Wes Iseli's Magical Vacation

Deaf magicians and Deaf Audiences

Over 10 years ago I was asked to perform at UVA for a group of people who had just received a revolutionary hearing device called a  cochlear implant. This hearing device was snapped to a fastener in their skull.
I was happy to do this show as I knew magic was universal, even though there would be lots of deaf folks in the audience it would be fine because magic is a visual art. This was my first experience with deaf audiences and since then I have performed for them on several occasions.

At this year’s National Society of American Magicians Convention they even had a special show dedicated to Silent magic. They even asked that instead of clapping that the audience hold their hands in the air and shake them as that is sign language for applause.  I was told the music for this event was crazy loud which makes sense if the performers were deaf that they needed to feel the music to make sure they hit their marks.

Silent acts in magic have been around for as long as magic itself, but it is usually not because the performer is deaf it is because that way they won’t need a script and they may just want the magic to speak for itself .

My friend Kyle Peron is a deaf performer in the Philly area. Here is a short excerpt from him: As most folks know...or maybe do not know....I am a deaf magician. I started losing my hearing at age 8 and it got worse as the years rolled on. I am now about 60-65% deaf in both ears. I lip read to understand what people say and I tend to feel music more than hear it. There are many magicians out there who have various disabilities. I commend them for never giving up or giving in. Magic for me was a saving grace. It brought me out of my shyness and helped me to learn to communicate better and focus more. In a way magic was a healing art for me. If you are reading this and have a disability (or know someone interested in magic that has one) I hope that it inspires you to go out there and get involved in the art. We do not have to stop doing what we love simply because it may be harder for us. What we must do is have a desire to go above and beyond and push ourselves to simply adapt. Magic and performing magic was a challenge for me and still is in some degrees. That does not mean I have to stop doing it. It does not mean I have to settle for second best. If the desire is there, work hard to come up with a means in which to accomplish what you want to accomplish. There is always a way to make it work for you.

Wes Iseli's Close up magic at the fair pt 2

Psychics and Mediums are Scum!

Houdini, after the death of his mother, spent a great part of his life debunking these frauds and con artists who under the umbrella of entertainers take hard earned money from believers who in times of crisis are looking for answers.  Most folks go to these charlatans in times of feeling low. Questions about love, health and wealth are among the top three.

Today James Randi AKA The Amazing Randi has led the war against frauds like these by establishing the James Randi Educational Foundation that once a year invites these frauds to prove if their “powers” or “gifts” are real under scientific conditions & if they do show that they can predict the future or communicate with the dead Randi will be happy to give them the 1 Million dollar reward money & help introduce them to the world.                                (Picture is of James Randi)                                                  

Last month, three young girls who had been kidnapped some 10 years earlier were found in a Cincinnati home. One of these girls was named Amanda Berry. In 2004 Sylvia Browne, (a self proclaimed Psychic) appeared on the Montel Williams show and was asked by Amanda Berry’s mom “can you help me find my daughter?” Sylvia Browne looked at the mother with certainty  and said “It’s too late, she is in heaven and on the other side. And her last words were ‘Goodbye mom I love you’.” It makes me sick just to type out that last sentence!  The mother of Amanda Berry never found out her daughter was in fact alive because she herself died 1 year after appearing on the Montel Williams show.

You can see videos on youtube of Sylvia Browne’s arrogance when she gives a grieving mother false news.  There have been folks on TV for years claiming to be Mediums and Psychics and unfortunately being on TV itself gives them creditability with lots of folks.  The newest up & comer in the world of FRAUDS is the Long Island Medium. Who also has several videos on youtube showing her miss at her claims, but of course all that is edited out when you see her own show.

People will always be looking for answers, I think it is in our DNA, but by going to a Psychic or a Medium you are not only wasting time but also money.

For more info check out James Randi’s website at www.randi.org

Wes Iseli's Close up magic at the fair pt 1

Life on the road...

Yesterday, June 14th 2013, was one of those memorable days on the road. We left the house at 7:00 am with our breakfast sandwiches in our hands to arrive in Vienna (Northern Va) to perform at a summer camp at 9:30 am. Once the show was over we headed to Richmond, Va to perform at another summer camp at 1:15 pm. We ate our packed lunches along the way and Lana watched the Smurfs on the TVs in the van, but with traffic on the interstate we barely made it on time. As soon as that show was over we got gas and a couple of sodas from the gas station and headed back to Herndon (Northern Va) for an open house for a daycare who was signing up kids for their summer program, but once again with traffic on the interstate we barely made it on time for a 5:30 pm showtime. Once this show was over and we got all packed up we decided to hang out and play soccer with Lana who had been in the car all day like us; we wanted to stretch our legs too. Afterwards, we found a Ruby Tuesday and grabbed a bite to eat then headed home. We realized on the way home we needed a few things for the house and as tired as we were we had to stop for groceries, by the time we got home it was 11:00 pm.

People have no idea of what is involved in being a full time entertainer. The time we spend on the road and fuel costs are almost unheard of. Just yesterday we spent around $120.00 in gas and around 13 hours in the van.

My favorite part of being a magician has always been the time in front of the audience. Drive time, packing and unpacking the van, setting up and taking down the show, loading and unloading animals, office work, rehearsals, researching new tricks and illusions, and more are hardly ever seen, much less thought about; even our families are surprised when we talk about this part of our job.

Wes Iseli's Dollar to Impossible Location

This was filmed after an illusion show in Northern Va around 11:00 pm. I am in sweats because the audience is all gone and I was loading the van and trailer. This is an effect I have been working on for a while and I am thinking about marketing it to magicians later this year. You are seeing the effect just as it happened. The only edit was turning the camera point of view when the videographer turned the camera on its side while filming.