* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #528 Date: Sunday 9th September 2007 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com www.Alan-Watson.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Larry White Diagnosed With Esophageal Cancer 3. Ken Ring Predicts The Weather 4. U.S. 2009 Beijing FISM Tour Coordinator 5. About Two Important Events In The Netherlands Next Year 6. Remarkable Magic #21 - Nick Lewin 7. Putting The Trick Back In Trick-Or-Treat! - By Kyle Peron 8. I Admire Nick Lewin For The Person He Is 9. Have You Heard? New Kid On The Block Is Growing 10. New Tannen's Location In New York City 11. Magi~Que 2007 Deemed A Huge Success 12. The Amazing Orchante Saga 13. e-zine Archives 14. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- Remember that the Marc Oberon (UK) lecture is this coming Wednesday 12th September. Venue: The Shore City Magicians Club Inc. club rooms, Senior Citizen Hall, back of the Takapuna Library, The Stand, Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand. Start time: 7.30pm ----------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com ----------------- 2. Larry White Diagnosed With Esophageal Cancer ----------------- Message from Marlene Clark SAM RVP New England Co-chair, SAM Membership Strategy Committee Larry White is among the most generous, supportive and creative people the magic world has seen in a long time, and now, he needs your good wishes. He has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and has spots on other organs. He has begun a series of week-long chemotherapy treatments that he and his doctors hope will put the cancer into remission. Larry values his privacy, but his impact on the magic world has been profound. A former teacher and director of science education at the Museum of Science in Boston MA, he has authored more than a dozen books for children, he has contributed to several more magic books, and he has invented and created scores of magic effects and routines, himself. He also was among the creators of the world-famous Lizzie Borden Séance. Larry is the former magic editor for M.U.M. and is now a partner in "Oracle," a magazine devoted to storytelling and bizarre magic. Larry is known for his positive energy, mischievousness and sense of fair play, and he has helped, mentored and inspired scores of magicians worldwide. It's important to know that the magic world is rallying behind him as he faces this difficult time. I'm sure he and his wife Doris would appreciate your words of encouragement and support. You may send cards and letters to: Laurence B. White Jr. 38 Lillian Rd. Stoughton, MA 02072 USA -------------------------------------------- 3. Ken Ring Predicts The Weather -------------------------------------------- Message from Ken Ring (NZ) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/4/story.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10461924 http://sport.guardian.co.uk/rugbyworldcup2007/story/0,,2162431,00.html http://sabingo.za.net/sport/?p=3283 http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2007/sep/01/kiwi-ken-predicts-january-cyclone/ http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/04/sports/AS-SPT-RUGU-WCup-New-Zealand-Moon-Forecaster.php http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/OtherSports/2007/07/21/4358495-ap.html -------------------------------------------- 4. U.S. 2009 Beijing FISM Tour Coordinator -------------------------------------------- Message from - Harry Monti Society of American Magicians National President 1999-2000 To Our Fellow Magicians: 2009 will be a truly exciting year for the world of magic. Beijing will be the host city for the FISM World Championship of Magic. Having prepared itself royally for the Olympics, Beijing will be in a position to host a truly impressive and magical gathering. From July 26 to July 31, 2009, magicians from around the world will be gathering to compete for the World Championship of Magic. We hope that you and your fellow magicians will plan to join us for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Prior to that time - and in preparation for international travel - we have a special request for all who normally travel within the United States. American Airlines is asking the United States Department of Transportation for authority to fly nonstop from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Beijing, China, beginning March 25, 2009. If authority for this direct route to Beijing is granted, it would start prior to FISM and would be a great asset to those in America traveling to Beijing. Please help us help American Airlines receive a direct route from Chicago to Beijing. The Department of Transportation bases its decision on many factors, including the amount of public support that an applicant has for its proposed route. Because a direct route from the middle of America would be so positive in promoting travel to FISM, we are asking you to help American Airlines acquire this flight by signing your name to American Airlines' online petition. If you are located in the United States and would like to help us, please log on to the following website, complete the petition and send it via email to the Department of Transportation. ALL PETITIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED PRIOR TO JULY 31ST. http://info.aa.com/Key=55392.FWNs.K.D46PhM">https://www.flytochinaonaa.com If you would like more information on FISM, please check their website at www.fism.org. Also, for information on the Beijing convention, you may go to their website at www.fism2009.org. Please contact us directly if you have questions about travel from the U.S. and tours in and around Beijing that will be planned in conjunction with FISM 2009. We will be glad to add your name to our mailing list and keep you apprised as plans are forthcoming on FISM 2009 in Beijing. HarryMontiFISM@aol.com HARRY MONTI Society of American Magicians National President 1999-2000 U.S. 2009 Beijing FISM Tour Coordinator TRUDY MONTI Society of American Magicians Secretary, Magic Endowment Fund U.S. 2009 Beijing FISM Tour Coordinator ----------------- 5. About Two Important Events In The Netherlands Next Year ----------------- Message from Cornelis Ros Board member NMU, Netherlands Board member FISM EEB-Europe 1. Dutch National Magic Convention 13-15 June 2008 Open Competition (non-Dutch competitors can join) in the town of Stadskanaal, Netherlands Convention bureau: Mr. Cees van Noort Schelfhortst 1a 9765 TH Paterswolde, Netherlands Tel: ++31-50-309 41 33 Email: ceesvannoort@wxs.nl Enclosed please find all the information on the Dutch National Magic Convention 2008 Very important is that the Netherlands NMU has decided to give all FISM-members the same DISCOUNT as the Dutch members. 2. 25th Jubilee Junior Magic Competition in the town of Hoogeveem Saturday, 30th March 2008 I'll send the info about the Junior Competition as soon as I received all details. Kind regards, Cornelis Ros Board member NMU, Netherlands Board member FISM EEB-Europe -------------------------------------------- 6. Remarkable Magic #21 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message from Nick Lewin (US) Remarkable Magic. A wee bit more on the Blaine Phenomena. As always I got some lively mail last week after my article about 'The Blaine Phenomena.' When I wrote the piece I tried to make it very clear that I was trying to look at the merits of Blaine as someone who was in his chosen demographic audience. Instead of someone who is not only the wrong age but also a magician. On a magican level, of course I have plenty of misgivings about how he appears to do what he does. I just wanted to play about with a non-magician prospective. The very first email I received was from Paul Daniels who was quite clear in his opinion on the shortcomings in the way Blaine's specials are filmed and presented. Why wouldn't he be? Paul has performed more strong magic and tricks in his various television series than probably any other man living and never resorted to camera magic or dubious editing. I certainly understand and appreciate Paul's opinion; in fact I think that I agree with him. Magic moves forward at a fairly glacial speed and I think all fresh signs of life are encouraging. The exciting difference Blaine brought to Magic was in his visual style and the way the show was shot. It was the first brush of Variety with Reality Programming. The look was so different from anything previously seen it instantly made everything else look old fashioned. Maybe that is why Blaine has upset so many big name performers but it may also be reason that he has inspired so many others with his approach to trickery. Ted Harbert the chairman of 'ABC Entertainment' approved David Blaine's first television special 'Street Magic". This is what Ted had to say about Blaine. "We've seen magic specials before, but this is a different way of presenting what may very well be the same kind of tricks. It's more accessible. He's taken a craft that's been around for hundreds of years and done something unique and fresh with it." At this junction in time, it is almost more realistic to look at 'The 'Angel Phenomena' which is an extension of the 'Blaine' phenomena. I think these are pretty good magic shows for non-magicians even though I grew up in an era in which blatant editing and camera effects were an unacceptable solution to presenting magic on screen. They certainly make a fairly interesting development in television's magic resume but eventually if you wish to be taken seriously as a magician you are going to have to perform your magic live. It is just the nature of the beast. Editing and camera work can get you just so far: at some point you have to step up to the plate and deliver the goods. It doesn't matter how good you can make it in the studio you have to get out there and do it for the people. Heck, that's what broke up the Beatles. It wasn't Yoko. It was not being able to play their music live. Let's watch how these new magicians who are painting themselves into studio corners develop as they try to paint themselves out of those same corners. These are smart people with plenty to give; let's see what their next steps are and who knows, maybe we will learn something new. Once again many thanks for your emails and comments on these little scribblings of mine, they are always appreciated. As always send any bricks or bouquets to nicklewin@earthlink.net and check out my website at http://www.NickLewin.com -------------------------------------------- 7. Putting The Trick Back In Trick-Or-Treat! - By Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message from Kyle Peron (US) Magic4u02@aol.com Well fall will be arriving soon and Halloween will be right around the corner. It is a time of transformation as the leaves change colors and the weather starts getting colder again. It should also be a time for transformation of your promotions and how you will promote yourself during this seasonal change. Advertising and promoting yourself should be an ongoing process. But how do you take advantage of the Halloween season and what ways can you capitalize on this for your own promotional gain? Let me try and go over just a few ideas that may work for you or at least get your own creative juices flowing. While talking with other magicians on this very subject, many great and interesting ideas came about. I will try and share some of them here with you and give you my own take on them. I call the process putting the trick back into trick-or-treat. By this, I mean that we have a golden opportunity at Halloween to promote ourselves, have fun and get our names out to a great target group. If your're a children's performer or perform for family oriented shows, then this is a great time for you to capitalize on getting your name out in your area. How about you give out magic tricks with your contact information on them. The parents alone would be pleased that at least one thing in their child's bag will not cause a huge mess or give their kids a sugar-rush. There are many sources for very inexpensive magic tricks that will not break your bank. These could be as simple as a Fortune Telling Fish or even a simple coin tray. You will just want to make sure that whatever trick you are giving out to the kids, that it is both easy to perform as well as safe for the young children that you may be giving it out to. I say "easy to perform", as the best PR you can get is from a child being able to do magic from a trick you gave them. If they feel they can do the trick easily, they will be encouraged to perform it for others. The more they perform it, the more your name gets out in your marketplace. A mom or dad who sees a happy child would more likely want to find out more information and may hire you for a show in the future. Just keep in mind that marketing is only successful if your name and contact information is getting out there and it generates more work for you. This means that if you give out a trick, make sure you have your name or logo and contact information on it. Keep it simple and effective. In fact, why not take this up a level and perform a simple Halloween mini-magic show for the children that come to your door. Keep it simple, but have fun with it and give them something to remember you by. A fellow magician friend had a great idea about sending out a press release to the papers in your local area. Let them know that you are going the extra mile this year to make Halloween safe and fun for the children in your neighborhood. It may generate more interest in your services and may get you a free article in your local paper. There are many ideas out there that I have not touched base on. I just hope this helps you to open your eyes a bit and see the potential that is out there to promote yourself in various manners. So I simply say go out this year and put the trick back into trick-or-treat. As always, I look forward to hearing back from you my fellow performers. if you have other ideas or suggestions for this subject or ideas for future articles, please send me an e-mail at magic4u02@aol.com. I look forward to hearing from you. Kyle Peron Magician and Illusionist Graphic Designer and Illustrator (Specializing in Logo creation) www.kyleandkellymagic.com Chair Suspension Ebook Author http://www.magicenhancer.com/ChairSuspension.html -------------------------------------------- 8. I Admire Nick Lewin For The Person He Is -------------------------------------------- Message from Carl Williams President, Custom Magic It did my old heart good to read the remarks made by Nick regarding Mr. Blaine. I like a man that can find good in every situation and every person. It is so easy to criticize people especially if you are a person that has not contributed anything yourself. I admire Nick for the person he is. Like the late Bill Larsen, Nick can always seem to find good in everyone he encounters. I must admit I have heard a lot of negative comments about Mr. Blaine, however, not having ever met him myself I have no firsthand knowledge of the kind of person he is. I do believe one thing however, as I am sure Nick does, and that is if you can't find the good in a person, magician or otherwise, make no comment at all. I think the art of magic must be held in total respect by each of us and making negative comments about anyone is not to that end. I knew Billy McComb very well as a personal friend and if the truth were known his opinion of Mr Blaine and the way in which he expressed it was simply Billy voicing his dislike for the style of magic Blaine does and not that it was not well done nor in any way detrimental to our art. Billy was always very kind to everyone he met, but on the other hand he was outspoken and did indeed have preferences when it came to the type of magic he preferred. Anyway again let me say we can use as many Nick Lewin's as we can get, and I think he can teach us all a lesson or two when it comes to being constructive in our remarks particularly regarding other performers. In closing I wish to say I am not a guy that usually writes this kind of a letter but I guess I am getting a little tired of criticism in the world of magic. If we don't like the magic the other guy is offering then let's come forward with better magic ourselves to show the audiences what real performing is all about. -------------------------------------------- 9. Have You Heard? New Kid On The Block Is Growing -------------------------------------------- Message from Maria Ibâñez National President Society of American Magicians Have you heard the news? Samtalking, the "new kid on the block" or better said, the newest benefit of the Society of American Magicians benefits is growing. In just a month the registration for the forum has increased by 259 and we are now over the halfway point of my dream goal of 500 registered by October. If you are a member of the SAM and have not yet registered, please visit www.samtalking.com and register today. Will you be one of the ones who helps me reach my goal of 500? -------------------------------------------- 10. New Tannen's Location In New York City -------------------------------------------- Message from Lee Asher A little while ago Aaron Fisher, Nathan Kranzo, Doug Edwards, and I lectured at the Grand Opening of the brand new Tannen's location in New York City. It was a first-class time, and we all had a blast! It was great to see old friends, and make new ones. Aaron Shields, an old buddy who showed up, was kind enough to write-up his experience of this fun-filled long weekend. Combined with some personal photos, hopefully this article will make you feel like you were hanging out with us. To read this article, please click on the link below (copy and paste into your URL if not clickable): http://www.leeasher.com/tannens_weekend.htm -------------------------------------------- 11. Magi~Que 2007 Deemed A Huge Success -------------------------------------------- Message from Barron Stringfellow If you didn't make it out to Magi-Que 2007, you missed out on a lot of fun. You can check out some pictures on the S.A.M. website at http://samkc.org/magi-que.html ----------------- 12. The Amazing Orchante Saga ----------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Page 15 Parrots and Cockatoos And a detour back to New Zealand I've always had a strong empathy with birds. Yeah okay, go on, have a good laugh; I'm talking about the feathered kind, with wings. We have always wanted a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo but could never afford one in New Zealand - they cost a bloody fortune. So a few months after we had arrived in Australia, we bought one, they are quite cheap there - but let me start from the beginning, a very good place to kick off; the middle is too muddling and the end is going backwards (Dementia)? Back in New Zealand, my first pet bird was a magpie that I named 'Jacky'. It must have been in 1964 because I do recall that he was with me in the upstairs flat of a large house in Auckland that I was sharing with my old mate Murray Hobson, and a bunch of other guys, also with rooms in the house. For the life of me I can't remember how I acquired Jacky, but he sure was a character. He had a thing about shoelaces - woe-betide all those who came to visit wearing shoes with laces. Jacky would sneak around and very carefully peck and pull the laces undone - take them right off your shoes and, you wouldn't feel a thing! He would have made one hell of a pickpocket. It wasn't that he was small or insignificant - he was a full size, 'In Your Face' bird! Nothing stopped him, not even if there was a party happening with several people present - he was a right bugger! His wings weren't clipped so he had full flying capabilities. Every morning I would open the large window that faced out from the back of the house; he would take-off whenever he felt like it, usually heading for a large tree way off in the distance. He had total freedom and would come and go as he wished. Then came the day when he just didn't return. I guess he found himself another mate, one with feathers - of the female variety, who was far more attractive to him than I was. I can't really blame him. The next bird (feathered) that entered my life was sometime after I had met Veronica (un-feathered), a female cockatiel that we named 'Brigitte'. Birds, like most family pets, seem to pick a 'favourite' from the family, even if that family is comprised of two only and, as far as Brigitte was concerned, I was IT! Veronica summed it up thus; "That bird thinks the sun shines out of your fundamental orifice, even on a filthy day"! She was right. I couldn't move without Brigitte flying over and perching herself on my shoulder or on top of my head. We used to take her with us when going to gigs - she just loved going out in the car and she certainly knew the sound of the car and, she could recognize it. Veronica was amazed when, late one afternoon, Brigitte started making a hell of a racket. We were living in Wanganui at the time, and had a flat upstairs on the main road, right in the centre of town, opposite the radio station. At that time in the afternoon the traffic was very busy and noisy, horns tooting etc. and I was way down the road heading home, yet somehow Brigitte heard the car above all the clamour and, according to Veronica, as my car hove into sight, Brigitte, who by now was sitting on the windowsill, went totally mental as she recognized the car among all the traffic. She spotted me before Veronica did. Amazing! There are two other incidents that I will always remember her by. September 9th, we are on our way from Rotorua, where we had done a show the night before (and had attended a party that hadn't finished until the wee small hours) for Napier where I was to attempt to break the world record for the amount of weight you could hold whilst lying on a bed of nails. Not surprisingly, I was feeling a little shattered. Brigitte is sitting on the steering wheel, her favourite position - as I'm driving along, fluttering her wings to stay right on top as I turn the wheel. Then she decides to get affectionate and leaps onto my shirtfront, which was half unbuttoned, to snuggle up inside. DEAR GOD! I'm yelling my head off in agony as her sharp little claws dig into my skin. Veronica thought it was a hell of a joke - there I was screaming over Brigitte's little needle-like claws, and I'm on my way to break a world record on a bed of very sharp nails that afternoon. It was a little incongruous I guess. Then there was the episode when Brigitte threw a wobbly in Queenstown. By the way, I BROKE THE RECORD! Continues Next Week -------------------------------------------- 13. 14. Magic New Zealand e-zine Archives -------------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/fezine.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) -------------------------------------------- Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at www.watson.co.nz/fezine.html. Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The opinions expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed therein. Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted. Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles to this e-zine, the authors grant Magic New Zealand® the right to publish such articles and such authors confirm their copyright of the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand® are protected by international copyright legislation and articles must not be published for profit by anyone other than the individual authors without the written permission of Magic New Zealand®. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this publication may be freely redistributed, but not sold, to other magicians if copied in its entirety, including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer. © Copyright 2007 Alan Watson