To stay a full time professional P.J. had to apply his creativity.  “I could make my giant RV disappear, but that was a novelty act. I had to think about who would pay me to make their motor home disappear. Radio Stations have mobile studios, I figured I could do that at fairs and then there was a sponsor for the show.”

“I could also use the same method to make a monster truck disappear in the middle of a race track and so that market took off and soon I was doing many monster truck shows and auto races.” He would adapt the trick to fit the need. “It is thing to make something big disappear for a television special and then a totally different thing to bring this large illusion into the real world.  You do this kind of thing when you are young – its always, the bigger the better. When you are older you realize that the job is to entertain these people and the deliver a memorable message.  In the end you really want them to realize the importance of life.  If you can introduce someone to Jesus you have done something of value for eternity.”

“My favorite Gospel Magic effect is Gene Anderson’s News trick with a message about how our lives are torn up with sin and how only God can restore it.” The goal of P.J.’s show is to entertain them. “We have a good time and I then leave them with one main Gospel message with a few bullet points. Too many scattered messages is not as effective:”

This is the same as with his work with trade shows, “Grab them, bring them in, and hit them with message.”

“In my school show I encourage the kids to read. It helps them become better students. If they read, every year will get easier and easier. If they don’t read, their schoolwork will go downhill.”

P.J. believes that creativity comes from two directions. “I think it is best to take a message and figure out the trick to go with it.  However, sometimes the magic effect is stronger and you want to put together a message to go with it.”

He loves magic and wants to do it as long as it has meaning and is is fun, “when it gets t be not too much fun, I’ll go get a job.” This has been his full time occupation since 1971 and he still loves it.

“I was a Chavez Magic School Graduate. It was called the College of Manual Dexterity and Prestidigition.  “I learned a lot from Neil Foster. Important things like how to walk on off stage, handling props and blocking. Things like stage presence and focusing audience attention are crucial to a successful magic show.”

“My focus now is Campus Crusade and Youth for Christ and church programs and banquets.”  He has done a lot of colleges, libraries, schools and he still loves to do birthday parties..

It’s been an awesome job and it has taken me around the world and I have some great memories.  P.J. Weber lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his sweet wife, and magical assistant Tina. They are currently working on a show that will not require a huge truck and trailer to bring. This act will fit in the mini-van and include a few smaller illusions, to do at corporate banquets.  PJWeber.com.

Maybe you can find a joke or story that will bring a smile to someone. GO do it. We all need a laugh some times.

The nice people at Word Press sent me a note and on it was the great line that follows…

That isn’t writing at all, it’s typing. — Truman Capote

I am editing a novel that I wrote now and about half done with my next magic book. It will be a hard cover book filled with my original magic inventions and routines for use by other professional magicians.

Enjoy the day and do something nice for someone.

The next morning began with a great lecture titled, What’s New in Magic with Dave Risley. This workshop was filled with solid comedy magic from his day care work.

The second lecture for the day was a class titled, Wild Birthday Party Shows with D.J. Ehert. He presented a birthday party show for us, and then went into a description of how he put the act together. He had many fun and flashy tricks with rope, a raccoon and other fun items. He also shared how he does a fantasy magician routine where the child is the star of the trick. He shares how structure of the show and control of audience is important. He likes to strike the balance between being serious and in control that allows them to know they can have fun. D.J. also shared many tips on working at restaurants. He loves to have a close relationship with the wait staff and helps them to realize that he will not interfere, but enhance the dining experience for the guests. They have discovered that the tips are better for the staff while he is there.

A fun filled lecture on Comedy Pocket Magic was presented by Tom E Boy. He shared his comedy routines using silks, rope, sponge balls and flowers. Tommy says that kids now days see so many amazing things on the computer, so performers need to make their shows very different by setting ourselves apart with the stories we tell. The stories add entertainment and fascination to the tricks.

Steve Kissell lectured on Family Fun Shows. He believes that the children’s party should also be fun for the adults. He loves games because they involve everyone. He shared that comedy comes from seeing things in a different way. We were entertained by this veteran performer as he shared games and activities that involved the whole audience. He also showed cool card tricks including his patriotic version of Sam the Bellhop. Steve is a wonderful professional who is a great example of entertaining with excellence.

Carol Coleman presented the next workshop and this was a delightful class titled Costumes, Wigs and Accessories..Oh My! She had many ideas for making your clown stand out. The participants entered competitions in magic, face painting and balloons. There were some very funny acts that stood out.

Jim also shared funny stories of his days with the circus and his life as an entertainer. Jim recalled, “I grew up being taken to the movies by my aunt on Saturdays. I wanted to be John Wayne, but somebody was already doing that.” Or another story about his life, “My parents were very poor, they couldn’t afford kids so the neighbors had me.”

Jim also saved time by giving answers to the four most asked questions, “Yes, No, sometimes and maybe.”

The evening show on the first night was the Star Search Contest featured the comedy of Jim Howle as our MC. This was a fun show featuring people performing talents other than clown skills.

Rolo did a crazy bit of stand-up comedy as he taught us how to give a cat a pill.

10 year old, Jessica did a fabulous hula hoop routine finishing with 8 hoops at once..

14 year old Phineas was up next and presented a comedy mime and magic routine including the juggling of 9 tennis balls the hard way.  “I will do this while wearing a blind fold… around neck – I’m not stupid.” Phineas finished with a hilarious three knife juggling demonstration while eating a French pastry.

Miss Taken brought a comedy routine with a school theme and a wacky black bird and some ventriloquism

Jimmy was up next with a musical magic routine and included dressing up with a volunteer magic with Jimmy’s hands there was a vanishing hanky and magic appearing cane and balloon twisting.

Mark Marrandino presented a loving ukulele song to his wife.

Norm B presented a bird whistling number ending with the Hungarian National Anthem

Cido feom NYC caused a sponge ball to magically vanish and appear inside an inflated clear balloon. It had us talking well into the night wondering how he did it.

It is magic and fun for everyone as entertainers study and learn more about their are at conventions such as this one in Mystic, CT.

The closing night’s banquet show was Normondo the Great. AboveEverything.com

The day before the main convention began there were two, all day seminars. One was on Face Painting for Fun & Profit by Marcella, Mama Clown from Miami, FL.  Marcella presented many expert techniques for using the brush. With the basics down she moved on to a class on the Most Popular Designs of all Time, followed by Fast and Easy Faces with a Wow Factor.  She wrapped up the day with a class on Step by Step Creativity so the artist can move forward with their own creative style.

Down the hall was the other all day seminar titled Balloon Mania with Norm Barnhart from Minnesota.     Norm kicked off the day with Basic Balloons & Comedy Balloon Hats from his book by that name, and then he moved on to comedy balloon entertainment with a class based on his book from 1988 titled Entertaining with Balloons. After lunch he taught a class based on his book and DVD titled Comedy Magic with Balloons. This featured unusual inventions Norm has developed for entertaining audiences at parties, fairs and festivals. The day wrapped with a class on Writing & Developing a Comedy Balloon Act. Norm covered how to develop a theme as well as how to write comedy for an act.

At the Jamboree opening ceremony, Steve Kissell welcomed the delegates to the convention with some comedy warm ups. Introductions of the staff followed including the distinguished artist and funny man, Jim Howle. Steve also introduced the COAI Clown of the Year, Barb Bird to report on and invite people to join the Red Nose Response team.

Tom E Boy did a fun class on activities for parties that included a few fun improvisation games with the audience. The games warmed us up and also demonstrated some of the comedy he does in his work at state parks and for after school programs. He presented his hilarious vanishing bunny trick where the stuffed bunny ends up on the volunteer’s back.

Tommy reminds us that, “the audience may like you but they really like to see their friends on stage.” Tommy offered great advice by suggesting that your phone number be on the backdrop so the pictures taken during the show will include that number and website.

He next shared a few games that he does with family audiences. They have a good time playing the games on stage and we have a good time watching. One fun example is inviting three people up, and then put them into wild costumes and they take turns being the music star as music plays and the contest is won by amount of applause.

An excellent presentation followed titled Performing for Young Children, by Dave Risley. He shared theory and excellent routines. His style is fun and playful and very silly.  This brings roars of laughter from the younger set. His advice included these keys for success, “Bring lots of wands.  Make the kids laugh.”

More at NormBarnhart.com

Dave shared a simple warm up with a one cup miser’s dream trick and did comedy bits with a bouquet of flowers. Kids like the magic tricks where they see what is happening but the magician is in the dark. He also uses Rocco’s DeLites to collect fireflies until his pockets are full.

Daves steps to success include ways of planning a kids show that include the pre warm up that is an introduction and break the ice time. This is followed by a funny warm up routine such as showing a flower from the garden and then there is no flower, so he gets a wand and the flowers appear behind the back. Dave then presents three comedy magic routines and wraps the show.  He is one of the busiest and popular pre-school entertainers in the East.

I would be at the computer getting my kids novel finished. I would also finish writing my next magic book, filled with original routines and tricks. (so far it is 53 pages with illustrations probably around 75 pages)

I would also wear those fine fashions in grey to catch up on some long walks with the dog. I go out every morning for a mile walk/run with the pup. SHe is also a great frisbee dog considering she is a dachshund.  I also like jogging pants grey for the – getting stuff done around the house cloths.

It is also the perfect color for a 15 minute nap. At my age happy hour is a nap.

It is exciting and I am trying to get my next book done before that trip but schedules are so full that it is difficult.

Keep spreading laughter with your comedy and I look forward to seeing you down the road.

Sharing some of my ideas and inventions in Alaska at an Enterainer's Convention

I had a great time entertaining and teaching in Alaska. It was chilly but the people were warm.

“I have your DVD’s and they are Awesome! Just right for my character!!”

Magical Don from Indiana

I enjoy seeing the original ideas put to use in others acts. Keep spreading smiles with your magic and comedy!

In all the time that I’ve been entertaining with magic, I have never performed the classic handkerchief trick – the one where the magician shows his hands empty and produces a handkerchief and then stuffs it into his hand and makes it vanish. There are several reasons why. For one, I guess I always felt that the trick was somewhat below me. I’ve seen too many outright hacks performing the trick, in particular, bad clowns. The trick has often been exposed and is fairly well known to the public. The most important reason is that I have never thought of a theme or presentation that goes beyond the standard “here’s a handkerchief and now it’s gone.”

Early on when I was developing tricks for my strolling sets, I did experiment for a time with “chameleon silks (also known as “color-changing handkerchiefs),” but the angles didn’t work in my crowded venues. New Handkerchief Trick Of course, the reason why I’m writing all this is that I recently learned and worked up an excellent version of the trick – all with the standard method.

The routine is called “Emperor’s New Clothes” and it’s by Norm Barnhart, a great magician from Minnesota who lectured and taught the trick at the recent KGB conference. Barnhart has created an entertaining routine with three phases. While the first and third involve the standard production and vanish, the middle segment is a chameleon silk phase where the handkerchief changes colors. And in the final vanish, the hands are completely empty. Even if the audience knows what to look for, there’s nothing to find.

I thought the routine was clever and it didn’t take me long to come up with a presentation that employed some gags that I developed for past routines but no longer use. I probably performed the trick 15 times over the weekend and it received enthusiastic reactions. I plan to continue presenting it, a new addition to my strolling set that packs small, resets when I put it away, features lots of interaction and is always ready to go. This one is a keeper. Thanks Norm.

The above is a review of a trick that can be found on my Cool Magic for Cool Kids DVD  check it out at NormBarnhart.com