joemturner

I do perform at some birthday parties (kid and adult birthdays) but I'm booked out of town on the 30th. For future reference though, see http://www.prestojoe.com where I keep my kidshow business separate from my regular corporate speaking and performing.

Please spread the word to all in the Paulding/West Cobb area that I'll be performing tomorrow night (Saturday May 16) from 6pm to 9pm at Paisano's on Cedarcrest Road. A good turnout and significant positive response to the owner would really help me turn this into a regular appearance. Thanks in advance for your help! Paisano's Authentic Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria 1305 Cedar Crest Rd Dallas, GA 30132 (770) 975-7743 Please tell your friends and neighbors -- a steady restaurant gig in this part of town would be an answered prayer. Best to all, JMT

One of the all time greats... an icon of communication, conservatism, and common sense. RIP.

Actually, that show is no longer running. I wrote and directed it as part of a joint venture between Coca-Cola, RIF, and ClearChannel Entertainment and it was the first big job I got when I went fulltime into magic. It combined consulting work, directing, playwriting, magic, and teaching... all of which I had a strong background in. It came out about the time the first Harry Potter movie was released and it was themed around Coke's sponsorship of that movie. It was designed to encourage reading among school age kids... it was called the StoryTraveler Illusion Show and the theme was "Readin

I've re-read my posts. I can't find a single time I suggested that the cartoon couldn't somehow be construed by someone else as offensive, or that I couldn't actually see what some people might find offensive IF a given set of circumstances were met... mainly, if the chimpanzee were equated with PBHO to make a racial slur. This isn't a question about whether I can see how someone else found it offensive after going down a certain path in their own mind. Sure, I can see that. I'm not blindly denying that some words and images were once used intentionally as racial slurs. I just don't t

Umm, no. I didn't say the context was the same. Are you actually reading my posts?

In what context? I actually have done that with people -- CHILDREN -- of all races. I developed a trick for a nationally touring literacy show several years ago that was called "Reading Safari." It was performed all over America. Children would come up and choose an animal out of the "Safari Guidebook." They could choose to be Poetry Parrot, Literature Lion, Mystery Monkey, or Geography Giraffe. They would get a die-cut paper mask to turn them into their chosen animal. Then the guidebook they were holding would suddenly change from having pictures of all the animals to having only pictu

All I can say is that when I saw this, I considered what it meant and did not see any racial slurs. The cartoon was not particularly clever, but I don't think there was any racial intent. It takes an agendized eisegesis to make it into an insult. Connecting dots that aren't even there, looking for ways to consider it in the worst possible light... Oy Vey! (Note - that was the pop-culture use of Yiddish to make a point, not a racial slur. ) Oh, but it "resembles" an insult, or it "reminds" me of an insult, or it "sounds like" or "looks like" what might have been considered an insult

I did not get any sense of equating that dead monkey to PBHO. The point was about the monkeys and typewriters and how ridiculously huge that bill was that the congress finally churned out. No, frankly, there is no longer any difference in my view between calling anyone a chimp or a monkey or any other non-human primate... regardless of their melanin levels. If it's wrong, it's wrong. If it's acceptable, it's acceptable. But I don't think melanin has anything to do with it unless someone is just looking for a way to make something out of it. I don't see how it's okay to call one presi

I never got the idea that it represented the President being shot. I just never got that at all.

I found it more "unimpressive" and "unremarkable" and "clumsy" than "offensive."

I'd like to know that if chimp rhetoric is off limits for PBHO, which kind of offensive rhetoric did you consider off-limits for PGWB? Equating him with Nazis, communist dictators, etc? Obviously the chimp stuff was fine. Was there no insult that was off-limits for PGWB... just for being too insensitive? Somebody jog my memory... did any of these folks so tuned in to insensitivity ever have anything to say about some of the horrendously insulting and obviously DIRECT caricatures of PGWB? Or the racist cartoons made about Justice Thomas or Secretary Rice? I must have missed it, becaus

Enjoyed meeting Holden Trucking last night! Remember -- the show is a week from tonight! A week from this time we'll be starting the last trick of the show... don't miss it!

Actually, what it brought to my mind first was the line about a monkey at a typewriter, if given enough time, would randomly type the complete works of Shakespeare.

I thought it was a lame cartoon and made a weak connection between the stories involved, but not actually racist and not offensive on those grounds.

Thanks. I will probably rely on my old standby material. We'll see what happens! I had a friend do a spot on "Atlanta & Co." a couple of weeks ago and it didn't go so well. So I'm a little nervous this time.

I need to figure out what I'm going to perform! :nervous:

I'll be performing close-up magic at Stars & Strikes tonight from 8 pm to 10 pm. Tonight I'll be going table-to-table and group-to-group throughout the facility, performing short, close-up tricks for individuals, families and groups. Just adding to the overall fun and atmosphere of the place. (Remember that tonight is not my formal show -- that is NEXT weekend. That requires a paid ticket and is an hour-long performance.) I'd encourage you to come on out tonight, bowl a few games, eat dinner, enjoy the arcade, bumper cars, etc. and let me entertain you between your other activitie

CBS Atlanta is WGCL 46.

For those who might be interested... It looks like I'll be on "Better Mornings Atlanta" next week. I have to be at the station at 5:30am Tuesday. Have no idea what I'll be performing. I'll figure it out this weekend...

I just got back into town from a week on the road... great event in Louisville yesterday! I am going to a power networking event sponsored by Atlanta Business Magazine tonight! For details, click the image:

Yep. But I enjoyed my replacement very much, too!

All right! We're going to New Hope for dinner, probably 6pm. Anybody else who wants to hang out with JMT, Mrs. JMT and the younglings... come on!

It was great to see everyone there. This was my first time and I was made very welcome indeed. Thanks to those of you who said nice things about my performances. I appreciate your encouragement! Keep your eyes open for future shows... like this one!

Planning to be with y'all in the morning!