Harry Anderson is featured in a New York Times story about his nightclub and the conditions in New Orleans after the hurricane. The article reported, "Using the best tool he has -- the ability to draw a crowd -- Mr. Anderson has tried to build a community in the French Quarter with weekly meetings that began in his club and now have outgrown it." His flippant solution for the problems in the city is a sin tax, "A dollar on cigarettes and a quarter on a beer,' he said, 'and in three weeks you'd have the money to clean this place out.' But instead of action, he said, 'nobody seems to be capable of anything but planning, and forming committees.' …Still, he admitted, his options are limited: 'Everything I have is invested in this. I can't walk away.'" To read the Feb. 18 article by John Schwartz titled "Next Trick: Bring Back the Magic" click: HERE.(2/20-Subscription)

The new magic themed movies that will be released this year are the subject of a USA Today article. Movies discussed include: The Prestige, The Illusionist, Smokin' Aces and Scoop. The consultants for the first two movies are Michael Weber and Ricky Jay. Also mentioned is the possibility of an American Idol type of show featuring magicians. To read the Feb. 15 article by Susan Wloszczyna titled "Magic does the trick in upcoming thrillers" click: HERE.(2/20)

Marco Tempest was the recipient of the 2005 "Louie Award" which is presented annually by Tannen's Magic in New York City. The award was given on Saturday Jan. 28 at a reception in the New York store.(2/20)

Steve Wyrick will be bringing his full-evening illusion show to Harrah's Atlantic City in May. According to a North Jersey article "Wyrick, who'd been a regular at the Sahara and Aladdin hotels in Vegas for several years, will bring everything from his big illusions to his small sleight-of-hand card tricks to Harrah's May 7-12, 14-19 and 21-26." To read the Feb. 10 article by David Spatz titled "Idol Gossip: Spreading the magic" click: HERE.(2/20)

As David Copperfield tours the East Coast stories about him are running throughout the local newspapers. A Courier-Post story was the most encompassing and looked at his magic career from childhood through now. The article closed by quoting Copperfield, "Magic gave me some self-esteem... Anything that gets people to dream a little bit is a good thing, to realize there's more to life than life." To read the Feb. 7 article by Laurie Granieri titled "It's magic time" click: HERE.(2/20)
Related stories:
--To read the Feb. 9 The Republican article by Kevin O'Hare titled "Copperfield lets his imagination run wild" click: HERE.(2/20)
--To read the Feb. 9 The Citizen article by Laura Boyce titled "It's not an illusion, it's David Copperfield" click: HERE.(2/20)
--To read the Feb. 4 Boston Globe article by Sally Cragin titled "Hocus focus: Copperfield's success no grand illusion" click: HERE.(2/20)
--To read the Feb. 2 Press & Sun-Bulletin article by Sarah D'esti Miller titled "Inside the mind of the magician" click: HERE.(2/20)
--To read the Feb. 2 Times-Tribune article by Kristin Wintermantel Durkin titled "David Copperfield found voice in world of magic" click: HERE.(2/20)
--To read the Jan. 27 Rochester Democrat and Chronicle article by Jack Garner titled "Magician Copperfield's secret is to get personal" click: HERE.(2/20)
--To read the Jan. 27 Times Herald-Record article by Germain Lussier titled "David Copperfield at Eisenhower Hall" click: HERE.(2/20)

Paul Wilson is profiled in a Daily Record story in conjunction with his new eight-part series titled "The Real Hustle" which airs on BBC3 in the United Kingdom. The article interviews him about cheating, magic, his life, family and career. Wilson explained what he tells his children about being an expert on cheating and crime, "And we've gone to great lengths to teach that I'm an expert in a crime. It's like being Sherlock Holmes, just because he's an expert in the criminal mind, it doesn't make him a criminal." To read the Feb. 7 article by Maria Croce titled "Tricks Of The Trade" click: HERE.(2/20)

Roger Dreyer's Fantasma Magic will be opening a retail store in New York City. The 4,500 square foot shop is scheduled to open around April across the street from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station. The shop will cater to magicians and non-magicians and feature high-end supplies and exclusives. Dreyer explained, "Our Fantasma venue will be decorated in an MTV back stage way with a stage, stage lights, 3-D holographic projectors, flat screens, high tech cabinets and even a museum featuring Houdini's original metamorphosis trunk."(2/20)

Tom Mullica and his Red Skelton Tribute Show are the subject of an Indianapolis Star story that quotes him, "I've been an entertainer now for 50 years, and this is probably about the most rewarding thing I've done. Red told me that when I talked with him about show business, 'The love that you get comes over the footlights from the audience.' As a magician I got standing ovations, and people admired what I did, but I never really felt that love that he was talking about until I started this show." To read the Feb. 17 article by Nick Crews titled "Recalling the Old Redhead" click: HERE.(2/20)

Wes Craven is said to be writing a Vegas show featuring magic. A SciFi Wire story reported, "…that he's writing Wes Craven's Magick Macabre, a Las Vegas stage show that will mix magic and horror. 'It is a bloody magic show for an 1,800-seat theater in Las Vegas,' Craven said in a panel at the comic-book convention over the weekend. "The producer of Riverdance [John McColgan], who bought [the rights to] ... a very bloody, scary magical magic show in Dublin [featuring] a young magician, ... hired me to write a story, which I did. And I'm very excited about it.'" To read the Feb. 15 article titled "Craven Writes Vegas Horror Show" click: HERE.(2/20)

Rick Thomas in a Las Vegas Sun story looks at his options once the Stardust Hotel & Casino closes. Thomas explained, "We have meetings coming up... I want to discuss with them how things are going to affect me… But my main love is the Las Vegas Strip." He added, "We broke records in December… I had a very strange experience -- I recently walked into the accounting department, and the whole department applauded me because we had such a great December -- it was something they never expected." His final comments, "I have a year before the Stardust closes… Let's make the most of it." To read the Jan. 26 article by Jerry Fink titled "Future will be magic" click: HERE.(2/20)

A Magic Hall Of Fame could open in Pennsylvania. An Associated Press article reported, "DiVecchio [Erie County Executive Mark DiVecchio] said the city was approached by a group that would like to build a multimillion-dollar facility dedicated to magic. The facility would include a theater, restaurant, workshop for teaching magic and other attractions. …Carlton Beck, a retired magician who is affiliated with the group, said details would be announced in a news conference next week. The group has declined comment until then." To read the Feb. 10 article titled "Erie group wants to build Magic Hall of Fame" click: HERE.(2/20)

Murray Sawchuck is featured in his local hometown paper in conjunction with his recent Vegas appearance and the "Really Big Shew" which runs at the Flamingo Hotel in Laughlin through April 16. The Burnaby Now reported, "Sawchuck became hooked on magic at the age of eight when his parents gave him a Seigfried and Roy magic kit. Already a budding musician, Sawchuck took to the sleight of hand naturally, and when he was given a Commodore 64 computer for his 14th birthday, he began marketing himself as a birthday party performer." To read the Feb. 4 article by Dan Hilborn titled "Murray Sawchuck takes magic act to Vegas" click: HERE.(2/20)

Dennis Kyriakos is profiled in a New York Daily News article about his career as a close-up magician. Kyriakos explained about his trade, "It's all about misdirection and getting the audience's attention… When you get their attention, you learn to focus it so they look where you want them to look when you want them to… People want to be amazed. They don't want to feel stupid. I don't try to make people feel like idiots. I want them to feel like a kid who just saw something that made them go 'oooohhhh.' …People like that feeling." Also mentioned in the article is Jamy Ian Swiss. To read the Jan. 8 article by Clem Richardson titled "Conjurer's calling cards" click: HERE.(2/20)

A surprising article about a magic product in the New York Times. Camirand Academy's "Elite Magician's Hand Lotion" is the subject of the story that quotes Guy Camirand, "I use this lotion at least twice a week, minimum, and I probably go through an ounce, an ounce and a half a year,' Mr. Camirand said. 'For most people that are amateur magicians, my four ounces of lotion will probably last 5 to 10 years." The article added, "Mr. Camirand, however, is perfectly happy with the lotion's tepid sales. In fact, he said several times that nonmagicians shouldn't even consider buying it. 'It's not a miracle solution for people who have dry skin,' he said. 'This is not the answer to making your hands softer.'" To read the Feb. 19 article by Brendan I. Koerner titled "Presto! Dry Hands Vanish" click: HERE.(2/20-Subscription)