Best of Dai Vernon - Vol. 1

Dai Vernon: The Spirit Of Magic

Vintage Magic Archives: keeping magic alive

Shawn Farquhar Fools Penn and Teller on the Fool Us UK television show : "We have have no g-d d-mn idea how he did it..."

This YouTube clip from the magic competition show Penn and Teller Fool Us shows Magician Shawn Farquhar fooling  Penn and Teller on the Fool Us UK television show, by putting Penn’s signed card back into a sealed deck of cards while Penn holds the deck of cards in his own hands. The deck has returned to new deck order, with the selected card in reversed presentation in it proper place in the deck and has Penn's signature on it. Now. That's great card magic!

50 Greatest TV Magic Moments: "The Greatest Hour of Magic for Online Viewing"

TV illusionists have been sawing ladies in half catching bullets between their teeth reading minds and performing feats of escapology for decades. Channel 5 counts down the best including the astonishing set-pieces of Penn and Teller the mind-bending of Derren Brown and the street magic of David Blaine. It features spectacular illusions such as making the Statue of Liberty disappear intimate card tricks and the lighter side of the business thanks to the inclusion of comedy great Tommy Cooper. Paul Daniels and new kid on the block Dynamo also feature in this magic compendium with contributions from Joe Pasquale Dick and Dom and Stephen Mulhern. Enjoy

Magicians have stolen each other's secrets for as long as the art of magic has existed.

However the interconnected nature of today's world is making it easier - and magicians can't always rely on the law to protect them...





Jeff McBride is one of the most accomplished magicians in the world. His most famous routine is an intricate series of transformations, with a variety of masks, taking the audience through the entire history of magic. But last year, McBride discovered he was not the only one performing his signature routine, one of his most enthusiastic fans spotted a clip on YouTube of a Thai magician doing McBride's entire routine on local TV - move for move - along to McBride's music. The fake had even cut and dyed his hair to copy McBride. The fan notified McBride.

"It's the most carbon copy sort of duplication I have ever seen," says McBride. "This was the whole enchilada... It's not just a duplication of one of my tricks, it's not just an exact copy of one of my routines - it's my show, my entire show," he says.

To find out what Master Magician Jeff McBride did about it and to see a unique side by side viewing of Jeff McBride and his Thai double in action click here : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21861418

Penn Jilette's Interview with Krys Boyd is FANTASTIC!

Penn Jillette, Atheism, And The Holidays:

"Let’s be honest—nobody has more fun than atheists. Don’t believe it? Well, consider this: For nonbelievers, every day you’re alive is a day to celebrate! And no one celebrates life to the fullest like Penn Jillette—the larger, louder half of legendary magic duo Penn & Teller—whose spectacularly witty and sharply observant essays in Every Day Is an Atheist Holiday! will entertain zealots and skeptics alike. Whether he’s contemplating the possibility of life after death, deconstructing popular Christmas carols, or just calling bullsh*t on Donald Trump’s apprentice training, Jillette does not fail to shock and delight his readers. And as ever, underneath these rollicking rants lie a deeply personal philosophy and a generous spirit, which find joy and meaning in family, and peace in the simple beauty of the everyday. Every Day Is an Atheist Holiday! is a hysterical affirmation of life’s magic from one of the most distinctly perceptive and provocative humorists writing today."

http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780399161568,00.html?strSrchSql=penn+jillette/Every_Day_is_an_Atheist_Holiday!_Penn_Jillette

and his book is very interesting read for his fans:

 “[Jillette’s] words are funny, dignified and make perfect sense. An outspoken wordsmith offers more intelligent, humorous and against-the-grain perspectives.”

“Jillette, the taller and more verbose half of Penn & Teller follows up 2011’s God No! with this further exploration of his own atheism....allowing his intelligence and razor-sharp wit to shine through....will surely appeal not only to Penn & Teller fans, but also to readers who welcome the opportunity to examine their own deeply held beliefs ..."
 –Kirkus Reviews

You might be not interested in his book...  so listen to this radio interview pod cast from KERA FM 90.1 Dallas, Texas studio for Think with Krys Boyd in which Penn Jillette talks about his years in magic and with Teller performing as Penn and Teller.

From their Think! archive: http://www.kera.org/2013/03/13/penn-jillette-atheism-and-the-holidays-2/

What do holidays really mean and why do most of us only celebrate certain days as holidays? We talked last November with magician, actor, and author Penn Jillette who believes that we should celebrate every day like it’s a holiday. His recent book is “Every Day is an Atheist Holiday!” (Blue Rider Press, 2012).