What do you mean about the story of Sawing in Half? I imagine you mean that it has been a frequent victim of rip-offs. Would you be willing to elaborate? Thanks.

Can't elaborate but yes. I'd have to go back and check the details but it was an example I grew up with.

Within months the effect had beem copied and thereafter the variations poured out. within weeks of Uri geller bending and stopping dozens of people were doing the same.

Among entertainers magicians are probably second only to singers for stealing. you work as a scruffbag on the streets, soom everyone is looking scruffy.

There are sometimes areas people won't go like being entombes in ice, or water or somesuch.

I mentioned the clubs with notebook or cassette. People used to send shorthand writers into thetres in the 20s and 30s to copy down routines.

In 1662 punch arrived and within weeks there were dozens of them. Every show had to ghave Punch in it and that;'s where the expression 'No show without Punch' came from. here it in the UK . I don't know if you're familiar with it your side.

It's always gone on. It always will. It's human nature and that doesn't change.

What a shame.

By the way, Tony, I hear you do quite the Punch and Judy show. I'm hoping to see it live one day, perhaps in Phoenix, though I promise to leave my cell phone, video camera, tape recorder and notepads at home. Besides, I have no intention of ever doing it myself, I'm just interested in how you entertain kids on your side of the pond.

I'm interested how you do it your side, too. We share much but do many things differently. The language doesn't help when we both think we know what the other is saying - and we mean something slightly different.

Children are perceptive and know when you're not being yourself. You have to perform as yourself or that part of yourself you are projecting.

If you're naturally a sillyarse then fine. You'll be believable. If like me you're not then keep away. It won't work for you.

That's what I reckon anyway. If you are a trained actor then you can adopt and maintain a personna of a magician, straight or goofy. There are only a few over here and we lost one when Jolly Roger left us for your neck of the woods.

We've got the Jolly one now and you're not getting him back! That is, unless you are willing to pay ransom... say $20? But not until after our convention. He's promised to cook us a nice canned ravioli dinner for the big banquet.

Jolly good Spellbinder. But to be quite honest, canned is not so good. Canned pasta can be rubbery. Fresh is delightful.

Could it be arranged for Jolly Roger to leave some of his fresh ravioli out of the can for those of us who prefer it that way?

I'm particularly fond of lobster ravioli. Is that also possible?

On a serious note, It's puzzled me. Do you know why it's ravioli? What's the significance and what's the connection with Jolly Roger?

I could understand salt pork or bully beef and hard tack biscuit - traditional fare for sailors and pirates. After all, we always call the Skull and Cross Bones Flag The Jolly Roger. I preume you do too. ravioli is Italian and off hand I can't think of an Italian pirate can you? Jolly Roger hasn't Italian relatives, has he?

I'm surprised that Jolly Roger hasn't turned his attention to Birthday Party Food. It's an area children's entertainers appear to have ignored. Receips for party food. I've not come across children's entertainers talking about that subject. Ripe for exploitation.

He could call it Jolly Roger's Perfect Party Palate Pleasers!

I should register this and sell him the title for a great deal of money, don't you think?

So far I have contacted three hotels in or near Phoenix that seem like good possibilities for hosting our convention. I would appreciate it if any of the forum members from Arizona who have seen any or all of these venues would give us some feedback about how suitable they would be for our purposes.

Two are Holiday Inns:
Holiday Inn
PHOENIX-WEST
1500 NORTH 51ST AVENUE
PHOENIX, AZ 85043

Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites
PHOENIX-MESA/CHANDLER
1600 S. COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE
MESA, AZ 85210
Hotel Front Desk: 1-480-9647000

The third is :

Fiesta Resort Conference Center,
2100 South Priest Drive
Tempe, AZ 85282.
Tel: (480) 967-1441.

It's worth just posting here as we've been having questions on the Jolly jam Thread.

The proposed date is currently Jamuary 2008 and the details are to be found here and in the other thread.

All that eventaullay has to be done is decide which of the details will apply to the first convention.

There's enough between both threads to jam up the Jolly Jam which would be ridiculous

Unless, of course, you think differently?

Right now, between seeking hotels, I'm working on a potential agenda, and have included a Jam Session every evening after dinner and after the evening show. They can be completely free-wheeling sessions, or can begin with a theme attached to each one, not that you would have to stay on the theme if the group veered off on another topic of more interest.

Those not interested in the Jam could spend time in the Dealer's Room Exhibits area, or sit at the bar and pick up hookers. I've heard Arizona is full of hookers. For those who don't know, hookers are those big desert cactus plants but instead of needles, they have Velcro-like hooks so they attach themselves to you and follow you wherever you go. They are always thirsty, being desert plants, so they hang out at the bar and allow you to buy them drinks. They are also attracted to money. So I've heard.

Are they partial to sparkling spring water?

In stramge bars it helps keep a clear head and fuller wallets. I am of good Yorkshire stock. You can always tell good Yorkshire men. At public meetings they are the ones stood closest to the door in case there's a collection.

The first thing a Yorkshire mother does when her son gets his first suit of clothes is to stitch up all the pockets so that no lass (girl) can get her hands on his money.


We're not mean. Just awfully careful !

The hotel in Phoenix-Mesa/Chandler was the location for the Diamond Jam (Balloon artist convention). It had adequate facilities, depending upon how big the convention gets, but it was in the middle of renovations for our event. By next year it should be ok. Some attendees this year had some respiratory problems that may have been related to the work going on.

Sadly, there are no guarantees for nice weather: When I arrived, it was in the upper 60s, but the day I left was in the 30s there, and around 70 in Maryland. Go figure. . .

But I was lead to believe that Magic in the Sunshine was the order of the day. Are you saying it isn't?

Wouldn't it be better to consider somewhere line Monte Carlo. It's balmy there and awfully affordable in January. next door in Nice is even less expensive. We could hold it on the beach.

How about the South of France folks? The food's very good there.

A lot better than Jolly Roger's Ravioli which is probably all you'll be offered in Arizona.

Posted: Jan 21, 2007 7:45pm
Has anyone yet considered an admissions policy?

Can anyone pay on the door and get in?

Or will there be some Trade Only requirement and proof of identity?

As soon as we begin having hard facts, like acts that have been booked, a hotel that has been reserved, room price discounts that have been arranged, registration prices have been calculated, etc., you'll find it displayed on my Web site under the Convention link which is currently at the bottom of the page, but which will rise like the Indian Rope to the top of the page as events begin to solidify.

It is for clowns, magicians, balloon twisters, ventriloquists, puppeteers, jugglers... anyone who is involved in and interested in entertaining children.

We are aiming for a medium sized hotel that can accomodate about 200-300 people. If we reach that goal, probably those who try to get in on the day of the event will be turned away. On the other hand, we are planning to open up the convention worldwide as a Cyber Event that you can attend on your computer. Details about this are currently on my Web site. You can also sign up to be notified by e-mail as we get closer to the time of the convention and once registrations are open to entertainers.

Spellbinder

Sorry, been working at a distance and off again shortly.

This is really taking shape.

Here we all are, throwing up the bits of useless detail and here you are quietly pulling all the essentials togther.

Have you done this before?

Spellbinder Rocks! If it wasn't for Spellbinder, I don't think this would be taking shape as well as it has. I have heard that Spellbinder will have a representative in Phoenix who will be manning a dealers booth. There should be some interesting and different dealers there with some offerings that are unique. There's going to be some guy with canned pasta products as well, though his name escapes me at the moment.

:cheers:

Fred Goode, current director of The Wiz Kids, Inc, magic inventor (check my site) and owner of Digital Production Studios will represent The Magic Nook with a dealer's booth. He will be demonstrating and selling some of his own effects, as well as some Magic Nook convention specials, but he is really there to be our Computer Web-Wizard and maintain the computer links for the Cyber Convention. He will upload photos and video clips to our web site, as well as maintain a Web Cam. He will also produce an Event DVD for the registered participants, which will be hand delivered to them on the last day of the convention, and which will be mailed to the on-line Cyber Convention attendees on the day after the convention.

So far, that's the only dealer we are absolutely sure of because we are paying the bills for Fred to be there.

In my experience, when magic dealers are paying the bills it's becaus they expect there to be an awful lot of people there!

I believe there are over 100 dealers at Blackpool!

Yes you're correct but don't get carried away. Too many of them seem to be offering the same or similar packeted pocket tricks.

The snazzy exciting prop merchants have declined over the years and the big children's suppliers have vanished. The best for children's effects today is Practical Magic.

That's not to say that out of over 100 there aren't some who will take your eye. But nowhere near as many as that '100' might suggest.

I've mislaid the Arizona convention website.