Saturday, September 08, 2007

Ed Marlo


Ed Marlo, originally uploaded by stuartjudah.

Ran across an interesting web site called The Round Table. I got to say that I sure didn't expect to be listening to Ed Marlo sing "Tootie Fruitie" singing harmonies with a girl. Go figure. Made me think back to the time Roger Klause had me do my act for Ed Marlo and the boys during a late night session at the 35 Years After (Marlo's last lecture) in St. Louis. It was quite an affair, Goshman was there along with Roger Klause, Ken Krenzel, Shawn Greer, Don England, Bill Malone, Bill Kalush, Marlo of Course, Daryl, and a bunch of guys I'm forgetting.

Friday, September 07, 2007

Neil Young - Heart Of Gold


Neil Young (159), originally uploaded by Stephan A. E..

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Hollywood

September is here. Today was my fathers 71st birthday. Happy Birthday Dad!! He was in NYC at the South Street Seaport when I chatted with him today. He sounded great.

Last night I went to listen to some live big band music at Joe's in Burbank. Excellent 14 piece jazz band crammed into this little club. The dance floor was packed when people dancing, west coast swing, lindy hop, charleston, cha cha and dances I didn't recognize. All a beautiful swirl of color and energy from the bandstand to the dance floor. I had a good time but was a chicken shit about asking any girls to dance. Need to get over that. I'm taking Tuesday nights in Sept. off to go again and again and see if I can get it right. I just want a place where I can go dance every week like I did in Seattle, where I can make friends and have a little community. I watched some inspired dancing. Hot young bodies, with fully articulated hips. Dirty dancing ending in a sagging dip. I like Joe's, unassuming joint close by, great new acts every week, no cover charge.

Today I had lunch with Polly. I met her at Paramount and was walked on to the sound stage where they shoot Dirty, Sexy, Money. They were finishing up a few shots taken from the perspective of inside an elevator looking out. Hair and make-up huddled on their chairs in video village. Lunch was called and Polly gave me a brief tour of some of the sets. The first episode airs in a couple weeks and everyone is hoping it will be well received. The PR machine has been churning and billboards and press are a buzz with the new show.

This could be called the making of a hit TV show or not. I'll keep you posted. I think it's all very exciting and fascinating to see how everyone's hard work comes together.

We had lunch at Astro Burger around the corner from their base camp, a Paramount owned parking lot used to cram a bunch of trailers (Hair/Make Up, Wardrobe, each star has his own trailer) in.

Met a fellow magician who works on the show. We did a few tricks back in Polly's trailer for the gang. Fun stuff in Hollywood.

Afterwards I picked up Vaclav and we went to Bronson Canyon for a short hike. He showed me the Bat Cave and a nice view of the Hollywood sign. He got a call back on a show. Some sort of mentalist reality show, first introduced to Israeli audiences with Uri Geller as the host. I'll keep my fingers crossed for him. He need something good to happen right now. I'm gonna give him a crash course on how to be a street performer.

Hello Hollywood :), originally uploaded by Blu3_Sky777.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Quick, Robin. . . . to the Bat Cave Na Na Na Na Na Na

Just a short drive from Hollywood Blvd. is a site that's been the backdrop for shows and movies for decades. Most famous as the Bat Cave, it's also been used in Star Trek, Bonanza , Gunsmoke , Little House on the Prairie, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and dozens of other shows and movies.

This area was originally a rock quarry where rock was crushed to build surrounding roads like Sunset Blvd. Now it's a small back corner of Griffith Park.

Besides the caves, there's a nice park with playground equipment, more trails, and Camp Hollywood, an inexpensive city camp for girls.

From the front you see one entrance, but inside it splits into three which all exit into the quarry hollow. As you exit head to the left and you can see a wonderful view of the Hollywood sign.

The Batcave: Bronson Canyon

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

At the checkout counter

Britney Becomes Vegas Illusionist's Latest Angel

By Mike Fleeman


And now, for his next magic trick – Criss Angel makes Britney Spears appear by his side.

The Mindfreak star hit the town late Wednesday night with the pop star in Los Angeles, with Angel hooking up with Spears and her friends at Cravings Restaurant in West Hollywood. The two were spotted driving around together in his Rolls-Royce, then later photographed entering The Tower-Beverly Hills hotel.

Spears, 25, became the latest celebrity seen with the Las Vegas illusionist, 39, who previously has been linked to Minnie Driver, Paris Hilton and, most recently, Cameron Diaz.

Spears and Angel have something in common: messy divorces.

Spears is tangling with ex-husband Kevin Federline over custody of their two young sons, with Federline subpoenaing several people in Spears's inner-circle, including her close friend, an assistant and a bodyguard.

Angel is clashing with his estranged wife, the New York-based Joanne Sarantakos, who claims the she was forced to keep their marriage secret in order to improve his sex appeal among women – an allegation Angel vehemently denies.

The divorce is still in the New York courts.

People Magazine

Karlini, originally uploaded by stuartjudah.

Practice


Practice, originally uploaded by stuartjudah.

Belew off another night of work due to 100+ degrees out there. Got in some good practice though to keep my chops fresh. Worked on some oldies but goodies. Polly asked me why I don't show her more tricks, so I showed her a near flawless interpretation of Dingles "Out Flushed".

She knitted, I practiced while we watched TV. We love our domestic scene, very comfortable with each other.

Nice

Tabletop and trifold practice mirror by Tim Flynn

Monday, September 03, 2007


wet night colors, originally uploaded by fotogail.

Too Hot

Large sweeping brushstrokes with a broken bottle against chain link fence. Spray cans and whiskey, a miners helmet, red goggles and of course a deck of luminescent readers. . . cause. . . well you never know.

What was it that drew me to magic? Hell I don't know, just a phase I never grew out of. I love the idea of wonder and what that means in ones life. It's a healthy curiosity that can be artful and profound.

I've got a lot to say, but I sure don't say it in my act. I struggle with the question do people want content or simply entertainment. Who knows, what I do know, is how fickle the crowds are here. I have a tight little set that pays the bills, but I think I'm ready to experiment a bit, get out of my comfort zone. The problem with longer more sophisticated routines is that if they don't loose'em during the routine, they think the trick is the end and bolt because they think I'm gonna hit them up. I want them to relax and enjoy the moment.

Blew off work this evening because it was a hundred degrees. It's a shame cause I know if was a peak traffic day/night at the Universal Studios/City Walk. Oh well, I had a lovely evening. a nice steak dinner and a quiet, cool evening with my girl.

Sunday, September 02, 2007


ICONE : Laughing at me :_(, originally uploaded by graphistolage.

Sunday

Blaring Lonnie Johnson as the afternoon slips away. Thinking about my life and what’s going on. All I want to do is make good art and feel like I’m making the world a better place, one smile at a time.

I’ve been motivated and acted on more than a few impulses and dreams through the years. For the last few years I’ve been regrouping and healing from a devastating divorce and estrangement from my kids.

Got to say I’m feeling pretty damn good these days. I have the time and energy to do anything I set my mind to. . . now the question is, what do I want to do.

I make enough money to pay all my bills, but I could be making a lot more money, if I thought that was important. The older I get the more I understand, that the status quo isn’t going to be good enough if I ever want to retire. Hell, I’ve felt like I’ve been retired for the last couple of years. Does it get better than this?

Thinking about my art in different terms today. What’s next, another round of manufacturing? Another retail store, a departure from magic into something different?

Who knows what unlikely shit I’ll think up, but it’s bound to be fun.