Every art form carries responsibility. For painters, it is the message behind the image. For filmmakers, it is the story they choose to tell. For mentalists, it is something even more delicate: the balance between truth and illusion. When a mentalist appears to read minds, audiences are left wondering how much of what they saw was real. Some performers lean into the idea of psychic power. Others, like Oz Pearlman, are clear that their skills come from psychology and observation. Both approaches raise the same question: how honest should a performer be about what is happening? As someone who performsContinue reading →
In mentalism, confidence is not just presentation. It’s part of the illusion itself. When a mentalist steps onto the stage, the audience reads every detail — posture, tone, timing, and expression. The performer’s confidence becomes the audience’s belief. Even when something unexpected happens, that calm assurance holds the entire illusion together. The recent 60 Minutes profile of Oz Pearlman gave a perfect example. At one point, a trick failed. His prediction didn’t match. Yet instead of embarrassment or panic, Pearlman smiled, acknowledged the moment, and turned it into laughter. Within seconds, the audience was back with him. That’s the essenceContinue reading →
Most people move through the world half-blind. We see without noticing, hear without listening, and miss the details that reveal the truth behind a person’s words. For a mentalist, those details are everything. In the recent 60 Minutes feature on Oz Pearlman, we saw what happens when someone trains the mind to notice what others overlook. Pearlman doesn’t claim psychic powers. Instead, he relies on the extraordinary potential of ordinary senses. As someone who performs mentalism for corporate and private audiences throughout Philadelphia, Montgomery County, and Bucks County, I’ve learned that this same skill — the ability to observe deeplyContinue reading →
When 60 Minutes profiled mentalist Oz Pearlman, the segment opened an important conversation about what it truly means to “read minds.” Pearlman insists his act is built on a lie — the lie that he can actually read someone’s thoughts. What he does instead, he explains, is read people. As a professional mentalist who performs for corporate and private audiences throughout Philadelphia, Montgomery County, and Bucks County, I found that distinction fascinating. It raises deep questions about truth, perception, and the very nature of performance itself. Mind-Reading vs. People-Reading Pearlman’s refusal to claim supernatural powers makes his work, in manyContinue reading →
Each year, the last week of October is celebrated as National Magic Week, a tradition established by the Society of American Magicians to honor the art of illusion and the legacy of Harry Houdini. It’s a time for magicians everywhere to share a little wonder with their communities. This week, I had the pleasure of performing at The Philadelphia Protestant Home, where residents and staff came together for an afternoon of laughter, amazement, and curiosity. One of my favorite moments came when a volunteer—pictured above—found her own selected card in the most impossible way imaginable! Beyond the tricks themselves, whatContinue reading →
The Psychology of Wonder: Why Adults Need Magic Too (by Rick Deezie – Corporate Mentalist & Magician in the Philadelphia Area) Most people associate magic with childhood — the sense of awe we feel when something impossible suddenly becomes real. But that same sense of wonder doesn’t disappear when we grow up. It just goes dormant, buried under schedules, screens, and spreadsheets. As a professional mentalist and magician performing across Montgomery and Bucks Counties, I’ve seen how rediscovering wonder can be transformative — not just entertaining. When adults experience a genuine moment of surprise, something fascinating happens: curiosity reawakens, creativityContinue reading →
Planning a home party for adults can be exciting but also a little overwhelming. You want something that goes beyond food and drinks, something that will spark conversations and keep your guests entertained. If you’re searching for adult home party ideas, here are ten proven ways to transform an ordinary night into a truly unforgettable experience. 1. Book a Mentalism and Magic Standup Show with Rick Deezie There is nothing that creates lasting memories like a live mentalism and magic show. Rick Deezie brings world class sleight of hand, mindreading, and interactive entertainment directly to your living room. Guests agesContinue reading →
Every event has its own personality, and one of my favorite challenges as a magician and mentalist is designing a performance that fits that unique atmosphere. Over the coming months, I’ll be sharing a series of posts about how I customize my shows for different audiences. Today, we’ll start with young adult birthday celebrations. The Energy of a 21–30 Birthday Party A birthday party in your twenties is more than a milestone. It’s a chance to gather friends, celebrate independence, and create memories that will be remembered for years. The magic for this age group has to reflect that spirit.Continue reading →
Every town has its gathering place. For Montgomery Township, that place is the Community & Recreation Center — a modern building filled with basketball courts, fitness rooms, and meeting spaces. It’s where residents come together for activities, celebrations, and civic life. On the surface, it’s just another municipal facility. But for those who study the unseen, the Community Center may sit atop something far older, and far stranger. A Crossroads in Time The Community Center was completed in 2015 on land once used as farmland, just off Horsham Road. Dig a little deeper into history, though, and you find thatContinue reading →
Throughout history, windows have been more than just glass and frame. They are thresholds — places where the inside world meets the outside night. It’s no wonder, then, that countless legends around the world speak of lights in windows, often linked to grief, longing, or unfinished stories. Here in Montgomery Township, the oldest surviving home — Knapp Farm in Montgomeryville — has its own tale of a mysterious glow. Locals call it the Widow’s Light. From time to time, people have reported a faint lantern-like flicker in the upstairs window, long after the house should be dark. But before weContinue reading →