Project 365 (93/365): Bill Malone

.:93/365: Bill Malone:.

Some people might object to the fact that I pegged Bill Malone in the world of comedy magic, but while he may not be famous entirely for being funny, he still is, and it’s testament to how good he is that in certain circles, he’s more known for his skill than his ability to make people laugh, considering how hilarious he can actually be. However, make no mistake about it: the man bills himself “The CEO of Comedy Magic,” so there is no denying that comedy is a big part of Bill’s schtick at endearing audiences to him, as the case has been for years.

He’s performed a wide variety of routines, but he’s generally known for being an excellent card magician who can do the most amazing sleights with little effort in the middle of his rapid-fire patter. Anyone who has ever seen him perform “Sam The Bellhop” would probably be very impressed by how silky smooth and flawless his performance is when you watch how quickly he does all those shuffles and cuts, yet he still manages to pull off his card story as though he somehow knew where every card he needed to do the story right would happen to be in the deck after all those shuffles and cuts and various other moves that he did all throughout.

I’m not intimately familiar with Bill’s work beyond what we’ve seen from his L and L videos, but I must say that what little I’ve seen of his work has been nothing short of impressive, considering how funny he is, yet never utilizing comedy as merely a crutch to mask deficient magic skills, since the man is highly skilled and highly talented in that department as well.

I’m not really sure if his bar, Malone’s Magic Bar, is still open, but considering his resume as a performer and his business savvy, one would do well to watch Bill’s material in hopes of learning exactly what makes the man tick. He’s funny, he’s remarkably skilled, and he knows how to parlay all of that into a successful career in magic.