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.

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

628: 2021 Abbott's Get Together - Day Four

SATURDAY, AUGUST 7TH 2021
9:00AM VENT-O-RAMA at Abbott's Magic with George Schindler
9:30AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant
10:00AM LECTURE at Colon High School - Franz Harary
11:00AM REMEMBERING THE GREATEST TALENT CONTEST at High School - Lance Burton - Mac King - Jeff Hobson - Kevin James
(Artwork auction benefitting the Kentucky Humane Society.)
12:00PM STREET PERFORMER (John Sturk) at Dawn's Cafe (sponsored by IBM Ring 386-Percy Abbott / Monk Watson Magic Club)
1:00PM LANCE BURTON & FRIENDS Q&A at Colon High School
1:00PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott's Magic (with TBA; $5 cash at the door)
2:30PM-6PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS' ROOM at Colon High School
3:00PM DEALER'S SHOW in Dealers' Room
3:00PM STREET PERFORMER (Jon LaChance) at Abbott's Magic (sponsored by IBM Ring 386-Percy Abbott / Monk Watson Magic Club)
3:00PM-5PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM is open
4:30PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott's Magic (with Joe Bennett; $5 cash at the door)
5:00PM-7:00PM Chuck Wagon BBQ Dinner at Lutheran Church (484 S Burr Oak Road, Colon; $12 cash dinner fee)
5:30PM STREET PERFORMER (Trino) at Curly's (sponsored by IBM Ring 386-Percy Abbott / Monk Watson Magic Club)
6:00PM-7:45PM DINNER on your own
7:45PM PRESHOW LIVE ORGAN MUSIC - by John Sturk
8:00PM ABBOTT'S STAGE SHOW - (view seating chart)
Featuring Lance Burton, Fielding West, Keith West, Michael Goudeau
10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS at Colon High School
10:30PM ABBOTT'S PERFORMER AWARDS at Colon High School

SUNDAY, AUGUST 8TH 2021 (Post Get Together Events)
12:00PM MAGICIAN'S TOUR OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF MAGIC
(This tour of the museum and archives is geared towards magicians and will include a special
selection of artifacts never-before-on-display. $10 per person. Reservations not necessary.)

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:18 - Tim “Skilldini” Wright talks about working in the Abbott’s Magic Company factory and gives us a virtual tour from his memory of the workshop

00:17:31 - Bobbie and Fred Becker talk about this Get Together and how Fred once lived and worked in Colon, Michigan

00:29:40 - Richard Cohn is the ultimate expert on magic in Coney Island, New York. This is Richard’s first time and he gives us his perspective of the event

00:39:39 - Derrick Kennedy, owner of Magic, Etc. in Fort Worth talks about traveling by train to this event each year

00:51:48 - Kevin James was another of the attendees who grew up with the Get Together and was one of the lecturers at this year’s event. He also shared his journey from Michigan to California where he joined the Long Beach Mystics.

01:01:43 - Debbie Bordner, wife of Greg Bordner, wraps up the Get Together with her assessment of this year’s event and encourages people to register for next year’s event on August 3-6, 2022. The sooner you register, the better the rate. Click Here to visit the registration site.

The Magic Word

A Podcast for Magicians, About Magicians, Hosted by a Full Time Professional Magician, Scott Wells

This podcast is totally free for everyone to enjoy. This is provided to you out of love and respect for our art of magic. If you enjoy the podcasts and other material on The Magic Word, then your financial support will be greatly appreciated and help offset the monthly hosting service fee as well as the hardware and software to produce this podcast. Just click on the "Donate " button at the top of this page to make a one time donation through PayPal.

You can become a sustaining member by pledging a monthly donation of any amount through "Patreon" and receive some pretty cool perks for membershiip, too. Just Click Her e for more information on how you can help.

By donating to The Magic Word, you will become a "Friend of The Magic Word" and receive a certificate (suitable for framing) indicating your membership plus your name will join your other friends and be posted on our "Wall of Fame". If you prefer to order something from the Store, then that will help support The Magic Word, too. Thank you.

732: Mac King and Joel Hodgson - Comedy Giants

628: 2021 Abbott's Get Together - Day Four

The Magic Word