The Amazing Johnathan

Had we not lost him earlier this year, today would have been the 64th birthday of The Amazing Johnathan (John Szeles, 1958-2023). Early as his passing was, it might have been much earlier. He’d known about his serious heart condition since 2007, and had retired in 2014 thinking he had only a year to live.

Nominally a magician, Johnathan had only a few genuine tricks up his sleeve. His was essentially a comedy act, augmented with a few joke shop props, mostly of the Halloween horror variety (fake eyeballs, fake tongues, fake blood). Throw in a little dry ice and some puns and silliness, and hey, presto! A major Las Vegas act! He also appeared on tv shows like Letterman, Thicke of the Night, The Weird Al Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and others, and hosted his own game show, Ruckus in 1991. In 2001 he published his book on practical jokes, entitled Every Trick in the Book.

You can learn more about The Amazing Johnathan on his official website; as well as two 2019 films: The Amazing Johnathan Documentary and  Always Amazing: The True Story of the Life, Death, and Return of Amazing Johnathan.