversary and continues to run at The from which you can produce Soho Playhouse on Saturday nights at 8 p.m. It’s gotten soiled diapers. All this for great reviews and you can book tickets at www.sohoplay- almost $40—ain’t the 21st house.com. century grand?

Finally, I don’t know whether to laugh, cry, or just vomit (which would be the desired effect). Coming to a toy store near you, Gross Magic: Truly Revolting Magic, a magic set made by the folks at Hanky Panky. They’ve finally done something different after 40 years of producing the same boring trash, and they must’ve enlisted unimaginative eight-year-old boys to help. The front of the instruction booklet reads, “Offers you toilet magic that you can per- form in the living room.” They’re not kidding, either, as the photo of the kid pulling poop out of the gaffed plastic toi- let attests. If you want to do tricks with feces, “boogies,” vomit, and various other bits of bile then this is the magic set for you. The Color Vision box has a cardboard cube which displays mundane images like rotten teeth and an eyeball, then descends into a lump-o-poop, a poo-filled

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