The Society Of American Magicians is featured in a six-page spread in the 2002 edition of "The Old Farmer's Almanac." The upcoming 100-year anniversary of the society is discussed with emphasis on its history and goals. George Schindler who is a focus of the article speaks on the future, "One thing that won't change is the fun that comes from illusion. Even professional magicians regularly see tricks that stump them. That's OK with us. We like to be fooled too." The article also teaches a magic stunt and gives advise on how to reach the SAM and SYM. The feature by Alan Behr is titled "Hocus-Pocus Focus" and the photos were supplied by Ted Bogusta and George Schindler.(9/24)
--To buy the hardcover edition for $12.76 -- click: HERE.
--To buy the softcover edition for $3.57 -- click: HERE.

Lance Burton gave away more than $30,000 worth tickets for his show in a benefit for the Police and Firefighter's Relief Fund of New York City. According to a Las Vegas Review-Journal article, "More than 500 people waited almost five hours for tickets at the Fashion Show Mall. To read the Sep. 23 article by Norm titled "Museum openings to be scaled down" click: HERE.(9/24)

ARIZONA: The 7th Annual All-Arizona Close-up Magic Competition takes place on Saturday Sep. 29 at 7pm at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library Auditorium (3839 N. Drinkwater Boulevard) in Scottsdale. The event is sponsored by IBM Ring #55. Admission is $8 per person. For more information click: HERE.(9/24)

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The Spencers who will present their "Theatre of Illusion" at The Mabel Tainter Theater in Menomonie, WI on Saturday Sep. 29 are featured in a Dunn Connection story that touts, "You won't believe your eyes, but the captivating magic of the Spencers will hold you spellbound as you experience their state-of-the-art cutting edge illusions and puzzling "how-did-they-do-that?" feats!" To read the Sep. 24 article titled "The Spencers offer mind-boggling magic and dazzling special effects" click: HERE.(9/25)

Lee Lentz' headline predictions and magic shows at the Williamson County Recreation Complex is reported in The Tennessean. To read the Sep. 11 story titled "Local Magician Seals Up County's Future" supplied by Yellowbrix and Infoseek click: HERE.(9/25)

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Ricky Jay and David Mamet will be teaming up for one-night-only to talk about their newly released books. The event is titled "Two Hussies: Ricky Jay & David Mamet" and will take place on Thursday Oct. 4 at 8pm at the historic, 1500-seat, Town Hall (123 West 43rd St.) in New York City. Admission is $25 per person. No magic is scheduled to be presented. Tickets can be purchased by phone: 212-307-4100 or by clicking: HERE.(9/26)

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"Smoke & Mirrors" which was scheduled to begin filming with Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones has been reported by The World Entertainment News Network that "…the period adventure film Smoke & Mirrors has been indefinitely postponed due to rising costs." Douglas said that the movie "…become so expensive -- way north of $120 million -- that a lot of work will have to be done on the screenplay." According to FilmForce "The Magician's Wife, also seems to have bit the big one since that film didn't go before cameras when it was supposed to." To read the Sep. 26 article by Stax titled "Smoke & Mirrors Postponed?" click: HERE.(9/27)

Siegfried & Roy will shoot a photo spread for Bazaar magazine next week. According to the Las Vegas Sun "The 12-page, black-and-white spread will be the main attraction in the December issue." To read the Sep. 25 article by Kate Maddox titled "Wynns revved up for Le Reve" click: HERE.(9/27)

Sean Carpenter who won the close-up competition at the IBM's British Ring Convention is featured in an Evening Mail -- Birmingham article. Carpenter is quoted "…although I have won awards with local magic societies, this is the biggest title I have won to date." To read the Sep. 25 story titled "Top award is just magic" supplied by Infoseek and Yellowbrix click: HERE.(9/27)

Lance Burton, Vik, Fabrini and Johnny Thompson pose after Burton and Thompson's visit to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas where Vik & Fabrini are featured in the authentic Crazy Horse review "La Femme." (Photo: Vic & Fabrini).(9/27)

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"Houdini's Box: The Art of Escape" by Adam Phillips is reviewed in the Los Angeles Times. The book is about psychoanalysis but uses Houdini's fame and life as running examples of the subject. The review points out that, "Phillips is not really interested in magic tricks but, rather, in Houdini as a cultural icon. Houdini's stunts were fantastically, indeed sometimes grotesquely, dangerous, but they were in no sense transformative." To read the Sep. 27 review by Susie Linfield titled "Great Escape Artists: Psychoanalyzing Houdini--and the Rest of Us" click: HERE.(9/28)
--To buy the book for $15.40 click: HERE.

Bob Kann is featured in a Dubuque Telegraph Herald article where he was described as "Kann had the Balltown-Sherrill students laughing with his stories and jokes and oohing and aahing over his magic tricks." To read the Sep. 27 article by Diane Heldt titled "Magic act packs plenty of laughs" click: HERE.(9/28)

NEW JERSEY: John Rodgers lectures for IBM Ring #6 on Monday Oct. 1 at 8pm in Collingswood. For more information phone John Moran at: 856-962-7272.(9/28)

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Penn & Teller's three part TV series "Penn & Teller's Magic And Mystery Tour" which already premiered in the UK and will soon make it to the U.S. will begin airing in Canada next week. The documentary style shows take Penn & Teller on a trip through India, Egypt and China looking for local magicians who still perform in their country's traditional style. A JAM! Showbiz article quotes Penn on the trip, "It was tough. But I said to myself, I will do these three little documentaries, and I will not just have been to Egypt, India and China, but the SLUMS of Egypt, India and China. The real deal, not some touristy thing. And for the rest of my life, I will be able to say: 'Shut the f--k up, I've been there.' And I do not intend to go again." To read the Sep. 28 story by Paul Cantin titled "Penn & Teller's 'Magic And Mystery Tour' begins" click: HERE.(9/29)

Teller is quoted in a Canadian Press article, "It's official. There is no magic. …And we should be very happy about there being no magic. There are many unexplained things in the world, but that's not because they are unexplainable, it's because they are not explained yet." Teller was discussing what he learned while taping "Penn & Teller's Magic and Mystery Tour" TV shows, which begin airing in Canada next week. To read the Sep. 28 story titled "Penn & Teller search for ancient magic origins in new three-part series" click: HERE.(9/29)

The Indian rope trick is in the news due to some revelations by Peter Lamont. A London Daily Mail article reported that Lamont's "…investigation has shown that the trick, which according to legend emerged in mediaeval India, was, in fact, fabricated by an American journalist in the 1880s." To read the Sep. 27 article by R. Price titled "Trick that began with a yarn" supplied by Yellowbrix and Infoseek click: HERE.(9/29)

Peter Lamont announced that he will spend three months in India for research on his book on the Indian Rope Trick. An Edinburgh Evening News article quotes him, "It has taken me years to put all the pieces of the jigsaw together, but if I discover anything interesting on my travels it will be included in the book." To read the Sep. 27 article titled "Researcher to unravel Indian rope trick riddle" supplied by Yellowbrix and Infoseek click: HERE.(9/29)

Dick Staub and the Coastal Carolina Conjurers (IBM, Del Ray Ring #248) are featured in a Wilmington Star article. Other magicians mentioned in the article are Vince Mannella, Fred Barker, Ronnie Parker, and Huberta Sasser. To read the Sep. 27 article by Allison Ballard titled "Magic Makers: The trick to this group's longevity is they love what they do -- get together to fool each other" click: HERE.(9/29)

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Charlotte and Jonathan Pendragon are featured in a Commercial Appeal article where Jonathan explained, "The difference between craft and art is art inspires." Discussing their show he said, "We create romance on stage and let that grow so that the audience can see that and that's theater." The article described the Pendragons' career "Demand for their work since has filled a 20-year career with performances in more than 50 countries including presidential command performances, royal command performances and a television resume that includes all the networks and a handful of syndicated and cable channels." The Pendragons appear at the Gold Strike Casino Resort in Robinsonville, MS through Oct. 21. To read the Sep. 28 story by Donnie Snow titled "Pendragons, trained in the arts, do magic with theatrical flair" click: HERE.(9/30)

Siegfried & Roy have decided to donate the proceeds from their show to Las Vegas charities. A Las Vegas Sun reported that, "The world-famous magicians said Thursday they have changed plans to give proceeds from tonight's show at The Mirage to victims of the East Coast incidents of Sept. 11. Instead, they have designated the money for Las Vegas charities to help scores of casino workers and others laid off in recent weeks amid a sharp decline in visitors stemming from the commercial airline hijacking disasters." To read the Sep. 28 article by Ed Koch titled " Support shifting to locals who lost their jobs" click: HERE.(9/30)

Tourism is down in Las Vegas with many layoffs and show cancellations. According to a Las Vegas Sun article "…Siegfried & Roy will only perform an early show on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., nixing the later one until more tourists return to town. To read the Sep. 28 article by Kate Maddox titled "Hermitage plans still in flight" click: HERE.(9/30)

PRESS RELEASE: BIRTH OF A NEW MAGIC COMPANY.

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