“The play was a great success, but the audience was a disaster.â€
—Oscar Wilde, playwright
Our friend (and magic fan) Robin Leach recently wrote a story on the new trends in Las Vegas entertainment. “The hotels looked at mega-clubs as a golden egg, but those crowds shelling out steep admission prices and highly expensive bottle service, sometimes running upwards of $5,000, don’t have any money left over for shows or gaming.”
“It used to be tourists would book two or three shows on a visit here. Now we’re lucky if they see one.” The concern that Las Vegas shows might disappear and harm the image of this city being The Entertainment Capital of the World, and change it into The Nightclub Capital of the World has prompted action.
“We’ve got to get back to the intimacy of original, classic Las Vegas entertainment. The close-up factor. The superstar names. Where are today’s Rat Pack performers instead of unknown DJs playing other people’s music,†said one of the entertainment council advocates. “If we don’t change it soon, Las Vegas may never be the same again.
“Our town was filled with almost 200,000 electronic dance music fans last weekend, and only a handful of them went to see a Las Vegas show. There were too many empty seats in our theaters.â€
Read full story: http://tinyurl.com/lfyuntp
If you’ve been to Burning Man as many times as I have, then you know the secret. If you’ve been onstage in a hypnotism show then you know it, too!
The secret is participation! If you think folks want to come to Las Vegas just to sit in seats and watch the show… they can do that at home! Now, folks want to be in the show. Some shows in Vegas “get it.†I spoke with both Lance Burton and Mac King this week. They both said that the secret ingredient that keeps a show fresh is audience participation… it keeps you on your edge!  Blue Man Group has moments in the show that are full on participatory; our very own WONDERGROUND is also driven by “be the magic” philosophy. At our events, people are encouraged to be part of the show and the evening’s events. WONDERGROUND is as much a party as it is “show.â€
This week’s new WONDERGROUND video is here
http://vegaswonderground.com/watch-live/
“People will support that which they help to create.â€
—Mary Kay Ash, American Businesswoman
People support what they help create, regardless of whether it is a political movement, a sports team, or even a live performance. When you get people involved and committed to helping create an experience, they feel invited and part of the experience.  Participation is the key. It creates connection, community, and art.
Audience:  The root of the word audience comes from “audio,” which has to do with listening.  The spectator spectates… and can remain detached from the action, but participants party!  They are part of the action; they have a role to play; they are in the show, not observing the show.
“I embrace emerging experience. I participate in discovery. I am a butterfly. I am not a butterfly collector. I want the experience of the butterfly.â€
—William Stafford, English author, courtier and conspirator
John Walton & the World’s Most Original Magic!
Master Class student John Walton won The Originality Award at the recent Society of American Magicians convention. Â John presented his “Titanic Magic Square.” His routine fooled many of the most knowledgeable magicians in the world! This is the first time the award has been presented since 2001, 12 years ago. It has been awarded only a few times since 1902. Read more about the winners of magic here: http://www.magicalwisdom.com/winners
This week I fly to Hollywood to film a few TV shows for MASTERS OF ILLUSION. I will be performing NEW magic on these shows and you will get to see a few of the magic effects that I am releasing to the magic fraternity! Your can also catch my shows 24 hours a day on WWW.MCBRIDEMAGIC.TV.
See you on the air or on the road,
Jeff
Dear friends:
We’re fortunate to have wisdom from our Associate Dean for you this month. I know you’ll enjoy this, from Dr. Larry Hass:
“What’s new is an interesting question, but one which, if pursued exclusively, results only in an endless parade of trivia and fashion.â€
—Robert M. Pirsig
I invite you to remember one of your “get-away†vacations, perhaps spending three days at the beach or a long weekend in the mountains. Recall how you could dream and drift, resting your body and your brain. Remember the delicious food and the fresh clean air. Ahhh!
Next, remember how it felt to come back: emails to process, phone calls to make, “statuses†to update, blogs to check, fires to put out, content to produce. You have to get back up to speed, back on the wheel, back to the grind. Uggh.
I begin with this “memory experiment†to make three points. First, it really does feel better to be on vacation, to rest and reconnect, to taste your food, to be “unplugged.†Second, “life at speed†has become the new normal, which means that everyday life has a low-level, chronic “uggh†to it. Third, it is exceedingly easy for this to leak into our time with magic.
Here is the irony: most of us get involved in magic to have experiences like the get-away vacation, but much of the magic culture around us feels more like the daily grind. In magazines, online, posts, and tweets, we are drowning in magic news and trends, the relentless selling of endless products, and more “content†than we can possibly ingest. It is easy to become numb or superficial, lost in the sea of noise.
It is easy . . . but not necessary. In the spirit of helping you surf and sail over the waves, here are a few practices I use to keep the magic alive in my life and in my work as a magician.
1. Less is more. Look at the clutter. Look at all the unread books, the unused tricks, the un-viewed DVDs. Remember them the next time someone is getting their sales hooks in you. Give some of it away to young or developing magicians who need access to resources. (This is great for them, and it will feel good to you.) With what is left, honestly ask yourself, “Will I ever read or watch this (again)? If no, then sell what you can and throw away the rest.
2. Just say no . . . and yes. Turn off the TV, get up from the screen, unplug from the phone, turn off the “ping.†Screen life is mediated life. Further, addiction to checking devices for the latest email, tweet, or post, turns us into Homo Interruptus. Instead of that, just say “yes†to real face time rather than face-book time. Have lunch with a magic friend. Spend time with a wise, real teacher of magic. Pick up your props and practice rather than post. Having “big yeses†in our lives make it really easy to say “no.†Which reminds us that much screen time is a boredom default.
3. Cleave to quality. Part of what makes it “noise†is all the junk: low-quality tricks and books, poor writing, undeveloped content, superficial thinking. So here is one rule I follow: as soon as I get bored or put-off, I instantly stop reading or watching and move on to something good. Here is another one: I spend a large majority of my time and money on the work of proven, dependable, high-quality magic writers and creators. With both rules, the principle is simple: “Life is too short!â€
4. Re-Read a Golden Book. All of us have “golden books,†ones that have a special place in our hearts. These are the books that inspired us in magic and have a strange power to instantly reconnect us with positive feelings and productive insights. (One of mine is Eugene’s The Experience of Magic.) Re-reading a golden book is always good for the soul.
I hope you enjoy these practices! I hope they help you make every day feel a bit more like that get-away vacation.
“The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish.”Â
— Charlie Chaplin
The above quote is part of what I consider to be one of the greatest political speeches of all time. It is from The Great Dictator, one of Charlie Chaplin’s greatest films.
His words can be heard in the performance piece I created that was inspired by this film. I put the piece up online last week in reaction to the demonstrations in Istanbul.
Jeff floats the world in his new piece: Anonymous
I got many emails and Facebook posts last week from my Turkish magic friends. What can we do about the situation in Turkey? Here is my recent performance that sums up the way I feel about the situation in Istanbul:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYx4DVJOGQE
“I looked up the word “politics” in the dictionary and it’s actually a combination of two words: ‘poli,’ which means many, and ‘tics,’ which means bloodsuckers.”
— Jay Leno
Me and my girl!
Chaplin was a master of “movie magic.” Today, magic is more popular than ever in the cinema. Now You See Me is in theaters now. Abbi and I saw it last week and thought it made magic “cool again!”  Here is my fave scene that features Super Ninja Card Throwing!
https://t.co/ZT9DKRTW18Â Â Â (see 0:35)
I know a thing or two about throwing cards. I did create the Guinness Worlds Record for it! If you want to throw cards like a world champion you must see Zoom, Bounce & Fly
My new essay about magicians stealing ideas from other magicians is out in Vanish Magazine! Issue #8 is here and it is FREE!
http://www.vanishmagazine.com/edition8.html
Magic and Mystery School faculty, ready for you!
Master Class is the world’s greatest live learning experience. We have only 2 more full master classes this year. July is the only time this year the entire faculty will gather for the class.
Change your magic and change your life….register today!
http://www.magicalwisdom.com/events
Over 200 hours of original streaming content is yours to research, explore and learn from. Subjects range from “conquering stage fright” to “keeping secrets” and dozens more! Enjoy the magical wisdom of the Magic and Mystery School faculty. All 130 episodes are available to our Premier Members. Learn more here:
http://virtual.magicalwisdom.com/members/signup
Or you can just see us live and in our most recent episodes on http://www.mcbridemagic.tv
It started at the World Magic Seminar… now the magic continues at the IBM National Convention in Phoenix.
The Lance Burton Teen Seminar is a special pre-convention event for our young magicians ages 13-19.  This event will begin at 7:00pm on Monday, July 15 and run through lunch on Wednesday, July 17. Eugene Burger and I will assist Lance Burton and Bill and Becki Wells. This unique event featuring Lance, will also have guest lectures and sessions from Shawn Farquhar, Oscar Munoz, Larry Haas and Bryce Kuhlman.  The best news – there is NO EXTRA CHARGE for this event if you are a teen registered for the convention.  There will also be special activities just for the youth throughout the convention. Our challenge to you is to take this opportunity to work with the greatest teachers in magic and bring your magic to the next level.  This is an exclusive I.B.M. only event – it may be “free†but it is priceless!!!
We have a link on our convention page at
http://www.magician.org/portal/en/node/6, where you can make your reservation.
“Life can be wonderful if you’re not afraid of it. All it takes is courage, imagination … and a little dough.â€Â
―Charles Chaplin
B.E.K.O.S.= Best Ever Knots Off Silk
Every time I show it at an event, it sells out! I’ve solved this problem by creating a streaming video.
http://virtual.magicalwisdom.com/lessons/view/58
WONDERGROUND – Continues to be THE PLACE to see the freshest magic in Las Vegas. Every month a NEW show! Scott Steelfyre has posted a video of this months line up… join us for the fun!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eGKtAT-UbU&feature=youtu.be
“Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease for pain.”
— Charlie Chaplin
We look forward to making magic and laughter with you soon!
Magically yours,
Jeff McBride
As I write this, I’ve just passed two milestones: I just finished the first “readable†draft of my new book “Wizards Ways,†and I gave my first public presentation “The Wizard’s Way,†a talk with magic, designed to inspire audiences to take on the challenge of becoming real wizards themselves. It’s been a journey of several years for me to get here, so it feels great to have come this far. And it’s got me thinking, because this whole wizard thing marks a bit of a turning point for me.
While I’ve spent many years working with Jeff and with Marco Tempest to help them develop their businesses – developing one of my own that is based around my own writings and performances is a new thing for me. I find I’ve become comfortable as that shadowy presence in the background, always pushing my clients to the foreground, and supporting them, but seldom actually stepping into the limelight myself. So the change is giving me a whole new appreciation for what all of those of you who do regularly step out in front of the footlights, those who are always the public face of their businesses, go through. I’m a little surprised – and pleased – that it takes me out of my comfort zone!
Fortunately, I do have the knowledge I need. I’ve been teaching it to others and putting it to work for others for many, many years now. But what I find myself having to really work at is the change of attitude. The need to walk the walk 24 hours a day. Suddenly, it’s no longer okay for me, professionally, to be 20 pounds overweight. Suddenly, I can’t afford to put off rehearsing that new piece of magic I wanted to learn another day. Suddenly I MUST spend at least 30 minutes a day rehearsing, and at least an hour writing. I find I’m having to re-create myself.
And, isn’t it interesting that the process of re-creating yourself..every day and again and again…is right at the heart of what it means to become a real wizard. So I find myself on the very path I recommend for others in the book. Every day, I have to make myself do things, to seek out experiences, that I unconsciously avoided before. And I have to say: If feels great!
Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears. ~Les Brown
Enough about me. I find myself wondering how many of you may be out there going through something similar? How many have been thinking, for example, “I’d love to go out there to Las Vegas and study magic with Jeff McBride and Eugene Burger, BUT….â€
What’s been stopping you? I know, if I’m honest with myself, that the thing that most often stops me from doing things I think I’d like to is FEAR. Fear that it will be too strange and I’ll be disappointed. Fear that it will put too big a dent in my finances. Fear that I’ll fall behind on my work while I’m doing whatever it is. Fear that I’ll fail.
I have some news for you: many of those very things you fear are the very things that will help you grow and change – and will ultimately help you succeed. What you’re really afraid of is having the experience of life. What good is your life if you continue to do only the five or six things you’ve done before that continue to make you comfortable? What if you were to actually go out and do some of those things that really scare you? Have you been too busy living your fears to go out and actually live your dreams?
I was never afraid of failure, for I would sooner fail than not be among the best. ~John Keats
So, in my new role as wizard, my first challenge is to challenge you – to join me on my quest to become a real wizard. One who embraces new experiences in search of true wisdom. One who takes responsibility for the direction of his or her own life, and for changing the world in ways it needs to be changed. One who dares to live an effective life, a life of excellence and adventure. A wizard who truly ‘puts a dent in the world.’ That kind of life is unlikely to come looking for you – but there is nothing stopping you from going out and creating it for yourself – except your own fear.
If you choose to do that as a magical performer, I have to tell you – one of the best ways to help yourself get inspired, to move your magic and your thinking about magic up to the next level — is by coming to Las Vegas and spending a week with Jeff, Larry, Eugene, and the rest of us. We will challenge you, encourage you, teach you things we’ve learned from our many years of experience. We will provide you with an environment where you can feel safe to push at your own boundaries. We will encourage you to fail, again and again, so you can ultimately find your true excellence. Other magicians who have committed their time and money, who have challenged themselves in the same ways you have, and who are quite likely to become your true friends and colleagues for life. And you’ll find yourself surrounded by a community of others who are just as passionate about their magic as you are. Who knows, you might even meet some of Las Vegas’ stars of magic!
I hope you will opt in for the adventure, the challenge, the life fully lived. I hope you’ll choose the Wizards way. And I hope to meet you soon at one of our classes or events! There are still a few spots left for both the July and August classes.
Sincerely,
Tobias Beckwith
“We all have two choices; we can make a living or we can design a life.”
— Jim Rohn
We really have two choices. We can settle for what we’ve always done before, or take creative risks. The risk-takers are the leaders, the artists and the visionaries. Here at the Magic & Mystery School, we’ve helped many people make huge changes in their lives. We also walk our talk and continue to change and evolve the School to meet the needs of our students. We are making big changes, and we want you to know about them.
Here is a great new video by our friend, film-maker Jordan Wright. It shows how our School is evolving. Take a few seconds to see what we’re doing!
“Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done.”
— Louis D. Brandeis
Many people did not believe that we could actually create an online magic school, one that could offer expert teaching… Well, we’ve done just that!
We know that many students could use a bit of help paying for one of our classes here in Las Vegas, and we’ve developed our Scholarship Program to help! Learn more here: http://www.magicalwisdom.com/scholarships
The McBride Magic Experience will be in Philadelphia and Baltimore. This is a rare opportunity for my East Coast friends to see my new one man show, the brand new Ask the Show Doctor lecture, and a four hour Super Session workshop! All the information is on my calendar:
http://www.mcbridemagic.com/pages/calendar.php
“The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.”
— Oprah Winfrey
If you’ve ever wanted to study with Eugene Burger and the full faculty of the Magic and Mystery School, the time is now. This is a life-changing event.
“The Master Class was the most transformative magic experience of my life.”
— Zac Barkowski, magician
Register now for the final classes of 2013: http://www.magicalwisdom.com/events
My invitation to you: If you’re looking for a little magical inspiration, join us at mcbridemagic.tv for uplifting and inspirational programs, free, 24 hours a day!
Please feel free to email Abbi or me if you have any questions about classes or private sessions here in Las Vegas or online. It’s really an amazing world we’re living in, that we can now hold magic classes secretly and securely on the internet. I am sure that you will find many magical gifts hidden around our websites for you to enjoy….
Yours in mystery,
Jeff
P.S. You can see a the full April WONDERGROUND show compressed down to just a few minutes, thanks to the great work of Scott Steelfyre! Just click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ8U7Y5Bv2I
We create a new show every month!
