Burned Alive!
This could have gone terribly wrong. We only had one shot to get it right. It was 1997 and this was the biggest fire stunt ever attempted on television, and it was my turn to face the fire!
Why did I do it?
Fire has always fascinated me. It is one of the oldest symbols in magic, transformation, and human consciousness. Around every campfire, stories were shared, mysteries were revealed, and knowledge was passed from one generation to the next. The shaman’s fire became the magician’s fire. It became the spark that turned wonder into ritual, ritual into performance, and performance into art. My fascination was never purely symbolic.
Fire is a demanding teacher. Putting myself through the fire taught me discipline, respect, endurance, and trust under pressure. Those lessons stayed with me long after the flames were extinguished. They shaped the way I approach challenges, the way I train, and the way I guide my students through their own transformations.
It all started back in 1996. I had a shot at being the headliner of a major ABC television special called Champions of Magic. This was in the era right after The World’s Greatest Magic. This TV show was one of the highest rated broadcast shows in the history of magic.
Performers were pitching the networks with impossible stunts and illusions. My idea won!
We worked secretly with Chris Teague for six months on this fire stunt. Chris was the co-writer of my Star Trek DS9 episode: Equilibrium. His writing skill helped me make this happen.
Danger! Danger!
This was the most incredibly dangerous thing I’ve ever done. I had to train with fire safety experts, a movie special effects team called Hutch-FX, and the Las Vegas Fire Department.
Our pyro team had to do a complete run through of the entire illusion for the fire department here in Las Vegas to be able to troubleshoot it. Then we had to have the props flown all the way to Monte Carlo, where we had one day to set it up on the beach and shoot the entire thing, including the giant explosion at the end.
We only had one shot to get it right. The announcer said: “This camera will not cut away. You are seeing it exactly at home the way we are seeing it right now!” That is called “The Magic Shot” and it is a shot created by Kent Weed, the director of the show. Kent knew how to keep the integrity of magic and not to use camera tricks. This was the real deal!
And the moment of truth! Take a look at the video.
Performing on these TV shows all around the world helped me gain international notoriety, which still propels me around the globe thirty years later. I am very fortunate to have many friends and fans all over the world that keep bringing me to their countries to perform and teach magic.
Back from Brazil
So you see, even though it’s hot in Las Vegas right now, I’ve been through the heat. I know how to handle it.
I was surprised that my journey to Brazil had more pleasant weather than I had expected.
Magic is truly an international language with no cultural boundaries.
What a joy it is to travel the world sharing my magic with people from other countries.
Here is an action shot of your favorite action hero magician.
I was the headliner at the International Magic Festival. This is what it’s like to be on the road with me. Let me know what you think of the video.
What’s Hot in Vegas?
The spring weather is still with us for a few more days and then we’ll be getting ready for a big summer here at the Magic & Mystery School. What are you going to do with your summer vacation? We invite you to join us online or LIVE here in Vegas. Look what’s happening. We have created some extraordinary experiences you can participate in from the comfort of your own home on Zoom, or live classes here at Mystery School. Here is an amazing collection of experiences that are waiting for you!
CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO VISIT THE CLASS PAGE:
https://shop.magicalwisdom.com/events
A Final Thought from our friend Stan Sieler, who uses his magic and technology to create unique experiences. Stan is a longtime student of our school and offers this final thought.
We LOVE to create transformational experiences.
Let’s make some great magical memories soon.
See you in our Zoom classroom or here LIVE in Las Vegas.
Jeff & Abigail McBride and all your friends at Mystery School