Tim Ellis & The Melbourne Magic Festival! #268

**Josh Norbido** (0:11)
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to episode 268 of The Magic Guys. I'm Josh Norbido, one of your magi, fellow wizards and conjurers, but next to me is Nick Kay.

**Nick Kay** (0:25)
That's right, I'm Nick Kay, people. Another bald guy from The Magic Guys. And also joining us is the baldest oldest guy.

**Doug Conn** (0:34)
Wait, we don't know that. I might not be bald. We're not sure.
There might be a couple of hairs under this hat.

**Josh Norbido** (0:41)
Yes. And if anything, it's by choice, you know.

**Doug Conn** (0:44)
Hey, I'm Doug Conn. I'll be your third wheel in this party.

**Josh Norbido** (0:47)
You know, it's still apparently the joke still works about not being able to make a rabbit appear, but you can pull a hair out of you, whatever.
On the weekend, this lady made a joke. Everyone in Australia always makes jokes about in Queensland, how you can own a rabbit in Queensland if you're a magician, but you can't if you don't. And this woman in the front row, you know, wow, where's the rabbit? Can you pull a rabbit out of your hat? And then I like show that I'm bald and I'm like, I can't even pull a hair out. And she just started crying. It was so funny, apparently, to her that she'd never heard the joke before.

**Doug Conn** (1:20)
It's actually in my working repertoire. It's a pro joke for me in my professional performances.

**Josh Norbido** (1:27)
Okay.
That makes sense. That makes sense because it killed and it's great. And we're glad we could have you here in the digital flesh today, Doug.

**Doug Conn** (1:39)
I have a desk full of magic. I could be working hard at my job instead of being here having fun with you guys, but I'm opting for fun instead of-

**Josh Norbido** (1:47)
Can you show everyone that old relic of an item that we don't use anymore, that you just held up for five minutes before we went live? Well, Doug, how's what?

**Doug Conn** (1:56)
I was actually answering phone calls here.

**Josh Norbido** (1:58)
Look at this, how hysterical. And he's telling us that's a real landline.

**Doug Conn** (2:03)
No man, this is Doug. How can I help you? Call me. I'm here now. But don't call me. I'm not answering the phone during the podcast, the ringer down. I know 10 of you are going to start ringing the damn shop.

**Josh Norbido** (2:14)
How funny is it to have a real landline?

**Doug Conn** (2:17)
Well, that was Eric Henning on the phone. He's a national professional. You guys might know Eric Henning's name.

**Josh Norbido** (2:23)
Oh yeah, that's irrelevant to this podcast. Yeah.

**Doug Conn** (2:28)
Yeah.

**Nick Kay** (2:29)
Sorry.

**Doug Conn** (2:30)
I mean, it is. I could be more irrelevant if you'd like. I'm pretty good at it.

**Nick Kay** (2:36)
All right. So as you can see, we do this live and unscripted, which is why it's probably not as funny as it should be. But fear not, you can put all of your comments for our upcoming guest, which I think we should jump straight into. Friends should be introduce our guests.

**Josh Norbido** (2:51)
I'll just say as well, it will be very funny in post. In the post edit, very funny. But yes, let's continue with our guest, Nick.

**Nick Kay** (2:59)
Friends, today's guest is someone who doesn't just perform magic. He has helped build the very Australian magic scene in its entirety. He's a FISM award winner, creator of modern classic cups and balls routine, which is the run around Sue, one of my favorite versions of the cups and balls. He is the founder of the Laneway Theatre, the president of the Australian Institute of Magic, and the man behind the Malibu Magic Festival, which is about to celebrate its 19th festival.
Friends, he's such an important person in the Australian magic scene. And without him, I wouldn't even have the opportunity to perform on stages. Without his encouragement, without the community he's built, I wouldn't have been able to build my career. So we're not just interviewing a friend, we're interviewing an absolute superstar in Australian magic. Please join me in welcoming the one and only Mr. Tim Ellis.

**Tim Ellis** (4:07)
Well, I can't live up to that introduction. Sorry about that, I'm going now, goodbye.

**Nick Kay** (4:13)
Tim Ellis, welcome back to The Magic Guys podcast. For the folks meeting you for the first time, please tell us who are you and what do you do.

**Tim Ellis** (4:21)
I'm Tim Ellis, I'm a magician. That's all I've done all my life because it's the only practical skill that I possess.