My Summer Lair Chapter #27: What’s It Like To Have Your Face On The Box Of A Japanese Magic Toy?
A quote from Jon Armstrong’s Summer Lair visit: “My three passions in life are comics, magic and theme parks.” I instantly quipped: “You’re not getting invited to a lot of parties.”
Theme parks and magic…Jon’s origin story reminds me of Steve Martin’s origin story: Martin encountered magic at Disneyland (the one in California) through performer Wally Boag. Steve Martin realized magic was a way for him to get on stage…he couldn’t sing, he couldn’t dance and yeah later he did comedy. Still magic was the key…magic was the start. He could do magic. (After you listen to Jon and I discuss magic and comics you should read Steve Martin’s excellent memoir Born Standing Up.)
Comics, Magic and Theme Parks…what an amazing opportunity to get into it…all 3. We talk about his experiences growing up in Florida and Batman and of course magic. Which is how his face ended up on the box of a Japanese magic toy.
As Jon says: “It’s not about how magic works but why it works.” Yes!
Jon is in Toronto to promote a documentary he is featured in Magicians: Life in the Impossible…a documentary as he says saved his life.
Magicians: Life in the Impossible follows 4 magicians in various stages of their career:
Brian Gillis…Johnny Carson’s favourite close-up magician and a regular on The Tonight Show
David Minkin…can levitate almost anything with his mind (wait until you see the opening shot of this doc!!) {David’s My Summer Lair visit}
Jon Armstrong…might be the best card trickster in the world
Jan Rouven…a German Las Vegas magician managed by his partner Frank Alfter: yup…Vegas…the chocolate to magic’s peanut butter.
This is a freshtastic doc and I so enjoyed my conversation with the directors Marcie Hume & Christoph Baaden when they visited My Summer Lair.
1 High Five For:
Batman (of course…)
Jon Armstrong @ W • T • F
Host & Photography Sammy Younan
Recorded: Monday May 2, 2016 at 1pm
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