The Magic Word Podcast

Mysterious Maks is from Ukraine but currently resides in New York City, New York. He was a finalist in “Uri Geller’s Next Phenomenon” television show in the Ukraine. As a result of his notoriety on that show and others where he was featured that led him to be quite well-known and in demand among the Russian politico and the oligarchy. He also ran a successful brick-and-mortar magic shop in Kiev, Ukraine. All was looking bright for his future, but then, fate intervened. He traveled to the U.S. on holiday and the week after he landed, Russia declared war on the Ukraine. He is now stuck here and unable to return home and is only able to talk on the phone with his mother and family as he hears about the death and destruction going on in the background.

This week, Mysterious Maks tells us about his journey to become a mentalist leading to his television experience and exposure where he met Uri Geller and how he got on the Next Phenomenon show. He also tells us about the kind of magic that is performed in Ukraine and finally, he tells us his story about how he got “stuck” in the U.S. and how he found a supportive group of friendly magicians in New York City who have helped him get by and encouraged him to continue with his dreams.

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Event                                         Time           

John Graham                         11:00 – 12: 00

Rocco                                       12:30 – 1:30

Lunch                                      1:30 – 3:00
Rubi                                         3:00 – 4:00
Shoot                                       5:00 – 6:00
Dinner                                     6:00 – 8:15
Saturday Show                       8:15 – 10:15

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:17 – Day Three kicks off with Mark Pocan who talks about this being his first TRICS convention and was inspired to come when he learned the Bernardo Sedlacek and Rubi were going to be here.

00:09:36 – Rhett Bryson, theater teacher for Farnum University, talks about his collection of automata and he also hosts the Whispering Imps website.

00:14:52 – Jeff Lefton is at this convention after being inspired by last year’s TRICS convention report and came to see John Graham after having read his book, “Stage by Stage.” But he arrived early to see Kerry Pollock at his club in Hilton Head. He also talked about setting up an activity venue for children to come and have their birthday parties.

00:21:02 – Terry Ward, from Orlando, was one of the lectures/performers from a previous year.and tells us which acts he has enjoyed at this convention.

00:26:57 = Bernardo Sedlacek is one of this year’s lecturers/performers who also offered a workshop to registrants. He talks about working shows in Spain, even though he is from Brazil.

00:32:45 – Boris Wild is another registrant who was also a lecturer/performer but is now just enjoying this event as a registrant and not having todo anything.

00:43:00 – David Parr and Tery Tyson were presenters at the “Insights” session yesterday. In this quick chat, they provide a summary of their talks. Bernardo Sedlack chimes in towards the end, too.

00:51:28 – Tiffany Allen is married to Boris Wild and now travels back and forth between the U.S. and France. She is the only female member of the Sleight Club, which is the group who is sponsoring this event.

01:03:57 – Organizer Scott Robinson provides a little “post mortem” on the convention as we talk about all the things that went on in this convention.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher) by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here. If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

Event                               Time                

Ed Ellis                  6:00 pm – 7:00pm
Newcomer             8:00pm – 8:45pm
David Parr             9:30pm – 10:00pm

Event                               Time             

Paul Gertner                  11:00 – 12:00
Bernardo                        1:00 – 2;00
Lunch                             2:00 – 3:30
Pipo                                 3:30 – 4:30
Insights                          5:00 – 6:30
Dinner                            6:30 – 8:00
Friday Night Show       8:00 – 9:30
Pizza Party                    10:00 Until

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:17 – Join Scott Wells at Starbucks in the Austin, Texas, airport as we prepare to jump on our “magic carpet” to Charlotte, North Carolina, for TRICS Convention.

00;04:57 – Before the first event (Ed Ellis lecture) we visit the dealers’ room where we chat with Roy Kueppers who is showing his wares for the first time. Roy also talks about his brand being stolen and the importance of owning a trademark for your name and why you should consider doing it if you want to own your own brand.

00:11:30 – Rocco talks about joining Franz Harary with his new show in Hong Kong that will be similar to his show in Macau.

00:15:53 – Organizer, Scott Robinso, tells us what to expect this weekend and how it differs from previous years. This year he went international and contest winners (i.e. FISM, IBM, SAM winners, Penn & Teller Foolers, etc.) He tells us there are 160 registrants plus performers here this year.

00:23:06 – a word from our sponsor, the New York Magic Conference, coming up on Saturday November 16th in Douglaston, NY.

00:26:40 – Mike Dunagan, International President of the I.B.M., talks about the conventions he’s attended as president. He talks about next year’s I.B.M. convention being in Houston, Texas, featuring Randy and Kristy Pitchford as the Guests of Honor.

00:35:21 – Following Paull Gertner’s lecture, we chat with Michael Bloemeke who just qualified at MAGIC Texas to compete in FISM Italy in 2025.

00:44:18 – Geoff Williams was another lecturer/performer from a previous year. We do a quick overview recapping what went on today.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher) by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here. If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

This week’s episode is sponsored by the New York Magic Conference. Please click on the graphic above or visit https://newyorkmagicconference.com/ for more information.

As we end our “Month of Boo'“ on The Magic Word Podcast, we close it out on the 98th anniversary of the death of Harry Houdini who passed on Halloween (October 31st), 1926. It is fitting that we have a chat with the internationally noted expert on “all things Houdini,” John Cox. John is the blogger of “Wild About Houdini” which is a daily blog about the master of escapes. He always seems to find some interesting nugget about Houdini’s life that has been long overlooked or “escaped” his attention.

If you are more of a visual person, then you might enjoy watching our conversation that was recorded over Zoom.

This week, John Cox talks about the many variations of the “Houdini Seance” since the first one by Bess Houdini first held on the year following Harry’s death. These modern day seances includes the current “Official” one hosted by Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz and the “Original” one hosted by Tom Boldt and Bill Radner. John also tells us some details about Houdini’s trial in Germany, plus he updates us on the books he is writing including the elucidation on Houdini’s diary from his early years before he rose to his legendary status.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher) by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here. If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

Keep Austin Weird. That is the city’s slogan, and there is much that proves they are indeed, keeping it weird. One such business entity that does just that is “The Austin Seance” run by Albert Lucio and Jake Cordero. They conduct these seances throughout the year in and around the Austin area, but they are kept particularly busy, as you would imagine, during the “Month of Boo,” October. This week we chat with Albert about not only the seances, but also he provides us with a scholarly look at the rise of Spiritualism and more than just a brief history of this religion.

This week, Albert talks about Spiritualism in America, how it traveled abroad and why it captured the hearts and minds of the public. He also talks about The Austin Seance that is different from most seances you might attend. He tries to “keep it real” and not use any trickery or magic props or electronics. It is an “organic” seance that creates a new experience for guests each time they visit. One never knows what they will see, hear, or feel from one seance to the next.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher) by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here. If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

In the middle of this “Month of Boo,” we are getting much more serious about “things that go bump in the night” as we feature a Magic Castle member who regularly performs seances aboard the Queen Mary. This grand old ship sailed for 31 years before being permanently docked in Long Beach, California, operating as a passenger liner from 1936 to 1967. Michael’s seance is called “57 Ghosts” which runs sporadically throughout the year, but five nights a week now through November 3, 2024. For more information, Click Here.

We begin our chat discussing the loss of a mutual friend, Greg Arce, then go on to talk about other seance venues and how Michael got involved with and focusing on the Queen Mary. He shares several stories from the Queen that are, no doubt, also told with much more detail during the seance.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher) by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here. If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

In our second installment in this “Month of Boo'“ on The Magic Word Podcast, we feature a “family friendly” entertainer, Michael Campion. He is a young “heart throb” for adolescents who watched the five year series “Fuller House” online where he starred as the character, Jackson. It has been six years since we last visited with Michael when he was then just 16. Today his interest in magic has come to the forefront and he is currently performing on weekends in a one-man show at Beetle House in Los Angeles called, “Haunted Mystery Show of Magic.” Tickets are available by Clicking Here. The reason we revisited with this young man is to discover his journey from a family entertainer to a magician who is now featuring a seance as part of his show. Michael is not the first actor in Hollywood to have a love of magic and performing and balance it with his acting career. Another one who comes to mind is Steve Valentine.

Many who listen to this episode are much older than our guest this week. But there is a lot to learn from as Michael Campion shares his insights and journey to write, develop, find a venue, and market his one-man show. It shows his determination and will hopefully inspire other listeners to follow their dreams to produce their own shows.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher) by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here. If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

As we begin on “Month of Boo'“ on The Magic Word Podcast, we gently slide into it this week featuring a mind reader, Eric Dittelman. He was the first mentalist to be a finalist on America’s Got Talent (sic) where he broke new ground. He has also appeared on Penn & Teller Fool Us (video below). Since then he has kept busy and in demand on the college circuit and as a corporate performer. Just like last week’s guest, Alex Boyce, Eric also is a regular performer at SpeakEasy Magick in New York City. Eric doesn’t regularly perform nor lecture at magic conventions, so this week’s episode is a real masterclass and maybe the closest thing you’ll hear as a lecture from him. During COVID, he and Mat Franco co-hosted a podcast called Mind Over Magic, which ran for over 100 episodes. It was one of my regular podcasts that I never missed. I think you might enjoy hearing it, too.

This week, Eric talks about his rise to become a finalist on AGT, performing on the college circuit, developing the podcast with Mat Franco, identifying his “powers” as a mentalist, and more! He reveals lost of ideas and tips for working professional and those who want to find success as a mentalist. .

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher) by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here. If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

This was the book that Eric Dittelman briefly talked about in this week's podcast. Please click on the graphic above to visit your Amazon account. And remember, when you do, you are helping The Magic Word Podcast through the Amazon Affiliate program when you buy this or any other product through Amazon. Thank you for your support.

There are many rising, young stars in our magic community. Some are gifted close-up workers while others are confident stage performers, all with bright futures ahead of them. One such young performer (now 28 years old) who excels in both and whom I have kept my eye on is Alex Boyce. His life has been consumed with magic and was a student at Tannen’s Magic Camp. Since his graduation from the camp, he is now an instructor. He has competed in stage contests at magic conventions and worked his act in and around his home in New York including Scott’s Resort in the Catskills where they filmed “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” He now regularly performs at SpeakEasy Magick in New York City and is a client of Bill Herz, who represents many of the top names in magic today.

This week, Alex talks about his early days of performing in the Catskills, entering magic competitions, learning and teaching at Tannen’s Magic Camp, performing for celebrities and corporate parties, and some of the friends he works with at SpeakEasy Magick in New York City.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher) by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here. If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

Click on the graphic above to visit the website for more information.

Al the Only loved performing as a “40 miler” around the Detroit, Michigan, area for many decades. He entertained regularly as a restaurant magician and also as a trade show “infotainer.” He excelled in performing for numerous corporate clients, but his “real home” is where his heart is…Colon, Michigan, the Magic Capitol of the World. Al has been traveling to Colon for decades where he regularly gives tours of the magicians’ graveyard, He has even written a book about it that is updated every so often as another couple dozen magicians are interred there. A few years ago he moved to Lahaina, Hawaii, and suffered a huge loss due to the fires that devastated the town in 2023.

In this episode, Al the Only talks about performing magic in restaurants, working the trade showroom floors, entertaining corporate clients, authoring the book “The Magic Graveyard” and giving tours of the graveyard for over 40 years. He also discusses his move to Hawaii and how his home was destroyed in the 2023 fire that devastated Lahaina.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher) by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here. If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.