Greetings, friends! Again it's time/To weave magicians into rhyme.

What was the URL for Claudia Schiffer again?

The last Larsen Genii hits the mailboxes.

HAIL, COLUMBUS -- On Feb 4-6, Columbus, OH hosted its 68th (that's five years older than Genii!) Magi-fest, attended by over 900 magicians. Excellent lectures were presented by Brian Gillis, Silly Billy, Chad Long, David Acer, Greg Wilson, Max Howard, and Ice McDonald. Greg Wilson, Lyuda, and Goldfinger and Dove were popular on the public show. Hot dealers included Stevens Magic Emporium, George Daily, Al Cohen, and Collectors' Workshop. Highlights for me: Silly Billy's incredible way with kids and his hilarious Hippity Hop Michael Jacksons, Brian Gillis and Sisouphanh's thrilling mental work, Ben Caesar's floating cane, Eric Buss's dead bunny on carrot (a la Impaled), Chad Long's close-up work, and David Acer's being justly livid over a U.S. teenager who had no idea where Canada is. Great fun for me to meet and/or hang out with David Kaye, Mike and Maria Powers, Brad Ball, Gemini pals Joe and Mark Stevens and Peg Shickler, Joshua Jay, and other old friends. Hats off to Jep Hostetler and crew for a great time.

February 1999

Once again, belated Valentine's Day wishes to you all. This is not only a tardy but a somewhat abbreviated "issue" of this web site, as I'm trying to finish up a few non-magic related assignments. It's a strangely sad month, a month of transition, marking the last Larsen Genii and the first World Magic Seminar. Of course, transition also entails bright hope for the future, so get out those sunglasses.

ALOHA, GENII -- Although magicians everywhere hope Genii magazine will prosper well into the next century under seasoned editor and publisher Richard Kaufman, the Genii that many of us have known as the house organ of the Family Larsen has released its final issue, at Erika's hand. That incarnation of Genii has been around for 63 years. I've been a subscriber for only 40, so cannot fully judge its impact on magic, but suffice it to say that I have loved every issue, beginning with those under Bill, Jr., and continuing under Dante and Erika. Congratulations to Erika, Dante, and Irene on being part of such an extraordinary achievement. And now, Richard, do we really need a book review column ...

LANCE TV -- Lance Burton, Master Magician: Top Secret will air on Wednesday, February 4, at 9:00 P.M. on NBC. In addition to the mega-illusions of vanishing a stealth bomber (aren't they supposed to be invisible anyway?) and an escape from a roller coaster, Lance will feature such illusions as his American Indian take on "Things That Go Bump in the Night" and "The Boy, The Girl and the Donkey."

WMS -- The first official World Magic Seminar, to hold forth in Las Vegas on Feb 28-Mar 3, has sold out at 1200 registrants. The Trop should rock. Personal note: For the first time in several years, I will not be attending this annual party. Hate to miss such acts as Veronin and Ed Alonzo. Thanks, Pete, for a sneak preview, and I wish everyone a wonderful time.

ALOHA, PETER -- Ron Wilson passed the extraordinarily sad news this morning that Peter Pit has passed away. "Magicians are nicer than people" is a saying that doesn't always apply, but it certainly did in Peter's case. He was such a part of magic, and of the Magic Castle family, that it will be most difficult to imagine this world without him.

Little Egypt Magic is the erratically updated web site of Steve Bryant, spawned (the site, not Steve) by a former internet magazine known as The Little Egypt Gazette/for magicians only.
Steve Bryant is an obscure magician and writer who generates this site from a computer in Bloomington, Indiana. He frequently journeys to and performs magic in Little Egypt, the local name for extreme southern Illinois, where the towns bear such names as Cairo, Thebes, and Karnak.
Past issues of this web site: January 99 | December 98 | November 98 | October 98 | September 98 | August 98 | June 98 | May 98 | April 98 | February 98 | December 97