Accessibility links

Breaking News

The Message of Magic  


((PKG)) THE MESSAGE OF MAGIC
((TRT: 06:41))
((Banner: The Message of Magic))
((Reporter: Marsha James))
((Camera: Lisa Vohra))
((Editor: Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Vienna, Virginia))
((Main character: 1 male))
((Sub character: 1 female))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
When it comes to magic, there's no logical
solution why did that coin vanish from your
hand? Then, the next things is, do it again or do
something else miraculous.
((end Courtesy))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
Is magic real or is magic an illusion? I'd like to
show you what comes to mind just as an
example. And we're just going to use these
three half-dollars right here. Focus on this first
one. Three coins, two hands, no sleeves, no
bracelets. So, you think of things happening
that's impossible, but you're making the
impossible possible and you're also creating
astonishment. So, when you think about magic,
you have to think about creativity and most
importantly, making the impossible possible.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
What is real? So, I got started in magic, not
when I was young like most people. I got
started in magic when I was in graduate school
at Penn State studying health education
research. It was just a hobby for me, something
to do to just to pass the time, card tricks. Me
and a group of friends, we used to get together
and do card tricks.
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
So, I just took a leap of faith and I just said I'm
going to give myself one year. If it doesn't work
out in one year, I'll just go back to school, get a
job and just continue on with life.
((end Courtesy))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
Well, one year ended up being 16 years and I
haven't looked back yet.
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
So, that's when I decided I want to do magic full
time.
((NATS/MUSIC))
Showtime.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((end Courtesy))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
I believe that every artist should use their
platform to talk about greater issues beyond
their art.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
So, there's some elements in my show that are
subtle and then some that are not subtle, that I
speak about those issues and I let people into
my world and what I think about it. For example,
I was performing in Iowa one time.
((end Courtesy))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
It was at a college campus but it was two hours
outside, two-and-a-half hours outside of Des
Moines, Iowa. I get there. I set up. I'm behind
the curtain. I peek out. 500 people here. I was
like,
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
“Oh my gosh. Okay, I know exactly what I'm
going to say.” As soon as the emcee
announced me,
((end Courtesy))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
I walked on stage. The first words out of my
mouth is, “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for
coming to the show. When I got off the plane
this morning,
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
the Black population increased by 100 percent.”
Now, it came off as a joke but as they say,
there's truth in comedy.
((NATS/MUSIC))
That’s proof that some stereotypes are true.
((end Courtesy))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
And it resonated with everyone because they
realized, wow,
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
this is not a diverse town. Wow, I've never seen
a Black magician before,
((end Courtesy))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
but we've always been out there.
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
As a matter of fact, one part of my show, I'll talk
about the very first American-born magician by
the name of Richard Potter. So, prior to
Houdini, prior to Doug Henning, prior to David
Copperfield, prior to
((end Courtesy))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
David Blaine, the very first magician on
American soil was a Black man. And that's
something to be proud about because
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
because people like Richard Potter, Henry Box
Brown, Hiawatha Johnson Jr., these are all
African American magicians.
((end Courtesy))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
If I could see it, I could be it.
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
Yes, I am one of the co-founders of the
International Association of Black Magical
Artists. That was an organization that was
formed
((end Courtesy))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
as a need to bring African American magicians
together.
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
There has never been an African American
magician, a Black magician, who has had a
national TV platform.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
Every one of these gentlemen are headliners for
this one show or has had a household name or
a touring show. So, that glass ceiling hasn't
been broken yet. And in 2001,
((end Courtesy))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
I came up with this idea called The Heart and
Soul of Magic.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
So, The Heart and Soul of Magic, it was a brain-
child of mine that I had in 1998. And my goal,
my life goal is to have this as a national touring
show because currently, it's just self-funded, me
and the magicians who believe in that. And
that's what we do. So, if we could get that, or if
we could get one African American magician to
be a household name like the David
Copperfields, like the David Blaines, I would say
that would cracked the ceiling, that glass ceiling,
but it wouldn't break it, but at least it's cracked
the seal in that glass ceiling.
((end Courtesy))
((NATS: Randy Shine and Alyssa Gokhale))
((Alyssa Gokhale))
Wow.
((Randy Shine))
Wow, you did it.
((Alyssa Gokhale))
Let’s try again.
((Randy Shine))
You saw it with your own eyes. You saw it live.
No smoke, mirrors, no TV screens. Right here
in your face. So, one person will walk away and
say, “Hey, it's real.”
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
Others will say, “Oh, no, it’s some trick. You
see, he's very good at slight of hand or some
other technique.” It's up to that person's views
and perspective. And so,
((end Courtesy))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
there's a saying by a famous magician named
Joseph Dunninger. He says, “For those who
believe, no explanation is necessary. For those
who don't, no explanation will suffice.”
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
((Randy Shine, Magician))
So, is magic real or is it an illusion? That's up to
you to decide.
((Courtesy: Randy Shine))
((NATS/MUSIC))


XS
SM
MD
LG