909: Joe Monti - One of the Men Behind the Man

Often we don’t know nor recognize those who work behind the scenes and spotlights. But they are the ones responsible for making the person in front of the curtains or camera look good. As they say, “it takes a village” and that is especially true for “stars” who make it on television and stage. One such person that is a “go-to” consultant is Joe Monti. When Criss Angel got his television deal for “Mind Freak”, Joe was one of the first people Criss called. As time went on and it became apparent how valuable Joe was, he also assumed the role of “producer”. Joe continues to this day to consult for magicians as well as performing for high profile corporate clients. He has even fooled Penn & Teller on their show, “Fool Us”.

My friendship with Joe Monti goes back nearly 40 years from when we performed together at Houston’s Magic Island. It was good to catch up with a long-time friend this week as he shared many stories about what he has been doing during those years. He has a few “behind the scenes” stories to tell about working with Criss Angel plus his experience on “Penn & Teller Fool Us”.

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PLEASE NOTE: These events are THIS SATURDAY June 14th, 2025. For more information on the New York Magic Conference, please visit: https://newyorkmagicconference.com and to learn more about the Salute to Magic and purchase advance tickets, please visit: https://salutetomagic.com

908: Christian & Katalina - Mind Trippers

Military veterans, Katalina and Christian Painter have made a successful career of entertaining with their two-person mind reading routine coupled with their comedy mentalism act. For many years they traveled across the U.S. together entertaining on college campuses. After a few years, they decided to “settle down” in one location and limit their travel .They found a niche market in their hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana, where today they present a weekly show entitled the “Mind Tripping Show” in the Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites.

This episode is a bit different from most our episodes. Typically we chat about a variety of topics with our guests. But this week we got off on a tangent from the very beginning and stayed focused on that throughout the episode. Specifically, Christian and Katalina talked about how they developed their show, how they found the venue, how they market the show, how it has evolved, and why it is still successful as they are reaching 20 years with this show. There is invaluable information in this episode, particularly if you are considering finding a venue for your show and what you need to do to prepare for it.

For more information on the New York Magic Conference, please visit: https://newyorkmagicconference.com and to learn more about the Salute to Magic and purchase advance tickets, please visit: https://salutetomagic.com

907: Carl Mercurio & Jim Vines - Better Together

There seems to be an explosion of magic theatres, one-man shows, magic bars, and magic variety venues popping up across the country and indeed, around the world. I need to use two hands to count the number that have popped up since the first of the year! This week we chat with two magicians who have ventured into the high stakes world of filling seats in New York City where there is already a LOT of magic shows. Carl Mercurio and Jim Vines together have started “The Broadway Magic Hour” (really, off-Broadway to be precise) where they present weekly, family friendly magic shows. Their journey may not be unique, but it serves as an inspiration to others who might be considering finding their own venue (and perhaps partner) where you can entertain the masses with your magical skills.

Both based in New York City, Carl and Jim have similar yet dissimilar backgrounds. One is a multiple award winning magician, the other is not. One was a restaurant and bar magician, the other one was not. But their styles, personalities, and characters meld perfectly on stage. This week they talk about the “mojo” that put and keeps them together. Moreover, they talk about how they found the venue and how they market themselves in this very competitive environment. There is a lot to learn from the pro tips that they offer. But even if you don’t plan to ever pursue having your own theatre or your own show, I think you will enjoy our chat as we hear some of the trials and tribulations of a couple guys trying to make it in the Big Apple.

909: Joe Monti - One of the Men Behind the Man

908: Christian & Katalina - Mind Trippers

907: Carl Mercurio & Jim Vines - Better Together

The Magic Word