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I was lucky enough to see Jerry Sadowitz perform last night in Edinburgh, the second time I have seen him live. Goes without saying that his card work was phenomenal, I was lost a thousand times over. The crowd really seemed to enjoy the show, if you can make it to Edinburgh at some point over the next three weeks, then go and see him - great magic and very funny.

Malki-J

Already got my tickets.

Pete

Dang... where's my wallet???

Managed to get along to the Edinburgh show - the magic and the comedy were both splendid.

For me, a (still) relative beginner, the technical skill on display was mind-boggling. Having said that, it was interesting that he chose "Further Than That" from the Mark Wilson book as his grand finale. The crowd loved it, even though (if I recall) it's more-or-less self-working.

Goes to show.

Jerry's show was great.

I especially love his approach to misdirection during the Cups and Balls. No subtleties for him - just head off on a venomous diatribe about Scottish people, English people, Americans, tall people, short people... now where were we with this trick???

Needless to say, his comedy was utterly vile, and I couldn't help but laugh as people got up to leave at different points in the show as Jerry hit upon their paticular raw nerve. It's not as if they shouldn't have seen it coming his very first joke (which I won't repeat here due to matters of taste, decency and the fact that I haven't been drinking yet) should have said it all. It was very finely crafted to offend practically everyone.

Thankfully, most of the audience stayed and enjoyed the show, reassuring me that I'm not the only one who believes that sometimes it's good just to wallow in bad taste and vulgarity.

shame all his material is so out of date

hopkins wrote:shame all his material is so out of date

Errrrr... yeah nice one

I bet he hasn't studied the Henning Nelms book. I don't blame him either.

mark lewis wrote:I bet he hasn't studied the Henning Nelms book. I don't blame him either.

He gave me a long lecture on it at Intenrational Magic and swore by it, acutally!

Although I am reluctantly I do agree with you about some of the books contents.

You have to be kidding about the Nelms book and Sadowitz. Or are you?

mark lewis wrote:You have to be kidding about the Nelms book and Sadowitz. Or are you?

Unfortunately I have a sense of humour too, Mark! (*waits for sarcy comment*) Nelms and Sadowitz is one combination that just isn't compatible.

You have to be kidding about the Nelms book and Sadowitz. Or are you?

I wouldn't be too quick to say that Jerry Sadowitz isn't a fan of Nelms. Tommy Wonder once produced a set of lecture notes which included an envelope stating that all the secrets of magic were contained inside. When you opened it up, there was a note which said: Read Nelms.

Jerry is a great thinker about magic and I'm sure he would have read Nelms. What he would have taken from it you will have to ask him.

The only books Jerry ever recommended to me were The Complete Walton Vols 1 & 2

Tommy Wonder would say that about Nelms. The chap was a continental type and they always go all arty farty. Tommy went on that route himself with the Books of Wonder. However I always put that in the proper context when I meditate on the fact that the chap made his living selling worms (squirmles) on the street just like I have. Not all the time I suppose but enough to stop him starving as a magician.

I bet he wasn't thinking too much about Nelms when he was working in the street selling squirmles.

I bumped into Jerry at International Magic in London last year and was one of the nicest people I've ever met. I made a point of asking about a number of card effects just so's he had to demonstrate them in the store and I must say, the guy is a genius.

What I don't fully understand is that Jerry has been in the business for years and surely people know what they're letting themselves in for before he even opens his mouth?