Dustings #141

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For those on The Juxe mailing list, the next mix will be coming this weekend (including my Album of the Year for 2025).

Yigal Mesika’s top three most impressive tricks:

3. Electric Touch
2. Spider Pen
1. Making Craig Petty a sympathetic figure.

I don't know if Yigal Mesika is making a Legal Mistake-a (see what I did there?) or not. I don't know if Craig's video here constitutes slander or libel. Don't give a shit either. I do know that Yigal ends up looking like a bitch in this situation.

You need to get the courts involved? You can't win a battle of public opinion against Craig Petty?? Half of the magic community hates him. And the other half… also kind of hates him. If you’re in the right, there should be no issue winning this fight man-to-man. Resorting to legal action in this situation is a bad look.

I’m not 100% convinced, but I’m fairly certain this trick doesn’t pass the Green Grass Test.

It just feels like it complicates the handling. And I’m not convinced the metaphor works as well with this version.

“Just like Bob and Therea here, these two cards are now sort-of one, misaligned, and a bit awkward.”

Here’s a video from Chris G on how to handle the Damsel Cull Force when you’re in a situation where you can’t just spread the deck. For example, this would allow you to do it off a spectator’s outstretched hand.

I got an email this morning that found it odd I hadn’t written about the Epstein list, “given your crusade against child molesters.”

I didn’t realize having an issue with magicians who were convicted of sex crimes was a “crusade” exactly. It seems like it’s the default position any normal human would have.

The implication was that maybe I was protecting Copperfield. He wrote:

“You have a daily magic blog and haven't mentioned this at all, as far as I can tell. The elephant in the room hasn't vanished.”

Let me set things straight for any other dunces who don’t get it...

Yes, I have a daily magic blog.

This blog isn’t called “Current Events In Magic: Your Source for Magic News.” I don’t give a shit about famous magicians. I don’t watch other magicians. I don’t even particularly like magic other than the very narrow scope in which I present it to the people in my life.

“Buh, buh, but you always post about magicians convicted of sex crimes!” Yes, I know. But not because I like to, or because it’s “newsworthy.” I do it because—unbelievably—no real magic organization tracks it. And I think there should be some record of these offenses online. Especially since a lot of these guys go right back into performing for children the moment they can. But it’s not a subject I’m looking for more opportunities to write about.

And now you’re asking me to cover something there are 436,000 results for online?

I don’t think you need me for this one; you’ve all got this covered. Congrats, you finally give a shit if the magician involved is famous enough.