Cartoon James Randi

James Randi — or as he is more often publicly known The Amazing Randi — is now largely retired, but continues to talk openly and publicly about the relationship between magic, skepticism and critical thinking. In one of his more interesting interviews with the YouTube channel Holy Koolaid, he is appearing in Cartoon form. 

Randi stands apart from the majority of skeptics. He eschews the label "debunker" (odd that it appears in the video's title card) and favours "investigator". In keeping with the scientific method, if you start with the conclusion you think you should get — that the claim you are investigating is "bunk" — then you're much less likely to learn anything new. You have to set your exploration up in such a way that if there is a real phenomenon to be found, you could find it.

In that spirit, the organization he founded, the James Randi Educational Foundation, set up a well known million dollar prize to anyone who can demonstrate paranormal phenomena under controlled mutually agreed upon conditions.  

When I grow up, I hope I can show up to my interviews as a cartoon. 

Photos from Magic & Martini in Toronto

Last night we had another sold out Magic & Martini at the gorgeous SpiritHouse in downtown Toronto. We have a limited performance schedule coming up in August as I will be travelling, but we are back in full swing in September. Readers can use the code secrets for a discount on tickets when purchasing online. We will also be back in Hillsburgh and Oakville in October.

Here are some photos from the show courtesy of Tyler Sol Williams. 

Helping Hands

I've just had the pleasure of completing a special two-week workshop at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital called Helping Hands. It comes as an offshoot of Magicana's My Magic Hands program, which I have been involved with now for close to ten years. 

In an innovative treatment program, kids who have — for one medical reason or another — lost the use of one of their hands and had to re-learn how to use it. To speed up the process, the stronger hand is isolated through clever combination of foam, plastic and velcro, so all the work gets done with the in-training or "helping" hand.

Adding magic into the therapy puts a different spin on things. Rather than having to re-learn things that everyone knows how to do and take for granted, they get to learn things that no one knows how to do. 

For reasons of confidentiality, I don't have any photos of the kids doing magic, but it got subway poster sized thank you gift from the class:

This program is made possible through the generous support of the Slaight Family Foundation. 

Tricks in the Six

This Thursday, I'll be appearing on Tricks In The Six, a magic show organized in Toronto by the aptly named Toronto Magic Company.

I'll be appearing with The Sentimentalists - a pair of sartorially splendid mind readers just back from performing at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. I first met half of the Sentimentalists, Mysterion, at one of my earliest visits to Friday Night Magic, now over ten years ago. He was mutilating silverware, showing off new tattoos and his taxidermy albino squirrel. In the years I've known him, he has only gotten stranger. He has since joined forces with Steffi Kay who has certainly helped to class up the act. 

Then again, the same could also be said for the show's host Ben Train. 

Join us Thursday, July 27 at the Paintbox Bistro (555 Dundas Street East). Tickets are $25 and available online. 

 

There is no stopping The Evasons!

After last night's show, after we were packed up and in the parking lot a pair of intoxicated youngsters stumbled by. One of them wanted to buy Jeff's car (actually the Porsche parked next to us). He asked to take a closer look at their money and he and Tessa proceeded to melt their brains. 

Jeff & Tessa Evason with unsuspecting bystanders at ~1:00 AM

You never know when magic might wander into your life. 

Photos from Magic & Martini Featuring The Evasons

Last night's sold out Magic & Martini was an unbelievable treat for me. One of the most rewarding things in this industry is collaborating with other performers. For two and a half years, I had that chance every week when I was hosting Magic Tonight. But there was one act that was never able to perform on the show.

The Evasons, while originally Canadian, perform now almost exclusively in the US. And since Magic Tonight wrapped, Magic & Martini has been a solo endeavour. But the opportunity presented itself and I couldn't resist, so last night's show featured a brief interlude from the world's foremost mentalist duo. (Which was a total surprise to most of the ticket buyers since we only decided to do this on Wednesday!)

Jeff & Tessa Evason

They are unquestionably the top in their field, if not in the world then at least in the English-speaking world.) There's something that happens when your name becomes synonymous with what you do. The way you reach for a Kleenex and you don't "search" for things on the internet, you Google them. Among magic-folk, what was — once up on a time — "Second Sight" is now just known as "The thing the Evasons do."

Thank you to everyone who attended the show. Here are a few photos from the night from Tyler Sol Williams. 

We have some dates with space still in August. Readers can use the code olive for a discount on the price of tickets when booking online.