More Magic on TV

January has been a busy month for magic on television, and SyFy wraps it up with very busyThursday.

Wizard Wars Thursday, January 29, 10 p.m. E/P, SyFy Episode seven kicks off the second series of this weekly competition show. The first six installments re-air that same day, starting at 9:30 a.m. and running until 3:30 p.m. Close Up Kings Thursday, January 29, 11 p.m. E/P, SyFy Three best friends — Magick Balay, Loki, and Johnny Blaze — travel from city to city with only a few dollars in their pockets, taking on challenges and trying to outdo one another. This is the first of eight sixty-minute episodes. The Daily Show (unknown), 11 p.m. E/P, Comedy Central A skit was taped recently at David Copperfield’s warehouse in Las Vegas — featuring David, Ice McDonald, Kayla Drescher, and Harrison Lampert — about how magic is dead in America, now that China has proclaimed itself to be the new capital of magic. Rumor has it that the segment will air this week.

Magic Magazine February 2015 Preview

From The Editor The February 2015 issue of MAGIC Magazine is now in the mail, but the digital edition is already waiting for you on MyBookshelf. Click here to log in and start reading. Our cover is Justin Flom, who has has had his own theater in Branson, performed for years on ships, and is being seen more and more on television, yet it’s his online presence that has brought him to the forefront. We also look back at how The Piddingtons caused such a stir on the BBC in 1949, look forward to up-and-coming magician Bill Cook, and take a look to the side at how some of magic’s most famous couples came together — plus so much more! I hope you enjoy the February issue and all the bonus content at M360. Thanks for subscribing… Stan Here’s what’s new on M360… In This Issue Bonus content for February, available both at MyBookshelf and M360, includes: Justin Flom’s three performance videos, plus his tutorials on Pull My Finger and USS Sweet & Low; a Bill Cook excerpt from the Make Believedocumentary, as well as a spotlight video on him; Sydney and Lesley Piddington’s 1949 BBC radio broadcast from the Tower of London, plus a trailer for Piddington’s Secrets Revealed. February Issue » At The Table Chris Mayhew’s sandwich card effect with a twist, Al Rorrinson’s relinking a key to a spectator’s key ring, Chris Korn’s production of a small bottle from a fire ball, Jeff Prace’s rigid-rope routine using an earbud — all from Murphy’s At The Table Lecture Series. At The Table: Chris Mayhew » MAGIC Live! Fielding West’s 2013 talk about, and performance of, psychic surgery joinsMAGIC Live presentations by Kevin Spencer, Tina Lenert, Wayne Dobson & Jeff McBride, Joanie Spina, Gene Anderson, Xavier Mortimer, and Master Payne. MAGIC Live: Fielding West » Turn It Around The sixth and final installment of David Kaye’s monthly “Turn It Around” column covers “Turning Your Audience Against You,” featuring Jozo Bozo. The complete article is reprinted from the July 2006 issue of MAGIC Magazine, along with a video of Jozo performing a routine with candy — and attitude. Turn It Around » Marketplace All 25 of the products reviewed in the February issue, plus 300 reviews from previous issues, are all now available at the fully searchable “Marketplace” section of M360. Marketplace »

Magic on TV staring tonight...

Here’s the latest on a busy month for magic on television:

Troy: Street Magic Tuesday, January 20, 10 p.m. E/P, SyFy This is the second episode in this ten-part series showcasing 25-year-old magician Troy Von Scheibner as he hits the streets of London. If you missed the first episode, it re-airs on Wednesday, January 21, at 4:30 p.m., and again Thursday, January 29, at 8:30 a.m. American Masters – Ricky Jay: Deceptive Practice Friday, January 23, 9 p.m. E/P, PBS For the first time in the series’ 29-year history, American Masters features a magician, airing the 2013 documentary. Ongoing Series The Carbonaro Effect continues airing on Thursdays at 10 p.m. E/P on truTV; Masters of Illusions airs on Fridays at 9:30 p.m. E/P on the CW; and repeats of Wizard Wars can be seen randomly on SyFy.

More Magic on TV including Neil Patrick Harris!

Ye olde 2015 is showing signs of being an amazing year for magic on television. Here are some a few items airing the first week, with more to come next week and throughout the month. Thanks for subscribing... Stan

Today Thursday, January 1st, 7 a.m., NBC In a pre-taped segment for the Today show, Joshua Jay makes his third appearance on the program, this time promoting his new book, Big Magic for Little Hands. The Carbonaro Effect Thursday, January 1st, 10 p.m. E/P, truTV Michael Carbonaro’s hidden-camera magic show that fools onlookers without making them feel they’re watching a magician continues. This week’s episode, titled “Ignasaurus,” offers Michael a chance for a little quick-change work with a T-shirt. Watch a trailer for this episode. Worst Cooks in America Season Premiere, Sunday, January 4th, 9 p.m. E/P, Food Network NYC magician Michael “Six” Muldoon will be one of the “kitchen-challenged” recruits competing for a $25,000 grand prize for the contestant who makes the biggest “culinary transformation.” Michael will attempt to cook food that fits his magicial personality, such as making a cake from spaghetti and meatballs. The show, in its sixth season, runs for seven episodes. Of course, no one is talking as to how many of those episodes Michael will appear on.

American Horror Story: Freak Show Wednesday, January 7th, 10 p.m. E/P, FX Neil Patrick Harris makes his appearance in the 11th episode of this, the show’s fourth season. He plays Chester, the new owner of the freak show. The trailer reveals Harris charming conjoined twins, as well as sawing someone in half. The season wraps up the following week. Watch a trailer for this episode.

Magic on TV Next Week

Magic is appearing all week starting Monday

Houdini Monday/Tuesday, September 1-2, 9 p.m. E/P, History The four-hour miniseries, starring Adrien Brody in the title role, premieres this coming Mondayand Tuesday. Brody, a former student at Tannen’s Magic Camp, is joined by Kristen Connolly as Bess Houdini, and Evan Jones playing Harry’s chief assistant, Jim Collins. Houdini is directed by Uli Edel, with a script by Nicholas Meyer, whose father, Bernard C. Meyer, authored the 1976 biography Houdini: A Mind in Chains. PHOTO: Colin Hutton / History Ongoing Series On Tuesday nights, there’s also Wizard Wars at 10 p.m. E/P on SyFy. The CW continues offering two nights of magic each week with Penn & Teller: Fool Us on Wednesdays at 8 p.m.E/P, and Masters of Illusion on Fridays at 8 p.m. E/P. Meanwhile, Thursdays falls to TruTV with its ongoing magic series, The Carbonaro Effect.

Magic on TV

Here’s a new magic show on Syfy, joining the two series currently airing on CW.

Wizard Wars Tuesdays (premiering August 19), 10 p.m. E/P, Syfy Penn & Teller headline this series that pits teams of magicians against each other, the winner facing the “home team” made up of Gregory Wilson, Shimshi, Justin Flom, and Angela Funovitz (see “Update” August 2014). Photo: Eric Buss, Mattias Ramos Penn & Teller: Fool Us Wednesdays, 8 p.m. E/P, CW Masters of Illusion Fridays, 8 p.m. E/P, CW

Magic Magazine Preview September 2014

From The Editor September 2014 The September 2014 issue ofMAGIC Magazine drops into the mail on Monday, August 18th. The digital edition, however, is already waiting for you on MyBookshelf. Click here to log in and start reading. This month, I’m again excited to be featuring stories about magicians you might not be familiar with: Blake Vogt, Mel Mellers, and H.P. Lovecraft. Their journeys are both diverse and fascinating. We’re also covering Houdini, the new miniseries starring Adrien Brody, and Jason Latimer’s new show,Perception: See Beyond the Illusion. If you feel like celebrating, we’ve got stories on Magic Inc’s fifty years in one location, the fortieth Tannen’s Magic Camp, and a new card-throwing record set by a Lithuanian magician. And if you’re looking to learn a new trick or two, you’re in luck. Blake Vogt, Steve Reynolds, Ian Rowland, and Mike Bent are on board this month. It’s all in the September issue — and a lot more! Thanks for choosing MAGIC as your magazine… Stan P.S. Scroll down for a list of some of the bonus material available to subscribers at M360. Now Playing on… The MAGIC Digital Network Powerful Medicine: Simply Magic Kevin Spencer’s short documentary on his Healing of Magic program is our special screening for the month of August. It’s 26 minutes that just might change your life. In One: Blake Vogt Our cover subject this month has created effects for nearly all of the big names in magic. And he has brought something to “share with the entire class.” Watch Blake’s performance videos of both Dream Card to Wallet and T-$hirt, then turn to “In One” for the complete tutorial. At The Table We’re featuring two new excerpts from Murphy’s At The Table Lecture Series. Patrick Kun demonstrates and teaches his DIY (Do It Yourself) Aces, a straightforward and easy-to-do version of the Spectator Cuts the Aces plot. John Guastaferro takes a break from the playing cards and teaches a Zen-like bending straw effect. Mr. Electric Unplugged Marvyn Roy’s autobiography [Mike Caveney’s Magic Words, 2005] is now an audio book read by the author, and we have an exclusive ten-minute excerpt at M360. Listen as Marvyn tells how he and his best friend, Alan Wakeling, began creating the world-famous light bulb act in 1949. Turn It Around From 2000 to 2008, David Kaye wrote over 100 “Turn It Around” columns for MAGIC Magazine. As a countdown to his upcoming book by the same name, David is revisiting six monthly columns, augmenting them with video. First up, “It’s Not the Destination, It’s the Journey.” Marketplace Get an advance look at what reviews are coming up in print, as well as search reviews that have already run. They're all available in a reader-friendly format.