September 2014
After returning from the TAOM convention in Fort Worth I unpacked my bags. Shortly after I repacked them for an upcoming tour. The big news this month is the release of my 7th instructional DVD called The Squeezer. It’s a stand-up showpiece that I’ve used in my parlor set for years now. It’s a routine that revolves around the story of a serial killer. I try to choose my audiences carefully for this one, but when used it does kill. See the trailer above.
This month kept me busy with lots of gigs and get-togethers. One day had me going from the home of a billionaire to the party of another millionaire. It was nice to spend one Saturday with my aunt Jan, Nonnie & Papa, and my wife and mother. Plus we had a fun get-together at our friends’ home the Baileys and their backyard Shangri La. I’ve had Poker nights and recently a house guest named Dan Fleshman, who is an awesome magician who was passing through town. Danny was the first magician I saw lecture when I was 16. His magic had a huge impact on me. How cool is it that one of my idols is now a good friend?
This month also featured my last in a series of Scam School episodes that was filmed a couple of months ago. When I can find the time I will return to Austin and film some more. See the show below. Scam School has around a million subscribers and probably three-times that many more who watch and don’t subscribe. People all over the world recognize me from the show and stop me from time to time and ask, “Are you Diamond Jim Tyler?” Sometimes it’s flattering, and sometimes it is unsettling because I think to myself, “Do I know this person? They know me. Is this a former client?” Whatever the case it’s nice to know they like what I’m doing and remember my name.
On September 14th I left home for Fort Wayne, IN. I drove it all in one day which was 15 hours. The next night I lectured there for an enthusiastic group. A couple of days later I lectured in Illinois and learned that my act “Plays in Peoria”. The next day I ventured on to Chicago and spent the day at Fun Inc where magic and novelties are manufactured. My friend Tomas Medina, a hilarious comedy magician, who helps run the place gave me a tour of their new facility. That night I went on to the home of my tour organizer Martin Mercy and met his lovely wife Cheryl. We journeyed on to the lecture facility in a hospital and I prepared for the evening. While there I gave a mini-lecture to the young magicians and then gave the full two-hour lecture to a huge crowd. From Chicago I made my way to St. Paul, MN and lectured at the new location for the impressively large shop Twin Cities Magic & Costume. St. Paul was a another great turn out. From there I traveled to Kansas City and arrived at the home of my friend the magician Todd Lamanske who is an excellent magician in his own right. I arrived at midnight and accidentally set off my car alarm. Having never done so it took awhile to turn it off and I woke up half the neighborhood in the process. The next day we made our way to US TOY where I did a lecture once again to a packed house! After the lecture Todd did a mini-interview which can be seen below.
I drove through 9 states and performed in 4 of them. All in all I drove about 3000 miles! After the tour I got home as quick as I could on Tuesday Sept. 23rd and began returning emails and filling numerous orders. Luckily I had four gigs to look forward to the same week. After getting caught up I have begun working on design and lay out for some upcoming releases that I hope to have out this year. Also, my holiday schedule and weekends are beginning to fill up. I will be closing out the month on Sept. 3oth by doing an online chat interview for Full Circle Magic; see the link below. It’s lining up to be another solid year for shows. I love my job!
