588: Stuart MacDonald - What a Character

Multiple award winner, Stuart Macdonald continues to reinvent himself. From a nine to five job in the corporate world, he developed a contest act that won awards after awards that took him around the world. Along the way, he performed magic on the college circuit and spent many years producing a haunted house that had thousands of visitors annually with a staff of over 50 employees. He developed a character (Richard Presto) for the digital age regularly performing on Zoom meetings with his hip, 1960’s persona.

Cryogenically frozen in 1962 Richard Preston was the greatest entertainer and magician of his generation. Stuart MacDonald, magician / actor www.stuartmacdonald.com

Richard Preston is the first entertainer to be cryogenically frozen in 1962 and was unthawed to bring the world back together. He was the greatest entertainer in history up to 1962 and now he's proving it again with a revival of his 2020 Christmas Capers Holiday Magic Show.

In this week’s episode, Stuart talks about his magical journey from the corporate world to the full time performances as a magician. Alon the way he also fooled Penn & Teller on their television show plus he is in demand giving keynote speeches to corporate audiences. This “chameleon” of a man is constantly reinventing his act and himself to keep up with the times by finding what his audience wants and needs at the time when they want and need it.

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

437: CJ Johnson - Game On!

CJ Johnson is a man of many talents. He is not as well known among the magic crowd because he is another one of those who works, creates, and performs rather than attending magic conventions, lecturing for Penguin or Murphy's, or having his ideas published in major magic magazines.

But it's important to know what he does and why he is successful at hypnotism shows, marketing, building, working the college and grade school circuit and producing several game shows that are on the road and on the high seas.

CJ Johnson is one of the leading hypnotists in the college and corporate market today. To find out how to bring Comedy Hypnotist CJ Johnson to your next College, Corporate or High School event, visit http://www.SleepWithCJ.com now.

Survey Says is our most popular college and corporate game show. This video shows just 1 part of one round. It captures the energy and excitement created at each and every show by our amazing group of hosts. If you are looking for the best College or Corporate game show in the business, that won't drain your wallet - look no further.

In this podcast, CJ Johnson talks about taking classes to become a hypnotist after he had already booked some hypnosis shows. Though it may not be the best advice to do that, it worked out well for CJ. He also talks about working the college circuit with his many game shows. CJ also refers to his marketing book, "More Shows More Money". That book is still available and can be purchased as an eBook or a soft cover edition. Just Click Here to visit the website where you can also see his other offerings.

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.. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

Proven Techniques to Succeed in the Entertainment Business.

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.