SEPTEMBER 5 • 2024 | 21
and it was on your honeymoon, and it
was a gift given to you by your father-
in-law who you met, and all the story
and texture that comes along with
it, if that’s the things that I reveal in
some meaningful way, you’re going
to carry that with you much further
than me just guessing a certain thing.
I’ve learned that’s what really makes
the show jump to an entirely different
level.
What is the feeling you want to leave
your audience with?
I want to be remembered. I want
people to leave there emotionally
connected to what I did. If you just do
a card trick, it’s like a puzzle. People
go, “I don’t know how you found the
card or how you got it to jump there,”
and they’re amazed, but amazement is
fleeting.
When you connect with an audi-
ence emotionally, they’re going to
remember it for a much longer time
because it’s about them. It’s about
what’s interesting or exciting or
motivating about their family, their
friends, their life story; that’s what I
drive toward.
What are some of the challenges of per-
forming as a mentalist full-time?
There’s no playbook for being a full-
time mentalist. Trust me on that. You
have to carve out your own path —
decide what you want to do, not just
for a living when it comes to the show
section, but also the business side of
show business. The business element
is so big.
If you want to be successful at what
you do and have more people see
what you can do, you honestly must
continue to improve. If your perfor-
mance stagnates, over time somebody
newer, fresher, younger, better will
emerge, and that’s the name of the
game.
In show biz, to stay fresh and cur-
rent, you’ve got to constantly be rein-
venting, challenging yourself, invent-
ing amazing new tricks and seeing
what appeals to audiences nowadays.
How have you dealt with skeptics?
I love skeptics. That means you’re
engaged in the show, you’re watching,
you’re trying to figure me out, you’re
trying to debunk me; I love that. I was
the biggest skeptic in the world before
I became a mentalist. That’s how I
became a mentalist.
Do you ever share any of the tricks of the
trade?
Never, until now, and that’s what
my upcoming book, which is being
released next year, is going to be all
about. It’s not going to be about how to
become a mentalist, because you could
find that out elsewhere, but it’s more
about sharing the tips, tricks and tac-
tics that make me successful, that also
overlap with your life; things that you
can apply from the world of mentalism
to your work, family, friends and your
interpersonal relationships.
I will share tangible advantages you
can gain on how to read people more
effectively, sharpen your memory and
become the most memorable person in
the room. This book also provides me
with another opportunity to elevate the
performing art of mentalism.
What’s ahead for your career?
Keep doing what I’m doing, I’m
blessed to do it. I’
d also like to have my
own TV show — I had one about six
years ago, and I’m ready for another
one. I have a lot more stuff coming
out with the NFL, with various sports
leagues, college sports and college foot-
ball, so I’m excited for everyone to see
those clips.
Where can we see you next?
I can’t wait to come back home
to my home state of Michigan and
the Metro Detroit area to see every-
one on Sept. 18 at the JARC Annual
Fundraiser.
For tickets or details on the JARC Annual
Fundraiser featuring a performance by Oz
Pearlman, go to JARC.org/2024 or call (248)
940-2617.