Magic New Zealand® E-zine

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* Magic New Zealand®
* Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment Ltd (New Zealand)
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Issue Number: #1583
Date: Sunday 16th August 2020
Editor: Alan Watson QSM
www.watson.co.nz
E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com
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Hi here is the latest news
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1. Editor's Message
2. Broken Wand - Ger Copper World Champion Manipulator
3. Wonderful Tributes On Women In Magic
4. Potter & Potter Auctions
5. Two's Company And Three's A Crowd! - John Carey #91
6. Ongoing Adventures Of Romany! #21
7. Marvin's Magic And The Benefits Of Magic
8. David Blaine Ascension
9. The Orchante Saga - Beginnings
10. E-zine Archives
11. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice

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1. Editor's Message
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If you would like to read the Magic New Zealand e-zine in HTML format
go to: http://www.magicnewzealand.com/ezine-archive/2020-Jan-to-Dec-2020/1583-Aug16-2020.html

If you would like to write a regular column for Magic New Zealand or have some magic news drop me a line:
Editor@MagicNewZealand.com

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2. Broken Wand - Ger Copper World Champion Manipulator
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Message published on Facebook

He was a charming person who did me a huge favor and came to Rhode Island during his vacation with his girlfriend in NYC to do a lecture. He slept on my couch refusing to let us pay for a hotel for him. He remained 2 hours after his lecture to answer questions and make new friends.

Very talented. Very willing to share. Very dedicated. Born July 21, 1953, the magic world has lost yet another influence in our generation of magicians. So very sad.

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Who's Who in Magic

Copper, Ger
(Holland: c1952- ) Stage name of Gerrit Kopper. Taught by Henk Vermeyden. Pro sleight-of-hand. FISM 2nd prize in manip 1976 for his fast work & Grand Prix 1979 (shared with Soviet couple Kubikuzena & Sultangali) for his candle act. AMA Visiting Magician of the Year 1978 & 1983.

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3. Wonderful Tributes On Women In Magic
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Message by Diana Zimmerman (US)

The amazing Connie Boyd has been doing such wonderful tributes on women in magic.

https://youtu.be/fIbDqpb_Irw

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4. Potter & Potter Auctions
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Message by Potter & Potter Auctions

Now accepting bids online magic auction September 12, 10am CST

Lot 150 - Marlo's Magazine Vol. 1. Author's Copy.
Est. $400-800

Lot 67 - Spook Show Drop-Model Guillotine. Circa 1950.
Est. $300-600

Lot 99 - John Henry Anderson. The Fashionable Science of Parlor Magic.
Est. $500-750

Lot 142 - Rigmarole and Verbatim. Karl Fulves.
Est. $500-800

Lot 268 - Carter the Great. ca. 1930.
Est. $1,500-2,500

Lot 18 - Martin Giant Mechanical Rising Cards. John Martin, ca. 1950.
Est. $1,000-2,000

Lot 246 - The Great Rameses Promo Die-Cut. Circa 1910s.
Est. $250-350

Lot 208 - Original Artwork for Dunninger's Bookplate. Circa 1940.
Est. $300-600

Place your bids at PotterAuctions.com

The auction will take place exclusively on Potter & Potter's online bidding platform on Saturday, September 12 at 10am CST. In-person previews have been suspended in light of the current public health crisis.

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5. Two's Company And Three's A Crowd! - John Carey #91
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Message by John Carey (UK)
http://www.johncareymagic.co.uk/

If you were to take a poll amongst card magicians about the strongest ten plots in card magic, I believe the classic Cards Across effect would figure prominently. It's truly such a strong effect and a real crowd pleaser. There are literally infinite methods in print, but I strongly believe the following three phase sequence I will discuss has much to offer. One of its strong points is that three different techniques are used to create the illusion of cards teleporting. This makes it very deceptive.

Behind closed doors take out the deck from its box and set five cards aside. Place the deck back into the box and close the flap. Pick up the five face down cards you set aside and place them into the box but on top of the halfmoon flap. You are prepared and ready for work.

Remove the card box from your pocket and pull up on the five cards under the flap with the tip of your index finger. Take out the rest of the deck and table it, secretly holding the five cards back. Place the box mouth downwards onto the table. Pick up the deck and hold it face down in left hand dealer's grip. Ask a spectator to reach over the deck and cut off around ten to twelve cards. Instruct them to deal and count the cards out loud into a neat face up packet. As they do this you casually push over the top two cards of your packet slightly and secure a left pinky break beneath them.

Let's say they counted ten cards. The right hand picks up the face up packet at the right long side, thumb on top and fingers underneath. Bring both hands together as you ask your helper to extend their right hand palm upwards. As they do you will flip the packet face down onto the deck and immediately pick up everything below your break with the palm down right hand. This is a beautiful steal by Al Leech. Place the right hand's cards onto their hand and ask them to place their other hand on top.

"Watch as I attempt to make cards teleport from my hands to yours!" Riffle the pack twice for effect and then ask the spectator to count their cards face down onto the table. This gives you ample shade to secure a break beneath the top three cards of your packet and palm them in the right hand. Set your remaining cards down as they finish the count and reveal they now have twelve cards.

Bring your right hand down on top of their cards and slide them off the table and into your left hand, secretly adding the three palmed cards in the process. Direct attention to a second spectator and ask her to participate. Have her hold your packet between her palms. She believes there are
twelve cards, when in fact she has fifteen. Pick up the balance of the deck from the table and hold it face down from above in the right hand. We will now execute a stage magician's vanish of three cards to input a little visual aspect into this effect.

The left thumb peels off three cards into the left hand. Next the right hand makes a face down one handed fan. Bring the fan over the three cards in the left hand and wave it. Nothing happens. Do that again and secretly steal the three cards beneath the fan as the left hand turns palm down. This is done by clipping those cards with the right first and second fingers. Wave the fan over the palm down left hand and then crumple the left fingers and show the three cards have vanished. Pause a beat to let this strong moment sink in as you square up the packet. Table this packet and instruct your spectator to count their cards out loud onto the table, revealing fifteen cards. "So first two went across and now three. They do say that two's company and three's a crowd!"

Pick up the packet they just dealt with your right hand as the left hand picks up the card box. Place the packet into the box with the five cards you secretly held out and close the box. Place the box onto the first spectators hand and ask the second person to place their hand on top. "Watch very closely now as we attempt this one last time!" Riffle the pack five times towards their hands to make the moment. "We started out with ten which became twelve and then
fifteen. Please take the cards out and count them one last time." They do and twenty cards are revealed and your mission is well and truly accomplished!

Notes:

Don't rush through the phases. Insert pauses allowing people to enjoy and react and let the magic breathe.

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6. Ongoing Adventures Of Romany! #21
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Message by Romany (UK)

Hello from the Magic Cottage.

Ooh it's hot today! Which is not something one often says in England!

The builders who did some work on my chimney pot last week, left the window of my magic studio covered with building dust.

Luckily they also left the scaffolding and a ladder.

"I'm a stilt-walker and circus trained." I told myself. 20 years ago I was, at least.

I shinned up the ladder and washed the top storey windows myself. I feel rather proud. Mind you, I left the bucket up there and I can't be bothered to go up again.

Such are the adventures and small triumphs of an out of work magician.

Last Friday, 42 female magicians gathered together on zoom to participate in the online 'Sisters of Mystery' organised and hosted by Abigail McBride and the McBride Magic and Mystery School.

I was one of the presenters including Connie Boyd, Jen Kramer, Zarina Potapova, Joan DuKore, Lynetta Welch and Heather Rogers. Many of your favourites were also there, Carissa Hendrix, Krystyn Lambert, Hollie England, Lupe Nielsen and others.

It was truly interesting to be able to discuss many aspects of our magic business but what I enjoyed most was the opportunity to meet everyone and change them from a glamour photoshoot image to a real person and friend.

I was especially fascinated to hear how Connie Boyd still has all her magic shows and props stuck on cruise ships and has no idea when she will be able to work the shows again
.
In the meantime, she is busy creating a YouTube series called Magical Women which you can watch here. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF83P8r1DVn4lThmVuKPk-w?
And now, I might spice up my life and go get that bucket down!

And before I forget, do you remember I told you about Talking Shtick, the podcast I did with marvellous Mark James? By the time you get this, it will be out on https://www.facebook.com/talkingshtickpodcast and many other platforms. Simply google 'Talking Shtick' and you'll find it!

With best wishes from sunny England,

Romany

You can read more about Romany's magical adventures in her inspiring memoir Spun Into Gold - The Secret Life of a Female Magician, available worldwide and as an audiobook.
Book Depository Free Shipping bit.ly/2ONMFvB
Amazon UK bit.ly/2kqB4G6
Amazon USA amzn.to/2m3XT2J
Audible adbl.co/2qROlu5
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/romanydivaofmagic Please subscribe!

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7. Marvin's Magic And The Benefits Of Magic
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Message by Natalie Taylor (UK)

Daily Express

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/daily-express/20200812/282213718177238

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8. David Blaine Ascension
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Article forwarded on by Phillip Peterson (US)

Variety

Magician David Blaine will attempt his first live stunt in almost a decade in a YouTube-exclusive livestream later this month - this one involving a bunch of balloons.

In the live special, Blaine will float through the air a la Pixar's "Up," elevated by helium-filled balloons. The multi-hour "David Blaine Ascension" global livestream event will take place on the performer's YouTube channel on Monday, August 31.

"This stunt has been 10 years in the making," Blaine tweeted Wednesday. "Let's turn worry into wonder and take magic to new heights."

Blaine will attempt to float across the Hudson River, suspended by a cluster of balloons as he travels from New Jersey to his native New York City.

"Watch in disbelief as David Blaine magically ascends above Earth, in his biggest live performance yet," YouTube said in announcing the special. Verizon is the exclusive U.S. sponsor of "David Blaine Ascension."

In one of his most notorious stunts, in 1999 Blaine was buried in a plastic box under a three-ton water-filled tank for seven days in New York City. During the stunt, titled "Buried Alive," Blaine didn't eat any food and subsisted on just a few tablespoons of water per day. In October 2002, in an event livestreamed on YouTube, Blaine spent 72 hours standing on a pillar in New York City while he was subjected to 1 million volts of electricity.

The performer, who is repped by CAA, most recently appeared in ABC's primetime special "David Blaine: The Magic Way" in April 2020. Blaine has been the target of sexual-assault allegations by three women, in 2017 and 2019; he has denied each of the accusations.

YouTube announced the plans for a special live event with Blaine at TCA in January 2020. "David Blaine Ascension" is emblematic of the new strategy for YouTube Originals. As it has virtually abandoned scripted series, YouTube's originals are centered around live events, music, celebrity- and personality-driven programming and educational content.

In June, YouTube announced an all-new documentary series following Demi Lovato, and renewed four original projects featuring big-name digital talent: "Instant Influencer with James Charles," "The Creator Games Presented by MrBeast," a sequel to interactive series "A Heist With Markiplier," and "Retro Tech" hosted by Marques Brownlee.

https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/david-blaine-ascension-live-stunt-youtube-1234732966/

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9. The Orchante Saga - Beginnings
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Written by the late Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)

Trials and tribulations

Just how far would you go to 'prove' a 'magic' point? Admittedly, what I'm about to relate is rather extreme - some will probably think/say that I take things just a little too far but, that's me! Again admittedly, the circumstances and company have to be just right. It involves the old - perhaps I should say ancient effect where you apparently stub out a lit cigarette into a handkerchief, which then vanishes - the cigarette that is, leaving the handkerchief totally
unharmed.

I last performed this little miracle at my neighbours home this new year's Eve. They had only just put up some brand new, rather expensive curtains. A lit full-length, smoking like a train, king-sized cigarette, 'vanished' within its folds. I have performed in some magnificent homes with, as you can imagine, the most exquisite and valuable of furnishings, and I must admit that I get a real kick from dropping king-size cigarettes (they are highly visible - more than half the length sticks out), with large volumes of smoke pouring out, into full-length drapes that must have cost a small fortune!

The Lady of the home is on the point of fainting - and you can sense that her husband, surrounded by his friends, is seething, you know that if something goes wrong they will, 'kick your head in'! I've still got my head and not only that, they usually proclaim that they are indeed, 'in the presence of a Real Magician'! Ha!

The last time I used the traditional handkerchief, was probably when I still a teenager. As far back as I can remember, I've always utilized curtains, gentlemen's jackets or, down on my hands and knees, a lady's dress/frock/ very expensive wedding and ball gowns. I have lived my
Life rather dangerously! Depending on the Lady, I would vanish cigarettes just a little bit up from at the hem however, 99% of the time it was a lot higher than that, and I have never received a slap or a black eye. Just shows that magic, when performed without burning cigarette into the middle of a lady's dress does tend to create strong psychological impressions of impending disaster, coupled with highly visible damage! Same with a man's coat -'smack dab right in the middle of the outside back'.

I've digressed for two whole paragraphs! Getting back to 'proving' a 'magical point', I can't remember the first but the third and last time this happened was around 1986/87, approximately 3a.m. in the morning, in the lounge bar of a very posh five star hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland. The multi-millionaire owner (he drove a Maserati -with a Lamborghini in the garage) and three of his friends, one of whom was a good friend of mine as well, all very well dressed businessmen, were the only ones present - apart from myself of course.

It had been a long night - dining, drinking and performing close-up magic and drinking and.. John says to me -" Tom, show them that cigarette thing". So I borrowed a jacket and cigarette number one vanished. " He must have put it in his coat pocket" somebody said, "Take your coat off and Do It Again". I removed my jacket and under intense scrutiny - cigarette number two vanished! " Where the hell has it gone" was the cry, " Take your shirt off and do it again"! I complied.

Bare-chested, I again made a small hollow in the borrowed jacket then dropped a freshly lit, king-size cigarette into the hollow, took two or three puffs so that the smoke came pouring out. With three-quarters of cigarette still showing, I slowly stub it out. Cigarette number three disappeared. Several unprintable expletives in 'broad Scots' rang out (not that they're unprintable, I don't want to offend anyone - well not too much)." you're putting them somewhere, drop your trousers Kiwi Laddie"! There I was wearing nothing except my under pants and shoes and socks. Not a pretty sight - to some. Cigarette number 4 departed, as if it had never existed!

Gob smacked, my audience of four came to the same conclusion - there was only one place the cigarettes could be going. "You're shoving them up your arse". "Bollocks" I said. "That's about size of it," they yelled, " drop your grungy undies laddie and take off your shoes and socks while you're about it"! Now stark naked, I took cigarette number five, apparently inserted it up my nose and pulled it out from my mouth, then pushed it into my ear and reproduced it, apparently from my rear end. That got a laugh. Lighting up the cigarette (someone muttered that: 'it must taste like crap'), I took a couple puffs then, dropped it into the coat. They stared in disbelief as once again, I seemingly stubbed it out of existence!

The little utility item that makes this effect possible is so well known today, every kid's 'magic box' contains one, and it has often been exposed on television. It's seems amazing that one can still get away with performing the vanishing cigarette these days. The fact of the matter is, the simplest trick, in the hands of a consummate (sleight of hand) magician becomes a little 'miracle'. There is not the slightest hint - even to those who are aware of such gimmicks - that the master magician is using anything other than the pure dexterous skills at his disposal, developed over years of practice. never, during the thirty plus years that I've 'magically' disposed of cigarettes (which must number in the thousands), have I ever been accused of using anything other than the aforementioned, pure dexterity!

There is a magician friend of mine, who hails from Nottingham, England. A full-time professional, he gets paid the 'Big Bucks' working his close-up and magic act for the corporate market. Occasionally, when we were booked for the same function, he made a point of watching me when I repeatedly performed, by request, the old cigarette in the coat effect with the same group of people, which throws the equally old magic adage -' never perform the same trick twice', straight out the window. He would stand behind, in front, to the sides, on at any angle of me he could manage, to watch 'my moves'.

"Tom" he'd say, " I know what you're doing and what you're using". "Of course you do" I'd interject. " Yes" he'd reply, " but what the bloody hell do you do with the 'gimmick' afterwards and where do you put all those king-size cigarettes"? " Well Mark" I'd say, tongue-in-cheek, "THAT'S MAGIC, and that's why they call me, 'The Amazing' "! The nicest compliment he has ever paid me was when he said, " Tom, You Make Your Magic Look Like - Real Magic"!

Well, I thank Dai Vernon's teachings for that. "use your head and above all be natural" he would say, " Tailor Your Tricks To Suit Your Individual Style And Personality". Wise words indeed, from 'the professor', the grandest master of them all!

Finally, for those of you out there, who are 'scratching' your heads wondering just where a butt naked magician hides several king-size cigarettes and the required gimmick -

-"Keep Scratching!"

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