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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
  • Post a comment
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703: Abbott's Get Together 2022 - Day One Report

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3rd 2022

9:30AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant Purchase Registration/Tickets

10:00AM - 12:45PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS' ROOM at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

10:00AM TARGET: MIDNIGHT RELEASED in Dealers Room Target Midnight Release (High School) Requires Registration

10:15AM SLIGHTLY IRREGULAR BOOK SALE in Dealers Room (Available Book List) (High School) Requires Registration

10:30AM SHOWROOM SPECIALS in Dealers Room Spooky Collectibles and Super Deals (High School) Requires Registration

11:15AM LECTURE - Duane Laflin "Making Magic Fun" at Laflin's Grand Magic Theater Free

12:00PM STREET PERFORMER - John Sturk (On Blackstone at Dawn's Cafe past picnic tables)

1:00PM OLD FASHION MAGIC SHOW with John Shango at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5

2:00 PM JAY BLACKWELL JUGGLING/FIRE EATING & MORE at Sterlini Magic & Theater

2:30PM STREET PERFORMER - Jania Taylor (Granny's Place by American Legion)

3:00PM LECTURE - Bizzaro at High School Requires Abbott's Registration

3:00PM-5PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS' ROOM at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

3:00PM-5PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM is open (Colon Museum Webpage) Free

3:00PM-6PM FACE PAINTING with Award Winning Artist Carol Hendrix

4:30PM OLD FASHION MAGIC SHOW with Joe Bennett at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5

5:00 PM LIVE AT 5 WITH THE STERLINI'S at Sterlini Magic & Theater $10

5:30PM STREET PERFORMER - Bibik! (Magic Capital Grill by bridge)

6:00PM-7:45PM DINNER on your own

7:45PM PRESHOW LIVE ORGAN MUSIC - by John Sturk Requires Abbott's Registration or Ticket ($30/$45)

8:00PM ABBOTT'S STAGE SHOW Requires Abbott's Registration or Ticket ($30/$45)
Featuring
Bizzaro, Nick Diffatte, Doug Stafford, Joel Hodgson
NOTE: Tickets for the Abbott evening Stage Show must be purchased in advance at the Abbott Plant or online before 5pm that day.
You will be able to pick up tickets at a will call window at the show, but Abbotts will not be able to sell any at the door.


8:00PM GRAND MAGIC CLASSIC SHOW - 8 PM at the Laflin's Grand Magic Theater - $14.95 adult, $6.95 child

10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

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Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:16 - After departing FISM Quebec, we are on the road from Detroit, Michigan, on an early, early morning drive to Colon.

00:04:44 - David Seebach, one of the perennial registrants and also one of the performers this year. Lance Burton joins us as he talked about his new tour bus. Lance also talked about the cemetery where Gary Darwin was just buried.

00:10:51 - Kevin James joins us for lunch as he talks a bit about the Illusionists tour and what he’s doing now. He also talks about piracy of magic.

00:18:00 - Abbott’s Magic proprietor, Greg Bordner, is a co-organizer of this convention. He talks a bit about this convention and expectations for this year.

00:28:30 - Steve Chezaday is one of the stage hands for the past 25+ years and talks a little about what makes this convention special to him.

0036:36 - The first evening show is about to begin, but first we chat with the creator of “One Hundred Monkeys”, Chris Philpott. This is the first Get Together for him, too.

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 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

Posted in Convention Report and tagged with Abbott's Get Together, Colon Michigan, David Seebach, Lance Burton, Kevin James, Greg Bordner, Steve Chezaday, Chris Philpott.

August 3, 2022 by Scott Wells.
  • August 3, 2022
  • Scott Wells
  • Abbott's Get Together
  • Colon Michigan
  • David Seebach
  • Lance Burton
  • Kevin James
  • Greg Bordner
  • Steve Chezaday
  • Chris Philpott
  • Convention Report
  • 1 Comment
1 Comment

682: MAGIC Live! 2022 - Day Two Report

Monday, May 16, 2022

  • 9:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. - Registration open

  • 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. - General Session for YELLOW lanyard

  • 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Focus Sessions for GREEN lanyards

    • Talk About Tricks: Very Best of by Joshua Jay

    • A Perilous Tightrope by Christopher T. Magician

    • Rediscovering Wonder with Michael Weber

  • 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. - The Magic Shop (Dealers) Open

  • 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Focus Session for GREEN Lanyards

  • 12:30 - 1:40 p.m. The Close-up Experience

  • 2:15 - 4:15 p.m. General Session for GREEN Lanyards

  • 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Focus Session for YELLOW Lanyards

  • 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Focus Session for YELLOW Lanyards

LIVE Tonight!

  • Documentary Live 70 minutes: 6:00, 8:00, 10:30 p.m.

  • The Close-Up Experience 70 minutes: 6:00, 7:30, 9:00, 10:30 p.m.

  • In Concert: The Historie of Magic 60 minutes: 6:00 7:45 9:45 p.m.

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Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:42 - Trigg Watson talks about this convention and Masters of Illusion and Matthew O’Niell (20 year old member of Magic Castle Juniors) talks about this being his first MAGIC Live convention

00:08:03 - Diamond Jim Tyler talks about some of the events we attended so far today, plus an update on his “Bamboozlers 4” book

00:16:14 - Joseph Daniels is one of the dealers and chats about Arcane Relics and some future “Bizzare” conventions coming this year.

00:22:09 - Chris Philpott (creator of “100 Monkeys”) moved to Canada during lockdown but has been working on other projects during that time.

00:29:05 - Ben Dentika is another person who is attending MAGIC Live! for the first time and shares his experience

00:35:21 - Earl Chaney is one of the original Ronald McDonald clowns and is a chronicler of old Las Vegas

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 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

Posted in Convention Report and tagged with MAGIC Live!, Las Vegas, Orleans Hotel and Casino, Trigg Watson, Matthew O'Neill, Diamond Jim Tyler, Joseph Daniels, Chris Philpott, Ben Dentika, Earl Chaney.

May 17, 2022 by Scott Wells.
  • May 17, 2022
  • Scott Wells
  • MAGIC Live!
  • Las Vegas
  • Orleans Hotel and Casino
  • Trigg Watson
  • Matthew O'Neill
  • Diamond Jim Tyler
  • Joseph Daniels
  • Chris Philpott
  • Ben Dentika
  • Earl Chaney
  • Convention Report
  • 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

This podcast is totally free for everyone to enjoy. This is provided to you out of love and respect for our art of magic. If you enjoy the podcasts and other material on The Magic Word, then your financial support will be greatly appreciated and help offset the monthly hosting service fee as well as the hardware and software to produce this podcast. Just click on the "Donate " button at the top of this page to make a one time donation through PayPal.

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In May 2024, Scott Wells had the distinguished honor of receiving a “Special Fellowship” from the Academy of Magical Arts (The Magic Castle) for the Magic Word Podcast which promotes “not only personal stories of fascinating individuals, but also fellowship amongst our extended family of artists and entertainers everywhere.”

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Travel Breather in the Eye of the Storm - We are between two (actually three) major events: FISM, Abbott's Get Together and MAGIC Live! Last week was a full week of FISM reports. Next week we travel to Colon, Michigan for Abbott's Get Together then i
Rome may not have been built in a day, but we tried to see as much of it as we could in an afternoon.
Another beautiful day in Umbria visiting #Assissi and #Perugia #Italy
More time near the Tuscan sun. But this time we traveled south to Umbria where we visited #Bevagna #Montefalco and #Spello
More time under the beautiful Tuscan sun with a visit to Montalcino and Montepulciano for wine tasting and exploring. Now staying in a monestary. #italy
Travel Breather in the Eye of the Storm - We are between two (actually three) major events: FISM, Abbott's Get Together and MAGIC Live! Last week was a full week of FISM reports. Next week we travel to Colon, Michigan for Abbott's Get Together then i
Another delightful day under the Tuscan sun in Siena and other cities I can't spell, but enjoying the sun, the food, the wine, and the culture. And the Gelato is amazing. #gelato #siena #italy
A tour of the Chianti Classico region. Two wineries and a sunset Tuscan dinner followed by, of course, gellato. #chianti
From Turin to Parma where we tried the music,  cheese, prosciutto,  wine, and Gelato. #parma

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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