Best of Episodes - Casino Comedy & Magic with Mark Kornhauser
Release Date: 12/25/2015
S8E14: Joe Monti - Great Advice on Show Business
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
In my final interview here in this chapter of Successful Performercast, I have Joe Monti who gives us some valuable advice when it comes to show business and shares some stores from his career that will have you at the edge of your seat. ...
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S8E13: Bill Gladwell - Stationary One Man Show
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
In this interview, Thought Reader Bill Gladwell who talks about the ins and outs of having his own stationary one-man, mentalism show and how he’s been able to make it a success. ...
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S8E12: Al The Only - General Practice Magician
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
In this interview, Al The Only talks about how he's found success in being a "general practitioner" of magic. He also talks about how he came up with his brand of Al The Only. ...
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S8E11: Steve Chezaday - Tips & Tricks from a Rockstar Magician
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
This week, I bring you an interview with Steve Chezaday who shares some advice and insights from his years performing full-time. Topics include dealing with clients, pricing, managing your money, and customizing and maintaining your props. There’s a lot insight to be gained from this chat. ...
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S8E10: Angela Parrish - Multiple Streams of Income
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
This week I have singer/songwriter Angela Parrish who shares with us about the importance of having multiple streams of income and how she runs her business. She also talks about how she saved for and completely self-funded $20,000 to record her latest album, . ...
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S8E9: Fantastick Patrick - Juggling, TV, & Generosity
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
In this episode, Fantastick Patrick talks about his juggling career which includes performing on TV, dealing with fear & failure, and having a mindset of giving. ...
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S8E8: Tom Ameen - Building a Career as a Musician
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
In this episode, Tom Ameen talks about how he's built a successful career as a classical pianist. Topics include restaurant gigs, getting private parties, and selling albums. He also talks about his new solo piano Star Wars album, which is awesome! ...
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Bonus: How are Jay Alexander & Christian Cagigal Building the Fog City Magic Fest?
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
I've invited back onto my show Jay Alexander and Christian Cagigal because they have been putting together a four-day festival of magic up in San Francisco called the Fog City Magic Fest and I wanted to get them on to talk to them about how they’re putting it together. They take us behind the scenes and talk about the nuts and bolts of how they're going about putting together this four-day festival of magic. ...
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S8E7: Katie Marchese - Running a Magic Biz & Working with Her Husband
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
Last week I interviewed Mario the Magician. Katie is his wife and other half. She works with Mario as a team and handles all the business and marketing aspects of their business. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s essential for your spouse to be onboard and supportive of your entrepreneurial efforts, and this week, we’re diving into that very perspective! ...
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S8E6: Mario the Magician - Generosity & Building His Own Props
Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician
In this episode, Mario the Magician talks about how he makes all of his own props. He also talks about generosity and gratefulness and how those play a part in his business. Mario is a magician who performs primarily on the East Coast entertaining children and their families. The thing that really makes him stand out is that he’s a creator and inventor, making all of his own props for his show including fun, educational robotics. He’s an advocate for the Maker Movement, STEAM/STEM educational initiatives, and can be seen on a recent episode of Sesame Street. He’s Buster...
info_outlineI'm currently taking a holiday break from my regularly scheduled episodes, so for the next few weeks, I'm running my six most downloaded episodes. I'll be back on the first of the year with brand new episodes! In the mean time, enjoy these "Best of" episodes.
Mark Kornhauser's interview is my most downloaded episode of all time! In this episode, we talk about his career in magic, what it takes to perform in casino showrooms, his successes, challenges, and how hard work really pays off.
Mark Kornhauser is one of the most successful comedy acts in the world boasting 25 years plus, consistently performing in and producing shows in the most prestigious casinos in Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, and Atlantic City. We’re talkin’ Harrahs, Planet Hollywood, Mandalay Bay, Flamingo, Tropicana, and Hilton, just to name a few.
He’s opened for more than a few top name entertainers like Tom Jones, Elvis Costello, Frankie Valli, Terry Fator, David Letterman, and Tim Allen.
He’s also been featured on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Masters of Illusion, NBC, FOX, Comedy Central, and HBO.
Success Mantra:
Hard work, clean living.
Working in Casinos:
• Fitting into a time slot
• How the casino venue has changed: catering more toward headliners than variety entertainers
• How he stays in the game: develops and grows new material • Mistakes he sees people make in the casino market
• What he sees as the future of performing in casinos
Failure Moment:
Did a Le Pétomane (flatulence) act that initially bombed.
Favorite Success:
His current act with his dog Zsa Zsa.
How Does Mark Differentiate Himself?
Makes his act vastly different from anyone else.
What's Worked Well for Mark's Business?
Maintaining relationships with clients.
Interesting Story from His Career
Listen in to what happened when Mark ran into James Brown at a bathroom sink.
What's Been Mark's Biggest Professional Challenge?
Staying through the difficult times
Other Topics Covered
• Success and how it's different for each person.
• Talks about how Doug Henning played a part in his journey.
• Listening to your audience.
• Talks about his inspiration and creative process.
• Gives us his take on magic on TV.
• You can no longer be an "expensive act," but you can be a "cheap show."
• Tells about his column in Magic Magazine.
Parting advice:
Hard work, clean living. And courage.
Recommended books and resources:
Note: Many of the links in this section are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small portion of any sales. If you're enjoying our podcast and decide to purchase one of the recommended resources or books, please consider using our affiliate links to help support the work we're doing here at the Successful Performercast. Thanks!
Resources
Have a place to collect your thoughts. Also, keep a lookout for a compilation of all of his articles from Magic Magazine.
Magic Books
Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear by Jim Steinmeyer
The Glorious Deception: The Double Life of William Robinson, Aka Chung Ling Soo by Jim Steinmeyer
The Last Greatest Magician in the World: Howard Thurston Versus Houdini & the Battles of the American Wizards by Jim Steinmeyer
Our Magic by Nevil Maskelyne
Other Books
Whack to the Side of the Head by Roger von Oech
Kick to the Seat of the Pants by Roger von Oech
Whack Pack by Roger von Oech
The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
