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In
The News
Magician's Goal- 'Make Smoking Disappear'
by Bob Allen of TowsonTimes.Com
05/03/2006
When award-winning illusionist and magician
Wayne Alan puts on his anti-tobacco magic
show at the St. Pius X Carnival May 6, he'll
use dazzling, imagination-boggling magic
tricks to press home the point of his show,
Make Smoking Disappear.
One routine demonstrates not only the health
costs of nicotine use, but also the financial
toll that smoking can take during a lifetime.
"I do a whole routine where I'm producing
silver dollars, and I'll ask the kids, if
somebody starts smoking at age 15 and
spends $20 a week on cigarettes for 50 years,
if they had instead taken that money and put
it in the bank and earned interest, how much
would they have after 50 years?" says Alan,
who is the only American magician to have
won a gold medal for grand illusion at the
International Olympics of Magic, in 1982.
The answer is $597,000.
Alan, who has performed at the White House
for President Bush and on "Good Morning
America," "Inside Edition" and numerous
other national television shows, makes his
living performing on the convention circuit.
But he devotes about 50 days and a 100 free
shows per year to reaching young people at
schools, churches, synagogues, Scout troops
and boys and girls clubs with his anti-
smoking message.
"Probably the biggest challenge when I first
had the idea for the Make Tobacco Disappear
show had to do with its real message," said
Alan, whose Web site,
www.MakeSmokingDisappear.com, also
lightens up his no-smoking philosophy to
make it palatable for youthful consumption.
"That message is that cigarettes can kill you,"
said Alan, whose anti-smoking show is
produced with the cooperation of the American
Cancer Society. "The whole show is fun and
entertaining, but hopefully it gets
across a very serious message.
On May 6, at noon, Alan, who lives in Anne
Arundel County, will perform his "Make
Smoking Disappear" magic show at the
carnival, at St. Pius X School and Church,
6432 York Road, Towson.
More information about illusionist Wayne Alan
and an up-to-date schedule of his Make
Smoking Disappear shows is available on line
at www.MakeSmokingDisappear.com.
Information on booking a show for a youth
group or organization is available by calling
410-956-8132.
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