Spellbound

My fantastic family got this book for me SPELLBOUND - THE WONDER-FILLED LIFE OF DOUG HENNING by John Harrison for Christmas. Wow! What a fun read. I've had trouble putting it down. I don't even think you'd have to be a magician to enjoy the story of this wonderful man. If you enjoy biographies of interesting people... this one is truly fascinating. Available at all bookstores and Amazon.com. It's around 45 bucks for hard cover. Great job John Harrison on filling in the bits and pieces that made up a truly inspiring life... the wonder-filled life of Doug Henning.

No Smoking In Sillyville

I think this pretty much says it all. :)

Late Night Magic in Las Vegas

For years the magicians of Las Vegas have gotten together after their evening shows and shared magic, ideas, and gossip with each other. I was lucky enough to be in Vegas for the IAFE convention recently and got to go to Boomers Lounge (in the back room of course) and hang out with the magic crowd. It was terrific. I got to visit with the incredibly generous and talented Gary Darwin (in photo). He showed me a terrific version of the "retention vanish". It totally made me rethink my use of this tricky sleight of hand vanish. I've been working on it ever since then. Thanks Mr. Darwin! I also got to visit with the incredibly talented Steve Daley - Tiny Bubbles - has his finger in so many show-biz pies... it's amazing. I loved hearing the plans for new projects (late into the evening) and am sure he'll make them all happen. Good luck Stevo. I got to meet many other talented and interesting performers this time out. Many thanks to you all. Hope I get to see you all soon.

LOVE

Every year for the last decade or so, I have attended the IAFE convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. It's a booking convention for Fairs and Expos. If you have a county or state fair... someone from your town is probably at this convention. Generally the convention is held at the Paris Hotel (a really nice hotel by the way) in December. I really enjoy the convention and Vegas this time of year. At the convention I get to meet lots of new people and catch up with friends I don't get to see through-out the year, but probably my favorite thing is seeing Las Vegas shows. Wow! The shows in Vegas can be sooooo amazing. The quality is astounding... shows I've seen and loved in the past include... The BLUE MAN GROUP, CARROT TOP, GEORGE CARLIN, CHICAGO, MAC KING, FITZ OF LAUGHTER, LANCE BURTON, SECOND CITY, STEVE WYRICK and PENN & TELLER. But I finally got to see The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil last week. Man o' man was that a terrific show! First of all, they start with some of the best pop music ever made (The Beatles), but it's been remixed to give it a new flavor. I was unsure if I'd like the new mix (I don't think you should mess with perfection) but I was quickly converted when I heard the new mix from the most awesome surround sound system I've ever witnessed. Then add to that the "dreamscape" style show that Cirque is able to create full of non-literal images and color, and skill, and it was one of the funnest theatrical evenings I've ever spent. Between my smiles, I sang along to almost the entire show. The show also reminded me of something... all you need is... love. Steve :)

Plarn Purse

Today I was at the IAFE convention in Las Vegas and met Caroline Craig from the Topsfield County Fair, MA. She showed me the most marvelous purse. It's made of plastic shopping bags, but it's not REcycled. It's REused. She formed the bags into yarn... which apparently is called PLARN. Get it? The words Plastic and Yarn are conjugated or contracted or co-joined or something... anyway. She found the pattern on a marvelous web site that shares exactly what you need to know to make these bad boys. www.myrecycledbags.com is the site. It's full of great info and the best part... it's free. If you're into DIY. Try it. :)

Wind

Good news! My web sites www.stevetrash.com and www.concretedream.com are now 100% Wind-Powered. FatCow - my web site hosts - buy 100% powered by wind energy to offset the energy used for their servers, data centers, and offices. So now their machines are fully eco-friendly. This energy is purchased from Community Energy. Very good idea... the wind is harnessed to make electricity for green magic shows. I like it! Steve :)

NEW Green Jobs Czar Announcement

It's official. I - Steve Trash - am running for the advisory position of Green Jobs Czar. Van Jones - the last adviser got booted about a month ago. I know what you're saying. "Hey Steve... you're not a political guy. It's why we love you". I know. I know, but hear me out. I'm NOT very political, but I AM the right guy to be the adviser to President Obama on Green Jobs. Here's why. I've been a small business owner for over 25 years. I know what it's like to make payroll. I know what it's like to borrow money to invest in my company (Concrete Dream Inc.). I know what it's like to take a risk on myself and my business. I know business, BUT I also know green. I've been a green entertainer most of my life. I live in an earthbirmed energy efficient home (thermal mass concrete filled walls, on demand "gas" water heater, south facing windows to capture the suns energy in the winter). My wife and I compost in a clawfoot bathtub in my rural "Frog Pond" back yard. We recycle like crazy and most important of all. I get it. I get that it takes both a healthy economy and a healthy environment to make the world work. So please take a moment to VOTE for me at www.votetrash.com. Thanks and remember. There is no red, nor blue... only green. Steve Trash - Rockin' Eco Hero :)

Run Stevie Run

I'm officially running. Big green news coming on Monday Oct. 12th, 2009! Please check back.

Ernie Kovacs is my Hero

I've always loved surreal humor. I loved Steve Martin's hilarious take on a oblivious rank amateur showbiz pro with his silly rabbit ears and arrow through his head. I loved Steven Wrights' slow delivery and wildly cosmically accurate comedy observations, but my favorite has always been ERNIE KOVACS. Whenever I'm writing comedy... I try to channel Ernie. I love that guy. Sharp and hilarious. Steve Trash :)

What is Green?

Lets face it. These days, everyone seems to be trying to go green. From Mega Big Corporate boardrooms to Planet Green Network bedrooms everyone seems to be talking about “going green”. Green choices are everywhere. We’ve got green this, green that… green green green green green.

But what does all this “green stuff” actually mean? Glad you asked!

Here’s a basic law of nature. Everything in nature is connected. Consequently economics (what people choose to drive, wear, eat, work at, play at, or entertain themselves at) has an effect on the environment. Economics and ecology can’t be separated.

But, the people of our dear planet only recently got the memo about this whole “economics/ecology thing”, so lately we’ve been trying to whip ourselves back into shape. The idea of trying to re-align the economic things we do with the ecological world, is what we call “being green”.

So what exactly does “being green” mean for us exactly?

At first glance, being green seems very complicated, confusing and frustrating. The questions become endless. Must I drive a wimpy little electric car instead of my sexy SUV? Should I feel guilty if my printer paper isn’t bleach free, or should I go completely paper free? And if it’s so free why is it so darned expensive?

At its core, being green is simple. It boils down to this question. Are we working WITH or AGAINST Mother Nature? Of course, Mother Nature is simply an anthropomorphication (and I’m not sure that’s even a real word) of all the principles of nature that govern the biological world. Here are two ways Mother Nature works.

1. Everything in nature is BALANCED. Oxygen that allows animals (including us people types) to breath is generated by plants. They, in turn, absorb the Carbon Dioxide we exhale… so nothing gets out of balance.

2. There is NO WASTE in nature. Zip. Zero. Nada. All water on the planet is reused in a very sexy, elegant and closed system. The same water that was used in Julius Caesars day… is the same water that’s being used today. It’s constantly being recycled by Mother Nature.

So you may be saying… hey Steve thanks for the fifth grade science lesson, but how does this help me get green?

Because Mother Nature creates no waste and everything remains in balance… it’s the perfect template for us to design our economies and our personal actions around.

So our best test for “is it green” is to ask ourselves are we WITH or AGAINST Mother Nature.

Simple huh?

Compostable Chip Bags

I just learned that FritoLay Company is going to start manufacturing a completely compostable chip bag - made from plant-based renewable materials - for it's line of healthy SUN CHIPS. Who says we're not making progress? Way to go Sun Chips! Go to www.greeneffect.com for more info. The promo is called "Disappear"... think they need a green magician?

Gettin Country Wid It

Back in the '90's commercial music was trying lots of things. Hip hop and country and pop and rock were all trying new things and doing what the industry calls crossing over. Once while I was daydreaming about this, it occurred to me that it might be hilarious if musician Will Smith and country singer George Jones were to merge into one person. That album cover might have looked something like this. Image created by the Art Goddess - Dianne. Steve :)

Show Biz is Dangerous!

Most of you probably think that ShowBiz is glamorous, sexy, and easy... but please understand... it's also EXTREMELY dangerous. Notice in this photo that Sandi and Susan are being required to wear "hardhats" and "eye protection". Now that's showbiz baby! Steve :)

Vh1 Top 20 Video Countdown

Sometimes life just works out great. I was recently in NYC to promote my Green Magic Set. Which by the way will be out in a few months. I partnered with the Toy Company - Imagiplay - to bring it to market. While in New York, I got lucky and VH1 decided to use me for a "bumper" segment on VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown. It was a short segment... but I had long enough to crack the host Jim Shearer up - on camera. I like it. I love making people laugh. The best part of all... my nephews Asa and Eli... happened to be watching Sunday morning TV and started yelling and screaming at the TV... because Uncle Steve was on it. A terrific surprise. This made me really happy. Sometimes life just works out great.

Toy Fair 2009 - WooHoo!

Wow. Toy Fair in New York City was just fantastic! I met a bunch of cool people, saw a bunch of cool toys, and the feedback on the worlds first GREEN MAGIC SET was just terrific. Imagiplay's booth was colorful and fun and the Imagiplay team and I had an awesome time. Barbera Aimes - the owner of Imagiplay - even got good at performing the POLLUTION PADDLE trick. Good magic takes practice. And she practices a lot! The best news. VH1's Top 20 Video Countdown taped a segment with me. I was able to perform the Eco Wands trick from our magic set. The show is slated to air this week... so check your local listings. Even more good news. Amazon.com is going to carry the entire line of Imagiplay products - which includes the official STEVE TRASH GREEN MAGIC SET. Wow is that great or what? All the work to get the tricks themed and figured out and up to snuff has been worth it. The sets should be available in a couple of months. I'll keep you posted. Steve :)

Butman

Language is nuanced. Language is subtle. Sometimes it downright impossible to understand... especially if you're from a different culture. Here's an example. Batman is popular all over the world... so people everywhere want to have a part of his likeness... his coolness... his mojo...his...name. I took this hilarious photo on a subway train in Tokyo many years ago. This guy thinks his shirt reads, "Batman"... it actually reads, "BUTMAN". It's printed over and over and over on his shirt. "Ta Dah... here I am Butman to save the day!" Butman vs Batman. This may explain why I'm having sooooo much trouble getting the quality issues worked out with the manufacturer of my green magic set... which has now - by the way - had it's release date moved back several months because of quality control issues. They can't seem to understand the small changes needed that will make the difference between a great trick and a lousy trick. The difference between Butman and Batman. Small... but it makes all the difference in the world. Stay tuned kids... we'll see if Butman or Batman actually win this one. Steve :)

Worlds Strongest Redneck

I live in Frog Pond Alabama... and have shared many a happy conversation with folks that you might call... uh rednecks. I've spent... much time on a tractor... driving a truck with waaay too many dogs in the back...and yelling inappropriate stuff in public. So I was really pleased the meet the very friendly and funny WORLDS STRONGEST REDNECK Steve McGranahan recently. He and his lovely wife were super nice and he posed for this picture with me. Please notice my muscles are MUCH smaller but my scowl is MUCH more ferocious. Steve :)