The Book
“Welcome to the World Famous Tower Comedy / Magic Bar and an evening you may not remember, but you won’t forget.”
The delightful absurdity of this expression was always met with a kind of confused laughter. As the years began to meld into a collected mass, I began to realize that it isn’t as ridiculous as it first sounded.
To paraphrase Maya Angelou’s quote, audiences rarely remember details of what you did; instead, they remember how you made them feel.
This is not only true for my audiences; it is also true for me. Looking back over the golden years of the Tower, the details of all those evenings may fade, but the warm, glowing feelings of laughter, amazement and conviviality will stay with me forever. When I tell stories about those early days, these details come back.Stories present themselves, reminding me of those moments that have shaped my memories. I finally began to make notes about these stories I have been telling for years and before I knew it, they have cascaded into this book.
This is my memoir. It is a story book, a joke book, a guide for aspiring bar magicians and maybe a little magic book rolled into one.
The stories have shaped me as a person for nearly four decades; the fun, the drama and everything in between.
The tricks were only some of the tools I used to create a space where people could be encouraged to safely open up, bond and create memories for life. My personality, my love of people, and a genuine sense of caring for my audiences all rolled together to make me who I am today. These, often intangible, facets are essential to create a magical and memorable evening. As I look at these facets, I realize that these lessons are LIFE LESSONS that I can (and do) apply to other parts of my life.
The guide for aspiring bar magicians that is woven into this book will tell you about those lessons. They have been a lifetime in the making. Some are a legacy from my father, who had a wonderful sense of whimsy and fun; the rest are from all the people I’ve met along the road of my life.
I sincerely hope that – even if you don’t remember everything in this book, you’ll never forget it!