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tommydski wrote:

andteater wrote:

It takes an incredible amount of attention to detail and skill to satirise an entire industry so exactly and so profoundly as the character of Gob Bluth does. To the extent that it's now impossible to see or hear of a magician without instantly being reminded of this character. The actor Will Arnett did a truly amazing job bringing him to life.

"The Gothic Asshole?" "That's what I said."

I want to learn some tricks, so I can bag supermodels like Mystery.

To have some fat greasy middle-aged moustachioed closeup artist in a tangerine tuxedo lie to your fucking face and make you doubt your sanity is high entertainment. Absolutely not crap no waffles.

Anyone calling magic crap has never seen Phil Goldstein doing mentalism or Tony Andruzzi doing a satanist bit.

When I lived in Chicago I hung out quite a bit with Eugene Burger. He is a Professor of Philosophy and Comparitive Religion as well as a world famous magician.

This guy used to put on a seance that would make you flip out. His closeup was also unbelieveable. He played his shit straight and would scare the crap out of you, then would laugh a deep Santa belly laugh. Salt of the earth this guy. Taught me close-up for the price of a corned beef sandwich at Mannys.

That said, stage magic is 99% cheese. I understand how someone could watch a big Broadway style presentation and conclude that all magic sucks.

Burun is absolutely right about Ricky Jay. The guy's a genius.

fancyjamtime wrote:When I lived in Chicago I hung out quite a bit with Eugene Burger. He is a Professor of Philosophy and Comparitive Religion as well as a world famous magician.

This guy used to put on a seance that would make you flip out. His closeup was also unbelieveable. He played his shit straight and would scare the crap out of you, then would laugh a deep Santa belly laugh. Salt of the earth this guy. Taught me close-up for the price of a corned beef sandwich at Mannys.

Is he still alive and teaching/doing seances?

Sounds amazing.

Nina wrote:Is he still alive and teaching/doing seances?

Sounds amazing.

http://www.magicbeard.com/index.php

I was looking for a copy of his "Spirit Theatre" book back in '92. It had long been out of print. A guy from a Chicago magic shop gave me a phone number to someone who he said could help me.

"Yeah, this is Eugene"
"Oh fuck..." Right away I'm making a beautiful impression. "uh, hey, I'm looking for Spirit Theatre. Do you know where I might find it?"
"I've been looking for a copy for years. Let me know if you track one down.."

I talked to my father who coincidentally had a copy. (He did magic in a carnival side show for years...he also worked with Bill Bixby among others)

"Mr. Burger? I found a copy..."
"OK, bring the book to Mannys. I'm eating lunch there..."

So I brought him the book. We wound up going out to Graceland cemetery on Clark and walked around and talked about magic all afternoon. He showed me some ace shit.

He doesn't do seances anymore I don't think but do see him if you get a chance.

Magic is great for kids.

Paul Daniels ruined magic (and mostly TV) for everyone in the UK for the whole of the 80's, and undoubtedly makes it CRAP. but going to see David Devant or whoever, the real life equivalent of the dudes from the Prestige mentioned earlier, must have been super not crap.

Ricky Jay

How could this possibly be called crap?


Jon

Rank:

Magicians
Acrobats
Clowns

johnnyshape wrote:Magic is great for kids.

Caption: "I'm hittin' this!"