Paul Richards - Blog

Ten Years and Counting

3/2/2023

I never would have guessed when I started the Real Magic Roadshow back in 2013 – that 10 years later we’d still be hitting the road. I’ve written previously about how it was a pretty risky venture and my anxiety about our very first events was high. To quote an earlier post,

“I was more than a little the nauseous the morning of that first event. People had serious money on the line – flights, hotel rooms, rental cars. Maybe I should have listened to the doubters.

But when we closed the doors that evening – it was a resounding success, and we were clearly on to something. The tour continued and, in each city, we were overwhelmingly welcomed with amazing support.

It was some of the most fun I have EVER had in this business.”

Ten years later that’s still true. And yes, I still get a little nervous just before those doors open.

Since that time The Roadshow has filled rooms across the USA, England, Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Scotland, and The Netherlands. The positive response continues to overwhelm me. We’re so lucky to be able to bring amazing and innovative magic to live audiences again.

But we can't do it without you!

This March we’re pleased to announce six new locations for the Roadshow and if we’re heading your way, we hope you’ll joins us.

Get the full details at www.realmagicroadshow.com

Be A Magician!

2/13/2023

I was having a conversation with a friend some time ago about magic books that were influential to us as kids. We both shared some titles that were common among young magicians – Bill Tarr’s Now You See It, Now You Don’t, Hugard & Braue's The Royal Road to Card Magic, and Henry Hay's The Amateur Magicians Handbook - just to name a few.

But there was one book that seemed unique to my list - Jay Boyar’s Be A Magician!

I’m sure Mr. Boyar’s book was not a big part of many magician’s lists. But as a young and budding magician, I checked it out of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library countless times.

I never owned a copy as a kid. In fact, in all my years in magic, I had never seen a copy for sale or even heard another magician mention it. But several months ago, I tracked down an old copy from a used book dealer. It holds up - and paging through it has reminded me of why it was so special.

Jay Boyar was a writer originally from my hometown of Buffalo, NY. The book contains many photos and references to the local magic scene and area magicians. Although, I must admit I’m not sure I realized that at the time. I was only about 10 years old after all and I’m not certain I even understood what a “local magic scene” was.

The book was illustrated by Tom Toles, a political cartoonist whose distinctive style was featured in The Buffalo News during the time of the book’s release. Toles later accepted a position in The Washington Post, where his work became syndicated across the United States. While the rest of the world remembers Toles as a Pulitzer Prize winning political commentator. I’ll always remember him for the remarkable illustrations he did for that book.

I am not overstating facts when I say many of those images have stayed burned in my memory for decades. The drawings were not only reflective of his inimitable style, but they also featured unique perspectives and imagery. Even as a young magician it always stood out to me that many of the illustrations featured female magicians, an uncommon find in magic books even today.

The subtitle of the book was, “How to Put on a Magic Show and Mystify Your Friends”. Aside from teaching tricks – it focused on how those tricks are used to create a show. Topics included costuming, writing scripts, creating a compelling performance space, and approaching magic as theater. It discussed the value of finding a community of like-minded performers to help hone your craft. It stressed the importance of secrets and even devoted an entire section to the power of developing unique magic words.

Pretty heady stuff for a book aimed at elementary school children!

There was something about the combination Boyar’s writing style and Tole’s singular illustrations that struck a chord with me. It didn’t feel like the book was writing down to meet me at my level but instead challenging me to stretch myself to reach it. It may very well have been the first time I understood that magic was a collection of skills and abilities that went well beyond knowing a method. Even now, flipping back through its pages – I’m inspired.

It's funny how much of our lives can be directed by tiny movements in the wind.

Walking into an interesting shop.
Meeting an unexpected person.
Or picking up a book off a shelf.

I’m forever grateful for them all - and to all the people who taught me how to adjust my sails.

Be a magician? That sounds like a pretty grand idea.

Nothing Like the Real Thing

9/1/2022

There’s nothing quite like seeing real magic happen live and in person. It doesn’t matter if you’re new to magic - or David Copperfield. Seeing the impossible happen under real world conditions is something truly special.

It’s what the Real Magic Roadshow is all about.

No screens, no video demos, no online distractions. You’re there. In person.

You’ll see the magic happen live, just the way your audience will.
You’ll ask questions in real time, from the actual creator.
You’ll discover new and interesting effects, that you can’t find ANYWHERE else.

It won’t be long before the Roadshow heads your way, but space is filling up fast.

Experience an incredible day of amazing magic, valuable insights, and fun with your hosts Dirk Losander, Paul Richards, Daisuke Seo, Mark Mason, & Christian Schenk!

You’ll get all this for the absurdly low price of only $10. And that’s not all, just click on the location nearest you for all the details:

Boston, MA – Saturday October 15th
The Meadowlands, NJ – Sunday October 16th
Austin, TX – Saturday October 21st
Dallas, TX – Sunday October 22nd

By the way, are you curious what David Copperfield stopped by to see in the photo above? Join us at the Real Magic Roadshow and I’ll be happy to show you too.

Hallelujah

8/8/2022

Pack up the babies
And grab the old ladies
And everyone goes
'Cause everyone knows…

So maybe Neil Diamond wasn’t talking about a bunch of magicians gathering together when he sang those words. But we like to think that the Real Magic Roadshow shares a little energy with good old Brother Love.

It’s been well over two years since the Roadshow team packed our bags and headed out to see you. We’ve really missed it – and the truth is we missed you. We hope the feeling is mutual.

We’re joining forces again for a select few U.S. cities and if we’re coming your way, we hope you’ll join us. We’re keeping the cost at only $10 – which in 2022, is our first impossible feat! As always, I’ll be joined by some of the best magic creators and producers in the business including Mark Mason, Dirk Losander, and Christian Schenk.

We’re also adding Daisuke Seo to the line up! Seo Magic was founded in Japan in 1975 by Daisuke’s father and his products became legendary across Asia. If you’ve never seen Seo’s magic before – you’re in for an incredible treat!

Get the full details at www.realmagicroadshow.com. Hope to see you there and please help spread the word!

A Magical Legacy

7/18/2022

Spent most of last week with several hundred magicians at the IBM Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Wendy and I had a wonderful time and we are (as always) thankful for all those who stopped by and visited the booth. 2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the organization and while I was there, I thought a lot about how my hometown figured into the birth of that legacy.

If you’re a magician born in Buffalo, NY then it’s unlikely the name Gene Gordon is unknown to you. But I’m always a little surprised when the name is new to conventioneers from outside this neck of the woods.

If you belong to the International Brotherhood of Magicians - take a moment to look at your card and your membership number. It’s likely that it’s in the 50,000 range.

Gene was member Number 2.

He founded the organization in 1922 with Canadian magician and friend, Len Vintus. Len was Number 1.

Gene Gordon was a performer, creator, producer, and magic dealer from an age when that combination was still pretty rare.

Throughout the years I’ve have found myself “standing” in many of the places Gene would have been. His first magic shop was walking distance from my first shop on Elmwood Avenue. I even opened the doors of that shop with the help of Rob Allen - one of “Gene’s Boys” (a term he used to refer to the cast of young magicians who helped make magic and run the shop). Years later I would obtain the production rights to some of Gene’s most popular creations. And as a kid still in high school, I performed at Fantasy Island Amusement Park. Gene did that first - and Rob would do it next!

Sadly, I only met Gene once. I was a young kid and it was many years after he had retired. I had no idea where the future would take me when I met him. I wish I did, it would have been nice to say thanks. Standing behind the booth in Atlanta, I found myself thinking about all those intersections over the years. History is so very long – but our time in it sure feels incredibly short.

Thanks again to everyone who stopped by to support us. And thanks to Number 2 for being one of the reasons we all came together in the first place.

Number 57580 owes you a drink.

Your Attention Please

4/23/2020

Recently while reading Jenny Odell’s book How To Do Nothing, I was struck by this passage:

“…what passes for sustained attention is actually a series of successive efforts to bring attention back to the same thing, considering it again and again with unwavering consistency.”

I’ve been thinking a lot about attention lately. Or more accurately – a lack of it. There is a great deal of discussion about the attention economy and who is in charge of what we focus on. This is not a new problem. Aristotle lamented distraction over 300 years before the birth of Christ and we’re still struggling to keep our eyes on the road. But modern technological advancements have put the universe in the palm of our hands.

Unfortunately, they located it right next to Tik-Tok.

Recent events have caused many magicians to shift to some online incarnation of their live performances. This transition requires more than a webcam. It requires a rethink of how we can maintain an audiences attention on devices so perfect for delivering distraction.

In the real world we have the power to physically fill a performance space, to look into a spectator’s eyes, to touch a hand, and engage in a million micro moments that come together to create a complete performance. Even then - it can be hard to hold an audience’s attention.

Moving those moments through a screen is challenging. It’s difficult to maintain audience connection when the means by which the show is delivered is also notifying the viewer of a Pintrest update and message from Twitter. These distractions pull the viewer from the moment just as a cell phone ringing does in the middle of a live show. The difference is that these distractions aren’t occurring just past the footlights – they’re happening in a room across town (or the country) - and the performer often isn’t even aware they’re occurring.

It could be that many magicians are simply not up to the task of crossing this divide. Nor should all magicians feel an obligation to do so. I still believe some mysteries need three dimensions to be truly enjoyed. But if you set off down the virtual road, I would wager that success lies in understanding that the online show is its own unique undertaking. Not a place to simply showcase your live show but the opportunity to present an entirely new one. It requires that we not only master new skills as performers, but also that we educate our virtual audiences on what is required from them. Will it be worth your attention? Only time will tell.

Breathless

3/27/2020

Back in 2016, I wrote a post that started with a quote from Harper Lee. She said, “Nobody loves breathing.” She was referring to the fact that nobody really appreciates breathing – until they can’t. In the post, I drew the connection between that sentiment and the experience of attending live magic events.

I could not have predicted how true those similarities would become in 2020.

When we announced the cancellation of our spring tour of the Real Magic Roadshow on March 11th, I had no idea how many cancellations would soon follow. A few weeks ago, I was standing in Blackpool, England at the world’s largest magic convention and now - for the foreseeable future - there simply are no live in person shows or conventions.

Anywhere.

As someone who has spent a huge portion of my life rallying behind the live magic experience - this is a very strange time. Many magicians have quickly developed some virtual version of their live magic self. There have been some amazingly generous and wonderful magic experiences shared online. But the silence that fills the moment just after some miraculous deed has been done in a web video is somehow more quiet than just a lack of noise. I’m not sure there’s a word for that level of silence – but we may have to coin one soon.

In the grand scheme of things, magic may seem pretty low on the list right now.

But in the midst of all this, I’m reminded of how precious the live experience is and how much it takes from our lives when it’s gone. In all honesty, I can’t bring myself to remove the now cancelled events from my schedule. I’m keeping them there as a reminder that when this is over - the future will have more magic. And with any luck, its temporary absence will remind us how it’s on each of us to nurture it back to health.

Deep breath everyone.

Squash

2/29/2020

A few months back I was on the road across the Midwest and took a little side trip to the town of Marshall, Michigan. Wikipedia states that Marshall has been referred to by the keeper of the National Register of Historic Places as a "virtual textbook of 19th-Century American architecture." It is indeed a charming place, filled with lovely historic residences and buildings.

It's also home to the American Museum of Magic, founded by the late Robert Lund in 1978

The museum is well kept and brimming with fascinating displays for anyone with an interest in magic. The walls are filled with gorgeous colorful posters, large scale props from the magic stars of yesteryear line the floors, and array of magic wonders catch your eye at every turn. But I was drawn back to my own early days in magic by a nondescript box sitting unceremoniously on a glass shelf.

The box was labeled “SQUASH”

As a kid, this little trick was the first thing I recall buying with my own money from a mail-order magic catalog. The barehanded vanish of real shot glass filled with liquid! The catalog made it clear that this was a true wonder of the ages and it could be mine for just $2. I sent my money in and waited for what seemed like ages for this miracle to arrive. When it finally did, I ripped into the package with uncontrolled excitement. I opened the box and all was revealed…

My heart sank with buyer’s remorse.

As I’ve said previously, most magic is - at first - disappointment.

The method behind SQUASH was not one that inspired wonder and the postage stamp sized set of instructions did little to help matters. I will not expose the method here but it seemed really impossible that what was contained within that box could really do what it said. Furthermore, I needed to be wearing a sports coat! Not exactly the common attire for a lower middle class kid from the rust belt city of Buffalo, NY.

Fortunately, the money for SQUASH was purchased with gifts from my first holy communion. An event which also provided me with my very first suit. All was not lost!

I put on the suit and tried my best to follow the instructions. My first attempt resulted in a suit soaked in water. I decided it was best to try the next attempt sans liquid. The second attempt sent the shot glass flying across my room. Closer to the softer drop zone of my bed seemed like a smart location for the third attempt. This time the glass stuck correctly to the gimmick but hung like a tail from my tiny jacket. I had to adjust the gimmick, but the idea of cutting and permanently “destroying” an important component of the device terrified me. So I carefully untied part of the gimmick from the attached pin and re-tied it to adjust the gimmick length. Another attempt - and still too long. So again, I untied and readjusted the gimmick.

When all was done, I had the ability to vanish a shot glass. It wasn’t great but it was bad either.

I immediately went to show my mom - who had traditionally been my first audience. She responded with the only appropriate response:

Why the hell was I wearing my good suit and what was I doing with one of my father’s shot glasses!?

She never did see the trick that day.

As I stood staring at that tiny box in the American Museum of Magic, I realized how much I owed to it. It was one of the first times that I learned that magic requires us to put aside snap judgments. To try and fail - and try again. To think for ourselves and adjust accordingly. And never forget that we need to consider how our actions might be interpreted by the world around us.

That was a lot of value from a $2 investment.

In an age filled with people online endlessly telling us what tricks we should own, it’s easy to miss out on this important magic truth: For those willing to be instructed, every trick offers lessons to be learned.

The Roar

1/14/2020

The roaring 20’s are certainly living up to their old name. The New Year has started out with a rush of activity starting with me putting the finishing touches on two new releases. I’m really excited about both of them and I hope I have the chance to share them with you somewhere along my travels this year.

I’ve also updated my current schedule for the year - but it is by no means complete. I’ll add new dates as they come in – and if you want to be the first to find out what’s new and where I’m heading you can sign up to my email list or stay connected through one of my social media accounts.

Here's a little info on what’s on the horizon for the next few months…

First up this year is the Columbus Magi-Fest! A perennial favorite, especially here in the north east. The convention has new digs this year, so keep an eye out for my booth. My hope is to have a small quantity of my two new 2020 releases ready to go before they have their official debut at the Blackpool Convention.

Speaking of Blackpool, this year’s convention is on track to be the biggest ever! And that’s saying something when it comes to a convention that regularly pushes attendance in the thousands. If you attended last year, you already know there was a bit of a dealer location shuffle due to the continuing renovations at the Winter Gardens. This year we’ve moved again - but our new spot has much easier access. We’re slated to be the first booth as you enter the Horseshoe, alongside a host of really incredible vendors. I’m really pleased with the spot and as always I’ll be demonstrating my heart out. After the convention, if you haven’t had enough magic – perhaps you’ll join me for my lecture at the Manchester Magic Circle. You can get details here.

After I return from the UK, a brief bit of rest before heading out for an appearance at Magi-Whirl (just outside Washington, DC). It’s been several years since I’ve been there and I’m looking forward to sharing the bill with an incredible line-up of talent. I’ve always loved the smaller, more intimate magic events and this promises to be a great one.

Last, but certainly not least…

We just announced the Real Magic Roadshow schedule for this Spring and tickets are going much faster than usual. For the last two years the Roadshow team has been wowing audiences across Europe and the UK - it’s been an awesome experience but we’ve been getting a lot of requests from our friends back here in the United States. So if you live in or around Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, New York City, or Boston - take note, we are heading your way soon! Due to the large size of these cities and limited room space we will not be able to sell tickets at the door. Once we have reached capacity in the room, ticket sales are done. So if you’re thinking of joining us – sign up now. You can get all the details by clicking here.

If it seems like I’ve tried to cover a lot of ground in this post, you’re right. But it’s nothing compared to the actual 13,000 miles I’ll have to cover make the paragraphs above come to fruition. I’m making my best effort to stay connected in the real world, not just the virtual one, so if you see me out there – say hello and let’s share a little magic.

That One Guy

11/26/2019

Two monks were traveling along a road when they came to a river with a strong current. As the monks were preparing to cross - they saw a beautiful, young woman also attempting the difficult task. Wary of the current, she asked if they could carry her. One of the monks hesitated, but the other quickly picked her up onto his shoulders, transported her across the water, and put her down on the other bank. She thanked him and departed.

As the monks continued on their way, one was brooding and preoccupied. Unable to hold his silence, he finally spoke out. "Brother, our spiritual training teaches us to avoid any contact with women, but you picked that one up on your shoulders and carried her!"

The second monk replied, “I set her down on the other side of the river, why are you still carrying her?”

That classic Zen parable has always been a favorite of mine. I suspect it’s because I am bad at putting things down.

Over a year ago I was speaking at a large magic convention overseas. After the lecture, I received many compliments and an enormous amount of positive feedback. I sold out of almost all of my lecture material and I was tidying up, when I suddenly felt someone was standing near me.

That’s when I saw him – and not for the first time.

I noticed him frequently during the lecture. In an assembly of happy, smiling and enthusiastic faces – his was always – well, let’s just say - neither happy, smiling, or enthusiastic.

He asked me a question about one of my items and I answered – trying hard (perhaps too hard) to win him over. He responded almost angrily and dismissed my response – then turned and left in a huff. Honestly, I couldn’t really read where the negativity was coming from.

It shook me.

I think it shook him a bit too. Because the next day, he approached me again and apologized for being abrupt. While I appreciated the apology – the seed was already growing in my brain.

Was it the material - or was it just me?
How could I have turned the situation?
What part did I play in creating it?

I tend to think about these things for far too long. Out of all the positive response I received, that one guy pops up in my head more often than any accolades.

Being a performer of any kind means constantly opening yourself up in front of an audience. Being vulnerable – and sensitive to all incoming feedback. But you can’t know everything. You can’t control everything. Or ever know what is going on in any specific audience member’s brain.

All you can do is your best – and some days, you won’t even be able to do that.

During this time of year when kindness is moved a bit more forward, remember to show yourself a little compassion too.

Reflect.
Improve.
Repeat.

And know when it’s time to put her down.