Magical Thinking

Episode 50: Frank Olivier, renowned variety performance artist chats with Elliott about Twisted Cabaret, his phenomenal show and the importance of presence when performing. Frank shares some great stories about impossible miracles, and meeting opportunity with preparation. One of Elliott's favorite performers, Frank shares some beautiful insights. Enjoy!

Episode 49: Shane Cobalt sits down to talk magic history, crediting, audience management and appreciation and more. Elliott and Shane have been friends for several years, and they get deep into several obscure stories from magic history. Enjoy!

Episode 48: Demian Aditya, famous magician and illusionist from Indonesia, sits down with Elliott to chat about creativity, passion, international audiences, and more. Enjoy!

Episode 47: Marcie Hume, director of Magicians: Life in the Impossible, sits down to discuss magic and mentalism, art, goals, dreams, and fears, and much more. This is an incredible, personal episode that dives into some of the internal struggles that Marcie and Elliott both face. Enjoy!

Episode 46: Marcus Eddie sits down with Elliott during his stay at the Magic Castle to chat about creativity, consulting, and living life positively. There's a lot of gold ranging over a variety of topics in this short and sweet episode. Enjoy!

Episode 45: Elliott visits Adam Blumenthal and Ricky Smith at Tannen's Magic in NYC. The trio discuss Tannen's Magic's history, the magic camp, Adam's career in stage lighting, working with Ricky Jay, and more! There's a lot of magic history and some fun stories in this one. Enjoy!

Episode 44: Harrison Greenbaum, a very funny comedian and magician in New York, chats with Elliott about stand-up and what magicians should learn from the culture of comedy. Harrison describes the hustle necessary to make it as a stand-up and contrasts that with most magicians' mentalities regarding performance. A hysterical episode with a lot to think about. Enjoy!

Vignette: Today is Elliott's birthday, and he shares how thankful he is for all his listeners! Email him at podcast@artofmagic.com to let him know your thoughts about starting a Facebook group for listeners, and please rate and review the podcast on iTunes! Cheers!

Episode 43: Elliott sits down with Steve Cohen after his final Chamber Magic show of the weekend to discuss magic, life, bespoke clothing, and the old masters. Steve shares some incredible stories regarding his years as the "Millionaires' Magician" and gives us some background regarding his life before the Waldorf Astoria. Enjoy!

Episode 42: Elliott sits down in New York with Doug McKenzie! Doug constantly pushes his magic forward, seeking to innovate in exciting ways, both for himself and as a consultant for film and television. He shares some really great insight into magic performance and living life. Enjoy!

Episode 41: Elliott sits down in New York with one of the best sleight of hand technicians in the world and a dear friend, Tony Chang. Tony is a fascinating guy with strong opinions about magic technique and what performing magic means. It's a great listen. Enjoy!

Episode 40: Elliott sits down with his dear friend, Ryan Plunkett, a creative, funny performer from Chicago. In the aftermath of Ohio's Magi-Fest, Ryan and Elliott chat about creativity, the Chicago magic scene, and exquisitely tailored clothing. Enjoy!

Episode 39: Elliott sits down with magician and creator Garrett Thomas. Garrett discusses his artistic influences, as well as his thoughts on the lay public’s perception of magic. Garrett is one of the most interesting thinkers in magic today, and he shares an enormous amount of magic theory on the show. Enjoy!

Episode 38: Elliott chats with Larry Fong, blockbuster cinematographer and wonderful magician. The conversation moves back and forth between magic and movies, coffee and sushi, and there are even a few special guest phone calls. Enjoy!

Episode 37: Elliott sits down with another longtime friend in magic, the last of the NorCal group, Raahul Srinivasan. They discuss performance theory, having a place to "be bad", women in magic, Juan Tamariz, and a whole lot more. Lots of laughs between these two friends. Enjoy!

Episode 36: Elliott sits down with one of his closest friends in magic, Michael Feldman! Michael is a lawyer in San Francisco, and his thoughts and insights into the art of magic are fascinating. There's a lot of talk about stand-up comedy, improv, a cappella, and more nerdy performing arts and how magic can learn from each of them. Enjoy!

Episode 35: John Bodine shares his unique approach to magic with Elliott. After years of being highly dedicated to sleight of hand and a student of Erdnase, John now places his focus on sharing a transformative experience through his magic. On the podcast, he talks about the need for trust in order to create these experiences, and he even gives Elliott a strange geek magic experience. Enjoy!

Episode 34: Elliott sits down with Joe Pon, owner and operator of Misdirections Magic Shop in San Francisco, CA. Joe has been behind the counter for 20 years, and he's seen an awful lot of great magic. Elliott and Joe discuss magic as an art form, the importance of brick and mortar shops, the magic community, and much more. Enjoy!

Episode 33: Elliott sits down with one of his oldest magic friends and mentors, Theron Schaub! Theron founded the Golden Gate Gathering, one of Elliott's favorite conventions, and they discuss fashion, magic, professional performance, and more! Lots of laughs and a fun chat between friends. Enjoy!

Episode 32: Elliott sits down with the wonderful young magician, Alex Hansford, a favorite artist on ArtofMagic.com, to talk philosophy, magic, misogyny, style, and travel. This highly conversational episode has a little bit of everything to offer. Enjoy!