Congratulations, and welcome to the April-Foolery issue of The Little Egypt
Gazette. The photo used in our Welcome Center page is of course a photo of Tom Mullica's
Tom-Foolery in Atlanta, now closed but
a source of fantastic memories to all who spent time in its spell. This issue brings you an in-depth
look
at the new Ken Krenzel book from Hermetic Press, including an absolutely terrific item from
same, plus a
peek at Las Vegas in Dixie, the up and coming complex of casinos in Tunica, Mississippi. But
first
a look at the current events in the magic world. As with last year's April issue, any or all of the
following
news items could be pure baloney. It will all be sorted out in "Stirring the Tana Leaves," and we
hope
you have fun getting there.
THE PENDRAGONS AT FORD'S THEATRE -- Billed as "the first couple of grand illusion,"
the Pendragons made a strong showing on March 29 on ABC's A Gala For The President At
Ford's Theatre. Jonathan opened with his startling origami bird in cage vanish, following which
the camera panned for the first of several times to President Clinton, catching him with his
mouth agape. (Was he yawning or mystified?) Next came a strong presentation of the Himber
linking finger rings, with lines Jonathan has made justly famous and which one hopes no one
else out there will lift. The grand illusion finale featured a fast "Things That Go Bump In The
Night" that caught everyone off guard. In all a tight 6:50 outing that focussed on Jonathan's
considerable charisma and intensity. Ventriloquist Ron Lucas also appeared on this strong
variety special.
THE MAGIC IS COMING -- ABC has begun 20-second promotional spots for David Blaine
Street Magic, coming in "ABC May." If the special is anything like the promo, it will feature
striking MTV-paced visuals unlike anything ever seen before in a televised magic special. I
particularly enjoyed a close-up image of the reflection of a playing card in Blaine's eye, a small
part of an amazingly kinetic montage of images of playing cards doing astonishing things.
ASCANIO -- By far the saddest news of the month, the year, the era is that Spain's celebrated
card wizard Arturo de Ascanio died unexpectedly in his home on Sunday, April 6. I first
received word from Jose Antonio Gonzalez, who added that Ascanio had been doing and talking
magic with a visiting German magician at the time. He was buried on April 8 in the Almudena
Cemetery in Madrid. Ascanio's death is all the more poignant for many of us because we had
the pleasure of spending time in his presence less than a month before in Las Vegas, at the
Desert Magic Seminar. There he seemed so full of life and charm, and his extraordinary magic
cast a spell over all who observed it. As I mentioned last month, Joe Stevens has made available
a wonderful new 90-minute video of Ascanio's magic, featuring "Dama Inquieta" ("Restless
Lady"), "Ases con Amor" ("Aces with Love"), and "Ases de mi examen" ("Aces of my exam").
I urge you to purchase it if you enjoy beautiful card magic. There is a memorial web site for Ascanio to which
you may contribute condolences and read those of others. The site is in Spanish and currently
holds the words of many Spanish magicians as well as those of such Americans as Pete Biro
and Matthew Field. The longest and the closing tribute is by Juan Tamariz.
Ascanio, receiving an award in Las Vegas, March 1997
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MELINDA ON CBS -- Not since the original Mickey Mouse Club, when a generation of boys
observed that Annette Funicello had breasts, has a Disney TV show created such a stir over the
physical assets of its star. Amid rumors that the long-anticipated Melinda special had been
delayed as CBS executives screened it for private stag gatherings that included the likes
of Walter Cronkite and George Bush, Disney's Melinda, First Lady of Magic finally aired
on CBS on March 25. The enthusiastic reviews ran from shallow praise ("The Baywatch of
magic specials" -- TV Guide) to deep analysis ("This smart sorceress's triumph over a giant
phallic drill bit is a pointed feminist response to the continuing threat of sexual harassment in
the post-O.J. nineties" -- The New Yorker). Although the show featured such Melinda favorites
as her beautiful firefly routine and the aforementioned Drill of Death, it was her sexy, funny,
and
uncharacteristically gory straitjacket escape that garnered the most press. In what may have
been a deliberate attempt at satirizing David Copperfield's use of stooges and at topping her
ex-husband Lance Burton's recent underwater escape, Melinda began by requesting the
assistance of two random members of the audience. Although the two "college men" came from
widely separated areas of this Panama City Spring Break audience, one in a Hawaii shirt and
USC baseball cap and the other with a Kodak disposable camera hanging around his neck, hip
viewers quickly recognized the two as Penn and Teller. Melinda herself, wearing a straitjacket
and nothing but a straitjacket, allowed herself to be lowered into a small tank of water whose
sides were covered with newspaper to conceal her escape to freedom and buck nudity. The
grabber was that the tank was afixed to a second tank full of starving Piranha. If Melinda failed
to escape in 60 seconds, a partition between the two tanks would open, presumably to let the fish
chew the thing off her. The seconds ticked off as Penn uttered inane banter about her being able
to hold her breath for eternity with lungs like that, until with two seconds to spare a thin arm
held the jacket aloft above the edge of the tank. Penn, whose height gave him a bird's eye view
of the goings on (goings off is more accurate) inside the tank, fainted into a heap on the floor. It
was as he fell that things went awry and the alarm went off. The Piranha were on the move!
With a wry smile, Teller ripped the paper from the tank to reveal a froth of red, churning water.
Climbing a small step ladder, he reached in and extracted a smooth white human skeleton with
blond
hair. Has our girl given her last for magic? Of course not. A loud referee's whistle erupted from
the audience, to reveal Melinda in a wet t-shirt and signature thong bikini bottom, earning her
a
riotous ovation from the mostly male audience. Is this magic or what? Videos of the special
will
soon be available at your local Blockbuster with an NC-17 rating.
THE MAGIC CASTLE ON YOUR COFFEE TABLE -- Milt Larsen mentions in his monthly
Friends of the Libraries newsletter that a new book on the Magic Castle should be available in
time for the summer conventions. The book is based on tours that he conducts of the Castle
and is being compiled by member Carol Marie. To be about 300 pages and full of photos, the
book will concentrate on the Castle's history as well as its architecture and collectibles. From
the beginning the Castle has always been one of the most photogenic structures in magic, and
members and guests who have been frustrated by the Castle's no-camera rules should eagerly
anticipate this sizable volume. Milt promises that Carol has done her research thoroughly and
has left "no gargoyle unturned in her effort to make this a fascinating addition to anyone's
library."
 ABSOLUT HYSTERIA -- Speaking of coffee table books, there is a delightful new book out
containing nearly 500 ads for Absolut vodka, a celebration of the TBWA Chiat/Day ad campaign
that began in 1981 and has made the Absolut vodka bottle one of the most recognized product
images around the world. The book by Richard W. Lewis is called ABSOLUT BOOK. and it
sells for $60 hardback, $30 softcover. Collecting these two-word headline ads has become
something of a craze. As the Introduction states: "Readers tear out the ads and hang them on
their walls. Librarians have to guard their magazines from being de-Absoluted. College
students actually collect and trade ads." My college-age daughter confirms all the above. Once
I realized the magnitude of the interest, I figured that the ads must be on the web as well, and
indeed they are. There are sites which list every magazine in which each ad appears, and trades
can be arranged. My interest in the ads was sparked by the recent re-emergence of the
ABSOLUT HOUDINI ad, which exhibits a burst of light from which the familiar bottle has just
vanished, leaving only a round water mark on the surface where it stood. It is of note that the
name Houdini still equates to magic (in this case a vanish) to this day. That particular ad was a
hard sell according to its Ad Director, Tony De Gregorio: "We already had 498 ads with the
bottle, but we have only one other ad -- ABSOLUT LARCENY -- without the bottle." There
also exists an ABSOLUT MAGIC ad, picturing the Absolut bottle resting in a clear crystal top
hat half full of ice cubes.
NO CONTEST -- It's an established nugget of magical lore that Jay Marshall defeated Dai
Vernon in two games of chess out of three, back in 1954, for the right to publish "The Vernon
Poker Demonstration" in The New Phoenix, which Marshall edited at that time. History
repeated itself last month in Las Vegas as Marshall squared off against John Gaughan for even
more incredible stakes, the right for Marshall to publish the secret to the Hooker rising cards, the
piece to run in the last issue of The New Phoenix, which Marshall still owes his original
subscribers, assuming any are still around. The contest ensued at David Copperfield's famed
warehouse during Desert Magic Seminar week, with Earl Nelson on hand as Gaughan's second
and Jim Krenz as Marshall's. If it seems incredible that Gaughan would risk his previously
unimpeachable reputation for confidentiality, it must be taken into consideration that Marshall
put up as his
stake the entire Bob Lund collection, at the same time complaining that he has trouble
remembering a damn thing. The complaining would appear to have been an act. The contest
ended in one draw and two victories for Marshall. A crushed Gaughan took little consolation in
the fact that few issues would appear, if ever, and that Marshall took a firm stand against any
Johnny-come-lately subscriptions. Rumor has it that Marshall is now trying to interest Ricky Jay
in a little game of backgammon or gin rummy.
NEW SLYDINI MATERIAL -- A gentleman named Alma Richie, with a wonderful prose style,
has lately been informing EG readers of two routines he learned from 20 years of lessons from
Slydini, particularly Slydini's floating cane and his linking/unlinking rubber bands. Mr. Richie
hopes to release the rubber band routine in the next 30 days, and promises "unending surprises,
crescendos, and astonishing impacts that Slydini made to the linking and unlinking of rubber
bands. This is my favorite close-up magical effect . . ." Mr. Richie is also considering releasing
the cane routine, possibly in the next 60 days. In his own words, "I was taught the dancing cane
by Slydini, and at which time he gave me his personal cane. His routine is 2 minutes to perform
and so beautiful and magical to watch. The routine begins by balancing it in different ways on
my right hand. It then slowly moves away as if guided by the gentle wind. As it is suspended in
mid air, it begins to move in a circle and within inches around my forefinger. Then it floats out
into space and stops suspended in mid air. Slydini's routine includes this beautiful move. The
cane is literally suspended in space. This is what sets the routine apart from all other cane
routines. Other beautiful moves follow and the act ends when the cane is thrown into the air and
turns into two canes." He adds that "It is a beautiful routine due to the brilliant routine and
dialogue developed by Slydini." I thank Mr. Richie for permission to reprint his accounts here
and recommend that you become a member of Bruce Barnett's Electronic Grymoire (EG) to be
the among the first to learn of these impending releases. They will be offered to EG members at
a reduced rate.
IT'S IN THE CARDS -- Perhaps there is an opening for a card shark on the White House staff.
In a March 31 Karen Ball piece in The New Yorker called "It's in the Cards," President Clinton
is described as an inveterate card player with a fondness for hearts and contract rummy. His
larger interest however lies in Klondike Solitaire, at which he spends many hours, even with
others present ("It was driving me crazy," aide Bruce Lindsey said when his boss refused to play
a red five on a black six, convinced a better opportunity would present itself). He plays during
briefings, keeping score (Las Vegas rules, five dollars for every card on top) in his head. Clinton
detractors can perhaps take solace in the knowledge that anyone who "keeps decks of Bicycles
in the Oval Office" can't be all bad.
AND THE WINNERS ARE -- The Magic Castle recently held its 29th Annual Awards banquet,
with magic's most treasured prizes going to Martin Nash for Close-Up Magician of the Year,
T.C. Tahoe for Parlour Magician of the Year, David Roth for Lecturer of the Year, Jason Byrne
for Stage Magician of the Year, and Ricky Jay for Magician of the Year. Fellowships included a
Masters Fellowship to Karrell Fox, a Lifetime Achievement Fellowship to Billy McComb, a
Performing Fellowship (Stage) to Tommy Wonder, a Performing Fellowship (Close-Up) to
Michael Skinner, a Creative Fellowship to John Kennedy, a Literary Fellowship to Stephen
Minch (check out his new book below!), a Special Fellowship to Joe Stevens, and Awards of Merit to Trini Peller and Arnold
Brema. Sincere congratulations to all, and what a deserving group!
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