Kimoon Do - FISM 2025 - 3rd Place Winner

 

Branson Magicians Face Federal Child Exploitation Charges

 BRANSON, Mo. — Two magicians who have previously headlined shows in Branson and Las Vegas are facing a federal charge alleging the production of child sexual abuse material.

According to court records filed this week in the Western District of Missouri, Garry Carson and Janine Carson were indicted on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. Federal prosecutors allege the pair coerced and persuaded a minor, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, to engage in sexually explicit acts for the purpose of producing images and videos. The alleged conduct is said to have occurred between January 2023 and June 2025.

The Carsons have performed internationally, appearing on major stages throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia. They have also made multiple television appearances, including on the series Masters of Illusion.

According to information on their website, the duo previously performed more than 8,000 shows, beginning at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and later appeared on cruise ships and national tours. In Branson, they produced and starred in several dinner theater and magic shows, some of which received local and national recognition.

The case remains pending in federal court.

Source: Fox2Now.com

Shawn Farquhar on Fool Us

 

The Real Secret Behind Magic Isn’t the Trick

 

Magic, Fear, and the Power of the Unknown

There are few things as captivating as a great magic trick. Watching something impossible happen right in front of us—something that seems to break the rules of logic or physics—creates an instant rush of awe. Even when we know it’s an illusion, our bodies react anyway. Our heart rate spikes. Our breath catches. For a moment, we’re fully present.

That feeling of wonder is why magic has lasted for centuries. And few modern performers have explored that space between awe and fear as powerfully as David Blaine.

Blaine’s work goes far beyond tricks. His endurance stunts—standing high above the ground, surviving extreme confinement, testing the limits of the human body—force audiences to confront uncertainty head-on. What’s most fascinating isn’t the danger itself, but how he relates to fear. What looks reckless is actually deeply studied, practiced, and intentional.

Fear thrives in uncertainty. We’re afraid of what we can’t predict or control. That’s why death is often called “the great unknown.” But if we’re honest, life itself is just as uncertain. None of us really knows what tomorrow holds.

And yet, we seek uncertainty all the time.

We binge TV shows because we don’t know how they’ll end. We travel, take creative risks, start new jobs, and step on stage. In some situations, uncertainty excites us. In others, it paralyzes us. The difference isn’t the unknown—it’s our relationship with it.

Blaine doesn’t ignore fear or try to overpower it. He studies it. He prepares. He breaks massive uncertainty into smaller, manageable steps. By gathering information and training his body and mind, fear loses some of its control.

That’s something magicians understand instinctively. Every performance contains uncertainty. Every trick lives in the space between control and chaos. Magic works because we step into that space with confidence.

For years, I believed courage meant pushing past fear as fast as possible—doing it anyway. But real strength starts earlier. It begins with feeling the fear, sitting with it, and understanding what it’s trying to tell us. Fear isn’t something to crush; it’s information.

At its best, magic reminds us of something we often forget as adults: the unknown isn’t always something to fear. Sometimes, it’s exactly where wonder lives.

Peter Studebaker Has Passed

                                                                         

                                                                          1955-2025
 

Peter Studebaker Innis, a Las Vegas based magician, died unexpectedly of natural causes at home in Henderson, NV. Born in Shreveport, LA,
 Peter grew up in Houston, Texas.

Peter's passion for magic began as a hobby at an early age when he received a book about magic as a gift from his father. Learning about and performing magic was a major focus throughout his years at River Oaks Elementary, Lanier Junior High School, St. John's School, Lamar High School and the University of Texas, where he majored in International Business. After a short career in sales, Peter became an in-house magician at Houston's Hyatt Regency Hotel, eventually moving to Dallas to become an in-house magician at the Anatole Hotel. As his career grew, he began performing at private and corporate events and trade shows around the world and for numerous celebrities. Always the entertainer and known to light up a room, Peter had many friends and was known for his mesmerizing sleight-of-hand, non-stop comedic banter and mentorship to younger magicians.

Survivors include his sisters Sara Innis and Margaret Scott, his brother John Innis, and several nieces and nephews.

Time Line 2.0 by Daniel Garcia

 

Paul Daniels Chop Cup Routine