964: Dan Stapleton - On Cruise Control

Dan Stapleton is one of those magicians who has seen it all and now in his 60’s could easily set his remaining days on “cruise control” for the rest of his life; however, that is not who he is. He was a cruise magician for 23 years and served as a cruise director, too. Early in his career, he performed in Circus World where he got his chops at performing illusions. But his passion and goal was always to work on Main Street in Disney World as a demonstrator in the magic shop. That opportunity came to him and he loved his days doing it. He also appeared on America’s Got Talent [sic] where he was summarily dismissed, but he has a good story about that. In his semi-retirement he has managed a resort hotel in Orlando and now coordinates the Florida State Magic Collectors conferences.

Dan has so many stories that they would fill a book. He has recounted many of them in VANISH Magazine over the years in his column. But this week he shares some of those stories, and more, as he opens up about his experience being voted off of AGT yet how even today, it still helps him book shows. He chats about the status of magic on cruise ships, magic conventions, and more.

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This week’s sponsor is the S.A.M. Parent Assembly #1 Salute to Magic. Please click on the graphic above for more information.

452: Playing Around with John Archer

John Archer visited our shores in between dates on a comedy tour of the U.K. with Tim Vine. John performed and lectured at the Texas Association of Magicians and also stopped by my home the night before to enjoy a martini or two. While here, he regaled us with some impromptu playing of his ukulele. The next day before the T,A,O,M, conventinn began, we sat down for a wonderfully enlightening conversation about many things including him being the first to “fool” Penn & Teller on their show when it was broadcast in the U.K.

See John Archer play some of the music you hear on The Magic Word Podcast at: https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/452-john-archer

John Archer on great form on Dave's One Night Stand!

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:03:59 - Enjoy a couple little ditties on the ukalele performed impromptu by John Archer at my home during Magic and Martinis Thursday.

00:10:46 - John talks about comedy, music, working theaters in the U.K., creativity, Penn & Teller Fool Us, and more.

01:11:13 - Product Review: “Spiraled” by Jimmy Strange - a Sharpie with a permanently twisted barrel. Moderate recommendation

01:16:17 - Product Review: “Luck Of The Draw” by Liam Montier and Big Blind Media is a clear, three-way change bag with one set of randomly numbered raffle tickets and two two different force sets. Clever idea and recommended.

01:19:06 - Product Review: “Mouth Coils” by Jan Kosters from Holland. Well made, 62 foot coils with video and PDF instructions. Recommended.

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

Click on the graphic to visit the Penguin Magic website and download John’s Penguin Lecture.

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222: My Week at the Magic Castle 2015 - Part Three

Join Scott and Lisa Land for a stroll down Hollywood Boulevard as we return to the Nirvana Apartment from breakfast at Mel's Diner. Scott Land is a puppeteer who was performing in the Palace theater at the Magic Castle during the same week I was in the Close-Up Gallery. We talk about many things and people including Scott's friend, Carl Ballentine. We stop along the way for Scott to point out some of the tourist landmarks on Hollywood Boulevard such as the El Capitan theater, "Walk of Stars" like Robin Williams, Julie Andrews, John Travolta, Milt and Bill Larsen, and Mann's Chinese Theatre.

After we return to the Nirvana Apartments (which is where many of the Castle performers are lodged during their/our week), I took a walk across the street and up the hill to the Academy of Magical Arts where I spoke with its General Manager, Joe Furlow. I happened to have been in the epicenter of the timeline when an agreement had just been reached between the Milt Larsen, the Magic Castle and the Academy of Magical Arts. Many of the agreed terms were discussed during our conversation.

1 minute of The Magic Word podcast with Scott Wells. Listen to the entire podcast with Scott Land soon at: www.themagicwordpodcast.com
Posted by Lisa Land on Wednesday, April 22, 2015

00:02:52 - Join Lisa and Scott Land as we depart from Mel's Diner and walk along Hollywood Boulevard back to our apartment near the Magic Castle. Enjoy the sights and sounds and stories along the way. As we get back in front of the Nirvana Apartments, Scott talked extensively about Carl Ballentine, the development of his act, an entertaining story about Carl's' belief of Steve Martin "lifting" his act, and the puppet of Carl that Scott created.

00:20:18 - Joe Furlow, General Manager of the Academy of Magical Arts, talks about the resurrection of the Magic Castle and how they are now thriving as a financially successful enterprise.