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No I haven't. To be honest, I have a hard time getting through 30 seconds of any one of his performances without vomiting. It's also rather telling when you consider the way he acts at conventions or around other magicians in general. I really don't see the appeal.

Dresden Files book 7: Dead Beat by Jim Butcher and Influence by Robert B Cialdini currently sitting on my end table. Next up is the remaining three novels in the Dresden Files series along with The Nymphos of Rocky Flats and for non-fiction, I have a biography of Charles Fort by Jim Steinmeyer...

It's something I just can't wrap my mind around. I'm not happy unless I have a work of fiction for night reading and a work of non-fiction for the day.

Just get Ormond McGill's book. Christ, has reading really become that anathema to my generation?

This forum has just been asked the magic equivalent of "Could Superman beat up The Hulk?" I'm just going to nip out and kill myself now.

Good to see I'm not the only one recommending this anymore. Personally, I'd say this is a better start for a mentalist than 13 Steps. Why? Because it goes heavily into how mentalism is performed and received by an audience. There's a reason Dr. Bob titled it Fundamentals after all.

I'm not a fan. Technical skill and fancy flourishes don't impress me much anymore.

Most of whom want your money. I don't believe I have ever heard Penn question the practice of hypnotism itself. It's fairly widely accepted in the psychiatric community as a legit tool for therapy. It's just that actual hypnotherapy is nothing like what Hollywood thinks it is. Trust me...

I can. Magicians are lazy. As much as they like to talk about Robert-Houdin's famous quote, very few of them are willing to actually invest any time learning what acting really entails.

Okay. An Actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislovski.

No, the assertion was that hypnotism is legit, but the claims that it can do things like cause past-life regressions, reverse the process of male pattern baldness, or increase a woman's bust size are a complete scam. Save yourself the money and realize there's a difference between stage...

The Easy to Master Card Miracles set won't disappoint. Quite a few gems in there.

Wow. Six years of hard work building up a positive self-image, and you're working hard to tear it down. And I thought we were friends. (goes off to listen to Lost Horizon) Exalt of the Weird is actually being bumped up to next month instead of May. Night and Day is being shelved. I'm...

It would, but they also know where their bread and butter is.

I'm becoming rather quotable. It occurs to me that I could make a killing as a script consultant for magicians.

Then explain to me why I should list a single word of my routines? You're right, I am going to disagree. There's a joke I use whenever I perform the Biddle Trick. I've used it a million times, but it always gets a laugh, and it's very distinctly ME. And you're going to tell me that because...

I can't please everybody. I used to think I could. When I stopped doing that, I actually made more money. Again, I don't believe in the demonization of strategic withdrawal.

From an entertainment perspective, yes. But if I'm doing strolling magic at a cocktail party, I can get to more people if I don't waste my time trying to win over people who aren't receptive. When busking, a bad audience is less likely to tip me, whereas a good one probably will. Thus my...

Putting in my vote for the Tarbell Course. Also, I want to get some support going for the following: Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic Fundamentals by Bob Cassidy Practical Mental Effects Modern Coin Magic Royal Road to Card Magic 13 Steps to Mentalism The Jinx And now for a...

Granted, I am assuming a strolling environment. When you're doing a parlor or stage show, it's generally assumed that anyone paying for the tickets is already amiable to magic. But no still means no. If someone doesn't like magic and doesn't want to watch a performance, it's a waste of my...