940: John Cox - Houdini Master

It’s National Magic Week, as designated by the Society of American Magicians. It also means it’s that time of the year to chat with the Houdini expert, John Cox. He has been blogging daily for years about all things Houdini. So, on the eve of the 99th anniversary of Houdini’s death, it seems appropriate to check in with John to see what’s new with Houdini. During our chat, he surprises us with several revelations that I didn’t know, and perhaps might be new to you, too.

John’s biggest and his proudest accomplishment over this past year has been the publication of his book, “Escaping Obscurity” available from Mike Caveney’s “Magic Words” website. He talks about this book in our chat this week, plus he also reveals that the ending to the Tony Curtis movie of “Houdini” did not end with him dying in the water torture cell! This and other revelations are discussed in this week’s episode.

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Thank everyone who entered the contest. We could only have one winner each week, but anyone who is genuinely interested in procuring a deck, you should visit their website at https://houdinicards.com while supplies are available.

Although this book is long out of print, I do have a source who can probably hook you up with a copy. Please contact Kent Cummiins at Kent@kentcummins.com and ask if he has an extra, shrink-wrapped copy to sell you.

939: Susan Gerbic - Busting Grief Vampires

While attending the recent Magistrorum Conference in Dallas, I was surprised to see and hear from a variety of entertainers I had never met, seen, nor (in most cases) even heard of before. It was refreshing to see such robust and exciting talent. One such person who made an impression on me was Susan Gerbic. A long time skeptic (and regular contributor to the Skeptical Inquirer), Susan has been dispelling myths about psychics, spiritualists, and others who “suck the life and money” out of unsuspecting “believers.” Her late partner, Mark Edwards coined the term “Grief Vampires” for those who prey on the grief of others and promise the hope of talking with their dead loved ones from beyond the grave…for the right price.

Susan busts psychics much like Houdini did in his day which was part of his three pronged act in his later years: magic, escapes, and spiritualism exposes. She does it using today’s social media and speaker platforms across the country. Not only does she have a rich background in the skeptic community, she is also known for her contributions to Wikipedia. In 2010, Gerbic founded "Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia" (GSoW), a group of editors who create and edit Wikipedia articles that reflect scientific skepticism. Among her many awards, she has received the "James Randi Award for Skepticism in the Public Interest" at The Amaz!ng Meeting 2013.

Having never met nor knowing anything about Susan Gerbic before we sat down to chat, we talked first about our common interests and friends in the community, like Banachek and the Amazing Randi. We quickly connected then I turned on the microphones and the results are obvious in our warm conversation as I seek to explore more about what Susan does. Since this is the “Month of Boo,” I felt it appropriate to celebrate the life of Houdini and his work on busting spiritualism by introducing you to this dynamic woman who is following in those big footsteps.

The winner for Week #3 was Ken Wheeler, Jr. Congratulations, Ken. A Houdini Legacy Deck of cards will be awarded to a different winner each week in October so you have ONE more chances to win. These beautiful cards were designed by the Past National President and artist, John Midgley. If you are interested in learning more about these cards and the cause, then please visit their website at https://houdinicards.com

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938: Marc DeSouza - Man of the House of Magic

Marc DeSouza is a name that should be familiar to most listeners of The Magic Word Podcast. Marc has provided “color” at the past few FISM conferences as well as a few other subsequent magic conventions. But no doubt you know him best for his vast knowledge in magic, his collection, his path to become the National President of the S.A.M., and (most recently) as the builder of the House of Magic in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area.

This episode is a symphony for the ears as Marc walks us from room to room and even outside of the new House of Magic. You can visualize his words as he describes the rooms and the historical artifacts throughout this new magic venue. This episode was recorded in late June, before the National S.A.M. convention in Nashville. Since that time, the House of Magic has come together, boxes have been unpacked, and the official grand opening is set for November 2, 2025.