Michael Jay: Ron, you've been in this industry for many years and you've had the good fortune of meeting with many of the greats who are well known throughout the industry of magic. Would you say that things are better or worse in the 21st century and why?

RBauer: As far as I can determine this early in the process of becoming acquainted with the "Magic Bunnies" I'll have to consider that a moot question, and give you a moot answer: MOOT!

Michael Jay: Ron, I'd like to ask you a few questions about your Round Table group in Lake Orion, Michigan.

First, who originally started the group? If it was you, how did you go about getting out the word to get it started? And, when did this get started? Do you have any express goals with the group, or is this just your way of giving back to the community?

I've been to the meetings several times in the last few months and I just want to tell you that you have a good group of guys there. I've always been made to feel welcome (and with me, that's no small feet) and everyone is friendly and giving. Thanks for letting me take part in such a great group!

RBauer: It was organized several years ago by the late "Doc" Condon, who originally dubbed it the "Clare Cummings Roundtable." It was quite an active group, and two or three years after Clare's death, I began to bring Milt Kort to the meetings (mainly to get him out and about).

We have no officers or rules. We deliberately rotate groups to avoid too much of the assured destructiveness of "groups agreeing." (When men smile and agree, progress weeps.)

We like to applaud any performer's efforts, and respect the right to voice an opinion. There a occasional arguments, but, so far, nothing serious because our goal is to help each other entertain (or at least amuse) the public, and if someone doesn't fool a magician. It doesn't matter!

Oh, oh. Look at the time. I have to jump into the shower. I always leave for the roundtable no later than seven pm.

Sardine: Do you have a time line for releasing the next half of the "Private Studies Series"? Do you think that the U.S. professional magic community is like the National Syndicate? You know, you have the Kaufman gang on the east coast, Kohler gang on the west coast, Bauer gang in the mid-west, etc.

PS- I was told to ask you if you smoke trout?

RBauer: As far as the RBPS is concerned, the publication of the remaining titles really depends on the desire (legitimately demonstrated ONLY through purchases of the twelve—actually thirteen—currently available) of the magic “community.” When the gang at E-Gads, the publisher, tells me the demand is there, I’ll be back at the computer keyboard, pounding away. (BTW, all the scripts have been written and have been performed by me for many years, and, in some cases, by a variety of other magicians. Also, the illustrations are complete.)

The National Syndicate? I recommend you should drastically cut down on watching your Sopranos and the Godfather DVDs!

Finally, why would anyone named the great SARDINE be concerned about the TROUT smoking habits of a private citizen? I can’t help but sense some PISCATORIAL PARANOIA afoot here, and I doubt it has anything to do with Leipzig. (Ask Craig about THAT!)

JR: Ron, what are your top 5 books that you would recommend for a close-up/bar/restaurant magic?

I just ordered "Chick Trick" off your web site along with a couple others that look like fun. I'm looking forward to getting them.

Cheers.

RBauer: Would it be too unabashedly self-serving to say #s 1-5 of the RBPS Series?

Okay, I won’t say that. It would be the wrong advice anyway. My true view is the same for anyone intending to impose their magic tricks on the public. First, master (or at least achieve competency in) the basics of the craft of magic. Second, get some training in dealing with the public. Third, don’t “become a professional” until you find out if audiences enjoy you as a performer. You can find out the answer to number three by offering your services to charities and other events with audiences who are less critical than the buying public. There are many venues available. (If you don’t have the imagination to find some, perhaps you should consider working with or for an active professional for experience before going out on your own.)

I can’t recommend any books specific to close-up/bar/restaurant magic if you have not covered the above advice. (I have some harsh words about what I judge to be the blitz of books published in the last couple of decades which basically recycle the same false and faulty information, then advise you to “be creative.” I don’t feel like depressing myself right now, so maybe some other time.)

Basic books on magic? You can’t go wrong with the Tarbell Course in Magic (particularly the first six volumes), Royal Road to Card Magic, the New Bobo’s Modern Coin Magic (the new edition has some contributions by yours truly), Early Marlo, Encyclopedia of Card Tricks, and (I can’t find the words to praise it high enough) Secrets of Conjuring and Magic (NOT to be confused with Memoirs of Robert-Houdin!).

When you try to wade through these books, particularly Royal Road, the mistake is to try to learn the tricks! What? Yep! A beginner (which includes those who have been in magic for years, but haven’t taken time to sharpen the axe) is looking for tricks! But, books such as Royal Road aren't really books of tricks. (Try Encyclopedia of Card Tricks for that.) RR teaches, in an orderly way, basic card handling and basic card sleights, then gives you drills for practicing, and a few tricks to use to try out these manoeuvres. If you’re a novice, don’t you think it’s presumptuous to skip around in the book, picking and eliminating the “right stuff” before you know what you’re doing? I do. Start at the beginning. Read and run through each item. Make notes. DON’T TRY TO MASTER EVERYTHING. DON’T TRY TO LEARN EVERY TRICK FOR PERFORMANCE. IT TAKES TOO LONG, AND WON’T PAY OFF.

This is getting too long. There’s more I have to say on this. Most of it is in my RPBS Series. (Another shameless capitalistic plug!)

BTW, thanks for the order!