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Moisture Festival

Yes, Moisture Festival. As in that time of year when it’s not quite rainy, but not quite sunny. In Seattle, that would translate to moist. The unlikely name for, perhaps, the most successful, awesome gathering of live entertainment in the United States.

The Moisture Festival is a four-week celebration of comedy varietè; that rare kind of amazing talent I remember from the Ed Sullivan Show. Except this is live and at several venues across Seattle.

Each year of its nearly twenty-year run, venues range from ACT’s Main Stage to the Broadway Performance Hall. But the festival’s home is Hale’s Palladium, a former Hale’s Brewery warehouse converted to a nearly 300-seat theater.

The festivities begin this Thursday, March 16th and run through April 9th. Ticket prices are so reasonable you’ll be pinching yourself at your good fortune. And, just in case you feel like you’ve seen it all, The Moisture Festival attracts talent from…

“Smartt Entertainment Corporate, Celebrity Event Planning” is one of the premiere booking agencies in the United States. They represent amazing talent like Jay Leno and Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban, and now…Joey Pipia. (I'm still pinching myself, but yes, it's true.)

If you have an upcoming event, booking through an agency like “Smartt Entertainment” is the best way to ensure every aspect runs smoothly; from contract negotiations to onsite facilitation, and of course, getting you outstanding entertainment that keeps your guests thrilled from beginning to end.

And they focus on your specific needs: whether you’re planning your company year-end holiday party, next break out session, or important sales meeting. These are friendly experts who take the worry and work out of your hands, so you can literally just show up and enjoy!

A big thank you to Cindy Smartt, yes, of “Smartt Entertainment,” for taking me on, and to Charlene Koepf also of “Smartt Entertainment”…

Two people in the magical world are not with us this week: one a long time maker of mind miracles who died of cancer, and the second, Daryl, a close up magician. That’s the stage name he used. No last name. Daryl, like Cher, or Adele.

This past Friday night at the same time he was to perform at Hollywood’s Magic Castle, he took his life while in the bathroom waiting to go on. My first inclination was to joke that he must have had some serious stage fright. I tend to make bad jokes like that. Way too early.

I think the reason I do that is because my emotions tend to float. Kind of up. And, for anyone who’s known me for a while, that ‘up’ has been like that for a long time. Pretty much, my adult life. When I was a kid, though, life was not like that for me. My family used to call me, ‘moody’.

I think my emotions then didn’t float they way they do now.…

Leonardo, and the First Book of Card Tricks…

Here is an email that I received from Brian Kurtz that spoke to me and I want to pass it along. The subject line was, “The importance of loving everyone,” and the quote that really got me (it’s in the email below) is from author and speaker, Sean Stephenson who said:

“I love everyone because as soon as I don’t love you, you own me”

Yikes, such wisdom!

Joey

Below is the full email from Brian:

Of all the “Hallmark holidays” I love Valentine’s Day the best.

Looking to stay sharp and have fun? “Teach your grandkids a favorite hobby”, say the experts at Alzheimers.net. That is one of the best ways to “boost your own brain power,” according to a new study – examining the important connection between grand parenting and cognition.

Teaching your grandkids a simple and easy to learn magic trick is also the free bonus in the new e-book, “Amaze Your Grandkids.” This e-book also teaches seven amazing tricks to do for your grandkids.

I’ve been a professional magician for the past thirty years. My teacher, Tony Slydini, (also a professional magician, and one of the 20th century’s modern masters of magic), lived to the age of 89 years.

Another professional magician, Dai Vernon, (a person with whom I studied, but not as a long-time student), lived to 93 years. Finally, one of my favorite magicians, John Calvert, passed away at the age of 102 years. He toured until his 100th year. I’m not saying that doing magic will make you…

You can be sure that someone who’s been performing for years will be successful at your company’s holiday party. That’s what he (or she) does. And, if it’s something done all year long – and for years and years – you can count on it being a success at your company’s holiday party.

That’s important for a lot of reasons, but I’m going to hone in on just one here and now: How much fun you are going to have at the party. That might sound a bit selfish, but it’s true, and probably the biggest reason people out in the corporate world bring in professionals like me. The person booking, or planning it can relax, and even enjoy the party.

There’s nothing worse, well, there probably is, but not when focusing in on a corporate holiday party. Once, when I was just the emcee, I was grabbed aside, during someone else’s performance, by the host who whispered to me, grief stricken, to “save her.” Well I did, of course, but not before her guests – employees, friends, and family – were…

I tend to keep to myself. In not sure if that’s the way I’ve always been, or just these last five or so years. In fact, I’ve recently been called, ‘secretive.’ Well, I AM a magician, but this person, was referring to the rest of my life. So, here I am, writing this. I’ve decided to make these missives regular, and since I’m not sure that anyone is actually reading them, I’m going to set down one ground rule, and If I ever break it, I’m hopeful one of you will tell me.

Here it is:

I’m going to keep you in mind when I write these.

In other words, what I want to be reading will not be the deciding factor in what I write. My hope is that what I pen (or type) will be useful to you, perhaps interesting, maybe even provocative. Okay, then, see you next time!

Joey

P.S. Just what kind secrets will be revealed? I guess you’ll just have to keep reading these posts to find out.

jp