Discourse in Magic
Arts
Jonah Babins and Tyler Williams
Jonah Babins from Discourse in Magic tackles magic’s hardest issues, theories, philosophies, discussion, and more to help you explore. He jumps into all sorts of magic, and resources, and most importantly actionable tips to help better the art and become a killer performer!
Tips for Touring Tricks with Ryan Joyce
This week, Jonah sits down with Ryan Joyce to discuss the realities of touring, marketing a show, and working towards a solid show. Ryan is a Canadian magician who spent thirteen years touring the country with a stage illusion show. Ryan has also been seen on Penn & Teller's Fool Us, Canada's Got Talent, and his YouTube channel with over 8 million views.
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01:18:0923/05/2019
Magician Appetizer #2: Discovering Your Character
It's another bite sized episode this week! This time, Jonah suggests an interesting way to discover your character.
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05:1416/05/2019
Magician Appetizer #1: The Audience’s Perspective
This week, Jonah is trying out a different kind of solo episode. Short but packed with information, the Magician Appetizer episodes are meant to whet your appetite for the larger topics often discussed on the podcast. To start the new format off, Jonah explores the idea of putting on the shoes of your audience member.
The post Magician Appetizer #1: The Audience’s Perspective appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
06:2809/05/2019
Searching for Real Magic with Gordon Precious
On episode 161, Jonah sits down with Gordon Precious to discuss exploring life and searching for real magic. Besides being an incredible magician, Gordon has travelled to over 100 countries, owns an extensive magical apparatus collection, and holds the world record for being the oldest heli skier at the age of 94.
The post Searching for Real Magic with Gordon Precious appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:08:5802/05/2019
Finding Joy in Magic with Michel Clavello
On episode 160, Jonah sits down with Michel Clavello to discuss finding the magic that’s right for you, how to share joy through your magic and producing magic products. Co-owner of Vernet Magic, Michel is a magician and mentalist from Argentina who has won several awards at major conferences for his innovative illusions.
The post Finding Joy in Magic with Michel Clavello appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:05:5725/04/2019
Wagers, Bets, and Gambles with Norman Beck
Gambling expert, Norman Beck, sits down with Jonah for episode 159 to discuss taking a logical approach, public speaking and when to take a bet. Alongside being a magician and public speaker, Norman has been the VP of Claims and Secuirty for SCA for the past 24 years, spending his time working out how individuals may cheat the system.
The post Wagers, Bets, and Gambles with Norman Beck appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:31:2818/04/2019
Never Give Up with Matt Johnson
On episode 158, Matt Johnson joins Jonah to discuss escapology, adding human elements to your magic, and recreating your brand. You may know Matt for his water tank escape on Penn & Teller: Fool Us or for his semi-place finish on Britain's Got Talent.
The post Never Give Up with Matt Johnson appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:14:2711/04/2019
10 Tips to Succeed at Magic Conventions
With Toronto's annual magic convention right around the corner, Jonah sits down for episode 157 to give you ten tips on maximizing your magic convention experience.
The post 10 Tips to Succeed at Magic Conventions appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
32:0004/04/2019
Making Better Magic with Brent Braun
For episode 156, Brent Braun sits down with Jonah to discuss what you need to do to improve your magic. Co-founder of the Magic Firm, Brent is regarded as one of the top behind-the-scenes magic consultants, helping magicians move beyond simply thinking about tricks and methods.
The post Making Better Magic with Brent Braun appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:29:2528/03/2019
Palm the Damn Coins with Kainoa Harbottle
On episode 155, Kainoa Harbottle sits down with Jonah to discuss coin magic, educating your audience on magic, and magic in the 19th century. Kainoa is known for his extensive work on coins and his ability to bring theatrical techniques into his performances to elevate magic for his audience.
The post Palm the Damn Coins with Kainoa Harbottle appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:25:3121/03/2019
Bringing Card Magic to the Stage with Alan Marchese
Alan Alfredo Marchese joins Jonah for episode 154 to discuss choosing effects, creating emotion, and the Spanish School of Magic. Attributed to his deep understanding of magic, Alan is known for performing memorable and impactful effects.
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01:14:4914/03/2019
Brian Miller on One New Person
This episode the interviewer becomes the interviewee. Jonah sits down with Brian Miller on his podcast, One New Person, to discuss his identity as a magician, copywriting and a chance encounter with one person that had a ripple effect on his life. Brian is a magician turned speaker with the goal of helping people feel heard and valued in our disconnected world.
The post Brian Miller on One New Person appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
35:5407/03/2019
Teamwork, Fallon, and the Audience with Dan White
For episode 162, Jonah sits down with Dan White to discuss working with a team, creating a show, and performing on television. Dan has appeared on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ten times, has an on running show at the Nomad, and has consulted for people like David Blaine, David Copperfield and Kanye West.
The post Teamwork, Fallon, and the Audience with Dan White appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:26:4828/02/2019
Being Conscious About Your Magic with Manuel Llaser
Jonah is joined by Manuel Llaser for episode 151 to discuss emotion in magic, learning from teachers, and analyzing your approach to magic. Manuel is an Argentinian magician who developed his deep appreciation for magic under the guidance of Juan Tamariz.
The post Being Conscious About Your Magic with Manuel Llaser appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
02:18:3921/02/2019
Growth in Magic
For episode 150, Jonah would like to thank the listeners for accompanying him on this journey. To do so, he has sat down to reflect on a trick he has been performing for a while now to see how it has changed with him. Alongside the audio, there is a video component to accompany Jonah’s reflection.
The post Growth in Magic appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
25:4014/02/2019
Honest Conversations for Performers with Ben Train
For episode 149, Jonah sits down with his roommate and business partner, Ben Train, to take a critical look at their own approach to magic and their performances.
The post Honest Conversations for Performers with Ben Train appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:12:5007/02/2019
Make No Small Plans with Steve Cohen
The "Millionaire's Magician" Steve Cohen joins Jonah on Episode 138 to discuss branding, developing a show, and how to shape a career. Steve is best known for his long-running weekly show, Chamber Magic, but has also appeared on numerous television shows, produced a sold-out show at Carnegie Hall, and has performed all over the world for esteemed audiences.
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02:00:5101/02/2019
YouTube, Exposure and Making Magic with Jay Sankey
Jay Sankey sits down with Jonah for episode 147 to discuss magic online, creating and persuasive communication. Not only does Jay hold the world record for creating the most original illusions, but he runs a successful YouTube channel, is an international public speaker, comedian, performer, and consultant.
The post YouTube, Exposure and Making Magic with Jay Sankey appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:18:0325/01/2019
Scaling Up your Performance with Haim Goldenberg
Jonah sits down with Haim Goldenberg to discuss the business of magic, taking risks and finding your character for episode 146. Haim is an Israeli-Canadian mentalist who is behind Cryptext and the show Goldmine.
The post Scaling Up your Performance with Haim Goldenberg appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:33:0917/01/2019
The Truth About Mentalism with Banachek
To start off 2019, Jonah sits down with Steve Shaw, better known as Banachek, to discuss mentalism, the ethics behind deception, and parapsychology. Banachek is one of the world’s leading mindreaders who has helped debunk psychic claims, created effects for leading performers and is sought after by venues around the world for his performances.
The post The Truth About Mentalism with Banachek appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:50:1210/01/2019
Magic 2018 vs. 2019 with Ben Train, Chris Mayhew, and Jacque Swan
New year, new magic! To ring in the new year, Jonah sits down with Ben Train, Chris Mayhew, and Jacque Swan to discuss their magic highlights and lowlights from 2018, and what they plan to change for the upcoming year.
The post Magic 2018 vs. 2019 with Ben Train, Chris Mayhew, and Jacque Swan appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
35:1803/01/2019
Impact, Emotion, and Frustration in Magic with Pipo Vilanueva
Pipo Villanueva joins Jonah for episode 143 to discuss adding impact to your magic. Pipo is a magician from Spain who has performed at the Magic Castle and is known for performing impactful effects.
The post Impact, Emotion, and Frustration in Magic with Pipo Vilanueva appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:25:0727/12/2018
Exposure and Behind the Scenes
Episode 142 is a new take on the catch-up episodes. In the first half, Jonah is addressing a topic in the magic community which has been a part of many recent discussions: Magic exposure online. In the second half, he sits down with his writer and editor, Jacque Swan, to discuss magic in Toronto and behind the scenes of the podcast.
The post Exposure and Behind the Scenes appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
56:5320/12/2018
Rituals, Experiences and Engaging Mentalism with Joe Diamond
After several recommendations, Joe Diamond finally sits down with Jonah for episode 141 to discuss ritualistic magic, believability, and engaging your audiences. Joe is a mentalist based in Illinois who delves into the weird side of life through his magic. He has headlined at the Chicago Magic Lounge, performed alongside David Parr, and hosts a weekly show called The 13th Hour.
The post Rituals, Experiences and Engaging Mentalism with Joe Diamond appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:50:0213/12/2018
Marketing Secrets for Entrepreneurial Magicians with Zivi Kivi
Jonah sits down with Zivi Kivi for episode 140 to talk the business of performing. Zivi is not only a children’s entertainer, but he operates several podcasts like the Balloon Artist Podcast, Generous Podcast, and the Magician Business Podcast while also instructing with the Kids Entertainer Academy.
The post Marketing Secrets for Entrepreneurial Magicians with Zivi Kivi appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:48:3606/12/2018
Creating Magic and Fooling Magicians with Ondřej Pšenička
This week, Jonah sits down with Ondřej Pšenička to discuss creating magic, Fool Us, and the importance of community. Ondřej is an award-winning magician who has performed at the Magic Castle, on Penn & Teller, and is the creator of the Butterfly Deck.
The post Creating Magic and Fooling Magicians with Ondřej Pšenička appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:46:3129/11/2018
Monthly Catch up: Len Cooper and Esther Follies
It’s a solo episode for 138 as Jonah sits down to catch you up on his trip to Austin, where he’s at with his magic and new ideas for the podcast.
The post Monthly Catch up: Len Cooper and Esther Follies appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
23:5622/11/2018
Secrets to Developing Your Act with Carisa Hendrix
Magic podcast hosts collide this episode as Carisa Hendrix, co-host of Shezam, sits down with Jonah to discuss performance, women in magic, cultural theory, and It Factor. Carisa is known for creating characters that draw on her visual arts and sideshow background.
The post Secrets to Developing Your Act with Carisa Hendrix appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
02:25:5115/11/2018
Music, Magic and Using Your Other Passions with Jonathan Friedman
Musician-turned-magician Jonathan Friedman joins Jonah this week to discuss combining outside passions with your magic and how magic has changed over the years. Jonathan is the best selling author of The 80’s Called...They Want Their Magic Book Back Vol. One and The Magic of Jonathan Friedman: The Musical.
The post Music, Magic and Using Your Other Passions with Jonathan Friedman appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:15:3908/11/2018
Vanishing Inc, Going Pro and Publishing your Magic with Andi Gladwin
This week, Jonah finally sits down with Andi Gladwin—co-founder of Vanishing Inc.—to discuss the business of magic, creating magic, and how to manage your time. Andi has also appeared on Fool Us and The Next Great Magician where he performed his Man in a Balloon act.
The post Vanishing Inc, Going Pro and Publishing your Magic with Andi Gladwin appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:13:1701/11/2018
Co-hosts, Banksy, and Getting Caught Up
It’s a short episode this week with Jonah talking about the state of the podcast, the Banksy painting fiasco, and the Toronto Magic Company.
The post Co-hosts, Banksy, and Getting Caught Up appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
14:2625/10/2018
Why Tyler is Leaving the Podcast
With his passion shifting away from magic, Tyler says goodbye to the magic community and to Discourse in Magic in episode 133. Over the course of two hours, Tyler and Jonah discuss why he has decided to leave while reminiscing about their time working on the podcast.
The post Why Tyler is Leaving the Podcast appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
02:12:4419/10/2018
Performance That Engages on Multiple Levels with David Parr
Known for his appearance on Fool Us, David Parr joins Tyler and Jonah. Bringing his theatrical background to magic this episode, David discusses the value of live theatre, the power of storytelling and Fool Us.
The post Performance That Engages on Multiple Levels with David Parr appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
02:01:3011/10/2018
Bridging the Old and the New with Harapan Ong
Harapan Ong joins Tyler and Jonah this week to discuss Instagram magic, developing your art, and the public’s exposure to magic. While Harapan is not a full-time magician, you can find him performing from and reviewing magic books on his Instagram show, Fully Booked.
The post Bridging the Old and the New with Harapan Ong appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:03:0004/10/2018
Ads, Ethics, AGT
This week, Tyler and Jonah sit down to discuss their past month’s projects, advertising, their views on ethics in magic and Shin Lim.
The post Ads, Ethics, AGT appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:13:3028/09/2018
Innovation and Being Unsatisfied with Existing Methods with Axel Hecklau
We are very excited to have Axel Hecklau join us. He is an award-winning magician, taking second place for parlour magic at the 2018 FISM World Championship, who brings his unique insight to improving existing methods this episode.
The post Innovation and Being Unsatisfied with Existing Methods with Axel Hecklau appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
59:4920/09/2018
Summer Catch-Up and Remaining Q & A
We start episode 127 by catching up with Tyler and Jonah. While Tyler hasn’t been performing much practical magic, he has been developing his video and editing skills. Meanwhile, Jonah’s month was steeped with magic.
The post Summer Catch-Up and Remaining Q & A appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:07:4306/09/2018
Magic Goals and Winning the Crowd with Karl Hein
Episode 126 is with Slight of Hand magician Karl Hein who is known for WOWing audiences with amazing and original magic and routines. Jonah has seen him perform both at the Magic Castle, and at a Toronto Magic Company show he produced in Toronto.
The post Magic Goals and Winning the Crowd with Karl Hein appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:14:5230/08/2018
Quarterly Q & A
Today’s monthly episode is a 1 am Q&A Episode, with Discourse in Magic: Nights. There was a lot of questions this time, mostly from the mailing list, sorry if they didn't get to your question. Get on the Newsletter to be in contact with Jonah and get your questions answered next time.
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01:35:2924/08/2018
Using Magic to Make an Impact with David Peck
David Peck is a Toronto magician who specialized in manipulation. He is now a speaker, a writer, and a mover and a shaker in the world of social change. You may recognize him from his Face 2 Face podcast.
The post Using Magic to Make an Impact with David Peck appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:42:5316/08/2018
Becoming an Amazing Performer with Kayla Drescher
Kayla Drescher is a fantastic magician, who really cares about character, comedy and the importance of theatre. She recently performed on Pen & Teller's “Fool Us” and has a new podcast, called Shezam chatting all about women in magic.
The post Becoming an Amazing Performer with Kayla Drescher appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:26:4609/08/2018
Internet Exposure, AGT, and Other Magic Updates
It’s time for the Discourse in Magic boys to have their monthly get together episode, but this time they’re separated as Jonah has been touring Ontario and Quebec. Tyler, meanwhile, has been shooting more videos for his work and Instagram, while also watching other magician’s live performances. Some magicians that they’re both excited about is […]
The post Internet Exposure, AGT, and Other Magic Updates appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
34:5503/08/2018
Hypnosis, and the Business of Show Business with Dave Curran
Dave Curran is a Ontario based Hypnotist known for his Las Vegas-like shows. He’s a friend of Jonah’s (who’s seen his shows over 200 times). Dave was horrible with magic at first, but after buying and practising magic-shop tricks at the age of 11, he begun doing close-up and walk-around shows. He then took improv lessons and, after seeing Terry Stokes live, decided to pursue Hypnosis.
The post Hypnosis, and the Business of Show Business with Dave Curran appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:24:5626/07/2018
How to Perform Card Magic with Jason Ladanye
Jason Ladanye is a world-class sleight of hand magician and card cheating expert, known for his latest book “Confident Deceptions”, his studies with Darwin Ortiz and knowledge in the major topics of theory, practise, scripting and tension made him a great addition to the podcast.
The post How to Perform Card Magic with Jason Ladanye appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:19:0819/07/2018
Make Your Own Magic and Start to Get Bookings
In this minisode (mini-episode) Jonah records a short episode with his advice to the responses he received to his regular email asking the Discourse in Magic audience one special question. He asked our 1000 person email newsletter: "What do you want to learn", and he received dozens of answers that landed in two categories.
The post Make Your Own Magic and Start to Get Bookings appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
21:4212/07/2018
Is There a ‘Correct’ Type of Magic?
It’s time for your regular catch-up episode with Jonah and Tyler. The episode starts with a quick recap of the last month, where Jonah talks about the Art of Magic, his trip to Chicago and Minneapolis, and much more, and Tyler tells us about a corporate gala gig he got to do!
The post Is There a ‘Correct’ Type of Magic? appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
39:0507/07/2018
Gambling, Cheating, and The Expert at the Card Table with Jason England
For Episode 117, the Discourse in Magic boys got a chance to sit down with Jason England. If you didn't know, Jason England is the leading expert on Erdnase, Casino gambling and cheating. His interest in cards
started after learning how to play blackjack with his Grandma, and watching the Carson show with
his Dad, which lead him to the beginnings of buying card books.
The post Gambling, Cheating, and The Expert at the Card Table with Jason England appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:00:0828/06/2018
The Toronto Magic Company
In this episode, Jonah slides over to the other side of the couch so that he can pair with Ben Train and talk about the birth and the growth of the Toronto Magic Company. It start with the story of how TMC began.
The post The Toronto Magic Company appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:03:0621/06/2018
The Internet, Creation, and Mutant Powers with Kyle Marlett
This week Jonah and Tyler talk with magician Kyle Marlett about his new show Mutant Powers. Kyle explains the ins and outs of working in the world of magic and how he has become a fantastic magic consultant and creator.
The post The Internet, Creation, and Mutant Powers with Kyle Marlett appeared first on Discourse in Magic.
01:02:0714/06/2018
Surrealist Performance Art
It’s time for episode 114 and our monthly catch-up for Jonah and Tyler. The pair like to get together every four weeks or so to talk about their magic careers and to answer you questions. Tyler has been slow on the performing side but has been creating at steady clip. He’s had to prioritize his downtime because of his new job. That has forced him to set aside some quality magic time. Tyler also recently booked one of his first corporate gigs ever, so he’s been pretty excited about that. Tyler feels like he’s back in high school when his passion about magic was at its height.
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41:0507/06/2018