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Month: May 2016

Not Playing Tricks, but Preventing Magic from Vanishing’..

Not Playing Tricks, but Preventing Magic from Vanishing’..

As a world-acclaimed magician, Tony Hassini’s not playing tricks to make things disappear. Rather he’s using his hands to prevent the enchanting art of magic from vanishing – to the extent of planning an Olympics for the genre in India.

The ace, elderly and globetrotting rockstar magician Hassini is the president of the US-based International Magicians Society, the world’s largest professional body of magicians.

“Persistence and determination are the two key words to success,” Hassini, 75, who was born with a hearing impairment and dyslexia, told IANS in an interview here.

It’s the repertoire of tricks that changed his life.

“Magic gave me the self-confidence and the opportunity to see eye-to-eye,” the Muammar Gaddafi lookalike said.

Sharing his inspirational journey from a disabled child born during World War II to an immigrant dish-washer to an acclaimed magician, Cyprus-born Hassini said: “Everybody has the desire to be rich. Talent doesn’t make it. There are so many talented people who are starving. Hard work doesn’t make it.” Read more.. 

http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=392091

Magician Michael Carbonaro Gets Redditor to Apologize After Making Video..

Magician Michael Carbonaro Gets Redditor to Apologize After Making Video..

Everyone enjoys a good old fashioned magician-hidden camera controversy. Michael Carbonaro, who stars in truTV’s, The Carbonaro Effect, was accused of creating fake clips staffed by actors and actresses, rather than by random people.

If you haven’t seen the show, the basic premise is that Carbonaro sets himself up in a number of locations and plays a variety of tricks on unsuspecting patrons. Carbonaro does a terrific job with the show, combining the curiousness of the tricks with a slight comedic touch. Clips from the show can be found on YouTube, including some of my favorites, like “Outrageous Guessing Game,” “Crabby Transformation,” and “Amazing Self-Tying Shoelaces.”

The aforementioned controversy surrounds a couple videos, in which some sleuthing Reddit and YouTube users pick out clips, which appear to be fake. Read more..

http://www.thedrum.com/news/2016/05/03/magician-michael-carbonaro-gets-redditor-apologize-after-making-video

NYC mentalist repeats as men’s Long Island Marathon champion

NYC mentalist repeats as men’s Long Island Marathon champion

Oz Pearlman, a star on last years AMERICA’S GOT TALENT, pulled another one out of his hat.

The Manhattan magician and mentalist who won last year’s Long Island Marathon staged a repeat at Sunday’s rain-soaked affair, finishing first in an unofficial time of 2:29.15. Queen’s Emiliano Garcia, originally from Mexico, placed second.

The 33-year-old Pearlman, a self-proclaimed “running junkie” flashed a set of cards as he crossed the Eisenhower Park finish line – his trademark – before tossing them in the air. Thanks to NEWSDAY for the info. Please visit them at:

http://www.newsday.com/sports/outdoors/oz-pearlman-nyc-magician-repeats-as-li-marathon-men-s-champ-1.11749196

“Sir Sean Connery paid my mortgage”.. Says retiring Magician..

“Sir Sean Connery paid my mortgage”.. Says retiring Magician..

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(Picture: Tom Banks) Today is National Lookalike Day and PETER BARRON meets a man who has spent three decades earning a living as Sir Sean Connery

RELAXING in his cosy bungalow in a quiet County Durham cul-de-sac, Nick Richmond is in no doubt of the huge debt he owes Sir Sean Connery.

“He’s paid my mortgage, cleared my credit cards and taken me round the world,” says Nick. “Oh yes, I owe him an awful lot.”

At 67, and after more than 30 years of being a full-time Sean Connery lookalike, he has finally decided to hang up his white tux and his decommissioned Walther PPK pistol, and he’s learning what it’s like not being 007’s double.

“It feels strange but the time was right. Sean’s given me a wonderful life but the travelling was getting me down,” he says.

It all began in 1985 when the post-Bond Connery made a film called The Name of the Rose. It was the first time he’d dispensed with his toupee and grown a beard..  Read more.. (and Thanks to Michael Lyth for the link..)

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