987: Dean Gunnarson - Escaping Reality

Multi international award winning escapist, Dean Gunnarson, joins us this week to talk about his dangerous career. He has been called by the media “The World’s Most Daring Escape Artist” and the title fits. Traveling from his home in Canada to lands across China, Dean has conquered it all and accepted challenges much like Harry Houdini, from rope and chain escapes to the Water Torture and Milk Can Escapes, not to mention straitjacket escapes while being suspended hundreds of feet in the air,

Dean shares with us this week about how James “The Amazing” Randi got him started with an early television special that led to Dean becoming his successor having passed the “Mantle of Escapes” on to Dean. He also shares with us some horror stories when he broke bones, lost a finger, and more. This is an unusual profession and few in the world specialize solely in this art. He does not consider himself a magician, nor does he perform magic at his appearances.

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986: Dan Harlan - Cosmic Thinker

One of magic’s most creative minds, Dan Harlan, joins us this week. No doubt many of you have his “Card Toon” card trick or have watched him on Penguin Live videos or perhaps on the Tarbell Course of Magic on video. Maybe you once subscribed to The Minotaur which he co-published with Marv Leventhal. His life and career hasn’t all been roses and indeed had many bumps along the way. Currently he hosts MagiCon - The Mystic Tower convention in Raleigh, North Carolina plus he continues to create and perform.

Dan Harlan is quite candid about his successes and shortcomings as he openly shares many stories in this week’s episode. We learn that Dan doesn’t like card tricks and he tells us why. He also reveals a long time secret that Majoke was co-authored by him and Scott Alexander. He talks about the time it took to create and film “Every Trick in the Book” of Tarbell. Dan also tells us about his years with Penguin and other creative projects that hold his attention.

985: MAGIC Live! 2026 - Day Four

Schedule

Wednesday, August 6th

24 hours Bicycle Lounge, St. Charles

9:00 a.m. Information Booth, Kiosk (9:00p)

10:00 a.m. General Sessions, Showroom, (Noon)

10:00 a.m. Focus Sessions (11:00a)

11:00 a.m. The MAGIC Shop, Mardi Gras, (2:00p)

11:15 a.m. Focus Sessions (12:15p)

11:30 a.m. Cafe Live!, Esplanade K/L (2:00p)

12:15 p.m. Lunch Break (2:15p)

2:15 p.m. General Session, Showroom (4:15p)

2:15 p.m. Focus Sessions (3:15p)

3:30 p.m. Focus Sessions (4:30p)

Live Tonight!

6:00, 9:00 p.m. - Live Onstage!, Showroom

10:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. - Farewell Party, Mardi Gras

10:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. - Souvenir Program Handout, Mardi Gras

Time stamps and guest names for this episode:

00:00:15 – Jamie Salinas and Scott give a recap of the previous day’s activities, plus a review of some Vegas shows.

00:09:53 – host of the Wednesday night General Session, Ben Barnes, talks about his experience at MAGIC Live! 2026 plus the Chicago magic scene (since he is the Entertainment Director of the Chicago Magic Lounge) plus his recent recording for Masters of Illusion television show.

00:17:03 – Griffen Barry basically grew up in Dean Dill’s barber shop. The close-up magic experience at MAGIC Live! featured a look back in history at Dean’s shop and what it was like. Griffen gives us a bit more context.

00:30:34 – Mark Doetsch, from Chicago, is a regular attendee at MAGIC Live! and we chat about the morning’s General Session.

00:40:58 – Lance Rich was the Director for the General Sessions. He tells about some of the acts and what he did to make everyone look good.

00:54:03 – We do a wrap-up of MAGIC Live! with the organizer, Stan Allen, who can finally sit down to relax and reflect.