"Darren Romeo: The Voice of Magic" presented by Siegfried & Roy opened on Jun. 15 at the 2,300-seat Welk Resort Theatre in Branson, Missouri. Romeo's show is described as a "Broadway-inspired magic and musical production that features classic and contemporary music, from Andrew Lloyd Weber to Bobby Darin, Billy Joel and two original compositions by Romeo. The show is punctuated by dramatic illusions, including Romeo’s original magic/music combination tribute to his namesake, Bobby Darin, and Blackstone’s famous Floating Light Bulb illusion." The show is scheduled to run through Aug. 14. Tickets range from $14.75 to $34 per person and are available by phoning: 800-734-5515 or clicking: HERE.(6/16)

Siegfried & Roy's "Father of the Pride" has been getting some lousy pre-press from the television establishments but an Associated Press article reported, "NBC isn't conceding any weakness in the series or its chances of success, according to Jeff Zucker, president of the NBC Universal Television Group. …The comedy represents a high-stakes gamble as part of the prime-time animation genre that, aside from a few Fox shows like 'The Simpsons,' has largely flopped. It's also costly, at up to a reported $2.5 million per episode… After screening four completed episodes, he said, the network ordered the final 'back nine' scripts of a full 22-episode order." To read the Jun. 9 article by Lynn Elber titled "NBC stumbles in marketing new animated comedy" click: HERE.(6/16)

Siegfried celebrated his 65th birthday on Sunday Jun. 13. Roy threw him a birthday party on Saturday the 12th at their home in Las Vegas.(6/16)

Persi Diaconis is profiled in a Stanford Report story that discusses his career in magic, gambling and mathematics. Discussing the advantages of being a magician the article quotes his wife, "[Susan] Holmes calls him a 'social enabler,' a role she attributes to his background in magic. 'He was already used to sitting around in coffee shops and bars, exchanging ideas with these old magicians,' she says. 'He just transported that idea to mathematics. Why can't we sit around in a coffee shop and talk mathematics?'" The article also discusses his recent research into the fairness of coin flips, "Preliminary analysis of the video-taped tosses suggests that a coin will land the same way it started about 51 percent of the time. 'It's a gem-like example of what we know that isn't so,' Diaconis says. Though a skeptic since childhood, he believed that "if you flipped a coin vigorously, it was going to be fair." To read the Jun. 7 article by Esther Landhuis titled "Lifelong debunker takes on arbiter of neutral choices" click: HERE.(6/16)

By now many know that John E. McLaughlin who takes over as the acting director of the C.I.A. is a magician. A Los Angeles Times article reported that "McLaughlin, 61, is an accomplished amateur magician whose sleight of hand has dazzled US presidents and foreign leaders as well as crowds of children at a rural Virginia fair where he performs every year. Close associates say all the traits that make McLaughlin such a good magician also will serve him -- and the CIA -- well when he takes over from George J. Tenet on July 11." To read the Jun. 5 article by Josh Meyer titled "Career of incoming CIA head includes some magic touches" click: HERE.(6/16)

"The World's Greatest Magic Show" which moved to the Greek Isles in Las Vegas is the subject of a Las Vegas Review-Journal article that reported that the show, "…gains way more by trading the chilly atmosphere of the Sahara's 830-seat theater for a room where patrons can appreciate close-up sleight-of-hand without giving up the larger stage illusions. Finally, there seems to be a viable place for magicians, such as the Kabuki-like mask act of Jeff McBride, left homeless by the closing of Caesars Magical Empire." To read the Jun. 4 article by Mike Weatherford titled "Greek Isles gives shelter to survivors" click: HERE.(6/16)

Ricky Jay writes an article about Hubert's Museum and flea circuses in the New York Times where he mentions, "As a boy, I went to Hubert's to view Congo the Wild Man, Sealo the seal-finned boy and Harold Smith on musical glasses, but mostly to see Presto the magician, a gifted conjurer, and to witness Roy Heckler, William's son, put real live fleas through their paces." To read the Jun. 13 article by Ricky Jay titled "Please Don't Squash the Actors" click: HERE.(6/16)

David Blaine is quoted in the New York Times bout his publicist when he is seen at Howard Rubenstein's party at Tavern on the Green in New York City. The article reported, "He refused to tell us about the stunt he was planning, though he did say he was in training. 'Holding my breath and things like that. Right now my breath is up to 3 minutes 30 seconds.'" Also mentioned was Blaine's great uncle Ben Marden. To read the Jun. 9 article by Joyce Wadler titled "Now Howard Will Make the Magician Disappear" click: HERE.(6/16)

Dirk Arthur closes his "The New Art of Magic" show at the Plaza in Las Vegas after finding out that they will be replacing his show in August. A Las Vegas Review-Journal article reported that "The unofficial word is that Arthur will go to the Riviera's 'Splash' as a specialty headliner." Also mentioned is that "Two Girls & A Guy" at Fitzgeralds will close on Jun. 20. To read the Jun. 3 article by Mike Weatherford titled "Local musicians appeal to the masses with new recordings" click: HERE.(6/16)

Bob Klamm is profiled in a Kansas City Star feature that looks at his career as performer and magic manufacturer. The article explained that he "…was a visually challenged and awkward child, rarely picked to play sports. But magic made him popular. He taught himself the art when he was several years younger than Trevon. By junior high, he was dazzling civic groups, church congregations and schoolchildren. His mastery of theatrics hid his biggest stage secret: He barely could see." The article also pointed out that, "Klamm also learned something. 'Times have changed,' he said. 'I have found that now people are actually quite interested in how a man can perform magic if he is blind. So I'm not going to play it down anymore.'" To read the Jun. 15 article by Mara Rose Williams titled "An eye-opening magic" click: HERE.(6/16)

Penn Jillette's first novel titled "Sock" is scheduled to be released on Jul. 1 by St. Martin's Press. The 208-page paperback revolves around a monkey sock-puppet that helps in solving a murder. For more information and to purchase the book click: HERE.(6/16)

Lyn Dillies will once again headline at the "ZOObilation" celebration at the Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford, Massachusetts on Jun. 18-19. During her appearance in 2000 she made two elephants appear. This year the same two elephants will get into the act when Dillies will attempt to predict what the elephants will paint. For information about the event click: HERE.(6/16)

Warren Kaps is profiled in a New York Lawyer article that reported, "Lawyers are sometimes accused of sleight of hand but for Warren Kaps, it is more than mere metaphor. The 73-year-old began performing as a magician in the 1940s. Better pay drew him to the law in 1955, but he never gave up magic. He has played venues from World War II USO shows to Madison Square Garden, and from 2001 to 2002, he was president of the Society of American Magicians." To read the Jun. 3 article by Mary P. Gallagher titled "Abracadabra! Metro Lawyer-Magician Pulls Day in Court Out of His Hat" click: HERE.(6/16)

Max Maven makes one of his very rare lecture appearances on Friday Jun. 18 at 8pm at Ray Goulet's Mini Museum of Magic in Watertown, Massachusetts. For more information phone: 617-926-3949.(6/16)

Rob Jenkins who appears at the Palace Theatre in Corsica, Texas is profiled in a Corsica Daily Sun article that reported that "Rob has been doing his show about eight years now, and loves to have audience participation. He started the act doing kids shows, and is now traveling and working comedy clubs, colleges, cruise ships, birthday parties, nursing homes, corporate shows, sales meetings and a couple of charity events a year." To read the Jun. 10 article by Deanna Pawlowski titled "Magic act a smile maker: Jenkins bringing show to Palace" click: HERE.(6/16)

Arnie Kolodner's appearance in Seoul, Korea is reported in a Korea Times article that described his background as, "Kolodner began his magician’s career when he was only nine years old, performing professionally in New York since 1983 after earning his BFA in Drama from New York University. He has played starring roles in many off-Broadway shows, most notably in Charles Bush's (The Tale of the Allergist's Wife) comedies, while simultaneously building his own touring children’s theater company with Alice Bergmann." To read the May 31 article by Lee Yong-sung titled "Magician Teaches Magic Tricks to 'Muggle' Kids' click: HERE.(6/16)

Steve Vaught's career as a magician is discussed in a South Bend Tribune article that reported, "Vaught learned his magic not only by reading and watching videos of other magicians, but also spending time in Chicago with Eugene Burger, a renowned magician. He finds an inspiration in David Copperfield, who 'broke the mold' when it comes to what magicians can do. 'I'm not the tuxedo kind of magician,' Vaught said in his long-sleeve shirt and tie." To read the Jun. 15 article by Julie Ferraro titled "Love of magic turned into an occupation" click: HERE.(6/16)