I’d like you to get to know them as well, and perhaps create an opportunity where we can all work together in the year to come.

Here they are, in no particular order:

Timothy Drake: Theatrical presentation of Illusion and the Magical Arts has been the focus of my friend Timothy Drake for over 15 years. Original magic effects are highlighted in Timothy’s shows from the most intimate of close up magic to the grandest of stage illusions.

Yvette Locke: Yvette Locke has over twenty-five years of experience amazing audiences with her ventriloquism skill. Her fun, interactive show gets the whole audience involved and her loveable “friends” will steal your heart.

Ryan Joyce: International Grand Illusionist Ryan Joyce is one of the most highly regarded large scale illusionists in Canada today.  His Vegas style revue show has won critical acclaim from audiences all around the world including New Zealand, India, and the Middle East.

Captain Corbin: The funniest, friendliest, most magical pirate you’d ever want to meet! The Captain sails all over Canada performing for all ages. The Captain brings pirate Hi-jinks, adventure and the very best in entertainment to every special event.

Bob Cates: This memorable interactive comedy show includes advanced juggling, wild unicycling and balancing skills, black light laser effects and a finale that you will remember for a long long time.

Thank you all for your friendship this past year and here’s hoping we share the stage again!

During the discussion phase, they discovered that I was also an Alumni of Fanshawe (Broadcast Television ’87). Bonus! Then they decided to do a cover story on me to promote the Homecoming.

Thinking back, I’m not sure if I was honoured, flattered, embarrassed or confused. I do know that the first thing I said to them after they asked was “Are you sure?”. I guess I was humbled.

Anyway it turned out to be a great feature. A lot of people saw it and it even got me a series of shows in Newfoudland-Labrador two years later.

Oh and in case you are wondering, I am not resposible for choosing the cover shot. As a matter of fact, I was just goofing around. I’ll never do that again!

Professional: following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain; following as a business an occupation ordinarily engaged in as a pastime: a professional magician.

One of the axioms in my field states that “professionals do the same tricks for different audiences, amateurs do different tricks for the same audiences”.

It’s true. Ask yourself why music stars have greatest hits. Why there are classic movies; why audiences want actors to reprise their signature roles.

Because that’s what they do really well. And it makes sense. Would you rather hire an top-tier entertainer who is trying out a brand new act or one who has honed his act for twenty years to a place where it is “an act”?

The best example of this was a magician named Marvyn Roy, aka Mr. Electric. His 11 minute act never changed over a 50 year career that took him around the world – repeatedly.

Of course we all add new routines from time to time, just for fun and as a special request but the performance is always a finely tuned, fun performance.

What happens when you create an act is that you quickly become known for that particular act. If you want a grand illusion show in Canada, then Ryan Joyce is who you should hire. For a smaller venue, still with illusions, then go with Timothy Drake. And if you want a stand-up, comedy magic and mind reading show, then ME!

Don’t get me wrong. I love amateur magicians. They keep our art alive. They are its biggest supporters. They are magic’s true fans. But they are not its best presenters. Amateur magicians put most of their efforts into learning the latest trick (and that’s a GOOD thing). Professionals spend their productive time honing, improving and updating their act. Professionals concentrate more on the overall effect that an hour of individual routines combined has on an audience rather than blowing them away with one or two miracles.

That’s the difference.

I’ve never had an issue with these units – ever! Now when I go onto a cruise or into a theatre I just hand my iPod with the remote reciever plugged in to the sound operator, tell him to plug it into his board and control my show from the stage. No cues, no worries. In fact most of the time, the sound operators use my show to take their much needed break. They love it!

I’ve recommended these units to great entertainer friends of mine like Doug the Great, Timothy Drake and Captain Corbin. They all have them and love them!

You can get a controlFREQ here.

Yesterday, while picking up my brand-new Countryman mic, Brad Rose of Edcom Pro Audio (London, Kitchener, Windsor, Mississauga) showed me the Samson Expedition 40iW.

WOW!

Here’s what it has (already built-in):

• 6-inch woofer
• 1-inch high frequency driver
• 40 watts of power from a lightweight Class D amplifier
• Channel 1: XLR – 1/4-inch combo input allowing line level or microphone level with phantom power
• Channel 2: 1/4-inch input allowing line level or microphone level with phantom power + 1/8-inch stereo aux input allows for stereo line level signal
• Built-in VHF handheld wireless microphone system
• iPod dock with level control
• 1/4-inch link in/out jack to link 2 systems together creating a stereo setup (or input to a larger system)
• Bass and treble control
• Integral top handle
• Speaker stand pole-mount receptacle
• Rechargeable battery included

$305 CAD

It would be a great addition for magicians, jugglers, buskers and any small venue entertainer. Really. Email Brad. Rent one. Seriously. Then buy it. You won’t be disappointed.

I like television – a lot.

But I’m not too keen on award shows or talent competitions. Award shows, like the Emmys and the Oscars are really just an outlet for the industry to blow their own horn and a way to get you and me (the public) to buy more tickets or watch more TV. In fact, the first Oscar presentation in 1929 was all about increasing business at the theatre during the Great Depression. There is nothing wrong with that, but these shows are not about who is the best. That’s their hook. These shows are entertainment shows disguised as an awards shows. Nothing more. As for the curent flood of talent shows, well, they are not ‘talent’ contests. They are ‘popularity’ contests. They are not about who is the best, they are about who gets the most votes.

How can you and I really determine who is the ‘best’ at something – artistically? We can’t. The answer will always be subjective. It will always be our opinion. The only true judge of  who is better at a particular talent is someone who has that same unique talent. That’s why in the awards shows, actors vote for fellow actors, directors for directors, etc. The public is not qualified to judge who is the best. They ARE qualified to pick who they LIKE the most.

In the ‘real’ world of entertainment, the only vote that counts comes from you – the public. The best television, movie or live performance is the one that has the largest audience or the one that is ‘in demand’ the most. Think about it. Most of these endeavours are presented to be commercial – to attract and entertain the largest audience. Therefore the most successful, the ‘best’, is the one that receives the biggest audience.

I don’t compete with other magicians. Over the course of a year there are dozens of magic competitions around North America but I have chosen not to enter any of them. And before you ask, I will not be entering ‘Canada’s Got Talent’  (a variety act will never win a [Name of Country's] Got Talent show – ever, but that’s another blog). Why won’t I enter? Because the ultimate judge of how good an entertainer I am is you, the public, not my fellow magic friends. You cast your vote by attending my shows and hiring me for your events. Simply put, magicians don’t put food on my table – you do!

And I appreciate every one of you.

Today I get my fix for those days by hanging out with two of Canada’s top illusionists,  Ryan Joyce and Timothy Drake. Of course, back when I toured, we didn’t have the sophstication that these two guys do now!

The music was played on cassette tape. The lighting was all in-house. The props were all made of wood, not alluminum and fiberglass like today. And most of the illusions I built myself, in my parents basement! Today, all the music is remote controlled. The lighting is state of the art LED and motion controlled and the illusions are built by some of the best craftsmen in the country.

The show took about 4-5 hours to set-up, was a two hour show (with intermission) and it took another 2 hours or so to strike. It was a full 8 hour day that began when most people were thinking about the rush hour drive home.

But I wouldn’thave traded it for anything!