980: Alan Bursky - Pulling No Punches

In 1973 Alan Bursky burst on the comedy scene in a big was when he was just 17 and being the youngest comedian to ever perform on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show. He was also involved in booking entertainment in the early days of the Magic Island. But long before that when he was growing up in New York, he developed a friendship with David Kotke aka David Copperfield. Later while on the comedy circuit, he befriended Freddie Prinze who starred in “Chico and the Man” television series. He was a roommate with Freddie for a while. He also booked Steve Martin and Rodney Dangerfield, among many other notable comedians. Now he is preparing for going back out to sea doing comedy on cruise ships.

This week, Alan and Scott Wells chat in a room at the Magic Hotel in Hollywood, next to the Magic Castle. Throughout our chat, Alan kept looking/scrolling through his phone as he looked for old photos to back up many of the stories he shares in this episode (which are posted here on the website.) Among the stories, he tells us about attending Hugh Hefner’s parties in the Playboy mansion, he also shares some inside stories from the Magic Castle and gives us a personal glimpse of David Copperfield’s personal life.

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948: Derek Hughes - Family Guy

While at the 2025 Abbott’s Get Together, we chatted with several magicians. A while back we chatted with Craig Diamond and last week we released the one with Antony Gerard and this week we talk with Derek Hughes. That is a subtle hint for just another reason why you should attend magic conventions…all the great talent that comes and shares their time and talents.

Derek has performed his magic on MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, the CW’s Penn & Teller: Fool Us, and the Ellen Degeneres Show. He’s a consulting producer on TRUtv’s hit magic series, The Carbonaro Effect and was a finalist on season 10 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent [sic]. His back story was much about his health as a child and the importance of his children to his life. He regularly performs in nightclubs across the U.S. and has been nominated for several categories at the Magic Castle over the years. He is also a published author of a children’s book!

This week, Derek talks about his experience with AGT and the invaluable advice he received from Jim Steinmeyer. We also discuss the difference between a magician who does comedy versus a comedian who does magic. Derek tells us about the children’s book he wrote (available through Amazon on the link below) before he even had children.

Humpty Dumpty Lived Near a Wall

By Hughes, Derek

Buy on Amazon

**Hail and Farewell to those in our magic community who left us this past year.**

In 2025 we suffered the loss of many friends who have passed away, but whom are not forgotten. Although the list below is not exhaustive, it does reflect the names of many well-known (and some lesser known) magicians, spouses, assistants and magic aficionados who passed on in 2025. This year’s list is much less than the number reported last year (12 this year v.s. 17 in 2024.) Some may not be as well-known to you, but they were my personal friends (hey, it is my blog!). If you are unfamiliar with any of these names, then it would behoove you to do a little online search of what these people have contributed to our craft. If you have someone you think was overlooked, then please post the name in the comments below on this blog.

Those whose names are highlighted with a “hot link” were featured or interviewed here on The Magic Word Podcast. It was not my original intent when I began this journey to chronicle the voices before they left us, but I am so thankful that I did sit down with many of these friends for lively, and sometimes intimate, conversations. You can click on their name to revisit and listen to their voices again.

Ian Adair

Roger Nicot

Jack Greenburg

Gordon Miller

Mercer Helms

David Solomon

Ginny Aronson

Dirk “Mr. D” Spence

Micky Blashfield

Connie “Paprika” Leaverton

Curtis Kam

Peter Studebaker

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.

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.