* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand e-zine * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #134 Date: Sunday 8th September 2002 Editor: Alan Watson www.magician.co.nz www.alan-watson.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor’s Message 2. Jay Marshall Roast 3. Magic Magazines - "Master Checklist" 4. British Ring Website 5. The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon 6. David Copperfield's PROJECT MAGIC Convention/Workshop 7. Alice Cohen Passed Away 8. Broken Hill Shopping Centre 9. Sorry To Hear About Brian Flora! 10. Vito Lupo - Wizardz, Los Angeles 11. Henk Van Zon Is Closing 12. Children Entertainers 13. Loren Christopher Michaels - Profile 14. 20 Questions With Loren Christopher Michaels 15. martinka.com Auction Will Run Sept. 16-22 16. Magic TV Airs On Three Channels 17. Tom Orchante Said In His Last Segment: 18. The Orchante Saga #122 19. Magic New Zealand e-zine archives 20. Subscription Management ------------------------------------ 1. Editor's Message ------------------------------------- Message from Alan Watson - The Magic One We now have 5000+ subscribers to the Magic New Zealand spread over 64 different countries and it is growing on a daily basis. The software that is being used to generate and send the e-zine is now stable. If you enjoy reading the Magic New Zealand e-zine please forward it onto a friend so that they can subscribe. If the present rate of growth of the e-zine is of any indication we should double in size over the next two years. ----------------------------------------------- Good to catch up with Phil Cass who flew into Auckland to perform a one off corporate show at the Aotea Centre tonight. ----------------------------------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com ---------------------------------- 2. Jay Marshall Roast ---------------------------------- Message from Sid Mayer (US) Jay Marshall, internationally famous humorist, magician and actor, will be basted and barbecued as the victim of a celebrity roast on Monday, November 18, 2002. Appearing on the growing list of roasters will be Michael Finney, Johnny Thompson, Aye Jaye, Penn Jillette, Max Maven and other notables. There will also be a very special tribute by David Copperfield. The Three Sheeters; a 38 year old entertainers club, are producing the Roast at the White Eagle Banquet Hall in the Chicago suburb of Niles, Illinois. Tickets are $50 in advance and, if there are any left, $75 at the door. A full course dinner with choice of entrees is included in the ticket price. All net proceeds will be donated to charity. This is a once in a lifetime event. For tickets contact Ralph Carnevale (Phone: 847-296-6163; e- mail: carnevale2@juno.com) or Chuck Gruberman (Phone: 708-798-2111; e-mail: chmagik@aol.com). --------------------------------- 3. Magic Magazines - "Master Checklist" ---------------------------------- Message from Fr Stephen Fernandes (AIMC) I am in the process of considering the possibility of compiling a "Master Checklist" of foreign language (non-English) conjuring periodicals. If any reader has knowledge of any such Title, I'd appreciate a quick e-mail to check that against my preliminary listing. Also, I do have thousands of duplicate magazines (English language...) to trade if any reader is interested and am always in the market for acquiring new Titles. Thanks. Fr Stephen Fernandes (AIMC), New Bedford, MA -- USA FrSAF@aol.com ---------------------------------- 4. British Ring Website ---------------------------------- Message from Peter Scarlett (UK) Just to let you know that the British Ring website is now on line at britishring.org.uk. Peter Scarlett British Ring Webmaster British Ring Advertising Manager ---------------------------------- 5. The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon ---------------------------------- Message from Richard Petrashek Mac King did about 10 minutes this morning on the Jerry Lewis MDA telethon. He had a lady volunteer select a card..and then it reappeared, first from his pocket..then from his pants fly, then from inside a box of kids breakfast cereal.. Mac has a regular afternoon show at Harrah's in Las Vegas. ---------------------------------- 6. David Copperfield's PROJECT MAGIC Convention/Workshop ---------------------------------- Message from Walther Richter We are proud to present ... David Copperfield's 1. International Project Magic Convention/Workshop "PROJECT MAGIC - 20 YEARS OF MOTIVATION & THERAPY" Which will take place from November 1 - 2, 2002 in Las Vegas (MGM-Grand Hotel), USA. Visit our new homepage for further information, registration and updates of the upcoming event: www.projectmagicconvention.de.vu See you in Las Vegas, ---------------------------------- 7. Alice Cohen Passed Away ---------------------------------- Message from Ken Trombly Alice Cohen, wife of well-known magic dealer, Al Cohen, passed away, I am told, over the weekend. Do not have any info as yet about the funeral. --------------------------------- 8. Broken Hill Shopping Centre ---------------------------------- Message from Gerry McCreanor (Aust) I am still doing Schools - kindergartens etc I will be going to Broken Hill shopping centre in Jan 2003 14-15-16--2 shows a day but this will be my last shopping centre job. ---------------------------------- 9. Sorry To Hear About Brian Flora! ---------------------------------- Message from Geoff Butler (Aust) Sorry to hear about Brian Flora! I had the pleasure of meeting him and his family, once, at an Invocational at Phoenix about 8-9 years ago. I watched in awe as his little boy (probably all grown up by now!) did a rather incredible memory test involving any page of about 6 magazines. His whole family were very impressive. Another sad loss for our magical fraternity. On a happier note I see that your Wizard in Christchurch is about to turn 70 and is looking for a replacement. I wondered if you knew just what exactly does he do? I`ve heard that as the clock strikes Noon that he wanders out into the City Square, up a small step ladder and speaks in a philosophical manner to whoever will listen! I`m not sure where you live and I`m not making the assumption that you will automatically know just because you live in New Zealand but if you can help I would appreciate it. Ta! (I doubt that I could get my wife to shift anyway) Thanks again....Geoff Butler (The Wizard of Odd) ---------------------------------- 10. Vito Lupo - Wizardz, Los Angeles ---------------------------------- Message from Vito Lupo (US) September 15-29, Wizardz, Los Angeles October 1-6, Monte Carlo Magic Stars, Monte Carlo ---------------------------------- 11. Henk Van Zon Is Closing ---------------------------------- Message from Cajari (Holland) The biggest Worldwide Dutch Magic Shop out Holland: HENK VAN ZON is closing. It is a pity. ---------------------------------- 12. Children Entertainers ---------------------------------- Message from Bob Chua (Singapore) My fellow Children Entertainers, I have been doing children's magic for a couple of years and have been trying to come up with new tricks which I cannot think of. Maybe your help and advice would be greatly appreciated. Currently I am using the following tricks for my kid shows. Needle thru balloon Hippity Hop Rabbit Blendo Vanishing Ketchup Bottle G A Tear Tricky Bottles Comedy Funnel Snowstorm Sidewalk Shuffle 2 Cards Across Thank you and my best wishes Bob Chua Singapore email: bob@conjurer.net URL: www.conjurer.net ---------------------------------- 13. Loren Christopher Michaels - Profile ---------------------------------- Message from By Kelley Thomas Shaping The Future Magician and illusionist Loren Christopher Michaels is known in magic circles as being “sleightly dangerous”. It is a title that fits him and he proves it every time he steps out on stage. Taking risks and performing magic with a slightly different twist is what sets him apart from the crowd. Loren takes everything one step further and proves time and time again that you can take an old art and make it new and exciting. But it is beyond the bright lights and glitter of the stage that Loren does some real magic. Loren has been teacher, mentor and friend to a wide variety of magic students and believes that no one is ever too cool to fool or too smart to learn. With a performance style that has been described as “Totally entertaining”, “Nothing like you have ever seen before”, “A high-tech Sorcerer” and “One of the best magicians performing today” . Whether Loren is performing close-up, parlor magic, his high impact stage and illusion show or is teaching magic to a young magician, he never fails to leave a lasting impression. Loren is a true performer. He truly loves what he does and it shows. Appearing more like an outlaw misplaced in time than your standard tuxedo–clad magician, Loren combines not just tricks and flashy props but that little something extra. He takes everyone in the audience with him on a journey into the imagination, to be kids again and believe anything can and does happen with a simple wave of his hand. Loren got his first taste of magic when his dad made a penny disappear right in front of him when he was just a young boy. Bitten with the magic bug Loren did his first trick, a vanishing candle made out of a piece of typing paper and the top of a candle. By the time he was sixteen he was totally enthralled with magic. He saw a sign announcing the appearance of “Magic Capades…The Big Illusion Show The Whole World’s Talking About!”. He saw the show as many times as he could and he knew right then and there that he wanted to be a magician. After one of the shows he got up the nerve to talk to the man that held him so spellbound. That man was Stan Kramien. Stan took the time to sit and talk to him and answer all his questions about what it was like to travel the country and perform in a major illusion show. After “Magic Capades” had left town, Loren decided that he wanted to try and get a job with the show. He found out that they would be coming back through town in a few weeks so he went to his parents and, with much convincing, talked them into letting him try and get a job with the show. Now all he had to do was talk Stan into it. Loren had become good friends with Stan’s wife, Kathy, and once the show was back in town Loren spent all his free time hanging out at the shows. One day Kathy just came out and asked him if he was trying to get a job with the show. Loren was elated that she asked. Kathy spoke to Stan and Loren left with the show a week later as the stage manager. Although Loren only traveled with the show for a short while he says that, “I learned more about the business and performing aspects of magic than I ever could have by reading a thousand books. I thank them for the chance they gave me to learn and for the spark that has fanned this flame in me ever since”. Now Loren has dazzled audiences around the world with television, convention, corporate and private appearances. His talents have been featured on television shows such as “Quantum Leap” and he has appeared in several major motion pictures including “Pyrates” and “If Looks Could Kill”. Loren has starred in several sell out production shows and toured in his own stunt show called “Death Watch” where he performed incredible feats of bullet catching, Houdini’s water torture cell and the classic straight jacket crane escape. He has the distinction of being the “most booked act” in one year at the prestigious Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA. And if all this is not enough, Loren is in the Guinness Book of World Records for escaping from a regulation straight jacket in an incredible 3.4 seconds. A record that remains unbroken to this day. Most people would be happy to have done half as much in their entire lifetime, but not Loren. He is always striving to create new effects, design and build new illusions, lecture, teach and perform in new places. To challenge himself to take everything in his life one-step further. To give everything that “sleightly dangerous”, cutting edge impact that he has become known for. However, Loren’s proudest accomplishment is not being in the Guinness Book, appearing at the Magic Castle a record amount of times or having performed around the world. It is the fact that he is helping to shape the next generation of magicians, one student at a time. It is when Loren sits down to teach magic that he truly astounds. Loren has been mentor, teacher and friend to dozens of students over the last twenty years. He has helped to change and shape the future of magic. His students have come from every type of background, been both male and female and have been a variety of ages. But they all have one thing in common, they all LOVE magic. Loren has worked extensively with the Magic Castle Juniors Program by providing lectures, workshops and guidance. Many of these young magicians have become Loren’s students because they felt that it would be a great opportunity for them to learn one-on-one from one of magic’s working professionals. His students have gone on to win awards at all levels of competition including FISM and the Milbourne Christopher Award. They have appeared on national television as featured performers and have taught us all how to appreciate and cultivate what we learn. I spoke with a few of Loren’s students; Dan Cole, Joel Broock, Thomas Meier, Lisa and Enrico de la Vega, and I asked them three questions. What is it like being taught by Loren? What is the most important thing he has taught you? And why did you choose Loren to be your teacher? Dan Cole, a student of Loren’s for eight years, and who was featured on the first Lance Burton television special, says that, “Being a student of Loren’s is amazing. He lets me prove my own ideas while giving me direction and focus. He has always taught me to not give up my dreams and to never limit myself. I am extremely lucky having Loren for a teacher. I can’t imagine being taught by anyone else!” Joel Broock, the featured act on the new Lance Burton television special, has been a student for about two years. He says, “Without Loren, I would not be where I am today. He totally respects my decisions and I respect his. Loren knows how to stimulate my creativity. The first time I ever saw Loren perform he asked me to come up on stage to assist him. I felt like I knew him and we connected some how. I knew then that I wanted to be taught by Loren. I could not picture myself having anyone else for a teacher. He taught me the single most important thing that I have ever learned. He taught me to always have fun with what I do.” Thomas Meier has been a student of Loren’s for four years and won at the FISM competition in Dresden, Germany. He recently sold an effect to David Copperfield that will be used in an upcoming television special. Thomas calls Loren, “An amazing person. He has such a wonderful creative mind. I am able to share ideas with him and he helps me come up with concepts I never thought possible. Loren really knows what he is doing as a teacher. He taught me to relax and not take things so seriously. I consider Loren to be a very good friend.” Lisa and Enrico de la Vega are the recent recipients of the Milbourne Christopher Award and have been students for six years. They say that, “Loren has made us aware of a different thought process. He has a unique way of thinking and looking at things. We saw the results of former students and we were impressed with Loren’ s approach to magic. He has such a cool style and personality. Loren has taught us the importance of keeping a level head no matter what happens around you.” Loren does not have strict requirements for accepting students. He does not require his students to pass a written test or know the basics of how to build props. His main requirement for all his students, no matter how advanced they may think they are, is to have a love for the art of magic. However, once you have proven to him that you love magic and are serious about learning and growing as a performer the real work begins. Each student writes an essay and tells why he wants to learn magic, what he likes and dislikes about performing, why he loves magic and what his goals are. Loren teaches everything from the basics of manipulation, creating a performance character, timing and misdirection, prop building and even how to routine your act so it flows smoothly. He does not specialize in just one area of magic, but faces the challenge of teaching close-up, stage and parlor magic, whether it be a comedy or serious slant that the student wants to pursue. Loren’s has taken a different approach to teaching magic. The student does not come to the lesson to sit there and listen to Loren tell him how his “act” will be done. Instead, Loren and the student combine their thoughts to think of creative ways to present the tricks. He does not think up the routine for the student, but instead encourages his students to learn to think for themselves. This simple philosophy is something that all of his students are able to take with them and apply to all facets of their acts and lives, even when they have stopped taking magic lessons. I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to spend time with Loren and see him when he is performing, teaching and just being himself. Loren is one of the most straightforward, honest people you will ever meet. Both as a performer and a teacher he has the respect of others. Loren’s enthusiasm for the art of magic is contagious. Being a teacher is not an easy task. It takes patience, patience and more patience to deal with all the different personalities and problems that occur daily. Magic is not an easy art learned overnight. It is something that takes a lot of work and commitment, both on the part of the student and of the teacher. Loren has definitely proven that he has that special gift that inspires all those around him to be their best. All of Loren’s students, past, present and future should consider themselves lucky to have been one of his students. One thing that every student I have talked with has said about Loren is that they all call him a friend. Loren’s philosophy about teaching is quite simply that, “You are NEVER too good to learn”. He says that, “Even though you are a working professional, in order to continue to grow as a performer you have to think of yourself as a student. You are constantly learning from others and applying that knowledge to further improve your craft. Never assume that you have reached the point where you can’t improve upon perfection. Don’t be happy with just doing magic, do it better!” With Loren there to guide the next generation of magicians the future of magic looks bright. We all have a special gift in inside us and sometimes it just takes the guidance of someone who cares and is willing to take that extra step for us and to give us a helping hand when we need it, that can set our imagination free. Remember to always look for the magic all around you, because you never know where it might be. “What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lives within us. And when we bring what lives within us out into the world, miracles happen.” ---Henry David Thoreau ---------------------------------- 14. 20 Questions With Loren Christopher Michaels ---------------------------------- How many years have you been teaching magic? “I started when I was about 23 years old. I had a friend that was into stage magic and wanted to learn more about close-up magic. I had been working steady on learning close-up magic for five years and I felt that I could help him. He was my first student!” Who are some of your students? “I have had so many that it is very hard to list them all. Some of them that you might recognize are; Danny Cole, Enrico and Lisa de la Vega, Thomas Meier, Joel Broock, Ceril Takayama, Juliana Chen, Deven Rosan, Gavin Greer, Jason Alexander, Dominik and Monica Krzanowski, Ashley Springer, Adam Glen, Brian Dow, Allan Cornia and Greg Shane. These are not all of my students, but they are the most recent ones.” What is the one “quality” or “trait” that you try to in still in all your students? “Respect for others! I can’t stress that enough. I don’t believe in kissing up. I believe that you achieve respect from your peers by working hard and not trying to back stab others. Your work should speak for itself.” Why did you decide to begin teaching magic to others? “I didn’t really decide. It was more like I fell into it. I discovered I had a knack for working one-on-one with people. I love the creative process and I found out that teaching afforded me that opportunity. That is one of the reasons that I have stuck with teaching magic.” What made you feel that you were qualified to teach magic? “That is a question that you would have to ask my students.” “I guess the one thing is that I care about my students. I will do anything to help them from riding them about practicing to being there to counsel them through hard times to make sure they reach their goals.” Have you learned anything from your students? “YES! They have taught me patience, love for them and the art of magic and more than anything, that I can never learn enough!” In a way, all of your students are kind of like your “kids”. How do you feel when you see them win awards and receive praise from there peers? “That the partnership has worked. I am as proud of them when they win an award as when they work hard on a move and finally get it down. They are my kids and, as I have been called, I am their Papa.” Have any of your students won magic competitions or merit awards? “Yes they have. Danny Cole has taken first place in the junior competition at the Desert Magic Seminar twice. Joel Broock, Deven Rosan and Thomas Meier have also won at the desert Magic Seminar and Thomas went on to win 1st place in close-up magic at F.I.S.M.. Juliana Chen also took 1st place at F.I.S.M.. I must say that I wish I had more to do with that victory, but she did that one on her own. Greg Shane took 4th place and Ceril Takayama won in the stage illusion category at F.I.S.M.. Enrico and Lisa de la Vega were recently awarded the Milbourne Christopher award as “best new illusionists”. “Danny Cole was asked to perform on Lance Burton’s television special a couple of years ago and Joel Broock was featured on his special this past year.” “So many of my students have been in the spotlight. Brian Dow, Gavin Greer, Greg Shane, Danny Cole, Dominic and Monica Krzanowski, Enrico and Lisa de la Vega, Joel Broock, Adam Glen and many others have been asked to perform as part of the ‘Future Stars of Magic’ week at the Magic Castle.” Is it a constant challenge coming up with new and different ideas and effects to fit each individual personality? “You said it all when you said ‘individual personality’! The way I try to teach is to take each individual student and develop the act from there. It is like planting different fields as opposed to trying to get everything to grow on the same piece of land.” “It can be very difficult at times. My students are encouraged to think for themselves and not just think like the rest of the flock. We work together as a team to develop new ideas. You would be amazed what kind of fresh ideas are in those minds!” Do you limit your teaching to one area of magic or do you teach stage, close-up and parlor magic? “I teach it all! As I tell my students ‘if you really want to make a living in this business, you had better learn all you can.’ That is the only way to succeed.” “I feel at home behind a close-up table, on with illusions or on stage in a parlor making people laugh. You want to do it…learn it all!” What is the hardest aspect of magic to teach? “Each one is a challenge.” Are there any requirements that a potential student must meet before you agree to teach them? “Dedication, respect and the ability to trust me and themselves.” How do you know when you have done all you can for a student and they are ready to work on their own? “When they have learned to be self-supportive. I don’t just teach ‘moves’, I try to instill in them the ability to think for themselves. I teach them how to do everything from design, construction, promotion, costuming, routines and so on.” “I think there is a time that both I, as the teacher and them, as the student, feel it is time for them to fly on their own. There have been times when students have left and then came back when they had other things they wanted to work on.” “I would like to think that I will always be their teacher, even when they leave my studio and go out on their own.” What is the most difficult thing you have had to learn to do as a teacher of magic? “Letting them go!” “It is hard to stand there and watch them feel like they have had a bad show and remain objective. All the while I am going through every feeling that they are going through. I can be a real hard head, but inside I feel every victory they feel and every challenge they go through. As I said before…they are my ‘kids’.” Is it important for you that your students take their lessons seriously and practice? “That is foremost! I am not a talking magic book! They can’t just pick me up and learn whatever they want to when they want to. I push them and push them hard. They deserve that kind of dedication from me because I expect nothing less from them.” What has been the youngest age you have taken on someone as a student? “Ten years old. Claudette Cole came to me when Danny was just ten years old and wanted me to take him on as a student. I didn’t want to teach him because I was worried that I would be nothing more than a babysitter. Boy was I wrong!” “Claudette is one of the most devoted mothers I have ever met. She saw the potential in her son and wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer.” “I will tell you that after all these years, I still am so grateful to her for introducing me to one of the finest magicians and people that I have ever met.” What is it that you see yourself doing for the next generation of magicians? “Carrying their props! I’m just kidding. But, I will tell you that as proud of them as I am, it would be an honor!” “I don’t know what the future holds. All I know is that as long as they want to be taught, I will do my best to teach them.” Do you like teaching magic as well as you do performing magic? “I love to teach and I love to perform! They are so different though. I know that in order to really teach right I have to be willing to go into the arena and take the same risks that I am asking my students to take.” “I couldn’t live without either at this point in my life.” What advice would you give someone who is looking for a magic teacher? “Make sure that the teacher makes you think for yourself. Make sure that they aren’t there just to walk you through your act, they have to want to live through it with you.” “If they talk down to you, walk away. If they think the only way to teach you is to tell you how bad someone else is, walk away. This in not how you want to learn.” “Most of all, if the teacher can’t learn from you, then you can’t learn from them.” Any final thoughts? “I know in my heart that I have made a difference. I know that no matter where my magic takes me, my kids will be there with me as they have been in the past.” “I have learned so much from all my friends and students. I thank God for the chance to share the times that I have shared with you all. You have all made me so proud!” “One last thing, YOU BETTER BE PRACTICING RIGHT NOW!!! ---------------------------------- 15. martinka.com Auction Will Run Sept. 16-22 ---------------------------------- Message from Ted Bogusta (US) Here's an update on the upcoming Martinka auction. Thanks. Martinka & Co. is holding our sixth online magic auction at www.martinka.com. The sale will run from September 16th-22nd. There will be more than 100 lots of magic memorabilia, apparatus, books, videos and DVDs. You'll find rare and vintage magic posters, ephemera and old apparatus along with some of the top Books, Videos and DVDs out today. The featured item will be the John Rogers Group, "The Traveling Magician", this magnificent statue is over 120 years old and could be the centrepiece of any magic collection. 2002 marks our 125th year in business and to celebrate, we will be including some of today's hottest books, videos and DVDs with a starting price of just $1.25 and with no reserve! You'll find titles from David Regal, Harry Lorayne, Bill Malone, Daryl and many others. We will also have some rare and hard to find titles for the close-up worker such as Garcia's Encyclopedia of Sponge Balls, Don England's TKOs and more. A small collection of postcards, photos, autographs and tokens will round out the sale. If you are looking for Blackstone, Thurston, Houdini, Dell O' Dell and others, you'll find them here. Some of the auction material is from the storage area of the old Martinka Shop while other pieces have been consigned. There are items in all price ranges and many items will be sold without reserve. For additional details and to register, please visit www.martinka.com today. The auction will end on September 22nd, 2002. Best of Luck! ---------------------------------- 16. Magic TV Airs On Three Channels ---------------------------------- Message from Igor and Danny T. (US) Magic TV is the new televised magic show on Manhattan Cable TV. Log onto our web site at http://magicTV.org for air times and updates on live events. -- LIVE EVENTS -- If you are in Manhattan in September come to any of our three live Magic Cafe jam sessions. That's right, you just show up, show a trick or two on camera and then you can watch your performance two weeks later on TV. If you are not a magician you can still come and watch how we film the acts – it's FREE. We will be at COZ Bar & Lounge (511 E 6th St, in Manhattan, between Ave's A & B). Event dates are Sundays September 08, 15 and 22; between 7pm and 10pm.Come and see before we change our minds about the FREE part. -- UPCOMING MAGIC TV CONTEST -- If you are a magician you may consider participating in the Magic TV magic contest. We plan to hold the contest in the month of October at a location in lower Manhattan. We will notify you of the exact date and place. -- MAGIC TV AIRS ON THREE CHANNELS -- If you are an RCN Cable subscriber you may have noticed that our show was not airing on channel 109 as it should have. As it turns out some RCN users have to tune in to channel 112 instead. Basically if you have a cable decoder box you have to tune in to channel 109 and if you don't have a cable box you have to watch channel 112. This is applicable only for RCN Cable users, Time Warner Cable users should watch channel 57, with or without the box. Many thanks to Matthew Field who discovered this discrepancy, and took the time to alert us about it. -- LOOKING FOR TALENT -- We are currently looking for people who wish to get involved with the production of our weekly show. Feel free to reply to this email. http://magicTV.org ---------------------------------- 17. Tom Orchante Said In His Last Segment: ---------------------------------- Message from Steve Walker (Aust) Tom Orchante said in his last segment: "as well as performing 'close-up' sleight of hand magic (the MOST difficult branch of magic to perform), in Sydney's most exclusive restaurant, the 'Manor House ' - which opened up that particular market for other magicians, in Sydney." Sorry Tom old mate, there comes a time when even you exaggerate a little too much. The market had already been opened by Allan Carmichael at another "most exclusive restaurant" the "Copper Canyon' and it was from Allan that you got the idea (plus a great ring and string routine) which lead to you approaching the Manor House and later the Castle Hill RSL. You can certainly claim to have developed the market but "open" suggests you started the whole thing which is being a little too economical with the truth. (Barry Govan and Rooklyn had both worked close-up in Sydney restaurants) I have enjoyed your Saga and am waiting for the Australian segment and while were at it from an earlier segment .NO ,I am not against good sound equipment but when you have a driver dressed like one of the Dukes of Hazzard going like a bat out of hell with one hand on the steering wheel and the other adjusting the graphic equalizer for 95% of every track its time to get a little concerned when you're the passenger, as I was on an uneventful (well that's what we told our wives) country trip to Grffith. ---------------------------------- 18. The Orchante Saga #122 ---------------------------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand – Annual Celebrity Roast – 2002 On Tuesday the 27th of August 2002, the V A C (Variety Artists Club of New Zealand), held their annual ‘roast’ in honour of N.Z.’s Rock n Roll legend (leg - end), Tom Sharplin. The well - known N.Z. hypnotist, Guy Cater, who was officiating, ask me to ‘do a few words ’on Tom - that he would ‘read out on the night’. From all accounts, my ‘bit’ was well received so, I thought that perhaps everyone might get a laugh, or at least a smile, from my 10 Cents worth. Here goes. Sometime during the years of 1972/73, I met Auckland promoter, David J. Mc Kee. David managed a band called ‘NOAZARK’, who had a minor hit record called – ‘Money's Made to Burn’, which was produced on Dave's own label: ‘Kontact’ Recording Co. Ltd. He also managed and recorded various vocalists, among them, Brent Brodie, Angela Ayers, Maria Dallas and, TOM SHARPLIN! During those years we worked or toured with all of these wonderful entertainers, courtesy of Dave Mc Kee, who was also managing us at the time as well. The Fire/Yogi/ Mime acts worked well with ‘Rock’ Shows. Tom Sharplin is one of those people who, for one reason or another, kind of ‘sticks’ in your memory like a fly sticks to gum paper. Now remember, I'm talking ‘THIRTY BLOODY YEARS AGO’, so this story, like it's storyteller, may be ‘A LITTLE RUSTY AROUND THE HINGES’! David McKee had organized an afternoon Kids Show in a hall or theatre, in Hamilton or Cambridge or somewhere like that. During the show, a little skit/pantomime was enacted that involved some of the members of Noazark and Tom Sharplin - where they were apparently going to perform some sort of ‘operation’ on Tom. From a ‘KID'S’' point of view, and a hell of a lot of the parents, the scenario that was about to unfold would throw them all into the realms of a –‘Psychotic Blood Bath of Horror’! Terrible yells where emitting from Tom's mouth as he was ‘forcibly’ held down, then someone (one of the band members), wandered on stage, brandishing a bloody great handsaw! Tom's shrieks intensified as they apparently started to: ‘Saw His Leg Off’! Consequently, when Tom and his leg ‘parted company’, and he and his ‘leg’ were carted off to the opposite sides of the stage, amid realistic, bloodcurdling screams of horror and terror, several kids, who were by now scared witless, proceeded to ‘Fill Their Pants’! The audience was in hysterics! The smell was atrocious! You might say that after that exemplary farce, the ‘Proverbial’, really did hit the fan! I don't know about now, but in those days very few people were aware that Tom had/has a false leg, and even less would have believed it, after having watched the way he danced around during his performance! After THAT never to be forgotten performance from Tom Sharplin, I decided that it would indeed be okay to perform various ‘Dangerous Tricks’ at ‘Kid's Magic Shows’ – demonstrating various ‘Death Defying and Marvellous Effects’ such as: ‘Swallowing Razor Blades’, only to regurgitate them back up, tied onto a length of cotton or, how to - ‘Hammer a six inch nail up your nose’ or, ‘The String Thing ’ (Psychic Surgery), where you - ‘Swallow six feet of string, then cut an incision into your stomach, by stabbing yourself with a knife, so that you can pull the ‘bloodied’ string out from inside your stomach - Through The Bleeding Wound! “I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY - THANKYOU TOM SHARPLIN, FOR YOUR INNOVATIVE DEMONSTRATION ON NOT ONLY HOW TO GET ONESELF REBOOKED FOR AT LEAST DOUBLE YOUR FEE, BUT ALSO A VALUABLE LESSON ON: ‘HOW TO ENTERTAIN SENSITIVE LITTLE KIDDIES’!” As you all probably realise, although based on fact, there is just a ‘little bit’ of colourful ‘writers licence’ in the above tale. Hey, this was a ‘ROAST’ and - “THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT”! ------------------------------------- 19. Magic New Zealand e-zine archives ------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: magic Password: kiwi When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999) ------------------------------------- 20. Subscription Management ------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. To subscribe or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand e-zine: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html Magic New Zealand e-zine is published weekly, on Sunday. 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