Ladies and Gents, it has been far to long since I have last post. Much has happened since I last posted that there is noway I can catch you guys up. But what I can do is point to a really clever magic show that I hope you all will enjoy. Many of the magicians here are very good and I just love the premise of the show. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/UeeY6CsIUt8

Tips for your Child's Birthdy Party

Since I have had a few years more then 20 to be exact doing Magic Shows for little ones I thought I would post a few tips I have found most helpful to familys

1   Pick a theme with your child. Having a theme will help you know what decorations to buy, what food to prepare, and what games to plan. Character parties are popular (think Sponge Bob or Spider-man or Cinderella ), but general themes work, too (pirates, fairies, princesses, cowboys, MAGIC or WIZARDS ). Allow them creative freedom. Sit down with your child at the table with a pen and paper and write down all the ideas you both like.

• Some themes will obviously be more difficult than others. Go with your child to a couple of party stores and see what's available or go online to stores like partycity.com or mycharmsfactory.com. It'll be easiest to pick a theme based on what you have at your disposal.
• A point I'd like to make here is lets say you do a theme such as Sponge Bob. Where would The magician fit in, in this case? Simple it is my job to be creative and entertain the guests particularly the Birthday Child And if I have done my homework I can create an effect or two that goes along with your theme, for example in this case  the never exhausting sponge trick.  A trick where through out the whole show the sponge that i constantly ring through out the show and it never seems to dry out.

2   Nail down the specifics. There are a few questions you'll have to address: When is the party going to be? How long will it last? Where is it going to be?  What time of day works into your schedule?Take your child's age into account. Generally, the younger the child, the earlier the party. You do not have to entertain all day--a few hours is more than sufficient. 

• If you're not having it at home, consult the desired venue to see what times are available. And Be sure to inform the Magician of exact address This time information is very valuable not only to your guests but also to the hired entertainment. 

3   Get invitations (that match the theme!). Once you have them picked out, it's time to finalize the details. Check your schedule to make sure there are no conflicts during the time you're thinking. On the invitation, put the start and end times, address, what each child should bring (swimsuit, etc.) and if there will be a meal so parents can plan accordingly.

• As for guests, a good rule of thumb is the child's age plus 1. And if parents can come along, great! It's best to have a couple others to help with monitoring and clean up.
• Have your invitations in the theme of your party. The other children will probably get excited, too. Your child can hand them out at school (if possible to do it discreetly) or you can give them to the parents if your child is too young (or forgetful!).

4   Buy decorations. For everything from table cloths to pinatas, a party store is your best bet -- or else you'll end up bouncing around town for days looking to piece it all together. And if they don't have a specific something, ask! They may be able to order it for you.  

5   Plan some games. These are the building blocks of a good child's party, so start thinking up craft projects, look into renting an entertainer, or utilize the facilities at an outside venue. Look in your phone book or online for party rentals or places near you. For younger kids, have a loose schedule to keep things running.

• Don't be afraid to go super theme-oriented. If you're having a Wild West party, have them pan for gold in the sandbox. Conduct a scavenger hunt with theme-related clues and a final prize.
• Don't be afraid to go super simple. Nowadays, kids aren't playing the old school games they could be. Instead of having them all plop down in front of the Wii, have them Capture the Flag, play Red Rover, Blind Man's Bluff, or have relay races.
• For older children, have more free time. The older the child, the less structured the party should be. Kids will likely want to do their own thing at one point or another. If they express this, don't stress. More free time for you and the other parents

6   Make party favors interactive. 

Let the kids take home the decorations. This is an easy and quick idea if you have something with a general theme, like princesses or baseball. And it allows for minimal clean up. 

7   Plan the party food. When it comes to parties, one thing is timeless: cake. Will you bake one or buy one? Or two?! Cupcakes are easy and super trendy as well. Whatever you choose, either get the order in early or go grocery shopping for the ingredients ahead of time. Make the food theme oriented, too.

• Despite what logic dictates, cake isn't enough. You'll need food food too -- make it easy on yourself and get some pizzas delivered or get a fast food restaurant or catering company to take care of everything. Finger sandwiches and lunch bags with sandwiches and fruit or cookies are great choices, too.
• If it's a nice day outside and you have a grill, kids love hot dogs and hamburgers. Don't forget the buns, mustard, and ketchup!
• If there will be other parents or adults attending and watching over the kids, have food for them, too. They may not be so keen on chicken nuggets and Sprite. 

8   Plan the party drinks. Soda pop, lemonade, and juice are all pretty standard. And if you'll be outside a lot, a cooler filled with bottles of water or cans of soda will surely be appreciated, especially if it's hot outside. And, of course, milk goes great with cake. If it's autumn or winter, have the kids play outside and come in for cider to warm them up.

9   Plan the goodbye. Give the other parents your cell phone number on the off chance they're running late, early, or sending someone else to pick up their child.

• As the child leaves, take note. Have them say goodbye to everyone, gather their things, their party favor, and mentally check them off their list. Never let the child leave on their own or with an adult you don't recognize.
• In my experience  I have found it best after all the games are done that is when the Magic Show starts and as soon as the magic show is over the Cake comes out and everyone sings Happy Birthday. 

I find this guys Skills Amazing and breath taking
Enjoy the show
Alexandre Lane

Wow! You guys thought I had no social life check this guy out!

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What I admire most about this is... this guy took something he loves to do and boy does he do it well. Shows it to the world and is most likely making a decent living off of it.  And even if he didn't make a living off of it. He most likely would still be doing it.
I also find it fascinating what other people can do with a deck of cards... Well in this case a few Thousand deck of cards!!!!
link just in case

Otto Wessely

Who is this guy...
Well a friend of a friend of mine told me about this German/French Magician (apparently we have a few things in common, like we are both short!), about a year ago and just recently he kind-of has exploded in the European scene. He has plenty of other videos... But the one below I believe shows his Brilliance!! sit back get ready to giggle
Cheers Chris
Otto Wessely Youtube Video

Costco Playing Cards

Here is the run down of the new playing cards produced by the U.S. Playing Card Company Bicycle Deck, for the big retail club company Costco.

1st off at $9.99 for a box of 12 that is a steal!!!

2nd glance the cards seem to do just fine. Spreading the cards and shuffling them. I wont get into the nitty gritty such as the deck itself is a bit thinner then the regular Bicycle deck 808. You see only a magician or gambler would want to know these things and my view is… if the cards past an audience member eyes then they can be used. 

3rd test. Breaking them in. I normally go through a series of steps every time I break in a new deck that consists of a couple different type of shuffles and end with a few not perfect farrow shuffles with a nice waterfall finnish.  What I noticed was that this deck breaks in very very easily. 

4th Two hours of wear and tear blood sweat and tears… the cards were done and what I mean by done. Crimps, Buckles and the move of all moves the DL were way more difficult I was catching thirds when I wanted just a DL. The Crimps and Buckles kept their shape (I did not like that) 

5th the mercury fold seemed much easier to me, not faster just easier the cards wanted to bend which can be a plus. 

6th Putting them in a card guard or trying to flatten them did absolutely nothing to try and rejuvenate these cards. 

The Card Box: not a big fan of these having the normal Spade logo at the bottom of the case and on top to playing cards. A face down card with appropriate color back and a face up 10 of hearts. I would much rather have the old solid back design.  

Conclusion:  If your doing a strolling gigs or table hopping your going to get 2-4 hours of life from these cards depending how rough you are with them. The way I handle cards I' ll most likely get 3 hours max per deck. Which to tell you the truth is not bad at all for the price. Normally I go through a deck a night while performing anyway. So why not use the cheaper cards. 

Hope this helps you al, it help me.     Cheers Chris

Sit back and relax

Light Show

I have no clue how they do this nor do I want to know: But it is cooooool!!!!

Strange Job Requests

Howdy folks,
This Email came in for me to do a job. Let me have you read it and then I will post my thoughts on all this...


Hello Chris,
My name is *******. I have a very unusual request. I am looking for an
entertainer that can
impersonate a psychic. I am having trouble reuniting with the girl
that I love (it's a long story) and
she is kinda into the numerology, astrology,... the "feel" of things.
She is Chinese and I have had a
terrible time trying to learn her customs and her emotions without
screwing up first.
I don't need anything big just someone to pop out of nowhere and
pretend that they have seen her
future and it looks extremely bad if she doesn't reunite with her
soulmate (me) :).
I can pay $200 if that is OK (or please let me know). It hopefully
shouldn't take long to sit down in front of her, shake some bones, and
read some tarot cards. If you can help me out or know someone who can,
please, please let me know. We can go over the details if you can help
me. I will give you my voicemail and cell number because I don't carry
my cell much at work or school.

Thanks,




So this dude wants to hire me and lie to a girl he supposedly loves and tell her that they will live happily ever after. No wonder this girl dumped him in the 1st place. What kind of Moron does this to a girl? Lets start our relationship on the foundation of a lie. 
Advice to Moron:
Grow up and move on!!!!
2nd Just because we magicians practice the art of deceit  and illusion and yes money is a bit tight around here does not mean that we will take any gig that comes our way. We do hold on to our dignity and most of us have high standards....
3rd If you happen to find an even bigger idiot to do this for you, may love never enter they soul. 

Let this be a lesson to you all... 

Rudy Coby and The Magic Castle

Hello Everyone,

I was very fortunate to visit the Academy of Magical Arts last night  partly for business and yet had a great time. The 1st act I saw was in the close-up room. Johan Stahl from Sweden He did his Awarding Winning Act. There's just something charming about a foreigner speaking english and mystifying the guests in the room.

here is his Link:  http://www.johanstahl.se/

The other Act I saw was this guy: http://revision3.com/scamschool

Brian Brushwood He actually scared me with during a part of his act and it fooled.  He had the entire audience screaming and just freaking out. In all my years of doing magic I have never seen a room freak out. That my friends says something.  He is a magician that has found his niche and I say run with it Brian…

The Main Event Rudy Coby aka LAB MAN Here is his Website: http://www.rudycoby.net/

Me and Rudy go back way back… I mean when I was just starting out performing magic for real people and getting paid for it. This guy hit upon an act that kIds and adults just loved. It was unique and just darn Clever. So Darn Clever that he got Two TV specials out of it, and toured the world… Then he disappeared. When I say he disappeared he literally left the Magic World.  In 2008 he resurfaced and has been slowly performing here and there. Last night was my 1st chance to meet the legend live. I even got to go back stage and say hello.  The Show it's self had a few glitches but over all it was a good show. The Stage it's self was a bit small for him in my opine. But do yourself a favor and try try try to see this guy perform, you wont be disappointed. 

Here is The Magic Castle Link The Magic Castle

The IPad and being a Magician

So the Ipad from Apple has now been out for 12 days…

So today I am going to talk about the business side of Magic.

I had the chance to play around with one for a little while. What does this have to do with magic? Tons!!

1st  Off I want to make it clear, It is not a computer nor is it an Iphone. 

2nd. I'm and not the worlds most computer savvy guy… However I do know my way around a computer and I never took  a class.

Well as a performing magician and or a magician who travels a lot. This device can and will help you in many ways. I can see this device replacing my hand written note book that I keep for all my brilliant ideas thats with me at all times. When I have had to do a presentation to get hired for a job even though I've already sent them a video they still want to see me in person. When this happen theirs usually three or four people in the room.  What better way then to pull out your Ipad and have them watch a video of you performing while you get ready, or wait for someone to come into the room. I would definitely use a 45 second commercial format.  Also if your demo-ing close-up magic I would show them your stage stuff via the pad. 

There are many more things I can mention such as having MapQuest up while your driving to your next gig. But that's a given. That everything is about the presentation. If you show them that you are in the forefront of technology. They will remember you trust me, it's just good business sense. Lastly just for the sheer coolness of the device, I'd much rather be caring this device on a plane then a computer but that just me. 

To bring this full circle I want to add that when I picked up the device for the 1st time I found it very intuitive and within minutes I was sending an email to my wife.

I hope you liked this post, it is a bit of a departure from my normal Blogs. But I thought what the heck… Please feel free to add a comment or if you own the Ipad let me know what you found most useful or just tell me what you use it mostly for (in the field of Magic). Cheers Chris  

the IPad

Playing Cards

Hello Folks,
Another installment of my blog... Today we are going to talk about Playing Cards. If you've been at my home you will know that I collect Playing Cards from around the world (it started as gifts people will give me and then I started buying them myself). Funny, in my Stage show I only do one card trick in my act, and in my Stand-up show I do 3 card tricks in my show, that's it. Odd for a Magician because you think that there should be more. But I feel that their are so many great Card Magicians out there and well if the Trick doesn't fuel my story that I am conveying why bother doing the card trick. So for folks that have not seen my Card Collection. Here are two links that I frequent and yes I buy their line of playing cards.
Why? I really like to look of them, to me they are... Art. Particularly the Face Cards, the Joker and obviously the Backs of the Cards.
Enjoy
Theory11

Ellusionist

Both Sites are great for magicians as well to learn magic. But I stick with just the Playing Cards.

The Above image is a very difficult Card display that not to many magicians do now a days Created by the great Card Magician Harry Lorayne. FYI Yes that is a whole deck of cards that I am holding up.

The Silent Giants

For those of you who have seen my act, you may have noticed that I am influenced by many of the Great Silent Comedians of the Silver Screen. I draw inspiration from them and I still to this day find many of the movies very very funny. So take a peak at one of my favorite websites. Brows around and I hope you will find some humors gems that by todays standards is well, all new!
My lecture "Who needs a Mic" touches upon Physical Comedy and who better to learn it from... Then these fine folks.
Slapstick-comedy

Magic in the Air

This will be a simple post. These last 2 months I have had an increase in business Drastically. Is the economy improving? I am not sure, what I do know is now is the time to act. So with that I will leave you with a joke...
What did the Elephant say to the naked man?
How do you breath with that thing?
Hehehe
till next time
Best Wishes, Chris

hello Everyone

Hello Everyone,

It has been almost a year since I have last written, of my where-abouts and what I have been up to. To put it simple, I had a real tough time when My Best Friends/Co Worker (Ottavio) past away over a year ago. I found it tough getting back into the swing of these and by the time I did, the Economy started going down hill quick and my phone went from ringing once in a while to is my phone even working? Our Dinner theater Show got canned by the Curtain Call Theater before we even got the show going? Two of my agents closed up shop and another two moved to Las Vegas. There are a few that I assume must have closed up shop or have found Magicians willing to do work at a much less rate. Regardless of the reason it meant less work for yours truly.
So I have been fortunate to get into a little bit of Trade show work. For those of you who don't know what that is... Just picture a Host at a trade show that meets and greats potential clients and just helps thing go smoothly for the day. I also have been doing a few Freelance Graphic Design jobs for folks and that is always fun.
What have I been doing on my downtime? What most Magicians do, We Tinker! And in doing so I have come up with a few things I would love to show and share with you.
I do believe that this Economy is slowly turning around. So I want everyone to think of me for your next Entertainment event/needs. I am still alive and kicking with a few new tricks up my sleeves. (Ask me to show you my Non-Linking Rings Card Tick) It's a Jaw Dropper!!

If your a Magician I have something that you may be interested in as well, it is called The Tipsy Case and it will be out later this year. My 1st real product out for working magicians.

Finally I've teamed up with Black Tie Events and Deuces Wild Entertainment for Magicomedy Night. IT'S BACK, It had its home at The Orange County Performing Arts Center Last Year. And now you can have the Show in your own Home/Event Place. No Audience size is to small or to large. World Class catering and Wine pouring plus two stage acts. If you want more information please feel free to give me a call.
I do hope all of you are doing well. and I do hope to see you before this year ends.

Imagine One part Charlie Chaplin,"the Little Tramp" Mixed with two parts of Houdini and Top it all off with Jerry Lewis!
Hat Juggling Physical Comedy and Audience Participation
Cheers, Chris Christian

***********************************************************************
Find out why these companies have said... HOW DID HE DO THAT? WHY DID HE DO THAT?
UPS
Boeing
Cirquel Du Solei
Samsung
Kern Medical Center
SAP
Disneyland Resort

What Is Close-up Magic

I get asked this question a lot. So I figured I would try and explain what it is and what it is not.
In general it is magic or sleight of hand magic done up close in front of a spectator. No big illusions no sawing a lady in half.
1st off there are two types of Close-up Magic


#1. Strolling Magic - Party Planners define it as when a Magician is hired to "Stroll" around a room during a cocktail hour or in a Restaurant before the main meal is served. In Todays World I have been asked to do this sort of entertainment in just about every situation you can think of. From Large Companies Family Day Pic-n-Nic to Theme Parks in Japan. To Silent Auction Event, and Yes Weddings. The Magicians job is to walk up to a group of people normally 2 - 6 people and POLITELY barrow 7 minutes of there time. (Give or take a few minutes.) And Astound Them. Make Them Laugh! and generally leave them with wanting more!. Then move on to the next group. The Secret in hiring a good performer that knows what he or she is doing in this situation is simple. One would be able to at a glance survey the room and quickly determine which groups are the approachable one. This is a common error that many magicians do. They think since they are there to entertain the guests that they must entertain every guest. As I like to say when I lecture to magicians. Not everyone likes magic (GASP). So a good magician will introduce themselves to a small group start the magic and hope to get a few laughs along the way. Yet be very sensitive to the group and notice... OK I think they have had their fill because they seem to be eyeing the Appetizer Tray. Bid them a fair the well... and move on to the next group.
If a Magician is in a room and you hired him Watch him or her and see if your guests have a Smiles on there faces and or the look of astonishment. But also look for other groups of people and see if they are rubber necking to see what the magician is doing, (a sign there there is a buzz about the entertainer) Finally at the end of the night, if guests haven't complimented you on hiring the magician. You know the Magician didn't do his or her job. What Strolling Magic is not. Being at a cocktail party in a large beautiful home and The home owner asks me to go in this room and entertain the little kids. Next thing you know I have about a dozen 10 year olds following me around the whole house for the next hour disrupting your party. So The best advice I can give you is, if you hire a magician for your adult guests Don't make him or her entertain the Kids. Unless you have talked it over with the magician and you have come up with a plan and or agreement that they will only be entertained for an x amount of time. Food and Magic don't mix Neither does Comedy and Food, because someone can choke I have sean it happen. So always hire a magician for before the main meal or after, but never during.

#2 Close-up Magic can also be a Close-up Show I have done this type of Entertainment for a Party of 40 people and as small as 8, in a living room all seated and me standing. Normally I have 2 volunteers seated on either side of me. The Magic happens in their hands for everyone to see. The best part about this type of show is that you can set a time limit from 15 minutes to an hour. Everyone gets entertained all at once, so you can move on to the next thing on your agenda. Back in the old days they had a room specifically designed for this purpose called a Parlor Room. It's nice to see it resurrected in todays world and it really does make an impact on your guests... because it really is almost a lost form of entertaining your guests. Once again you can tell if you hired the right Entertainer by... How engaging he or she was and if he (she) can hold the guests attention for the amount of time needed and does not go over the time slot.

Close-up magic as seen on TV. Let me just say that a Great Practitioner in this Art form can and will blow your mind with his or her craft, LIVE. But some of the things that has been shown on TV that appears to be on a street or in a living room and they are up close with the camera angles. Just cannot be done without proper camera film editing and huge amounts of set up time. So I say to you Magic on Television is Great. But watching it LIVE is even GREATER.

Close-up Magic can be a fun way to spruce a party up. In todays market when everything is going digital and faster and faster it's kind of nice to take a break and see some great live entertainment that you can watch, touch, and be a part of. My favorite part in my show is at the end when somebody always walks up to me as i am leaving and asks.... "How did you do that?" and I return with, "Why did I do that?" and every chuckles.