When I was 13 years old, the magic bug had already hit me. It was the summer before I started high school. Over weight (or “husky” as my family kindly put it), a love of stupid hats, a ton of monster movie trivia, a great collection of comic books and magic was all I seemed to have had or really, cared about. Not exactly the best tools to start your teenage years or what would become 4 years of hell. But, I didn’t know that at the time and probably just as well. Even as an adult, I’ve found that being blissfully unaware is usually the best. I was told in the middle of the 8th grade that our family would be making the trek to Branson, Missouri for a summer vacation. Branson, Missouri: The Las Vegas of the Midwest. Except, Branson didn’t have half naked show girls or… more half naked show girls. Branson had Ray Stevens and every truck stop sold items that would suggest some sort of hillbilly flair. A good example would be a rock on a string. A genuine “Hillbilly Thermometer” - hang it up outside! If it’s wet – it’s raining! If it’s white – it’s snowing! If it’s moving in all kinds of directions – well, you get the idea. But, I was game. This was a chance to see a TON of family all at once. The family that always accepted everyone despite anyone’s short-comings. A family group where I never felt I had to be anyone but me. And, like I said, with a healthy obsession of stupid hats, comics and magic (at least something in my life at that time was healthy), I knew it would be a blast.
I think it was that summer, at the beautiful Sammy Lane, where I learned to swear like an adult - a tool that has served me well over the years. Looking back, I honestly think that was the summer that started to shape me to the man I am today (though, I’ve never considered myself manly). Little did I know then, that a certain book, waiting for me in Branson, hidden, calling my name, would also change the course of my life.
Every day we were there, it seemed like the days got longer and longer. This was a great thing. Want to go swimming? We did. Want to go fishing? It’s a 30 second walk to the lake. The nights were longer. Everyone would meet up at someone’s cabin and the food, laughs and my constant, “… pick a card, ANY card” NEVER ended. Now, there was a comic book store that I HAD to get to. No reason – it wasn’t famous or anything, but it was a comic book store. That’s all I, and you, needed to know. If NO ONE else promised me a trip to the comic book store, it was my Auntie Anne who did. The girls (and there are a TON of girls in my family) decided to go shopping in town. “Let’s go, Sethie! The comic book store is waiting and I have money burning in my pocket!” Auntie Anne yelled at me. Now, despite my love of comics, this store was SHIT. Utterly, repulsive, still warm, SHIT. Some miserable, doughy mouthed ass-face behind the counter couldn’t answer ANY of my questions. And, since there wasn’t any kind of novelty/magic shop around, I walked out wearing my Todd MacFarlane Spiderman t-shirt, bummed. We all walked around and I eventually spotted a used bookstore. The girls’ went to Banana Republic and I was allowed to go to the bookstore and meet up later. Auntie Anne KNEW I was bummed. She gave me $20.00, smiled and said “… knock yourself out, Bub.” Gee. Thanks. Knock myself out at a used bookstore. Did anyone understand me? I walked in – it smelled and looked like an old bookstore should. “Excuse me, do you have any magic books?” Now, THIS lady was nice! She walked me over, showed me the 10 magic books they had. I’ve found that all used bookstores only have 10 magic books. Ever. Great. 9 books I already have. But then, I saw a book with cursive writing on it’s spine tucked in between the others. I pulled it out – “Penn & Teller’s Cruel Tricks for Dear Friends”. Now THIS was a fucking book! Cruel tricks for dear friends? How could I NOT look into this? I went up, paid the $9.00 and left. This book was the beginning and end of everything I’ve since learned about and from magic. I also marked a life long love of Penn & Teller. I read that book cover to cover. I’ll save you the details of what I learned from Penn & Teller that summer. But I will tell you this: I truly believe that discovering Penn & Teller changed my life. From my sense of what was funny to me, comedic timing, the idea that beautiful magic comes from being entirely quiet on stage to being as loud and bloody as you can get. Ideas, values and a sense of doing what you want and only what you want in life. I got those, and to this day STILL get those, kinds of values and life lessons from my family, but at 13 years old, no one understood me, but Penn & Teller DID understand me. I know that sounds as cheesy as Velveeta, but it’s true. To this day, no one inspires me more in the show business profession than two guys who have learned to do a few cool things, Penn Jillette and his partner Teller. I had the chance to meet them and they were as polite, nice, cheerful and funny as I had hoped they would be. They understand they aren’t out saving lives at a hospital, they realize they are just two guys who LOVE entertaining and they give it back to their fans 10 times over. If I ever DO become famous, how could I not aspire to be just that? So, in some ways, that summer, I feel I did become a man. I just didn’t think it would be from two guys in a used bookstore in Branson, Missouri…
