This week on the podcast, illusionist Vitaly Beckman is joining me to share all about the crossroads of illusions, magic, and joy. He started exploring the art of magic at age 14, and soon after began creating his own illusions. More recently, Vitaly was featured on Penn and Teller’s “Fool Us, and was one of the illusionists who fooled them. He now has a show of his own, called “Evening of Wonders.” Born in Belarus, he grew up in Israel – and he mixes art and magic, and I adore his take on joy and seeing things through a child’s eye.
What really stood out to me in our conversation was that Vitaly truly loves to delight his audience, and enjoys creating experiences that bring people back to the wonder they felt as children. As a performer, he’s also keenly aware that his art can bring people joy, and help them experience the present moment in new ways, and with new eyes.
In this episode, Vitaly and I talk about:
- His early love of art, martial arts, and being slightly introverted as a child
- Being born in Belarus, later living in Israel, and moving to Canada
- His early illusions
- How he approaches creating new illusions
- The wonder and journey he likes to take guests on in his show
- Being on Penn and Teller’s “Fool Us”
- Answering the question of “can Teller talk?”
- Behind the scenes on “Fool Us” and people’s noticing what hostess Alysson Hannigan wearing the same dress in every episode
- What magic does for those who experience it
- How to see things with new eyes, and reclaim a childlike sense of wonder
- The resistance of being lazy
- How to jump start your joy: following your dreams, treating yourself, and staying away from negativity
Resources:
Tickets to “An Evening of Wonders”
Vitaly Beckman on Penn & Teller’s Fool Us
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