talkmagic.co.uk

i am sure everyone remembers from a few years back, the Masked Magician, Val Valentino. His show on Fox swept the nation, and i have read several reviews that say they loved his show. However, i have yet to find anywhere on the internet, where Val has gone with his carreer now, and what caused the end of Breaking the Magician's Code: Magic's Greatest Secrets Finally Revealed.

I am well aware that he was trying to push the magicians into the 21st century, but he could have continued on anyway, because everyone loves knowing how these amazing feats are performed.

Does anyone know where Val is now, or what he has done since the show? and more so, does anyone know if there is a threat of another "MM" revealing the secrets of today's wonders that is magic?

I apologize if something similar to this has been posted, but i have not been able to find anything of this nature

last I heard he was killed off in a diagnosis murder special (not really just in the show )

I had read that somewhere as well, but i was wondering if maybe he just quit everything, and retired to a rocker on the front porch, or if he had dissappeared and popped up in Laughlin NV pulling one nighters at the Riverside (lol)

Try here .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val_Valentino

I'm actually surprised Wiki made such a "neutral" and even "up-beat article on Val.

I met Val in the early 80s when we were both young punks with big ideas... he'd come to one of our magic club meetings and made a normal everyday street pigeon appear from an otherwise empty lunch-box... he'd literally caught the pigeon on his way to the meeting... it was rather hilarious.

I know that many in the American side of things hate Val for the FOX shows but he wasn't the "original" Masked Mage and of course, he is far from being the last to do such a thing. Too, I feel that Val has helped reveal to the magic world how much it don't know in that many of the explanations revealed in those programs were bogus...
... Reno based illusionist Dean Hankey was tipped off about the whole FORK LIFT explanation behind the Levitation and deliberately went to the trouble of having a special "life size" Foamcore replica of a huge Fork lift made (with the right lights and at first sight, it looks very real)... The two-demensional image was shown to the audience when it came time to pass the hoop around the girl... the curtain opened, exposing the photo. Dean would look at it then the audience, mock chuckle as he pointed to the the picture adn then, tap it, making it fall back... he'd then proceed with the hood pass breaking every one of the explanation points supposedly shown in the FOX shows.

Such thinking is an example as to what professionals do when they catch wind of such things; they don't sweat it, they work with it or around it.

Frankly, I think Val's programs will ultimately do more good for magic than not. I think they will, in time, inspire people to THINK and go beyond the constrictions and limitations we apply to our selves as both, performers and designers.

Last I heard from Val he was doing something in Hawaii and then heading to Mylasia... that was about a year ago.

that's all quite amazing. i personally loved what he did, everyone has that one thing in common of "how did he do it?!" so to see a show that told you, though bogus, it was quite interesting!

I thank you all for your answers

Just to go off topic for a second the last post made me think of something since it alluded briefly to the Jon Benet Ramsey case and also referred to teaching.

While all the recent hullabaloo was going on it occured to me in a psychic flash that the initials "SBTC" on the ransom note could be an abbreviation for "substitute teacher" which John Mark Karr certainly was at the time.

I was wondering why nobody else didn't think of it but then not everybody is as psychic as I am.

Unfortunately however my theory has now gone up the spout since the chap has been deemed not guilty. Unless of course another substitute teacher did it.

OK. You can all go back to talking about Valentino now.

...

Couldn't agree more.

I'm not so certain about Val having drug problems... that's not really his ilk.

I'd heard he's doing well but it is so rare that he surfaces and touches base with any of his friends from the past... one of those wonderful things that's happened as the result of everyone's prejudice towards him here in the States and the UK. Interestingly he isn't so boycotted in other parts of the world and his Masked personna has actually proven a commercial advantage.

I am a friend of his and I know for a fact that he is still in Las Vegas. He is supposed to be going to Japan soon to do something over there. The reason that he has not done anything here in the United States is that they have basically black balled him which I think is wrong. I truly feel that what he did was right. It brought back the love for Magic that he was looking for. His children are doing wonderful also. They are well manored and well behaved very grown up and beautiful children.
Also, He does not have a drug problem. Whoever started that rumor is trying to trash Val and I know this for a fact. I have spent too many wonderful times with Val, his kids and other friends to know that it is not true.
Thank you for your time.
Hope this helps anyone that REALLY wants to know about the truth of The Masked Magician,
Sincerely,
Jennifer

Thanks for your message Jennifer, although we may seem to be against Val and the TV programs, it should be remembered that the fourth one in that series was done after Val revealed his identity and someone else acted the part of the MM. On this basis, Fox are probably more at fault for perpetuating the exposure idea. However, as has been said many times here, I doubt that most lay people would remember how any of the tricks were done, they'd just have a hazy recollection that 'somebody' revealed secrets and that's about it.

It would be a great idea for Val to be given the chance to perform some more magic on TV or on stage and just choose the effects which weren't revealed on TV so he can show us that he can do great magic. Given sufficient time, all things seem to go round in a full circle so if he can hang on long enough, he'll be in favour again.

PS next time you see him, ask him to call into TalkMagic and say Hi!