March 09, 2004

Ricky Jay. Because I've been professionally immersed in deception, I have been accused of keeping a low profile. Even though I have been in show business all my life some think I have no profile at all.

The New Yorker article on the site is excellent (but fairly long). The radio essays are really good, too. (The first few links don't work, but the ones from Reformed Gamblers on down mostly seem to - I haven't listened to all of them yet) Also, a good interview with him in the Onion.

  • I love that website design - not so much the organisation as the fonts and layout. The 21st century does still have things to learn from classic typsetting and type design.
  • Okay, fess up, who else thought this was some sort of McSweeny's hoax for a couple minutes?
  • Actually, Keith Talent, I had this post prepared earlier, and went to have a shower and wait for the new monkey day to roll around (what an intrigueing insight in to my dull life, hey), when I had a nice Borgean moment. What if Ricky Jay was a hoax, perpetuated over ten years or more. I mean, I've only ever seen him perform on TV (or in films, films), with David Mamet always in close proximity. And the New Yorker article is just too perfect, propaganda at its best, hinting at real magic, real secrets, a forgotten history, an invented one, maybe. What if that was Ricky Jay's one great magic trick, imagining himself real? I posted it anyway. I shivered as I pressed submit, though. Then English and French and mere Spanish will disappear from the globe. The world will be Tl
  • Funny you should say that. I recall the word "mammet" meant a puppet or a doll.
  • He's been on an episode of the X-Files, no Mamet in sight...
  • Aha, but you underestimate the power of special effects! Just step in front of this blue-screen, Mr. Mamet, so the strings don't show..."
  • Hey, this turned up on Metafilter. My first post to turn up there. Instead of being stolen from there.