Essential Stewart James

I think it's great that Allan Slaight has put out the Essential Stewart James book. Now magicians can enjoy some half reasonable card magic without having to wade through thousands of pages of the ramblings of a mad man who just smoked some grade A smack.

MW

Effects by David Forrest

When I say "Effects by" I use the word 'effects' very loosely. David Forrest seems to drop a turd into a ziploc baggie and magicians pass wads of dollars to him in exchange.

For example "Holes" is exactly what you would expect if you sent a couple of half-wit magicians off to a room with some cards with holes in and said "come up with a trick". But that's got nothing on his latest offering.

Route 1 claims to be a solution for card at any number. What you really get is ahalf-baked abortion of an idea involving two decks of cards. You show one and put it in your pocket (yep nothing suspect there) and then you fuck around with another deck for a bit and then you put that away (yes in your pocket) and bring out the 1st (?) deck again and amazingly the card they said while you assed around with the other deck is at the number they said.

It may be that Mr Forrest has come up with something good as well, he certainly seems to have a lot of tricks available, but I wouldn't waste real money on them based on whay I've seen.

MW.

Andrew Mayne

I notice that Andrew Mayne is about to be the guest of honor on the magic cafe. I am sure like most of the guest chats we will learn some stunning stuff like the color of his underwear and his favorite cheese.

In a related story magic dealer Hank Lee has just taken delivery of a new batch of Andrew Mayne illusion kits, a photographer snapped a picture of the van unloading...

If you don't use the Magic Cafe but still want to ask Andrew a dumb question he can usually be found round the back of K-Mart performing tricks with old boxes and milk crates.

MW.

What if Mr Whack isn't my real name?

It seems to bother one rather sad individual who clearly has no life that I post my name on here as "Mr Whack" because he suspects that Mr Whack isn't my real name.

Because of this, he keeps posting comments bitching and whining about it and complaining about the posts I write.

At the top of my blog in the "about me" section it's pretty damn clear that the things I post are my opinion and that you might not like it. It also makes it clear that if you're not a magician, you won't like the blog either.

If it really bothers you who I am then go back and read through all my posts since day one, I have purposely left MANY clues as to my true identity, and yes I am known enough in magic circles that just about anyone reading this would know me.

For those of you with a life, please continue to enjoy my fairly pointless whittering and rantings.

MW.

L&L Videos on demand.

I notice that L&L publishing are now offering some of their magic videos as instant downloads through Grapeflix. This is great news for those who want to be disappointed at what they've wasted their money on right away rather than having to wait for the mailman.

MW.

Jeff Hobson Egg Bag.

I am sure many of you have spotted this bargain. $149 for a modified Malini egg bag and a routine where you act like a donut stabber.

Here's the sales fluff:

The Hobson Egg Bag, the most entertaining Egg Bag routine in existence, is being made available in a strictly limited release.! Jeff Hobson, one of the world's premier comedy magicians, is finally releasing one of his pet routines, a routine which has entertained audiences all over the world! The Hobson Egg Bag is like no other routine. It will have your audience roaring with laughter, for sure!

The complete Hobson Egg Bag package includes:* Specially designed handmade Hobson Egg Bag* 2 specially-made eggs* Instructional DVD* Personally autographed Hobson photo card* Plus a bonus - Access to a private, password-protected web site for in-depth additional instruction, tips, advice, staging, the use of an assistant, and a live video of Jeff Hobson performing his famous Egg Bag! This professional additional instruction along is worth the price!

Admittedly Jeff has produced a nice variation on the Malini bag, the lining being a different color to the outside of the bag is a nice touch and the shorter cut to the bag looks good too, but unless your stage persona is that of a faggot gagging for some cock action I don't see that this is a good investment for anyone.

Jeff Hobson took the egg bag and made it his own, but surely that is what we as magicians are meant to do with ANY trick that we perform?

All this release will achieve is a bunch of copycat idiots who had $150 all dancing about with an egg bag telling their audience "it's the whooosh that does it" - another nail in the coffin of good magic performance I reckon.

Thank fuck this is a limited availability item.

MW.

Dixie Dooley - What an ass.

It's getting close to October the 31st, the date that many magicians put on piss poor spook shows and fool themselves more than they fool their audience. And now thanks to those fun loving rip-off merchants at Pengiun magic you can buy a DVD that teaches you how to hold a sceance and convince people the dead really can communicate with the living!

http://www.penguinmagic.com/product.php?ID=918

Imagine how convinced someone will be that the dead can speak to the living when you perform "the haunted deck". Please give me a fucking break! It's a card trick and dressing up like a vampire and going "ooooohhhhhhh" isn't going to make the trick convince people it's the dead moving the cards. I am sure ghosts have nothing better to do than to find your chosen card at Halloween or to make a key turn over.

Oh but it gets better... Dixie dafooley also teaches you how to do the most convincing demonstration of spiritualism ever... "The Zombie floating ball". Holy fuck how will your audience sleep after seeing such overwhelming evidence of ghosts and spirts? A ball floated about while the man just held a large square of cloth! Someone call James Randi and claim the million bucks, he won't be able to dispute that one in a hurry.

If you want to do a spiritual demonstration then just do scotch and soda, a hankie vanish and a find a card trick and the whole time make noises like "ohhhh the ghosties are doing it" - it would be no less convincing than the shit Dixie Dooley is cashing in on with his DVD.

MW.