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The Magic Word The Magic Word

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912: Diana Zimmerman - The Enchantress

Diana Zimmerman is an enchanting woman in every sense of the word: personality, charm, abilities, looks, intelligence, skill, and so much more. She has led a life of magic like few other women. And she is being recognized for her achievements by being inducted to the Los Angeles Times Global Magicians Hall of Fame on July 9th, 2025. Married at 19 to Dick Zimmerman, magician and creative genius, she performed around the world on television and stage with her one-woman performance. She traveled with a giant gramophone then later switched to a thumb tie and pick pocketing. She developed and still works with the Magic Castle Junior Program (which just celebrated their 50th year) and is the author of several books of fantasy. But she also authored the definitive collector’s edition of the Siegfried and Roy book.

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Diana has so many stories that she shares with us this week including her early days working with her then-husband, Dick Zimmerman, then how Cary Grant encouraged her to form the junior program at the Magic Castle, and many stories about the late Siegfried and Roy. She was a close confidant to the illusionists and shares some “behind the scenes” stories from Little Bavaria to “the Incident” that ended their Las Vegas run.

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 Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly 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.

Tagged with Diana Zimmerman, Magic Castle, Magic Castle Junior Member, Doug Henning, Dai Vernon, Dick Zimmerman, Channing Pollock, pickpocketing, Matthew O'Neill, Jason Latimer, Michael Rangel, Lisa Menna, Cary Grant, Siegfried and Roy, Johnny Thompson, Gary Darwin, Michael Jackson, Little Bavaria.

July 3, 2025 by Scott Wells.
  • July 3, 2025
  • Scott Wells
  • Diana Zimmerman
  • Magic Castle
  • Magic Castle Junior Member
  • Doug Henning
  • Dai Vernon
  • Dick Zimmerman
  • Channing Pollock
  • pickpocketing
  • Matthew O'Neill
  • Jason Latimer
  • Michael Rangel
  • Lisa Menna
  • Cary Grant
  • Siegfried and Roy
  • Johnny Thompson
  • Gary Darwin
  • Michael Jackson
  • Little Bavaria
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853: Michael Mode - Getting in the Mode

One of the regular attendees at the annual Abbott’s Get Together, Michael Mode (from Detroit) used to be a very busy trade show magician specializing in auto shows. Now settled with another full time job outside of magic, he maintains his roots by keeping in the loop each year at Colon, Michigan. For a while, Michael used to coordinate the Amish dinners by providing magicians to perform for their families during the Get Togethers. Back in the days of the iTouch, he and Jeff Hobson developed a joke app that sold very well and is now available as a book entitled “Best Jokes Ever.” Michael is also the creator of the two-colored napkins that magicians use for Napkin to Rose.

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This week Michael Mode talks about his work with auto shows, his relationship with Michigan magicians including Franz Harary and Jeff Hobson. Michael discusses the joke app he and Jeff Hobson developed that later became an encyclopedic book. You just look for a subject then find a joke to fit that subject, either clean or mature. Michael also talks about his development of the two-colored napkins used for Napkin to Rose.

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 Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly 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.

Tagged with Michael Mode, Jason Byrne, Brett Daniels, Abbott's Get Together, Al the Only, Doug Scheer, Jeff Hobson, Scotty York, trade shows, napkin rose, Amish, Jeff Bibik, restaurant magic.

August 22, 2024 by Scott Wells.
  • August 22, 2024
  • Scott Wells
  • Michael Mode
  • Jason Byrne
  • Brett Daniels
  • Abbott's Get Together
  • Al the Only
  • Doug Scheer
  • Jeff Hobson
  • Scotty York
  • trade shows
  • napkin rose
  • Amish
  • Jeff Bibik
  • restaurant magic
  • 1 Comment
1 Comment

824 - Keith Leff - the Everyman Magician

There are many magicians around the world who grind out a living as a magician meaning that they take any and all magic jobs and perform anywhere. Keith Leff is one of those magicians who is not one the “celebrity magicians” who is well-known in the magic world, but is one of those “everyman magicians” who is dependable, reliable, solid, and capable who keeps busy with the business of magic, whatever it takes. Moreover, after so many years “in the trenches” he has recently been traveling across the country with his magic lecture where he sells some of his original creations and lecture notes.

If you are a more visual person, then perhaps you might enjoy watching our Zoom chat for this episode.

In this episode, Keith gives tips and advice from his lecture and his many years of professional experience including working at fairs and festivals as well as corporate parties and restaurants.

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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 Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly 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.

Tagged with Keith Leff, restaurant magic, fairs, festivals.

March 28, 2024 by Scott Wells.
  • March 28, 2024
  • Scott Wells
  • Keith Leff
  • restaurant magic
  • fairs
  • festivals
  • Post a comment
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The Magic Word The Magic Word

A Podcast for Magicians, About Magicians, Hosted by a Full Time Professional Magician, Scott Wells

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Thanks to all of you listeners, The Magic Word Podcast and our newsletter (or “podletter” as I call it) has been recognized by FISM and received nominations in two categories. Please click on one of the graphics above and cast your vote to help push us on to victory in Turin, Italy, this summer! Thank you!

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FISM 2025 Daily Reports Begin Soon - We are in Italy and anxiously awaiting commencement of FISM 2025. There will be no podcast released today, but daily reports will begin next Monday. So, come back each day next week for regular updates from Turin,
Day two of our Italian adventure. Tours of Venice, cafes, museums, then to Murano to a glass blowing art gallery, and finishing with a concert with three tenors.
From Milan to a hazelnut farm then to the Piedmont region for drinks and BBQ as the sun set. Beautiful! #hazelnut #italy
So much history, so much beauty, so much good food, so much fashion, and so little time. #milanitaly #milano
So much history, so much beauty, so much fashion, and too little time to take it all in.
FISM 2025 Daily Reports Begin Soon - We are in Italy and anxiously awaiting commencement of FISM 2025. There will be no podcast released today, but daily reports will begin next Monday. So, come back each day next week for regular updates from Turin,
Leaving Venice, passing through a winery in the Valpolicella region, ending up in Milan.
Day two of our Italian adventure with visits to museums, cafes, boat rides, shopping, glass blowing art gallery in Murano, and finishing with a concert with three tenors.
Day two of our Italian adventure. Tours of Venice, cafes, museums, then to Murano to a glass blowing art gallery, and finishing with a concert with three tenors.

The Magic Word Has been recognized by FeedSpot as the # 1 magician podcast in the world. Thank you all for your support and for listening throughout the years.

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