497: Pat Hazell - Part One: Notes From Home

Pat Hazell may not be a name you are familiar with, but for those do (like Johnny Carson and Jerry Seinfeld), then you know how funny he is and how serious he takes comedy. He was an emcee at the 2018 MAGIC Live! event where he showed the “fake trailer” that fooled Jerry. You can view that very funny trailer by Clicking Here. He moved from magic into comedy but has never quit thinking about magic. “Wonderbread Years” is just one of his successful one-man shows that he has developed along the way. In this “Notes From Home” podcast, he talks about his roots so you can see perhaps how it affected his later life as a successful comedian.

In this podcast, Pat Hazell talks about his recent return to magic conventions with his appearance at the 2018 MAGIC Live! event, He also talks about his magical beginnings in Omaha performing restaurant magic, his performances on ”The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson”, and a publicity stunt to promote his ”upside down straight jacket escape” in the warehouse district of Omaha (see the picture here on the blog). He also tells some funny stories about Hooters Restaurant, his Omaha apartment that had high enough ceilings where he could practice juggling, and his “joke of the day” on his answering machine. Pat also talks about why he got into comedy writing and performing that led to his move to Los Angeles where his career took off. There are a ton of other stories that you’re sure to enjoy.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Stitcher by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here..If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

387: Orson Bean - It Began With A Fir Tree

The cover of a 1960 comedy album showed Orson Bean holding a "Fir Tree" (made from rolled-up newspaper) which started the search. While in the Los Angeles, California area, I learned that Orson Bean had an interest in magic and even belonged to the Academy of Magical Arts.

In a fortunate turn of events, The Magic Word Podcast was able to visit the home of legendary actor and comedian, Orson Bean, and his lovely wife (and talented actor in her own right), Alley Mills. What started out as a search into Orson's background and interest in magic led to a fascinating discussion through time and television history.

Orson and Alley were also putting the final touches on their new one act play, "Alright Then" that is "a true story of two people who fell in love and overcame insurmountable odds to forge a successful marriage." Their intent was to take it to the Mark Twain Library in Redding, CT (which they did this past July) then return to Los Angeles and present it there. During this podcast, Orson and Alley present a snippet from the play.

Watch SAFE AT HOME: An Evening with Orson Bean for FREE. Orson had offers to take his LADCC Award winning show to New York and elsewhere, but he feels strongly that this is a show he wants everyone to see and to enjoy, just as our audiences did here at Pacific Resident Theater. He decided to “give it away to the world” and posted it on YouTube. Now YOU and EVERYONE you know can enjoy this hilarious,

During our conversation, we start with magic but the real magic unfolds as we hear remarkable stories about Hollywood legends such as Johnny Carson, Ernie Kovacs, Bob Hope and so many, many more. Alley Mills also chats about her work on "The Wonder Years" TV show and the friendships that bonded the cast for life. Towards the end of this recording, Orson and Alley presented (and rehearsed) a bit of their new play "Alright Then"

365: Day One - IBM/SAM Combined Convention 2017

This is the first of a five day series of podcasts from Louisville featuring conversations with convention talent, organizers, dealers and registrants. The intent is to bring you the sounds (and sights through the embedded videos and attached photos) of what's happening almost in "real time" so you have the next best experience of actually being there. .

This is not the "official" first day of the convention, but nonetheless, there were several "pre-convention" activities that happened and are worth recording for this episode which I will call "Day One".

IBM-SAM 2017 COMBINED CONVENTION SCHEDULE

TUESDAY, JULY 11
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Lance Burton Teen Magic Seminar - Jones
Ed Thomas Memorial Jr Magic Workshop - Beckham
2:00 PM - S.A.M. Endowment Fund Meeting - Willis
3:00 PM - S.A.M. Magic Center Meeting - Willis
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Registration Opens - Registration Area
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM - S.A.M. Caucus Meeting - Willis
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Registration Opens - Registration Area
6:00 PM - Red Carpet Event - Whitney Hall, Kentucky Center
7:00 PM - Louisville Premere: Billy Topit - Whitney Hall, Kentucky Center
9:30 PM - Midnight - Dealers Grand Opening / Autograph Session - Exhibit Hall

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:04:20 - David Salwak and Fielding West talk about the talent at this convention, both on the shows and the competition.

00:12:09 - Michael Perovich, from Los Angeles and a member of the Magic Castle, tells why he comes to the combined convention which allows him to see acts that aren't seen at the Magic Castle.

00:25:46 - Oscar Munoz, International President of the I.B.M. tells us about what he has accomplished over the past year as President and some of his highlights of what he has seen and done.

00:28:19 - Dal Sanders, past National President of the S.A.M., tells us what's going on with the S.A.M. Council.

00:33:08 - Richard Turner calls in to remind us of his debut on Penn & Teller Fool Us on July 13, 2017

00:34:57 - Q&A Panel discussion following the debut showing of "Billy Topit"

00:52:03 - Jeff Sikola, National President of the S.A.M., talks about what he feels were the highlights of the past year.

00:57:55 - Jason Andrews talks about the competitions that brought him to where he is today as well as his cruise ship work.

00:02:31 - Tommy Ellison (a Friend of The Magic Word) shares a story as an update from the podcast posted Feb. 27, 2014 and available by Clicking Here.