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May 06, 2007
Panning Copperfield
I never thought I would ever pan a magic show, especially one by the notable David Copperfield in a venue as (normally) impressive as The Palace Theater. I am a sucker for magic, even amateur acts in school talent shows or wandering sleight-of-hand magicians at wedding receptions. So, when the opportunity to see David Copperfield's show, billed as "An Intimiate Evening of Grand Illusion", I invested over $100 for tickets in the Mezzanine and looked forward to a dazzling display of illusion and escapism. Unfortunately, the evening was neither intimate nor grand.
Instead, we were held hostage to videos of Copperfield’s shameless self-promotion, cheap props, juvenile sex jokes and pop culture references, corny card tricks, annoying spotlight effects, and an obnoxious host whose current iteration is a sort of tasteless urban parody. If possible, Copperfield seemed more bored than the audience.
Nevertheless, I laughed at some of the silly routines (since I am easily amused) and offered a smattering of applause occasionally (since I am not easily impressed), and I remained optimistic that the show would progressively improve from its sparse, warehouse set to something with more pyrotechnics. I don’t mind the “smoke and mirrors” part of magic; I expect it. It didn’t happen. Up until the end, I was willing to believe that Copperfield really chose random people from the audience to assist in demonstrating his impossible clairvoyance. Now, I’m certain that most (if not all) of his “volunteers” are preselected, and that even though one cannot deny his slick and maverick prosecution, Copperfield’s magic is just another con game.
The prelude to this lackluster show was an overly-long video montage of snippets of movies, television shows and cartoons where someone mentions David Copperfield. Three minutes into it, we were more than convinced that he was a household word. So what? Halfway through the show we were treated with yet another video snoozefest displaying Copperfield’s projects, museums, awards, philanthropic endeavors and clips of some of his greatest illusions, which we wished had been duplicated for our live viewing pleasure. That was not to be. Unfortunately, in his current tour, Copperfield treats the audience like red-headed step-children. Gone are the tuxedo, mystery and elegance, replaced by “Casual Friday” denim, t-shirts and banal sexual innuendo. Apparently, Copperfield has changed his marketing strategy to attract more than the hoi polloi, but the riff-raff as well.
In what was to be one of the most bizarre experiences of any entertainment event in which I was a spectator, and that essentially ruined the entire evening for me, was the “Reunion” illusion, where a man is reunited with his estranged daughter in (of all places) Perth, Australia. The trick involves the alleged daughter (sitting conveniently in the audience), who joins Copperfield on a crane, they both disappear, then reappear in a video where the daughter meets her “dad” on the beach. Now, this might be warm and fuzzy (albeit rather dull) for the Oprah audience, and some of us may have tried to figure out how he juxtaposed the images to create the illusion of real-time, except for one glaring and deeply disturbing problem: the “actor” they used to perform the role of the long-suffering dad was none other than one of my "exes", the infamous Taz of lush-life, terror in Jamaica, murder-attempting fame. It’s hard to describe my surprise at seeing photo-chopped images of Taz flashing on the big screen: Taz holding a little baby, Taz as a kid, Taz in a garage with a little girl who resembled him (maybe they used his real daughter, who knows?); good old Taz looking all forlorn and heroic.
Seriously, I didn’t know whether to burst out laughing or scream in horror. At that point, whatever semblance of illusion and suspense I granted Mr. Copperfield was ripped to shreds like one of his mylar tarps.
Why David Copperfield selected that dog-faced moron to be his model for the “reunite” shtick is beyond me. I’m pretty sure that they didn’t really film the beach scene in Perth, Australia. Suffice it to say, the greatest illusion Copperfield created in this show was to turn a washed-up, violent, despised drunk like Taz into a sympathetic, heart-warming character. That, my friends, was definitely magic.
Comments
That is the most unbelievable story I've heard in a long time. I don't even know what to say. This is a wild and crazy world!
Posted by: Barbara | May 6, 2007 02:32 PM
I'd say,
"YOU'RE KIDDING!"
except that I know you are not!
What a howler!
What did NG think of all this?
Posted by: vero | May 6, 2007 02:33 PM
I would have screamed out loud! They would have come along the aisle and asked me to leave, due to my hysterical laughter, after that initial scream!
Posted by: vero | May 6, 2007 02:35 PM
Jim asked if you demanded your money back!
Sounds like maybe a $20 laugh, not $100!
Posted by: vero | May 6, 2007 02:39 PM
OMG! What are the ODDS of that happening? I'm speechless!
Posted by: CountryGal | May 6, 2007 03:17 PM
What are the odds? That was magic,all right, black magic.
Posted by: Peggy | May 6, 2007 03:49 PM
~Waving frantically to Peggy~
Hi, Peggy!
Posted by: vero | May 6, 2007 04:01 PM
Holy Cow! What a coincidence! Defies the odds, indeed!
Posted by: Astrologer | May 6, 2007 05:07 PM
That is too much! Bad show you can almost chalk up to whatever floats your boat, but Taz? ACK!!
Posted by: Deege | May 6, 2007 05:12 PM
yes, I was telling BTB about it over the foam in the shoe store this afternoon. I had to laugh. I laughed so loudly, everyone looked over at me.
E.F. Hutton strikes again.
I had to laugh. It's just so dang bizarro.
Posted by: loretta | May 6, 2007 05:29 PM
Beats hell out of screaming!
Posted by: vero | May 6, 2007 05:55 PM
You couldn't even make that kind of thing up!
Shame that Copperfield wasn't very dynamic.
Posted by: Lisa | May 6, 2007 06:50 PM
I can't remember which magician opened for Cat Stevens in Houston in the mid 70's, but he was a bit lame, also.
Posted by: vero | May 6, 2007 07:03 PM
Hmmm...it must have been Chicago. I'm looking on line, and can't see that he ever played in Houston, so I must have seen him before coming down here.
Posted by: vero | May 6, 2007 07:17 PM
The best magic show I ever saw was on a cruise ship.
Here's a hint: You get better shows on the shorter cruises. The good acts don't want to commit to a 7 or 10 day cruise because they are stuck until the ship docks again which cuts into their other gigs.
Posted by: Barbara | May 6, 2007 08:22 PM
What a bizarre show. Sounds like Copperfield's losing his touch, or is not into it anymore.
It must've felt really surreal after Taz showed up.
Posted by: Nadine | May 6, 2007 10:08 PM
I remember reading about taz and the jamaica tales. Truth is stranger than...dotz! I think that wood have freaked me out of the blue. I love magic shows. I especially like the earnest and dedicated young ones of 5th and 6th grade who save all of their money to buy a white dove.
Posted by: moi | May 6, 2007 10:56 PM
Another woman missing - souds strange
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,270458,00.html
PLAINFIELD, Ill. — Missing mom Lisa Stebic was close to her children, which is why her family and friends say there's no way she would have left home voluntarily one week ago without saying a word to anyone.
"It's my understanding she was really devoted a lot to her children, spent a lot of time with them," Plainfield Police Chief Donald Bennett told FOX News on Monday.
Stebic, a 37-year-old mother of two, was last seen April 30 at her home in the 13200 block of Red Star Drive in the southwest suburb of Plainfield, Ill., about 20 miles west of Chicago."All we can do is pray and wait," Jill Webb, whose brother is married to Stebic, told The Chicago Tribune. "It's a horrible feeling."
"There's no way she would leave her children — never, never," Melanie Greenberg, a cousin of Lisa's, told the Tribune. "It's incomprehensible that she would leave without contacting the family."
Her loved ones have reached out to the public, holding news conferences and creating a Web site to enlist help in finding her.
Click here to read the Chicago Tribune story
On Sunday afternoon, about 60 volunteers gathered at an elementary school near Stebic's home. They fanned out to wooded areas, parks and farm fields to search for clues. They also went to subdivisions and shopping areas to distribute fliers with a photograph of Stebic and her description.
Kevin Coffey, who works with Stebic's sister at a printing company showed volunteers satellite photos of a wooded, marshy area that he printed from the Internet.
"It seems like the most obvious place someone would hide something in this region," he said. "We're just looking for some piece of evidence — anything — that can lead to a larger search."Harriet Bloomingbird, who lives in the Stebics' subdivision, said she didn't know Stebic personally but decided to help when she saw a television news story about her disappearance."It's just being a good citizen," Bloomingbird said as she taped a missing person's flier to a sign post. "The more people get involved, the better to help locate her."
Her husband, 41-year-old Craig Stebic, said he was working in the backyard and their young children were out when his wife disappeared.
"I can't see her leaving her kids," Craig Stebic told the Tribune. "She's a good mother. She'd do anything for her kids."
Lisa Stebic worked out at the Plainfield North High School track every night. Her husband believes someone picked her up. She took only her purse and cell phone; her cell phone and credit cards haven't been used since Monday.
Eiting said the children, who are 10 and 12 years old, were home when Lisa returned from work that day, but were not there when she vanished. He also said that no suspicious cars or people were seen near the Stebic home around the time of Lisa's disappearance.
"We're asking the community for their help," Plainfield Deputy Police Chief Mark Eiting told FOXNews.com.
Authorities hope that someone will see Lisa's picture and call police, said Eiting, "or if Lisa sees somebody has been looking for her, she will contact family or friends or the police department."
Investigators were aware of an Internet posting she made on April 11 looking for "female friends only" to join her in exercise, he said. She listed her "goals" as "increase cardio, tone up, simply get out more, meet new people, just have fun."
"I am a parent and would like to include my children in my health activities," she wrote in the posting, in which she said she was "looking for partners to get out and enjoy nature."
Eiting told FOXNews.com that Craig Stebic voluntarily handed over the family computer to police. Authorities still have it in their possession.
"We have her computer that we're now working with the Chicago regional crime laboratory on to see if we can find additional information off the computer," Bennett said.
Asked whether Craig Stebic was a suspect, Bennett responded: "We have to look at all the things, but right now we're really trying to gather information, trying to put a timeline together ... as to what her whereabouts was."
Craig Stebic said he filed for divorce after 14 years of marriage in January when his wife declared in October that she "didn't want to be married to me anymore," the Tribune reported. Since then, he said, they've lived separate lives in the same house and have not spoken more than five words to each other in five months.
Police were called to the Stebic house once in December during a verbal domestic dispute, according to the Tribune. No arrests were made.
Eiting confirmed to FOXNews.com that the Stebics were going through a divorce and said Craig Stebic was fully cooperating with the investigation.
"From what we can gather, it was a relationship that was strained," Bennett told FOX News on Monday. "She would come home after work, stay with her children, the husband would get home around 6, then she would normally leave the house then come back at a later time."
In 1995, Craig Stebic was charged with two felony counts of unlawful use of a weapon after police stopped his vehicle about 1,000 feet south of two Lincolnshire schools at 9 in the morning, according to the Tribune.
Police found a 10-gauge double-barrel shotgun, a .44 magnum semi-automatic pistol, a Ruger Mini-14 assault rifle and an AK-47 semi-automatic assault rifle in his 1998 Toyota pickup.
He was also charged with four misdemeanor counts of unlawful use of a weapon, operating an unsafe motor vehicle and driving while his license was revoked, according to the Tribune.
FOXNews.com's Liza Porteus contributed to this report.
Posted by: Mary | May 7, 2007 11:29 AM
The old Hinkey-meter is dinging away on this one.
Posted by: vero | May 7, 2007 04:11 PM
Morning all!
I've always found David Copperfield to be a disappointment. That phoney demeanour has always put me off watching anything he does. Maybe, I just don't like magic.
Somehow, I feel as though I should apologise...
Was the Taz story before my time?
Posted by: Mgt | May 8, 2007 05:09 AM
I think it might have been before mine!
I did remember he was one of Loretta's exes, but I must have missed that chapter.
Posted by: vero | May 8, 2007 09:11 AM
What a shocker, though! "Umm, umm, excuse me! I used to date Mr God's Gift, your stand-in!" LOL
Posted by: Mgt | May 8, 2007 09:28 AM
Greetings to you all!
We have a sunny/overcast day in Glasgow, with mild temperatures and not too much wind.
Posted by: Mgt | May 9, 2007 06:41 AM
Haha! A steakhouse has refused to serve O J Simpson.
I would have paid money to see that.
Ciao, everyone.
Posted by: Mgt | May 9, 2007 12:07 PM
He should be boycotted wherever he goes, the smug faced murderer who got away with it (in this life anyway). Good for that owner!
Of course, his lawyer says it was a race thing - NOT.
Hope this is the beginning of a trend - refuse OJ service everywhere for anything. He does not deserve to be free after what he did.
Posted by: Jo Ann | May 9, 2007 07:53 PM
Good morning, all.
I agree, JoAnn. The race card is BS. The man is scum....and, he lacks a basic sense of decency. Where is the remorse? POS!
Posted by: Mgt | May 10, 2007 03:55 AM
Stroke Clinic, tomorrow.
I will hopefully be here to greet you all on Monday.
Ciao!
Posted by: Mgt | May 10, 2007 11:26 AM
Congratulations, Loretta! You've surpassed a million visits!
And Happy Mother's Day!
Posted by: Astrologer | May 13, 2007 05:48 PM
Lulu Blooker awards:
http://www.lulublookerprize.com/
Posted by: Captain Joe | May 14, 2007 09:23 PM
Congratulations to all the winners!
Posted by: vero | May 15, 2007 09:03 AM
Hi Loretta,
Just checking your blog to see if you're following the Lisa Stebic disappearance in IL. I see that there is a mention above.
I used to frequent this place during the Laci case--where did everybody go? You used to have an entry per day and 400+ comments.
Hope all is well.
Posted by: Patootie | May 15, 2007 03:37 PM
hey, Patootie. Yes, that Stebic case walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, doesn't it?
I can't keep up with all the Spousal Murrrder Theater. These guys never learn.
We are sort of following the case on another blog that is private. I went private last year when things were too disruptive in here and I didn't have time to blog-sit.
As a result, I can really only effectively serve one blog at a time, and have chosen to spend more time with that one.
Eventually, maybe, I'll write more in here and revamp the blog. After the first 3 years of spending almost all my spare time on it, I just grew bored with it. I'm surprised my attention span lasted THAT long.
However, I made lots of friends and have wonderful memories of it and a lot of it saved for posterity.
Meanwhile, life interruptus.
Posted by: loretta | May 15, 2007 04:11 PM
Ah-ha--a private party! Gotcha! :)
Yeah, I don't foresee the Stebic case having a happy ending. It's local to me so I'm particularily interested.
And I can totally understand and appreciate the time you devoted to this blog for so long--I spent a few (hundred) hours reading it myself.
Take care.
Patootie
Posted by: Patootie | May 15, 2007 04:48 PM
Here's an interesting review of Michael Moore's new film "Sicko:"
http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1623337,00.html
Posted by: Astrologer | May 19, 2007 04:54 PM
That is interesting. I want to see it.
Posted by: vero | May 20, 2007 01:55 AM
Good morning!
Wonders will never cease! This probably won't last long so I have to send greetings to all the usual suspects. I am still reading but not always able to comment.
I'll be back later if I can.
Stebic stinks! Sent the kids to get ice cream or sumtin.
Posted by: Mgt | May 22, 2007 03:27 AM
Astro, a great link. Thanks.
Living in a Country where all medical treatment is free (other than prescriptions, £6.80), it is hard to grasp how expensive medical care really is.
My question is...why is your medical care so expensive? Who sets the tariff?
Posted by: Mgt | May 22, 2007 04:08 AM
Hey! I was here back with Patootie, Good to see you all are still together. I am also interested in the Stebic disappearance. (hinky meter off the charts, just like with snott), I went through my favorites, which I do about once a year. and found Loretta! I think I got lost in all the hub bub that went on back then. Hope you're all happy and healthy. Loretta I have missed your writing. Oh and also, as far as copperfield goes maybe that is his magic. Perhaps there were other women in that audience that night and instead of your ex, they looked up and saw their ex. lol, Ahh feel the magic now? Maybe he is just angry with ex wives. who knows!
That was wierd though.
Take care all. You guys used to always make my day with your humor. I miss that!
Posted by: LA Paula | May 22, 2007 09:12 PM
Hi LA Paula!! I remember you from back then, too! There is much discussion of the Stebic case on Websleuths--come on over! (I'm another name over there, BTW) Have a great day everyone!
Patootie
Posted by: Patootie | May 23, 2007 11:47 AM
Thanks for that MM link, Astrologer. I just heard about it the other day.
Hello to Mgt! I hope all is well with you.
Posted by: Nadine | May 23, 2007 03:11 PM
Morning!
Hello, Nadine. I keep checking to see if I can access the comment section...sometimes yes, sometimes no.
Vero is doing everything she can to keep me up to date. I am so grateful. Thank you, Vero.
Loretta, I also appreciate being on your distribution list. Heaping mounds of appeciation on you....!
Go, Al Gore!
Posted by: Mgt | May 24, 2007 05:39 AM
Tap.tap.tap.
I know. It's too early. Sigh!
Posted by: Mgt | May 24, 2007 08:04 AM
~yawn~
Mornin'!
I'm here--just have nothing to say. I have a Spring cold--the worst, and have to work, so can't do my usual thing with the chicken soup and Alka-Seltzer Plus.
Posted by: vero | May 24, 2007 10:31 AM
Umm, looks like Henwee Wee has been caught hiding evidence in the Phil Specter case.
Forensics 101. Never pocket an item that has already been photographed, in place.
Makes you wonder how these big shots get away with murder, huh?
Posted by: Mgt | May 24, 2007 10:48 AM
What?!
How can he have done that?
Posted by: vero | May 24, 2007 10:51 AM
I know, Vero! Bloody shocking.
The judge has ruled that he did do it. Idiot.
Will try to send the article via email.
Hold your horses....
Posted by: Mgt | May 24, 2007 10:58 AM
Job done, Vero! You should have incoming.
Posted by: Mgt | May 24, 2007 11:00 AM
Maybe you could link the story here, Vero? I wouldn't know where to start.
Posted by: Mgt | May 24, 2007 11:19 AM
Ciao, everybody!
Posted by: Mgt | May 24, 2007 11:53 AM
Hiding evidence? That's insanity. Speaking of which, Specter's just looney enough to try for the insanity clause.
Sorry I keep missing you, Mgt!
Posted by: Nadine | May 24, 2007 06:04 PM
HA! A bird pooped on Shrub during his press conference today:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c28_1180051991
Posted by: Astrologer | May 24, 2007 09:59 PM
Morning all!
Really laughed at that, Astro. Phwoooaar!
Posted by: Mgt | May 25, 2007 03:41 AM
Hi, Nadine! Hope you are well...as you know, I am kinda out of the loop these days. Although, I have to say, Vero, is really good at keeping me up to date.
She is an absolute darling! Funny as heck, too.
~~Hello~~ Loretta!
Posted by: Mgt | May 25, 2007 03:46 AM
Henry Lee's credibility is ruined. No jury will ever believe a thing he says in future.
Way to go, Henry!
They had Baden on the stand as well. His daughter is working on the Defence team. Doesn't look good for him, either.
He denied ever seeing or being aware of the object. Then said something like, "Why would I hide evidence". Umm....because your daughter is on the Defence team?
Posted by: Anonymous | May 25, 2007 07:37 AM
That was me.
Posted by: Mgt | May 25, 2007 07:38 AM
I'm a bit late with this, but here we are:
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/LAW/05/23/spector.trial.ap/index.html
Pretty crazy!
Posted by: vero | May 25, 2007 09:23 AM
Thanks Vero. Have you read the repartee going on over at Websleuths?
Just asking...!
Posted by: Mgt | May 25, 2007 10:28 AM
Have a good weekend, everybody
It is a holiday here, too, on Monday.
Ciao!
Posted by: Mgt | May 25, 2007 10:32 AM
From Mgt's post above:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They had Baden on the stand as well. His daughter is working on the Defence team. Doesn't look good for him, either.
He denied ever seeing or being aware of the object. Then said something like, "Why would I hide evidence". Umm....because your daughter is on the Defence team?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's just crazy. Seems like it would be a huge conflict of interest.
Astrologer, the bird relieving itself on Bush?
Priceless!
Must've been his number 2 fan.
Posted by: Nadine | May 25, 2007 02:43 PM
Hi all,
I think it's even worse than that. One of the lead attorneys,(the one with the long blonde??? hair), is his wife, not daughter. so he better deliver, if ya know what I mean. lol
Posted by: L.A. Paula | May 25, 2007 07:19 PM
I turned the television on the other day, and got the shock of my life. I thought that John Cooey was wearing a blonde wig! It turned out it was Spector, I think he looks very much like Cooey. I find him very KWEEPY. Fancy Henry doing that.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 27, 2007 09:18 PM