Magical Thinking

Episode 68: The illustrious and incomparable Max Maven joins Elliott to discuss popcorn magic, professional wrestling, magic and meaning, how the internet and television have changed magic for better or worse, and more. Max is one of the most prolific figures in the conjuring community, and he has a lot of wisdom to share. Enjoy!

Episode 67: Johnny Thompson, a true living legend, sits down with Elliott to discuss the state of magic, how the Mob made Vegas great, performing a silent club act with his wife as Tomsoni & Co., comedy, music, Charlie Miller and The Professor, his upcoming book, and more. Johnny is a charming raconteur, and this episode is full of gold. Enjoy!

Episode 66: John Archer, award winning comedy magician, writer, and actor, sits down with Elliott to discuss comedy and magic, collaboration, magic on television, and more. John is lovely and hilarious throughout, and his challenge to Elliott near the end of the episode is really a treat. Enjoy!

Episode 65: Anthony is an award winning television producer and executive in the UK, and he’s done thousands of hours of work on magic for television: Derren Brown, Paul Wilson, James Went, John Archer, and more. Anthony is a renowned creator of magic and mentalism, and he discusses his passion and experience with Elliott. Enjoy!

Episode 64: Shawn Eric sits down with Elliott to share stories about Cellini, Johnny Fox, Tom Frank, and more. Shawn has been performing for over 30 years, and we talk about busking, travel, passion, and the difference between distraction and entertainment. Enjoy!

Live: Elliott sits down with Michael Feldman (Ep 36), Raahul Srinivasan (Ep 37), Theron Schaub (Ep 33), and Alex Schaeffer to discuss their experiences of the Golden Gate Gathering, San Francisco's wonderful magic convention. Funny stories, some inside baseball, and a lot of fun. Enjoy!

Episode 63: Jamy Ian Swiss, renowned magical author, thinker, historian, and teacher, sits down with Elliott to discuss the current magic climate, share stories about coming up in New York, sitting with some of the greats, and launching magic shows. Jamy is oozing with knowledge and experience, and you’ll definitely look forward to seeking out some of his work after the episode. Enjoy!

Episode 62: Chris Korn, world traveling magician and raconteur, sits down to share stories of his performing career, insight into your performing context, growing up in the St. Louis magic community, burnout, and more! Outstanding stories and many lessons to learn. Enjoy!

Episode 61: Ben Seidman, a hilarious comedy magician, sits down with Elliott to discuss writing jokes, cruise ship performances, magic on television, hecklers, mean YouTube comments, and more! Chock full of laughs and jokes, listeners of YMIW with Pete Holmes will get a kick out of this one.

Episode 60: Derek Hughes, the Stand Up Magician, sits down with Elliott after a week in the Palace of Mystery at the Magic Castle. In this episode they discuss triumphs and failures, open mics, America’s Got Talent, working as a professional, scripting and improvising, and pens! This episode is chock full of gold from one of the funniest, most talented magicians working today. Enjoy!

Episode 59: Michael “My Turn” Stern sits down with Elliott to chat about HypePlayingCards.com, Cardistry-Con 2017, being a member of the magic castle Junior Program, and his passion for skateboarding. Michael and Elliott have been friends for several years, and this is a fun catch-up between the two. Enjoy!

Episode 58: Scot Nery, host of Boobie Trap in Hollywood and world renowned juggler, comedian, and showman, sits down with Elliott to chat variety shows, comedy, performance theory, and more. Enjoy!

Episode 57: Pop Haydn, 7 time “Performer of the Year” for the Academy of Magical Arts and a certifiable genius, sits down with Elliott to discuss magic and story, character development and backstory, the Magic Castle in the 70’s, and so much more. This episode is dense with gold. Head over to Patreon.com/MagicalThinking to see BTS pictures from the episode, including Dai Vernon’s joke napkin. Enjoy!

Episode 56: Kent Jenkins, Snubby J on YouTube, chats with Elliott about creativity, personal growth, performing authentically, and professional evolution. This is a fun and funny episode where Elliott and Kent share their unguarded opinions, laughs, and stories. Enjoy!

Episode 55: Michael Borys, creator of Elliott's most magical experience and a phenomenal interactive show, The 49 Boxes, sits down to chat about the magic world, puzzles, alternate and augmented reality and creating experiences! This episode is full of gold, and Michael is fascinating and wonderful. Enjoy!

Episode 54: Tony Cabral, contributor to MUM, expert sleight-of-hand magician, and entertainment behind the bar at Legal's Test Kitchen in Boston, sits down with Elliott to discuss gambling themed magic, character development, and more. Enjoy!

Episode 53: Franco Pascali joins Elliott to talk about style, imposter syndrome, putting together new material, and the list of things magician's shouldn't do. Enjoy!

Sneak peaks at the new ArtofMagic.com website, updates for Magical Thinking, and a tease of one of the perks for Elliott's future Patreon! Enjoy!

Episode 52: Brad Henderson, magician, creator, and consultant from Austin, Texas, sits down to discuss the feeling of magic, audience direction and management, taking magic criticism, and more! Brad shares great theory and practical information that you can use to improve your performances. Enjoy!

Episode 51: James Went, magic consultant, BAFTA winning television performer, professional musician, and Welshman, sits down with Elliott to talk about putting together an act for the Magic Castle close-up room, performing magic on television, touring a theatre show, and Steve Vai's Tender Surrender. A fun and funny episode with some great stories. Enjoy!