Ricky Jay

A frequently seen on late night 70's television was fellow fat man, and living American legend Ricky Jay and his 52 assistants. For those too young to remember, Ricky is a conjurer, a magician, a card throwing wizard, an incredible story teller, and an extremely entertaining author. His 52 assistants were a deck of playing cards.

On The Tonight Show he would warm up the audience by slowly demonstrating the how to of the 3 card monte, or the hid the ball trick, eventually he would work up to his grand finale, which was typically a display of card tossing. For instance he would ask someone in the back of the audience to hold up a banana. From the stage, Jay would throw a playing card in an effort to slice the fruit. Usually, he succeeded.

Since then he has not faded away. He has toured the world with his one man shows, appeared in many of David Mamet's movies and television shows, including Deadwood.

It has rained all day today and I have been rereading Mr. Jay's best seller "Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women". A touch of the off beat for a gloomy day. If the rain continues, tomorrow promises "Jay's Journal of Anomalies".






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