988: Christopher Hart - Give Him a Hand

Christopher Hart has had, and continues to have, an amazing career, or should I say “careers”. Many people, not just magicians, would be satisfied with success in any one of the areas where Chris has exceeded expectations. Many listeners of The Magic Word Podcast know that it was his hand as “Thing” in “The Addams Family” movies. And yet there is a whole generation who have never seen nor heard of “The Addams Family”, the New Yorker comic strip, the TV series let alone the movies. The recent Netflix series “Wednesday” has introduced many to this genre, but Chris wasn’t in that, and I digress.

But he has performed in dinner theater with “Triple Espresso” and also singing on network TV, Plus of course he has presented his award winning act around the world with the torn and restored sheet music and the disembodied hand. You may think you know Christopher Hart, but there is so much to know about Christopher that you will be surprised what you learn in this episode.

This week’s episode was recorded in Appleton, Wisconsin, while we were at the SAM National convention. Christopher not only performed but also lectured. He had so much material to share, that he never got around to explaining some of the items on his agenda during his lecture. He resolves that by chatting on this week’s episode as he talks about his touches on the torn and restored newspaper and the zombie gimmick. But we start, of course, by chatting about his film career, then his time with dinner theater, overcoming his fear of singing in public, working and touring with David Copperfield, plus serving as President of the Board of Trustees on the Academy of Magical Arts. He shares some great “behind the scenes” stories about all of this which makes this one of my favorite episodes, and I hope yours, too.

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839: Giovanni Livera - Where Talent and Passion Collide

Giovanni Livera won the I.B.M. Gold Cups close-up award in 1991. But he was a force to be reckoned with even before then. From the Florida area, Gio has worked with Tim Glancy who, between the two of them, developed the “t-shirt cannon” that is used to this day in stadiums and ball fields and concerts across the land. In recent decades, Gio has developed a successful speaking platform that has taken him before some of the most prestigious corporate giants in the industry. Always keeping his eye and passion on magic, he returns to perform at the Magic Castle now and again. It is always a treat to see and hear this “larger than life” man tell his stories and give life advice.

While recently visiting Los Angeles, California, Gio sat down for a reunion with his friend, Scott Wells, to catch up on old times and tell us what he’s been doing and where he’s going. We talk about speaking engagements, trade shows, working with executives, developing a brand, finding your voice/message, and ways that you can “live to be 1,000 years old.”

"Live a Thousand Years" by Giovanni LIvera. Click on the link to visit the Amazon store and support The Magic Word Podcast.

The I.B.M. International convention takes place July 10-13, 2024 in Tacoma, Washington. Register today at: https://ibmconvention.com/

838: Paul Green - It's Easy Being Green

Paul Green has long been one of my favorite magicians. He knows how to entertain corporate audiences with his congenial personality and likeable style that immediately puts you at ease before he fools you. He was recently presented an Award of Recognition by the Academy of Magical Arts for his assistance over the past 10 years with their Red Cross blood drives. He is an accomplished performers for executive audiences and is well loved by all audiences at the Magic Castle.

This week Paul Green tells the importance of branding, how to work in a strolling environment, what it’s like to entertain in hospitality suites, and how he works at a trade show. I particularly like his take on charging by the show and not by the hour. This is a fun, informative, and lively chat with one of the busiest magicians in the Los Angeles area and a chance to learn what makes him so successful.