599 - Suzanne the Magician- Suz with a "Z"

Winner of the Academy of Magical Arts (the Magic Castle) trophy for “Close-Up Magician of the Year”, Suzanne the Magician joins us this week to talk about her experience of preparing then fooling Penn & Teller on their hit television show and also discuss ideas for performing in restaurants.

As discussed on this podcast episode, never make fun of your volunteer particularly when they become “easy targets.”

This week we learn how Suzanne had to rework and retool her signature “Band Aid” trick "(A Mother’s Love) to make it work for Penn & Teller Fool Us. She also shares stories from her decades of experience of performing magic at high end restaurants plus some advice on trick selections, approaching tables, and more.

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This week’s podcast video on YouTube.

286: I'm Just Sayin' - Norman Beck

Norman Beck is one of the most interesting guys you probably haven't heard of...unless you are into underground card magic...or an international bridge player. And add to that, he is a survivor of a brain tumor.

Norman Beck should be familiar to those who are regular readers of M.U.M. (the monthly journal of the S.A.M.). Or if you are a world class bridge player and rub shoulders with the likes of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, then you might have seen Norm. You might have met Norm if you have looked for some company to underwrite some high stakes game/event like a billion dollar hole-in-one contest. Or maybe you are a follower of "underground" magicians in the U.S. and recognize the name. But more than likely, you have never met nor even know the name and the sharp mind of the person behind it. A few short years ago, Norman had a brain tumor removed that was the size of a baseball, but he is still sharp and his speech is steadily improving.

For the most part, Norman keeps a pretty low profile and doesn't attend many magic conventions nor associate very much with magicians and he rarely lectures. It was on one of those rare occasions that Norman traveled through Houston to lecture and stay as a guest in my home.

How a gambler saw the world, sought information from odd places and was able to win when everything was at stake. Norman Beck is a man who wears many hats. He is a speaker, writer, and magician when not working full time at SCA promotions in Dallas, where he is Vice President of claims and security.

Before the lecture we visited John Moehring who is in advanced stages of Parkinson's Disease. Although we didn't audio record our visit, I can say that it was delightful with lots of ideas shared as Norm showed John a couple new twists on some old classic card tricks (like Fred Kapps' "Homing Card") and I discussed posters and books. Although John's speech is greatly impaired, his mind is still sharp and we wish him the best.

If you want to drop John Moehring a message or note of encouragement, then please email him at: John@JohnMoehring.com or you can send traditional cards and letters to him at: Brookdale Shadowlake, 2835 Shadowlake Road, #2208, Houston, TX 77077

Thanks to Gary Plants, this video was made for John Moehring when he was the Guest of Honor at The 2014 Secret Session in Dallas, TX. By the way, TESS stands for "The Ed Sullivan Show".

In this podcast, Norm tells us lots of stories and he talks about some of the bizarre events that his company has underwritten; working in restaurants as a table-hopping magician and how he approached tables as well as his philosophy on taking tips; playing bridge with some of the most influential people in the world and what kind of card tricks fools bridge players...and which ones don't; his upcoming article in the June 2016 issue of MAGIC Magazine that has nothing to do with magic except how to be a successful performer as tipped to him by "Whispering" Bill Anderson, a country western singer; and along the way he delights us with lots of entertaining stories.

You can support The Magic Word with your purchase from our Magic Store. Please visit our Magic Store to order and/or download magic tricks.

Time stamps for trick reviews:

00:59:00 - "Canic" by Nicholas Lawrence - A soda can is one of the most commonly seen objects around the world. Imagine grabbing any unprepared soda can off any one and then ripping the tab off. You place the tab on your spectator's open palm, take the can, and tap it to the sitting tab in your spectator's hand. The tab instantly seals back on the can.

01:01:48 - "Blaze" by Tony and Jordan, Les French Twins - Create an amazing souvenir with the spectator's signed card.that is burned and singed.

01:06:49 - "The Magic of Suzanne" - The Castle Act , 2 DVD Set - Volume 1: Filmed live at The Magic Castle, you'll be captivated by the same show that consistently earns Suzanne standing ovations, and ultimately won her the prestigious award. Volume 2: Go behind the scenes with Suzanne and guest host, Matt Marcy, as they explain step-by-step how to perform some of the tricks from her award winning act.

Click on the image above to help support "Jump Start Becky's Heart! by Becky Blaney"

Get $50 off the registration price now through April 30, 2016. Send an email to 2016MindJam@gmail.com with the subject line The Magic Word Podcast to receive the discount. You will then receive an invoice to pay the reduced registration price. This … — Get $50 off the registration price now through April 30, 2016. Send an email to 2016MindJam@gmail.com with the subject line The Magic Word Podcast to receive the discount. You will then receive an invoice to pay the reduced registration price. This is an exclusive offer for Magic Word listeners.

257: Magic Chat at the Chateau du Magique

As an attachment to a recent podcast, I gave a link to my irregular, half hour podcast, "Meals With Magicians" which was recorded at the riverside home of Trixie Bond in the Texas Hill Country. Also sitting outside on the veranda for breakfast and joining the conversation was Jay Scott Berry, Suzanne the Magician, and Don Wiberg.

After the 30 minutes was over, I felt that we were just getting started with an intensely deep and interesting conversation. So, I turned on the microphone and recorded a second half. I know that "Meals With Magicians" is not widely heard but I felt that what we discussed warranted a larger audience. So, I have included that podcast as the first half of this longer one. If you already heard that podcast on Spreaker.com, then you might want to either hear it again to get the context of the latter half of this podcast, or you might wish to skip forward to about the halfway mark to hear the last half hour of our conversation.

Suzanne is the only woman to win the coveted "Close-Up Magician of the Year" award from the Academy of Magical Arts (The Magic Castle). In this 2-DVD set, you will learn Suzanne's valuable secrets on how to properly structure a magical performance to create a standout show, as well as some fabulous magic.

Take a front row seat at Hollywood's famed Magic Castle. Known as "The Carnegie Hall of Magic", its 3 main theatres showcase the world's finest magicians. At 19, I was the youngest magician to ever perform there. Some years later I joined the very few who have presented 1000 shows in these hallowed halls. From The Close-up Gallery to The Palace of Mystery, my favourite room has always been The Parlour of Prestidigitation. With that thought, I invite you back to January 27, 2013...Enjoy.

“Suspicion and wonder cannot exist simultaneously in the mind of the audience.” – Jay Scott Berry

This is just one of the great ideas discussed in this week’s podcast that includes Preparing your lecture, dealing with hecklers on stage or at a restaurant table, the story about a heckler in Shawn Farquhar’s show many years ago who burned down his home, getting the attention of children for your kid’s show, and Suzanne recommends listening to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who looks at those who find pleasure and lasting satisfaction in activities that bring about a state of "flow." Trixie also talks about how to mentally prepare for performing whether it is before a birthday party or a stage show and the life-changing results it could bring (the power of the experience).

Jay Scott Berry also shares a key element from his lecture – A.C.E. which stands for Attitude, Charisma and Enthusiasm. He goes into detail about each of these areas that will help you with your show, too.

Don Wiberg talks about the importance of knowing how to give a lecture, what is the first thing you should NOT say when you come on stage, and how to structure an interesting opening line. We also talk about bringing the awe and wonder back to our performances.

MagicPad is a versatile, packs flat, plays big effect (performed at the Magic Castle) AND it's a very useful iPad case for daily use!

599 - Suzanne the Magician- Suz with a "Z"

286: I'm Just Sayin' - Norman Beck

257: Magic Chat at the Chateau du Magique

The Magic Word