Showing posts with label James Randi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James Randi. Show all posts

24 March 2023

Canada's Got Talent: Getting to know Dean Gunnarson

Next in the the series of Canada's Got Talent contestants is Onanole's Dean Gunnarson!

 



Who inspires you that is not an escape artist?
 
Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys has been a long-time friend and supporter. I have performed many shows for him over the years, and I admire his determination and willingness to take risks. Much like an escape artist.  I know there are people that don’t agree with him, but he will risk it all on what he believes is right for his team. I feel as an escape artist to have had to make many similar decisions.
 
What is your first memory of escapology?  How old were you?

When I was 10 years old and, in the 5th, grade my Mom bought me a book on Houdini. I was growing up in Texas at that time and everything was big there like Houdini was in my young eyes.  I read the stories of Houdini and how he could do anything. He was like a real life comic book hero.
 


Who from the escapology community inspires you?

James "The Amazing" Randi inspired me greatly. I remember an episode of Happy Days in 1978 where he played himself. That is true greatness when you get to play yourself in a fictional sitcom. In 1987 I met Randi and he believed in me enough to help get me on my first USA TV special, "In Search of Houdini." It was a two hour live special with many greats of magic on it. David Copperfield, Penn & Teller, Harry Blackstone Jr., Banachek, The Pendragons, and a young 23-year-old Dean Gunnarson from Canada. Randi got hurt in rehearsal and I went on live television to perform the Houdini Milk Can escape on live TV. It was the first time I ever attempted it. Randi later retired and named me as his successor and gave me all his handcuffs and escape equipment, including his Milk Can he used on Happy Days.
 



I’m always doing a variety of TV shows, corporate dates, and travelling. I will be performing in China again soon now that restrictions for performers have changed. Also, I will be back again at a great Magic Festival in Quebec City this September. I also have a film that we just finished taping being released later this fall. It is based on my book, "Dean Gunnarson : The Making of an Escape Artist" and my friendship in 1983 with a teenager named Philip [Hornan] who was battling cancer. We had such great adventures escaping from the RCMP detachments, performing magic shows at the Cancer Foundation for the other children, to trying to find the real magic to try and save his life. It’s an amazing story and one that I have carried with me for 40 years. Now I get to share it on the screen.

Was there anyone or anything instrumental to you becoming an escape artist?
 
Peter Reveen was the first true Showman I ever saw live on stage when I was 15 years old. The way he could stand on stage and command an audience! Wow. I thought that’s what an escape artist must be able to do. My time with James Randi over the years was always such a learning experience from a true master. My best friend and mentor for over 25 years was Bill Brace. He was a retired RCMP Officer that started the Society of Young Magicians (SYM) in Canada. I truly miss my friendship with all of them. Having a mentor is so important in life. People that we can look up to and ask for advice and information.  

I used to also travel to Minneapolis a lot in the 1980s and spent time at Eagle Magic Shop downtown. Toad Hall Toys in Winnipeg I also enjoyed when they started selling magic tricks and I would take some of the old magicians there for the afternoon and listen to their old stories of magic from another era.






Did you ever get discouraged and think about quitting escapology?  
 
Sure, many times. A life in magic is a tough choice. Being self-employed is a challenge. You go through periods of great joy, success, and triumph, then waiting and looking for your next show and paycheck. You must be truly passionate, dedicated, and believe in yourself to succeed in this world. Never surrender to your fears or those telling you can’t succeed. It has been a long journey of over 40 years of escaping around the world, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat. When you feel like quitting you need to remind yourself why you started in the first place. The only people that have never failed at something are those that have never tried !

Do you have any pre-show rituals?
 
I like to get ready early and be prepared. I don’t like to feel rushed before going on stage. I like to get my energy up. I always warm up by stretching and warming up my voice (even though I can't sing ... lol) I actually took singing/voice lessons in the 1980s because I was losing my voice on stage. My coach taught me to always warm up my throat before a show. And lastly, I love a shot of Dr. Pepper before I take the stage. Must be my Texas roots …

 
 
 
What inspired you to be a part of this season of Canada's Got Talent?
 
I have said no to "all" the "Got Talents" for many years. When they asked me this year, I had always wanted to go back to Niagara Falls. They told me about this season and how exciting it was going to be, and I really wanted to part of it.  I also have some really special memories there with Henry Muller and The Houdini Museum. I wanted to attempt a big escape at the original home of the Daredevil, Niagara Falls so this was my chance.  So I had to say yes and give it my best.


 
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
 
Magic has been a great career. I have travelled the world and seen and done many things people could only dream about. But most important to me are all the friendships I have developed from performing with so many great and wonderful magicians over the decades. Those friendships truly mean the world to me.

 

 

Thank you Dean, for making the time to answer our questions!  Break a leg on CGT!


Learn more about Dean at his website AlwaysEscaping.com or follow him on Instagram.

 
Was that Dean hanging upside down and on fire at the end of last week's episode?  Tune in next Tuesday to find out! 

 
Watch Canada's Got Talent Tuesday nights at CityTV.

 

 

 

 

21 January 2022

The Amazing Randi in the Beach Metro

You may recall that Michael Close and the Evasons consulted for the film Nightmare Alley.

 

From the January 11th article "Reel Beach: Born in the Beach, The Amazing Randi was a top magician and crusader against fraudsters" by Bernie Fletcher in the Beach Metro:

In Nightmare Alley Bradley Cooper plays a carnival huckster who learns the art of deceit and becomes a nightclub mind reader. The clothes are fancier, but he uses the same old tricks.

The film is based on the dark 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham (1909-1962), an amateur magician who was fascinated by the carny underworld. Like Harry Houdini before him, Gresham exposed many of the techniques used by phony spiritualists and psychics.

In 1959 Gresham wrote a biography of Houdini and dedicated his book to “the greatest living escape artist, The Amazing Randi” magician James Randi who helped him with the illusions.

Randi began life in 1928 as Randall James Zwinge (rhymes with “Swingy”) in the newly-built Victoria Park Apartments on Queen Street East near Willow Avenue, which was just down the street from the Prince of Wales Theatre (now the Fox).

A century ago streetcars came all the way out to the new Neville Park Loop and spurred a building boom along the eastern end of Queen Street.

...

Life comes full circle. Nightmare Alley was filmed at the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant (originally the Victoria Park Filtration Plant) just down the street from Randi’s first home. In 1928 the waterworks were still a dream in the eyes of Neville Park Boulevard resident R. C. Harris; a vision of clean, safe water for Toronto.

Read more.


From the January 12th Facebook post by The Society of American Magicians:





27 June 2021

TV magicians from the 1950s, '60s and '70s

From the June 9th article "8 magicians who dazzled us on TV as children" at MeTV:

1. Doug Henning
With his bedazzled overalls and beaming smile, Henning was the perfect man to introduce children to the world of magic, a lovable character akin to Gallagher or Slim Goodbody. The Canadian first broke in this country on Broadway, earning a Tony nom for his 1974 production, The Magic Show. A year after that opening, 50 million viewers tuned in for the TV special Doug Henning's World of Magic. The escape artist and lover of Houdini went on to create stage tricks for Earth, Wind and Fire and Michael Jackson tours.

4. The Amazing Randi
James Randi is as well known for his skepticism as his illusions. The performer famously offered $1,000 (then $10,000, then $1,000,000) to anyone who could prove the existence of the supernatural. He's still waiting to pay out. Randi, seen here on the cover of Dynamite magazine, had a mission to expose charlatans posing as naturally gifted psychics. He would especially work to debunk the following man, his nemesis… 

Read more.


[via The Doug Henning Project]

21 October 2020

Broken wand: James Randi

It is with a heavy heart that I share the news Tweeted earlier today by the Randi Foundation.  James Randi passed away Tuesday October 20th, 2020.  Our condolences to his family and friends at this impossible time.


From the Randi Foundation Twitter feed:



29 October 2019

Dean Gunnarson recreated Houdini's 1915 suspended straitjacket escape

From the August 18th post "Dean Gunnarson recreates Houdini's L.A. escape in 1987" by John Cox at Wild About Harry:
On October 29, 1987, escape artist Dean Gunnarson recreated Houdini's 1915 suspended straitjacket escape in Los Angeles to promote the live Halloween television special, The Search for Houdini. Dean was introduced as James Randi's protege, and Randi was on hand to assist in the stunt.

Read more.

12 August 2018

The Amazing Randi in the media

James Randi celebrated his 90th birthday earlier this week.  Here are a couple of pieces from the internet.


From the August 6th post, "Magician the Amazing Randi has dedicated his life to promoting critical thinking" by Troy Lennon in The Daily Telegraph:
The interview on August 13, 1980, ended with Lane throwing to a commercial, telling Randi to “piss off” before storming out, flicking away Randi’s bent cutlery as he left. Randi was flustered but largely maintained composure. Lane later apologised for swearing but insisted the American had failed to prove anything. But the controversy made the sceptic more famous in Australia.

Read more.


From the Twitter feed of Interval Magic:

14 January 2018

James Randi winner of the 2017 Philosophy Now Award!

From Philosophy Now:
The fourth Philosophy Now Festival will take place all day on 20 January 2018.

As in previous years, the Festival will include talks, debates, workshops, and philosophical games for the whole family. There is no need to book for the Festival or for most of the individual events within it. However, you do need to book in order to attend one of the children’s philosophy workshops, as spaces are limited.

Read more



From the Philosophy Now Twitter feed:



07 September 2017

The Magician James Randi on the Importance of Skepticism

From Holy Koolaid's YouTube channel:
James Randi, the legendary magician, skeptic, and paranormal debunker talks about the importance of scientific skepticism and how his work as a magician has shaped the way he views the world. James "The Amazing Randi" has spent decades in show business as a magician, but as a psychic investigator and debunker of the paranormal, Randi stresses the fact that it's all an artful deception and not supernatural at all - earning him the nickname "An Honest Liar." In this interview, James Randi discusses his work as a magician and the importance of being skeptical.








07 April 2017

James Randi and Matt Dillahunty

From the Pangburn Philosophy YouTube channel:

Pangburn Philosophy ALL ACCESS presents "The Amazing James Randi TRICKS Matt Dillahunty." This moment occurred in a hotel, prior to the CONJURE THE NIGHT event which took place on April 2nd 2017 at the UBC Chan Centre in Vancouver BC Canada. James and Matt spoke together about conjuring, skepticism and the life of James Randi. James and Matt later performed some conjurations followed by illusionist Murray Hatfield and 2 time world champion of magic, Shawn Farquhar.

15 March 2017

Vancouver: James Randi In Conversation With Matt Dillahunty

There will also be a show with Shawn Farquhar with Camilo The Magician and Matt Dillahunty!

From UBC:
Sunday 02 April 2017

Matt Dillahunty is thrilled to return to the Chan Centre stage to share the evening with one of his great idols in magic and skepticism. Matt is well known for his role in the Atheist community, but he also dabbles in magic! The amazing James Randi has an international reputation as a magician and escape artist, but today he is best known as the world’s most tireless investigator and demystifier of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims.

Read more and buy tickets.

 From the Pangburn Philosophy Facebook page:

10 July 2016

Television magicians from decades long gone

Two Canadians in the top 8!

From Me TV Chicago's article "8 Magicians Who Dazzled Us on TV as Children":
1. DOUG HENNING
With his bedazzled overalls and beaming smile, Henning was the perfect man to introduce children to the world of magic, a lovable character akin to Gallagher or Slim Goodbody. The Canadian first broke in this country on Broadway, earning a Tony nom for his 1974 production, The Magic Show. A year after that opening, 50 million viewers tuned in for the TV special Doug Henning's World of Magic. The escape artist and lover of Houdini went on to create stage tricks for Earth, Wind and Fire and Michael Jackson tours.

2. THE AMAZING RANDI
James Randi is as well known for his skepticism as his illusions. The performer famously offered $1,000 (then $10,000, then $1,000,000) to anyone who could prove the existence of the supernatural. He's still waiting to pay out. Randi, seen here on the cover of Dynamite magazine, had a mission to expose charlatans posing as naturally gifted psychics. He would especially work to debunk the following man, his nemesis…
 Read more.

28 March 2016

James Randi's "An Honest Liar" on PBS TONIGHT

Check your local listings.


From PBS:
For the last half-century, James “The Amazing” Randi has entertained millions with his dazzling feats of magic, escape, and trickery. Along the way he discovered that faith healers, fortune-tellers, and psychics were using his beloved magician’s tricks to swindle money from the credulous. Fed up with the fraud, he dedicated his life to exposing con artists with a wit and over-the-top showmanship all his own. An Honest Liar is part detective story, part biography, and a bit of a magic act itself.


Read more.

22 March 2016

James Randi on W5 Extended

Last week W5 ran a show about Fortune tellers giving questionable advice.  As part of their web extras, they have a bit with The Amazing Randi showing an example of mentalism to Sandie Rinaldo.

Watch the clip below:



Watch the part one of the show, part two of the show, and read more about it at the CTV website.

07 February 2015

Randi retires from JREF

At 86 years of age, I feel that it’s now well time to officially retire, so I’m stepping down from my position with the JREF – the James Randi Educational Foundation. 
This doesn’t mean that I’m retiring from my battle against the so-­called psychics, faith healers, paranormalists, and the assorted frauds I’ve encountered in my worldwide wanderings. I’ll in no way relax the critical attention I’ve given to them over the last busy 73 years, I promise you. I’ll still lecture and write, here and abroad – but now on my own time – not on the exhausting schedule that I’ve had these past few years. 
Read more.

03 December 2014

Randi in Australia

From Think Inc:
THE AMAZING JAMES RANDI is a magician and scientific skeptic best known for his challenges to paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the co-founder of Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), and the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). He began his career as a magician named The Amazing Randi, but after retiring at age 60, he chose to devote most of his time to investigating paranormal, occult, and supernatural claims, which he collectively calls “woo-woo.” 
Held in five cities, An evening with James Randi will feature a discussion with Richard Saunders (Australian skeptic, podcaster, and professional origamist) or Lawrence Leung (comedian, writer and director), a Q&A session with the audience and a meet and greet with selected guests. 
Adelaide: Monday 1 December 2014, 6pm  The Science Exchange, 55 Exchange Place, Adelaide 
Perth: Wednesday 3 December 2014, 6pm  Octagon Theatre, UWA, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley 
Brisbane: Thursday 4 December 2014, 6pm  Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Southbank, Brisbane.
Melbourne: Friday 5 December 2014, 6pmMelbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Southwharf, Melbourne 
Sydney: Sunday 7 December 2014, 6pmThe Metro Theatre, Sydney.
Read more and buy tickets.


For more Randi goodness, watch this YouTube video of his post-show Q&A and performance after the screening of his film "An Honest Liar" at the  Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival:



[video via iTricks]


14 November 2014

Randi in the NY Times

A reminder that Randi is scheduled to appear at the Calgary Undergraound Film Festival later this month.

From the New York Times:
The Unbelievable Skepticism of the Amazing Randi 
A few minutes before 8 o’clock one Sunday evening last July, around 600 people crowded into the main conference hall of the South Point casino in Las Vegas. After taking their seats on red-velvet upholstered chairs, they chattered noisily as they awaited the start of the Million Dollar Challenge. When Fei Wang, a 32-year-old Chinese salesman, stepped onto the stage, they fell silent. Wang had a shaved head and steel-framed glasses. He wore a polo shirt, denim shorts and socks. He claimed to have a peculiar talent: from his right hand, he could transmit a mysterious force a distance of three feet, unhindered by wood, metal, plastic or cardboard. The energy, he said, could be felt by others as heat, pressure, magnetism or simply “an indescribable change.” Tonight, if he could demonstrate the existence of his ability under scientific test conditions, he stood to win $1 million.
Read more.

12 November 2014

An Honest Liar at CUFF

From the Calgary Undergraound Film Festival:
November 21

A biopic of renowned magician James “The Amazing” Randi, AN HONEST LIAR chronicles the magician’s 50-year career, from performing jaw-dropping feats to exposing the simple tricks that have been co-opted by con artists. Featuring interviews with Penn Jillette, Bill Nye, Allice Cooper, “Mythbuster” Adam Savage and more, AN HONEST LIAR reveals Randi’s classic debunkings and explores his rivalry with Uri Geller, famed spoon-bender and psychic.

James “The Amazing” Randi in attendance!

Read more and buy tickets.


[via Gwyn Auger

10 September 2014

James Randi in the Miami Herald

From the Miami Herald:
For a guy who has spent most of the past 40 years busting treacherous telepaths, spurious spoon-benders and fake faith-healers, James Randi can do some pretty impressive psychic tricks himself. When I visited his home in Plantation last week, he read my mind.

“Pick any two books off the shelves,” he said, waving at his library of 4,000 volumes on UFOs, witchcraft, the Kennedy assassination and pretty much any subject that lends itself to exploitation by grifters and wackos.

Read more and watch videos.


[via iTricks]