592: Romany - Diva of Magic - Dealing With It

From England, Romany talks about the arc of her career that brought her from the dreams of a young girl to seeing her name in lights on the grand stage. It has not all been a “bed of roses” and she has dealt with hardships, heartbreak and mental issues. From a nine to five job with British Telephone to performing the streets then to Las Vegas and cruise ships, Romany has had quite a life. Or should I say she “is” having quite a life as she is far from finished. One thing she did finish is her book, “Spun Into Gold” which is a nice promotional piece about her life but also containing advice for young girls like her who suffer(ed) from weight gain and shape issues that can lead to bulimia.

In the early part of this week’s episode, Max Maven drops in to give us his prediction of what we might expect in 2021 as it relates to Covid and “getting back into the world.”

In this episode, Max Maven kicks off the New Year with his prediction for 2021 regarding Covid. In the main part of this episode, Romany talks frankly about her bulimia and gives advice for young women to heed to avoid falling victim to this disorder.

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Romany shares her life story in this autobiography on the secret life of a female magician. Order through Amazon by clicking on this graphic and helping The Magic Word through their Affiliate Program.

Hail and Farewell

to magicians who left us this year.

2020 was not a kind year in general, but in particular, I had more magic friends pass away this year than any other. Perhaps it was the anxiety of the pandemic or the pandemic itself, or it could be that as I’m getting older, so are my friends. Although the list below is not exhaustive, it does reflect the names of many well-known (and some lesser known) magicians, spouses and assistants who passed on in 2020. Some may not be as well-known to you, but they were my personal friends (hey, it is my blog!). If you are unfamiliar with any of these names, then it would behoove you to do a little online search of what these people have contributed to our craft. If you have someone you think was overlooked, then please post the name in the comments below on this blog.

Those whose names are highlighted with a “hot link” were featured or interviewed here on The Magic Word Podcast. You can click on their name to revisit and listen to their voices again.

Roy Walton

Bob White

Fred Wood

Orson Bean

E. Raymond Carlyle (Ed Fowler)

Chuck Lehr

Dennis W. Wilson

Joan Lawton

Norm Nielsen

Harvey Rosenthal

Roy Horn

Nick Ruggerio

Louis Falanga

Brad Jacobs

Marvyn “Mr. Electric” Roy

Ramon Galindo

John Mendoza

Ger Copper

Howie Schwarzman

James “The Amazing” Randi

Ken Klosterman

Paul Cummins

Klingsor

Greco

Chuck Baker

Bob Rossi

Charles Pecor

Roger Siegel

Jack White

Walter “Zaney” Blaney

Matthew Field

David Maas

Bev Bergeron

Al Cohen

John Star

574: Edward Hilsum - Triple Crown Winner

As a follow-up to last week’s podcast about magic contests, I took the advice of Noel Britten (President of The Magic Circle) and contacted Edward Hilsum. He is the winner of three separate contests offered by TMC: Stage Magician of the Year, Close-Up Magician of the Year, and Children’s Entertainer of the Year. This unprecedented achievement is even more impressive when you consider that Edward is only 28 years old.

Here's the act that won me The Magic Circle Stage Magician of the Year 2018! I don't normally post videos of my shows as I think magic is best experienced li...

Follow me: https://facebook.com/edwardhilsum https://instagram.com/edwardhilsum https://twitter.com/edwardhilsum https://edwardhilsum.com

This week, Edward Hilsum tells us about his magic background and his preparation for entering the contests. This inspirational conversation includes advice on performing, preparing your act, and working with doves.

573: Secrets of F.I.S.M. Contests Revealed

In response to another listener’s request, this week we try to demystify the judging process for the World Championships of Magic, F.I.S.M. To do so, we make a visit with three leading proponents who may hold the keys. First up is Noel Britten, President of The Magic Circle in London, England. He gives great advice on what one should consider before even entering a competition. And from Las Vegas, Nevada, Past National President of the S.A.M. and Contest Chairman, Vinny Grosso, tells us about the preliminaries that one must hurdle to compete in the world championships. Then from Paris, France, Boris Wild, a F.I.S.M. winner himself and current head of the F..I.S.M. jury, sheds some light on the subject.

Fimed in the comedy tent on Fringe Sunday 1999 Edinburgh fringe Festival

Vinny lets it all hang out on stage! Check out his comedic magic, as he gives Howie Mandel a revealing look into his act.

The kiss act by Boris Wild at the french tv: "le plus grand cabaret du monde" http://www.boriswild.com

F.I.S.M. has gone through changes to its judging rules and requirements for competing. In this week’s episode we try to learn what has changed and what contestants should expect the jury (judges) to look for in the competitions. Moreover, the suggestions made by Noel Britten should be required listening for anyone considering entering any magic competition regardless of how far you want to take it.