910: Brian Curry - Entering The Funny Zone

Brian Curry is a corporate magician from the Washington, D.C. area who often performs comedy magic for executives and politicians inside the beltway. He also performs school shows while balancing a home life with a wife and family. For a long time, he and Mark Phillips shared the stage in a “dueling magicians” type performance that played to great reviews. Known as “D.C.’s most honest con man,” Brian has a regular show entitled “The Good Liar” that plays at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C.

Brian has several stories about performing for politicians that he can’t publicly share, but the interesting ones he can share, he does in this week’s episode. He also gives some advice and tips along the way while sharing some comical stories.

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For more information, please visit the website at: https://ibmring50.org/lecturers/

879: Mark Pocan - "Pocan" the Political Bear

Mark Pocan represents the second congressional district in Wisconsin, near Madison. He is also a long-time magician, but had a passion since his youth for both magic and politics. He is now serving his seventh term in office and for a few years was offering a YouTube channel filled with explanations of how politics works using magic in what he called “Magic Mondays.” Although he ceased production of those videos a few years ago, he plans to get them up and running again in 2025.

Mark came from a family of politicians and, as he says, began door-to-door campaigning for his father at the tender age of six. He pursued politics through college while using magic to defray some of his costs of schooling. He still performs magic at fund raising functions and other charitable events. He is often seen attending magic conventions and has twice attended Vanishing Inc.’s magic retreats including one in Washington, D.C. where he was able to use his influence to allow attendees access to some backstage places in Congress.

365: Day One - IBM/SAM Combined Convention 2017

This is the first of a five day series of podcasts from Louisville featuring conversations with convention talent, organizers, dealers and registrants. The intent is to bring you the sounds (and sights through the embedded videos and attached photos) of what's happening almost in "real time" so you have the next best experience of actually being there. .

This is not the "official" first day of the convention, but nonetheless, there were several "pre-convention" activities that happened and are worth recording for this episode which I will call "Day One".

IBM-SAM 2017 COMBINED CONVENTION SCHEDULE

TUESDAY, JULY 11
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Lance Burton Teen Magic Seminar - Jones
Ed Thomas Memorial Jr Magic Workshop - Beckham
2:00 PM - S.A.M. Endowment Fund Meeting - Willis
3:00 PM - S.A.M. Magic Center Meeting - Willis
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Registration Opens - Registration Area
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM - S.A.M. Caucus Meeting - Willis
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Registration Opens - Registration Area
6:00 PM - Red Carpet Event - Whitney Hall, Kentucky Center
7:00 PM - Louisville Premere: Billy Topit - Whitney Hall, Kentucky Center
9:30 PM - Midnight - Dealers Grand Opening / Autograph Session - Exhibit Hall

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:04:20 - David Salwak and Fielding West talk about the talent at this convention, both on the shows and the competition.

00:12:09 - Michael Perovich, from Los Angeles and a member of the Magic Castle, tells why he comes to the combined convention which allows him to see acts that aren't seen at the Magic Castle.

00:25:46 - Oscar Munoz, International President of the I.B.M. tells us about what he has accomplished over the past year as President and some of his highlights of what he has seen and done.

00:28:19 - Dal Sanders, past National President of the S.A.M., tells us what's going on with the S.A.M. Council.

00:33:08 - Richard Turner calls in to remind us of his debut on Penn & Teller Fool Us on July 13, 2017

00:34:57 - Q&A Panel discussion following the debut showing of "Billy Topit"

00:52:03 - Jeff Sikola, National President of the S.A.M., talks about what he feels were the highlights of the past year.

00:57:55 - Jason Andrews talks about the competitions that brought him to where he is today as well as his cruise ship work.

00:02:31 - Tommy Ellison (a Friend of The Magic Word) shares a story as an update from the podcast posted Feb. 27, 2014 and available by Clicking Here.