732: Mac King and Joel Hodgson - Comedy Giants

Lightning in a bottle. I don’t know how else to describe what we experienced in this week’s episode. While at Abbott’s Get Together in Colon, Michigan, this past year we sat down for a chat with the dual winners of the Senator Crandall Comedy Award, Mac King and Joel Hodgson. All of you know Mac King as the longest running comedy headliner in Las Vegas. And many of you might know Joel Hodgson as the creator of “Mystery Science Theater” TV show, but fewer of you might remember him as a comedy magic performer having appeared on Saturday Night Live among many other television appearances.

Mac and Joel split the Sen. Crandall Comedy Award at the 1989 Abbott’s Get Together so it was funny (no pun intended) that it happened again in 2022. There career paths began as comedy magicians but both took dramatically different directions with their careers, Mac going to Las Vegas and Joel pursuing television. In this week’s episode they reflect on their humble beginnings in the early days of comedy clubs and how they developed their talents that led to their separate and successful careers. There is a lot of talent and advice packed into this episode.

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705: Abbott's Get Together 2022 - Day Three Report

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5TH 2022

9:30AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant Purchase Registration/Tickets

9:30AM ABBOTT'S TALENT CONTEST (Compete Info, Event Info at High School Requires Abbott's Registration

10:00AM-12:45PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS' ROOM at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

11:00AM - 5:00PM COLON ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR Craft Show/Vendor Info on Canal street next to the library

12:00PM STREET PERFORMER - BJ Mallen (Granny's Place by American Legion)

1:00PM LECTURE - Joel Hodgson, Bizzaro, Nick Diffatte at High School Requires Abbott's Registration

1:00PM OLD FASHION MAGIC SHOW with Brynn Cummings at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5

2:00 PM JAY BLACKWELL JUGGLING/FIRE EATING & MORE at Sterlini Magic & Theater

2:30PM ABBOTT'S CLOSEUP SHOW Requires Abbott's Registration
Featuring Mac King, Mike Caveney, Guy Hollingworth, Michael Carbonaro

3:00PM-5PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS' ROOM at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

3:00PM-5:00PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM is open (Colon Museum Webpage)

3:00PM-6PM FACE PAINTING with Award Winning Artist Carol Hendrix

4:00PM STREET PERFORMER - John Sturk (Colon Twp Library Lawn, by Craft Show)

4:30PM OLD FASHION MAGIC SHOW with BJ Mallen at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5

5:00 PM LIVE AT 5 WITH THE STERLINI'S at Sterlini Magic & Theater $10

5:30PM STREET PERFORMER - Jania Taylor (Colon Twp Library Lawn, by Craft Show)

6:00PM-7:45PM DINNER on your own

7:45PM PRESHOW LIVE ORGAN MUSIC - by John Sturk Requires Abbott's Registration or Ticket ($30/$45)

8:00PM ABBOTT'S STAGE SHOW Requires Advance Registration or Ticket ($30/$45)
Featuring John Bundy and Morgan Ghost Show
NOTE: Tickets for the Abbott evening Stage Show must be purchased in advance at the Abbott Plant or online before 5pm that day.
You will be able to pick up tickets at a will call window at the show, but Abbotts will not be able to sell any at the door.

8:00PM GRAND MAGIC CLASSIC SHOW - 8 PM at the Laflin's Grand Magic Theater - $14.95 adult, $6.95 child

10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

10:15 PM CHUCK KING MAGIC & HYPNOTISM at Sterlini Magic & Theater

10:30PM ABBOTT'S TALENT CONTEST AWARDS at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:16 - Nick Diffatte is a last minute fill-in since he was “passing through” following FISM and why he replaced.

00:04:14 - Michael Mode is another of the long time attendees at the Get Together and talks about some of the traditions of this convention.

00:13:2 - Michael Goudeau was on the Lance Burton tour bus and also one of the performers at this convention. Michael is also one of the co-hosts with Penn Jillette on “Penn’s Sunday School” and talks a bit about that plus what shows he’s currently doing.

00:20:48 - Dave Cresey, King of the Coils, talks about the history of making his coils and some of the issues of others who have ripped him off.

00:32:00 - John Bundy, aka Dr. Morbius, and his assistant, Morgan, sit down after their full evening spook show and talk about their show and traveling with a large stage show.

00:39:51 - Jania Taylor is another “regular” at the Get Together. She says it is her 39th time attending this event. She is also one of the “buskers” who entertains on the streets of Colon during the convention.

00:48:15 - BJ Mallen traditionally opens the first evening show as emcee following in the steps of Gordon Miller who did it for 45 years.

00:55:09 - We announce the names of the contest winners then chat with the Talent Chairman who talks about dealing with adversities due to passport problems with some acts who planned to be here then had to scramble to fill in with others who were going to be here as registrants.

661: MagiFest - Day Three Report

Saturday 22nd January 2022

110:00am - 6pm Dealers Open

10:00am - 11:00am Magifest University Session One

Choose from:
• Designing Miracles with Darwin Ortiz
• Marketing Magic with Kent
• Thoughtful Card Magic with Bernardo Sedlacek
• Gambling and Cheating with Jason England

11:15am - 12:15pm Magifest University Session Two

Choose from:
• Designing Miracles with Darwin Ortiz
• Marketing Magic with Kent
• Thoughtful Card Magic with Bernardo Sedlacek
• Gambling and Cheating with Jason England

2:30pm - 4.00pm Jeki Yoo Show and Lecture

4:30pm - 6:00pm Apollo Robbins Show and Lecture

8:00pm - 9:00pm Neils Dunker One Man Juggling Show

9:00pm - 10:00pm The Fool Us Gala Show

Featuring Stuart McDonald, Ben Seidman, Jeki Yoo, Garrett Thomas, and Amanda Nepo.

10:30pm, 11pm, 11:30pm Mike Pisciotta Bar Magic Performances

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:17 - Edmund Apperson and Jeff Kowalk review last evening’s show

00:15:43 - Steve Chezaday and John Wolfe discuss the format of this year’s convention and talk about why they came

00:35:53 - Adam Blumenthal from Tannen’s represented the dealers from the Dealers’ Room as he talked about some of the best seller tricks at their shop

00:39:27 - Nick Diffatte was a last minute fill-in for David Gerrard and he talks about his show last evening

00:44:06 - Don Wiberg has been attending the MagiFest for over 40 years and he tells us why he returns each year

00:50:14 - Carissa Hendrix (aka Lucy Darling) made an unexpected appearance in the crowd. She talks about her MasterClass which will be filmed tomorrow.

00:56:03 - Amanda Nepo opened this evening’s show and in our chat talks about her experience with fooling Penn & Teller

01:00:10 - Mike Thornton and Scott Wells give a wrap to the afternoon and evening’s activities.