815: Justin Flom - Justified?

Forbes magazine proclaimed Justin Flom as the “most viewed magician on the planet.” He has racked up 20 billion views since the pandemic started and was named the “No. 1 influencer” across all social platforms for Jan. 2022 according to Tubular Leaderboard, which tracks views and interactions. He launched his viral visibility with the exposure of the “deceptive base” used (mainly) by illusionists. He went on to expose more and more methods and tricks in magic before moving into other areas to increase and broaden his market and assure longer “watch time” for his videos that ultimately turn into big profits. He hasn’t performed magic professionally for the last four years and today known more as a spray paint artist.

This week Justin “preaches his gospel” of why magic exposure is good for our art.

“I love magic exposure. I think it’s good, right, moral and the future of magic.” - Justin Flom

This quote is the essence of this week’s episode as Justin Flom justifies his actions and has no moral nor ethical compunction about his actions. Moreover, he encourages others to do the same. You may leave your thoughts on this whether you agree or disagree in the comment section below this blog. Please be civil and devoid of vitriol on either side of this issue or your comment will be deleted.

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784: Jamy Ian Swiss - The Conjuror's Conjuror

Jamy Ian Swiss is the author of five books and co-author of two other books and consultant or contributor to at least eight other books and magazines, frequent performer at the Magic Castle, co-producer of Monday Night Magic, historian, lecturer, teacher, consultant, Senior Fellow of the James Randi Educational Foundation, skeptic, and an expert on the intersection of science, magic, and skepticism. He has frequently appeared on television talk and news shows including all the networks with occasional appearances in movies and documentaries.

This discussion was recorded in the Magic Castle when we worked together there in March 2023. In our conversation, Jamy covers the gamut of magic from those who have influenced his life to an esoteric discussion of equivoque and the power of magic has on our audience and a deep dive into a theoretical talk about magic. Nearly everyone who is anyone in magic had their name dropped in this week’s chat by someone who intimately knew them all quite well. Jamy truly is the conjuror’s conjuror.

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

741: Steve Aldrich - A Long Strange Trip

This episode is dedicated to those who remember the past and for those who want to learn more about our rich history. This week we travel back in time in our Grateful Dead VW bus and visit with magician and co-founder of the Foan Family Circus, Steve Aldrich. It was a simpler time when magicians were experimenting with new presentations and popular music of the time. It was at the height of Doug Henning’s popularity who was considered by some as a “Hippie Magician”.

Steve Aldrich also performed magic at the famed Tower Bar in Snowmass at a time when Doc Eason was still a waiter Steve and his band of merry men (and a woman) surprised and entertained magicians with their “tongue in cheek” original presentations of their “Foan Family Circus” at many magic conventions during the late 1970’s to early 1980’s. So what happened to the group? That and more will be the topic of discussion in this week’s episode.

If you are more of a visual person, then you will enjoy this video of our conversation recorded via Zoom.

Steve talks this week about the formation of the Foan Family Circus, their original presentations and music, their performances at magic conventions (one of which won them the Senator Crandall Comedy Award at Abbott’s Get Together), plus the origins of magic at the Tower Bar starting with Bob Sheets then passed down to Steve Aldrich and Steve Spill.

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

815: Justin Flom - Justified?

784: Jamy Ian Swiss - The Conjuror's Conjuror

741: Steve Aldrich - A Long Strange Trip

The Magic Word