Of Sleights and Men

The Card Mechanic is a YouTuber, Cardist, and Card Creator. He has hundreds of thousands of followers on all social media platforms and regularly creates incredibly high-quality content! 

In this podcast, we talk about a varied range of topics from the influence of coding on magic, to what it really takes to produce cards, or the true grind behind trying to grow in social media. 

Check out his cards Canis Lupus here:

https://cardmechanic.shop/playingcards/p/canis-lupus-alpha-edition

Check out his channel here: 

https://www.youtube.com/@CardMechanic/videos

Dustin Marks is, without question, one of the most successful blackjack cheaters in history.  

Possessing an uncanny ability to remain calm under pressure and the talent to perform undetectable sleight of hand under fire, he was employed as a blackjack dealer by several well-known casinos in Las Vegas during the 1980s.  

While under the watchful eye of casino surveillance systems and pit bosses, he beat the casinos and WAS NEVER CAUGHT!  

Check out his site here: https://www.dustinmarks.com/

Ever wondered what it takes to grow an audience on YouTube or TikTok? 

Well, this guy did it in just a few years just to prove to his son he could get the 100k subscriber plaque. 

Dan is a fantastic teacher, inspirational father, and really knows what it takes to grow a following from nothing.

Listen now! 

Check out his website here: https://mindblownmagic.com/

In this podcast, we all brought either a routine, move, or effect to the table and dissected them in front of one another. 

We got deep into the method behind each of them and jammed back on forth on possible uses and how they can be improved. 

If you enjoyed it, you'll love our membership where you can watch the video version: 

https://thedailymagician.thrivecart.com/magic-mastery-w/

Zee J. Yan has been a friend for years - he's an incredible underground magician and courageous magic entrepreneur! 

To get free magic from him, and check out his website go here: 

https://www.zeejyan.com/free-magic

In this episode, Danny Goldsmith explores all of the projects that he's created up until this point. 

He explains the process behind them, why they were so successful, and how to tap into your own creativity. 

To get free magic from Danny go here:

https://www.dannygoldsmithmagic.com/freebies

In this episode, we sat down with Steven Faulkner to discuss a wide range of topics. 

From business coaching to how to keep working out at the gym. 

Steven has a HUGE amount of experience in magic and is constantly surrounded by the best products and people in the industry. 

Check out his stuff here: https://www.youtube.com/c/RealMagicReview

https://www.onlinemagic.co/

In this unique episode of the podcast, we dive into the question "Is Magic Fun or Art" with Danny Goldsmith. 

We also discussed many other topics, ranging from the rise of independent producers to overcoming trauma attached to magic. 

We hope you enjoy! 

Visit Danny's site here: https://www.dannygoldsmithmagic.com/

Jeki Yoo is really someone who can do anything and everything. 

From breaking the world record for the number of quick changes performed in 30 seconds, to performing stunning close-up coin magic - this man can really do it all! 

Check out his Kickstarter project here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jekiyoo/oh-my-jeki-yoo-playing-cards

Today I was joined by none other than Rick Holcombe - we discussed a variety of things, from Rick's most recent project to the invaluable lessons Rick has learned as a stay-at-home father. 

Rick is a prolific creator and hugely revered in the coin magic world. 

(he also has a really cool voice...) 

Check out more of his work here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0szk53WtMtw&ab_channel=RickHolcombe%7CCoinMagic

Rory Adams was one of the funniest guests we've ever had on the podcast! 

He's intelligent, innovative, and working on some of the most interesting projects in the magic world (and out of it.) 

If you want to see more from him, head here: https://www.oneahead.club/

In this episode, we interview Chris Wojtowich/WOJ Magic about how he blew up on TikTok with his revolutionary Laserdisc magic. 

This was a really fun podcast, and an incredible insight into the digital world of magic we often overlook! 

If you'd like to get your hands on more from Chris, you can head over to this link: 

https://thedailymagician.com/woj-magic

If you've been around in magic as long as we have, you've probably heard of PigCake at some point. 

He's infamous for his satirical take on magic, and provocative videos that have often had the magic community 'up in arms.' 

Personally, we find him to be a MASSIVE breath of fresh air when you've got a little too deep into magic and massively loved having him on our podcast. 

We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it, check out PigCake's Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/PigCakee

Dan Ulin is one of our favorite magicians...

...as you might know, everything we do at The Daily Magician is about helping magicians think differently, and when it comes to said task, there's no one who does it better than Dan.

Dan Ulin has decades of experience in magic and is connected to some of the greatest magicians on earth. 

We loved this podcast, and hope you will too! 

If you haven’t heard about him, here are a few things you should know: 

• Ryan Plunkett is a Chicago-based magician who has been performing for the past two decades. 
• Ryan is a founding ensemble member as well as a regular performer of the Chicago Magic Lounge.
• Ryan has published three books on the art of magic and is a regular performer at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, California.

Pretty much, 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, Ryan Plunkett performs professional magic. 

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s REALLY like to be a professional performer, listen below! 

Check out his website here: https://ryanplunkett.com/

John Gaspard is the author of the Eli Marks mystery series which features a magician as the protagonist. 

While John is by no means a professional magician, I think it's safe to safe he's OBSESSED with magic by way of an occupational hazard. 

This was an amazing podcast, as we love both magic and literature--and John combines the two perfectly.

Check out his books and podcast here: https://www.elimarksmysteries.com/

Ken Dyne is a British mentalist who’s been performing for over 17 years.

And just ONE of his claims to fame is he has one of the most bought Penguin Magic lectures—ever.

Ken also has a client list that includes people like Yahoo, Proctor, and Gamble, and his book Bairn was named Best Mentalism Product of 2014.

To learn more about him go here: https://shop.mentalunderground.com/

Matt Baker is a Professor of Mathematics and Associate Dean at Georgia Tech College of Sciences.

He has won awards for his use of magic in the classroom and was voted greater Atlanta area magician of the year.

He's very inventive and his ideas have been published in many major publications such as Genii.

He is also the author of the incredibly successful magic book: The Buena Vista Shuffle Club. 

You can check out his website here: https://www.mattbakermagic.com/

Andrew Frost (@sleightlyobsessed) is a card magician who specializes in sleight of hand. We've known him for a while and become good friends and were beyond excited to welcome him onto our podcast. 

He has experience creating original products, consulting for some of the biggest names in magic AND knows what it takes to run a quality membership. 

To support him directly, head here to his Patreon: 

https://www.patreon.com/sleightlyobsessed

Christian Grace is a London-based magician who made a quick rise to magic fame for his two best-selling effects 'Pluck' and 'Level One.' 

But that's not all he's done, and like everything almost else, his story is far more deep and interesting than the overnight success it might appear to be on the offset. 

We loved talking to Christian! The man is a creator, visionary, and on top of all that - A Perfect Gent. 

To check out his membership, go here: https://gumroad.com/a/531698803/EgKyq 

Jeff Copeland was on a mission to find the perfect copper coin to match the size and feel of a US Morgan silver dollar. When he couldn’t find it, he made it. And that was the beginning of Copeland Coins.

In this episode of the podcast, we talk to the founder of the stunning coin company - Copeland Coins. 

Jeff Copeland is a friend, creator, and knows what it takes to be a professional magician. 

In this episode we had a fantastic discussion, touching on topics as niche as christian magic and as basic as good practice techniques. 

If you want to learn more about Copeland Coins, go here: https://www.copelandcoins.com/

Jonathan Levit is an incredible American magician, actor, television host, and theatrical producer, and also the creator of the amazing magic app: The Stranger. 

He also took time out of the very morning he was moving house to speak with us, which we appreciate greatly. 

To check out more of his products/learn more about the man himself you can head here: http://www.jonathanlevit.com/ or here https://thestrangerapp.com/ 

From Buffalo, New York, Nicholas has been obsessed with magic for his entire life.

He specializes in creating visual card, coin & organic close-up magic and has published his amazing magic with pretty much every magic company in the business. 

He lives to inspire performers around the world, to try new things, and add hyper-visual moments to their repertoires

*DISCLAIMER* The audio was a bit messy on this one, we did our best with the edit but you'll still notice it in parts. 

Joel Dickinson is an award-winning magician with 20+ years of professional performing experience. In this podcast, he shares his wealth of experience and lets us in on the journey of his latest endeavor the magic store - 'Real Workers.'

To check it out go here: https://www.realworkers.co.uk/

Jamy has performed worldwide — from Caesar's Palace on the Las Vegas Strip to Hollywood's Magic Castle to the Ginza District of downtown Tokyo.

He’s made numerous television appearances including CBS 48 Hours, PBS Nova, CNN, and repeat appearances on The Today Show and The Late, Late Show. 

The author of five books and contributor to countless others, he also writes and produces for television, including for Penn & Teller, and the Neil Gaiman series, American Gods. 

Check out his site here: https://jamyianswiss.com/

Jason Ladanye is a professional, award-winning sleight-of-hand entertainer who has performed card magic all around the world for the last twenty years.

Jason exposes the underground world of cheating at cards and how to beat Las Vegas if you have the skills.

He has spent a lifetime mastering this skill set and is considered by many to be the best sleight of hand magician in the world. 

To check out more of his work, head here: https://cardmagicbyjason.com/

Singapore's Harapan Ong has caused an online sensation with his technical abilities.

Videos began to circulate some years ago from a pair of hands doing extraordinary things.

His style is natural, unassuming, and soft.

But Aces appear, selections transpose, and magical things just seem to happen in Harapan's hands.

Recently we had the pleasure of talking to him on our podcast, he was open, kind, and impressively candid. 

If you enjoyed listening to him and want more head over here: https://www.harapanmagic.com/shop

Pit Hartling is one of Germany’s most requested magic entertainers. 

His appearances have brought him to more than fifty countries on five continents…

...and he’s also the author of the incredible book ‘In Order To Amaze.’ (one of the best magic books ever written) 

Check out his books here: https://pithartling.com/shop/

Denis is an expert sleight-of-hand artist, memorized deck master, and hilarious performer. 

He’s also the creator and curator of the ‘conjuring archive’ website—THE largest research project in magic. 

On this website, you’ll find indexes, references, and contents of over 2000 magic books.  

This website was started in 2004, and Denis has been diligently reading and making notes on all kinds of obscure magic books ever since. 

That’s nearly 20 YEARS of hard work. 

Denis doesn’t get paid to do this—he does it out of his love for the art—but there IS a page on his website where you can support Denis by ’buying him a beer’ via a PayPal donation.

To donate, click the link below: 

https://www.conjuringarchive.com/faqs

Jonah Babins is the host of the podcast ‘Discourse in Magic’, co-founder of the Toronto Magic Company, and professional magician. 

Over the last 4 years, he’s interviewed some of the world’s best magicians—from Juan Tamariz to Derren Brown. 

In this episode…

We talk about the real ‘secret’ behind getting in touch with the world’s best magicians, the best way to increase your chances of success as a magician, and Jonah’s upcoming virtual magic convention. 

If you’re interested in Unconventional Fun, go here to get your tickets:

https://unconventional.fun/

Internationally renowned magician Michael Vincent has been named Best Close-Up Magician three times by the UK’s Magic Circle, 3 times in three consecutive decades; 1983, 1991, and 2003, and was awarded the title of International Magician of the Year in 1993.

He truly is one of the 'best' and when you hear how he got to be that way, we promise you'll be blown away. 

Michael is kind, inspiring and genuine.

We can honestly say that he's one of our magic idols. 

This was an emotional episode, and we learnt a lot, so we hope you do too! 

John Guastaferro is a name every magician should be aware of he possesses an incredible array of talents from Spanish guitar to a deep and developed knowledge of the non-profit world. 

In this episode we discuss: 

• Why you should learn Spanish Guitar (everyone could do with better finger dexterity in magic) 
• The incredible similarities between philanthropy and magic (and why John Guastaferro sees them as one of the same)  
• The power of the 'one degree' principle and why it applies to pretty much everything in life. 
• John Guastaferro's book 'en route'. 
• And much, much more. 

Evan Porter is a SEO expert, who ranks in google for a living, and thankfully for the majority of our readers, he’s also a HUGE magic fan. 

In this episode we discuss: 

• What makes a good magic website (and why there are so few good ones out there) 
• What SEO work and magic have in common (and how to harness the powers of both worlds) 
• The AIDA formula that ANY good magician knows intuitively (but copywriters are forced to learn) 
• How Evan Porter became financially independent simply by writing a few blog posts (and learning how to get people to read them)
• Why all magicians should have a second hobby (and the power of harnessing it) 
• And much, much more! 

Adrian Lacroix recently burst onto the worldwide magic scene with his incredible virtual magic (used by magicians Penn and Teller and the like!) 

And just a few days ago, we had the pleasure of welcoming him on the 'Of Sleights and Men' podcast where we discussed: 

• How Adrian went from watching David Copperfield perform on TV as a kid, to performing for Copperfield’s children. 
• Why Adrian Lacroix is ALWAYS confident during performances (he wasn’t even stressed to perform for the Argentinian President!) 
• How being a self-confessed ‘lazy-bone’ has led Adrian Lacroix to incredible heights of success. 
• The secret behind Rene Lavand’s most fooling shuffle (and how it came to be that he NEVER came up with it in the first place) 
• How to perform incredible zoom magic (and why quarantine isn’t the end of magic)
• And much, much, more! 

Very recently we had the pleasure of meeting the only time travelers we know... They happened to be English and turned out to be, much to our own pleasure, all around spiffing chaps! 

In this podcast with the great Morgan and West we discuss: 

- Why Morgan and West prefer to perform children’s shows (and would ONLY perform for children if they could) 

- Why Morgan and West hate to perform close up magic (and almost NEVER do it) 

- How Terry Pratchett books inspired their current stage persona (Benji was dying to talk about this with them— and it showed)

- The incredible success of their recent book, Parlour Tricks (and what makes it COMPLETELY different from most magic books)

-And much, much more!

David Regal is behind magic seen by millions across the globe.

He has written for, and designed effects for stage performers who perform internationally, in Vegas showrooms, and on Broadway stages. His television writing credits range from kid shows (Rugrats) to sitcoms (Everybody Loves Raymond)

He truly is a huge name in the magic world— and today he became our latest podcast guest. 

In this episode we discuss: 

• The key to producing great TV shows (and how to harness that power in your magic performances) 
• The BIG do’s and don'ts of magic shows (including how to avoid creating a HUGE ‘flop’)
• Why every magician should watch Elaine Stritch: At Liberty (and what we ALL can learn from her) 
• David Regal’s view on our ‘big question’ (and how he finds meaning in magic) 
• And much, much more.  

To access his books and other products, head here: https://davidregal.com/

In this episode, Benji got to talk to one of his all-time heroes and overall amazing magician - Steven Bridges. 

Recording this was a whole lot of fun for all of us! We hope you feel that you're hanging out in a pub with three British lads who love chatting about magic, rather than sitting, or working out, or even sleeping while listening to this podcast.

In this podcast we discuss:

• The secret to a good street performance (and the secret to a bad one) 
• Why Steven is haunted by 'lemon failures' (and how they actually helped him become the person he is today) 
• The reason why Steven does magic in the first place (and why maybe it doesn't even matter at all) 
• 'The Montage Effect' (and why it's stopping you from progressing not just in magic, but in life in general) 

Take a listen...

Recently we were honored to welcome a legend of the magic world onto our podcast - the one and only Roberto Giobbi. 

During this episode, we talked on a variety of subjects, from card college to the power of linguistics.

Here's what you can expect: 

• How Roberto Giobbi went from selling floppy disks to a world-class magician
• What made Roberto Giobbi 'take the leap' to become a professional magician (and the 'big shot' job he gave up to do so)
• Giobbi's tips on performing for all types of audiences- from children to magic castle guests.
• What you should do when writing a magic book (and what UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES you should ever do)
• And much, much more! 

In this episode, we were honoured to welcome our first female guest a Miss. Alice Paihlès. 

She's made a name for herself in the magic world with her analysis of the direct connections between magic and the science of psychology. 

In this episode, we discuss her upcoming book, semi-viral ted talk and: 

• How much of Derren Brown's magic is true 'mentalism' (it was far more than we expected) 
• The BEST force in magic (I guarantee it will surprise you) 
• How to avoid being tricked (the answer made us laugh out loud) 
• And finally... why all humans are lazy (and how accepting that can change your life forever) 

In this episode of the podcast, we sat down with the one and only Andi Gladwin. 

We started out by asking Andi about his brand new book—The Boy Who Cried Magic. This book has been, by our estimation, 23 years in the making—and includes Andi’s most exquisite material. In fact, it’s in such high demand—Vanishing Inc have started buying copies from OTHER magic companies just to fulfill their orders.  

With that in mind, hit the link below to secure your copy while you still can... 

https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic-books/the-boy-who-cried-magic/ 

Next, the conversation quickly went ‘no-holds-barred’—and over this nearly 2-hour mega session, we also discussed... 

• The one skill that history’s greatest magicians and computer programmers nearly always have in common (Ed Marlo was incredible at this...even though he never touched a line of code)
• How the 46th richest man in the world redefined the way we approach magic (nearly zero magicians have ever studied this, but it’s a game-changer)
• Andi’s number one tip for the magic business during the pandemic (you’d have to be crazy not to sit up and pay attention to this)
• The one Derren Brown line that separates the good magicians from the truly great (this has been a long time coming) 
• Andi’s definition of ‘a good problem to have’ (featuring stories about Vanishing Inc we’ve never heard before) 
• The ‘BIG’ question we’ve always wanted Andi’s opinion on (frankly, he didn’t have an answer—and neither did we)

Take a listen…

Mortiz Mueller is arguably the ‘Mozart of magic’—he’s a German phenom who burst onto the scene at a young age and has studied under some of the world’s best in his craft. 

In this podcast, we ask Moritz where it all began, and discuss everything from the famous European magic scene to the ethics of when to release a magic product. 

Take a listen...

Alright, I know this is late, but...

...have you noticed that Zoom magic is, kinda, a thing now?

Maybe you love it. Maybe you hate it.

Either way, here’s something I think you’ll find interesting:

If you Google ‘Zoom magic tricks’, depending on where you are in the world, our site will be either the No.1 result or one of the top ten.

Over the last four months, my analytics software tells me over 14,800 magicians have seen that link, and over 1,800 have clicked on it.

So the interest is definitely there—that’s not in question.

But what IS in question is whether Zoom magic is actually any GOOD…

In the latest episode of our podcast, I sat down with my buddy Jacob and we discussed our ‘unfiltered’ take on Zoom magic.

David Williamson calls him “One of the best coin handlers I’ve ever seen.”

Ken Krenzel called him “A Highly Innovative Coin Worker”

And arguably the greatest magician of all time, Dai Vernon, called him “A Superb Artist!”

Who is he?

His name is Dr. Michael Rubinstein, and he’s one of the most legendary names in modern magic. 

We recently sat down and chatted with Dr. Rubinstein about his life in magic, his new book (that many magicians have nicknamed ‘the modern Bobo’), and how to create truly powerful magic. 

It’s all available on the latest episode of our podcast…

Check out his new book, Rubinstein Coin Magic, here:

https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/money-magic/rubinstein-coin-magic/

Check out his YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6JOjhWUu2xPC9fL5AX7TzA

We're delighted to present one of our all-time favorite magicians- Danny Goldsmith. We believe Danny is unparalleled in his control and power over the art which is coin magic, which is why we couldn't wait to have him on the show.

In this episode we explore: 

• What magic and meditation have in common (HINT it's not what you expect) 
• The power of Eastern culture (and why you have to start implementing its secrets in your performances) 
• Danny's beautiful 'magic origin story' (it blew us away)
• The secret to any great coin routine (and no it's not reading Bobo fifty times over) 
• And much, much, more! 

In this episode, Jacob and I took on the age-old debate between card and coin magic. 

Enjoy!

Welcome to the Podcast, in this episode we go over:

• How Benji learned French in two weeks (He used this method ‘on’ me, and I was floored)
• A Computer Science professor’s secret to (at least) double your productivity (this method was used by everyone from Carl Jung to JK Rowling, and it works like gangbusters for magicians)
• What ‘shallow’ practice is.
• How to complete card magician Aaron Fisher’s Pathways training program in 2 days.

Jacob and I finally had time to sit down and chat on ye olde ‘Of Sleights of Men’ podcast... 

In this episode, we discuss:

* A ‘behind the scenes’ look at what it took to create the Skyscraper Method

* The no.1 most satisfying part of releasing a magic product

* Why the hardest part of the creative process is often the stuff you don’t think about (illustrated by a few crazy stories…)

* Why Dani DaOrtiz doesn’t have any mirrors in his house

* Why the key to being creative is to...be creative (it sounds abstract, but it’s actually very simple)

* What our ‘Inner Circle’ looks like (and why we’re so excited for it)

Thanks for listening! Leave a rating if you enjoyed :)

In this episode, I talk about why you should always seek out magicians that are better than you. 

Also discussed:

How getting ‘smoked’ in tennis matches is a perfect metaphor for magicians who hate getting fooled.

The one thing all the best magicians in the world have in common (and how you can join them.)

How passive-aggressive Instagram magicians are sabotaging themselves.

Why I love Jason Ladanye (no, it’s not his hair.)

The USA trip that changed my magic (and transformed me from an arrogant kid to a perpetual student.)

The problem with magic clubs.

Link mentioned: https://www.cardmagicbyjason.com/knew-nothing/

Leave a rating if you enjoyed!

Check out the first video in our new project: https://members.thedailymagician.com/video-one/

(NOTE: the audio gets a little fuzzy about halfway through, but then it sorts itself out. So don't worry...it's us, not you.)

In this episode, I talk about why ‘new product junkies’ are good for magic. 

Also discussed:

Why some of the world’s best magicians are flat out wrong about the value of ‘new releases’ (they totally missed the mark on this)

Why buying magic is like browsing Netflix on the weekend 

Why telling people to ‘read the classics’ can be a huge mistake (but at the same time, the best piece of advice you could give them)

How Piff the Magic Dragon is the perfect example of the flaw in conventional wisdom (that sounds deep but it’s actually super simple)

Leave a review if you enjoyed! 

In this special ‘birthday’ episode, Jacob and I reflect on our magic journey so far…

Highlights include:

The No.1 most criminally underrated magic channel on YouTube (that I guarantee will fool the socks off you)

How being ‘lazy’ helped me unlock some of magic’s best secrets (this won't work for everyone, granted, but it certainly did for me)

What you should never do when using a marked deck.

The one thing you should do every day to be successful in magic (and life.)

The long-distance running secret that drives my creative process.

Thanks for listening! Drop a review/rating if you enjoyed!

In this episode, I talk about the big problem I have with Triumph...

Also discussed: 

Why Triumph is one of the greatest routines in magic (this might sound odd given I have a huge problem with it, but hear me out and you’ll understand why both are the case.)

The strange similarity between Triumph and Frodo Baggins.

Why Dani DaOrtiz’ ‘Open Triumph’ is the greatest version ever...or not, I don’t care (if you get it...you get it.)

A tip by Darwin Ortiz that shapes the way I view magic (about fruit, of all things.) 

Thanks for listening! Let me know if you agree at [email protected]

Welcome to the very first episode of 'Of Sleights and Men!'

In this episode, Jacob and I decided to introduce ourselves by getting deep into some of our magic ‘horror stories’, including…

The ‘EXTRA bold’ bold book test that I insisted on performing (despite screwing up nearly every time)

Why Jacob used to harass grandmas (no excuse for this one, all we can do is apologize)

The weird ‘T Rex’ pose that scuppered my ‘which hand’ routine

Our ‘unethical’ performance that went a little bit TOO well

How I ruined my reputation at school with a ‘card to impossible location’ that left me scarred for years to come (I’ve never shared this anywhere else before)

Drop this a rating or a review if you enjoyed it! Thanks for your support :)