♪♪
Subtitles by explosiveskull
[heavy breathing]
[mumbling]
[cell phone rings]
Konichiwa.
[water running]
Bobbling baby bobby bobbles
the bimble bobble on his bib.
Bobbling baby bobby bobbles
the bimble bobble on his bib.
Many money-minded moguls
minded their moolah more than morals.
Little Lillian lying by the lily pad
lets lazy lizards lie along the lily pond.
Various Victorian virgins
very rarely victimize their virginity
by various Victorian ways.
Welcome to the close-up gallery here
at the world-famous Magic Castle on Friday night.
[applause]
Now this gentleman you're about to see
he is really a living legend in card magic.
He's been performing for over 40 years.
Richard Turner can do things with cards
that no one in the world can do.
No one.
Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together
for the absolutely incredible
Richard Turner!
Ladies and gentlemen, would you welcome
this ace of cards Richard Turner.
[applause]
I'm a card mechanic.
A mechanic is somebody who can fix something.
An auto-mechanic fixes a car.
A body mechanic is a professional killer.
I'm a card mechanic. I can fix a card game.
♪ Hello operator ♪
♪ Can you get me number 9? ♪
♪ Can I see ya later? ♪
♪ Will ya give me back my dime? ♪
It's almost like there's not enough time
in his life to have gotten as good as he is.
He's on the crazy end of obsessive-compulsive.
And this is a guy that literally lives
with a deck of cards in his hand.
♪ Find a canary ♪
♪ A bird to bring my message home ♪
♪ Carry my obituary ♪
♪ My coffin doesn't have a phone ♪
♪ How you gonna get the money? ♪
♪ Send papers to an empty home ♪
♪ How you gonna get the money? ♪
♪ Nobody to answer the phone ♪♪
[applause]
- Well, howdy? - Howdy?
I love it when the audience shows up.
- Your name? - Erin.
- Erin? - Lexi.
Lexi. Well, I'm Richard Turner.
I represent why you should never
play cards with strangers.
[laughing]
When you play poker, blackjack, bridge
hold 'em, whatever your game, you wanna
make sure that the cards are evenly mixed.
Erin and I are gonna show you
how it's done, so do as I do.
Just cut your deck any way you want.
Give it a cut.
- Got it? - Mm-hm.
Now give it, uh, up the river cut.
Give it an alternating up the river cut.
Give it a flying three-way.
Beautiful.
Casino procedures what's called
riffle, riffle, strip, riffle, cut.
First, you break 'em 26-26.
Notice I'm exactly in half.
And then you lace 'em up every other card.
Then you have to do what's called a strip.
That's making a bunch of random little piles.
Good. One more time. Give it another riffle.
Another riffle.
A... And a straight cut.
You're having a little trouble, aren't ya?
Your right hand screwed ya.
Try it like this. Put 'em in your left hand.
Take it in this finger, break 'em across
slide them in and then give them
a one-hand bridge.
Then of course, after that, you have to give it
what's called a one-hand flip around cut.
Like that.
Now I have shown you a half a dozen ways
of shuffling and cutting the deck.
They should be pretty evenly mixed, yes?
- Yes? - Yes.
Let's see if this deck is pretty evenly mixed.
- Wow. - I want you to note.
Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
is suited numerically.
[applause]
When I saw Richard Turner perform
I realized that I was
in the presence of greatness.
Richard stands out.
You know, he's not your classic close-up magician.
He is demonstrating the moves used by cheaters.
The most difficult things you can do
with a deck of cards.
How many players do we have? 5, 6 or 7?
- How about 5? - How about 5?
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, burn.
And we have what's called the flop.
What is that card out loud?
- Erin? - Ace.
Burn, turn. What's that, Erin?
- Ace. - Burn, turn.
- What's that card, Erin? - Ace.
And you're my partner sittin' in number 4.
What do you have in the pocket? What's that?
Ace.
[applause]
Slide of hands.
When you're doing the type of work that Richard does
involves a level of detail
that is microscopic.
Watch the 6 of hearts.
You're gonna understand what I'm showin' you.
I'm not gonna do any tricks.
The gambler wants a 6, so what happens is
I deal cards to the other players.
Only when I'm ready, do I deal the 6.
Watch face up.
See how the card sits there
as the second card is dealt.
Watch again! Watch again!
6 on top. Super slow motion.
See the dealer will hit the other players.
Only when I'm ready, do I deal the 6.
See I'm the, we're playing blackjack
I have a 15.
I hit the other players and that 6 equals 21.
Several times, I have been sitting in his audiences
and about halfway through the show
you can sort of see
different members of the audience realize it.
It hits them out of the blue.
This guy can't see!
So hold on, he was blind, right?
'Cause he was looking at us, but I couldn't tell
if he was like discerning facial cues.
Am I wrong? I think I'm.. Is this a de..
Is there a deeper magic that's happening?
Did he fool me? Yes.
Is he blind?
Hm. Hm.
If you say he's blind
then I'll take that into consideration.
I'm gonna put a numbing eye drop.
It may burn a little bit.
Look up.
- Close your eyes. - Argh! Oh, just kiddin'.
Close your eyes.
Okay, Richard. Look straight ahead.
Based on his history and on my exam
he had a macular dystrophy
that started when he was a young boy.
He was legally blind for some time.
And as the time progressed, um
around 3rd or 4th decade of his life
his vision completely went dark.
Right now, he is what we call
no light perception. He cannot see anything.
He will not be able to tell if the lights
in the room on or off.
No shadows, not even movement.
He is completely blind right now.
10, 20, 20, 22.
This is my closet of cards.
In here, I have about 5 to 6000.
I haven't taken inventory in a few months
but altogether in the house
we have tens of thousands of decks.
But this is just my premium stock.
Cards are like wine.
Uh, this up here, I have what I call my G1107s.
That was a good year.
These are my favorite.
Uh, it was a, it was a portrait
that was done of me back in 1986.
I put 'em on the back of the Gamblers Playing Cards.
Nowadays, I have a 2 to 3 pack a day habit.
I used to have a 3 to 6 pack a day habit.
As I practice, they start pilin' up.
They pile up in the glove compartment.
They pile up downstairs on the kitchen table.
They pile up next to the piano where I sit.
[instrumental music]
"The Lone Ranger."
What sparked my interest in cards
was watching old Westerns.
[gunshots]
♪ Who is the tall dark stranger there? ♪
♪ Maverick is the name ♪
One in particular was "Maverick"
starring James Garner.
♪ Companion gamblin' is his game ♪♪
I was sittin' in front of a black and white
television set right beside the TV
so I could just absorb myself.
I wanna be right in the middle of action.
Cut.
You're holdin' 3 10s to my pair of queens.
Remind me not to play poker with you.
I thought Maverick was so cool
and at the end of the show
there's a silhouette of Maverick goin'..
♪ Natchez to New Orleans ♪
♪ Livin' on jacks and queens ♪
♪ Maverick is a legend of the West ♪♪
I literally heard a voice say
You will live on jacks and queens.
It just spoke to my mind and I thought
What does that mean, live on jacks and queens?
[indistinct chatter]
This is from the famous St. Louis ESP laboratory.
Please think of a 4 digit number.
- Write it on the back. - Okay.
Then turn it face down.
Okay, I have written a 4 digit number.
Facedown. Very good.
Sir, before you came in today
I had a premonition
and I actually wrote your number on this dollar.
Wouldn't that be amazing if I could show you
your number on this dollar?
That would be unbelievable.
See your number?
That is unbelievable.
When people ask me are you a magician
I say no.
I'm a card mechanic. There's a difference.
There's the illusionist.
Then there's the parlor magicians.
Then there's the close-up magician.
But some of the most difficult moves
are those used to control the outcome
of a card game.
What I do with the cards, a magician cannot do.
Okay, so we have your
we have your, uh, queens here, yes?
- Yes, sir. - Okay.
Cut the deck for me and then put the other half
on top after you cut it.
Cut it and then finish the cut.
Carry the cut. Alright.
So the... the queens are startin' somewhere
in the middle where you put 'em, okay?
- You with me? - Yes, sir.
Give me a number of players and a card game.
- 3, 4, 5. Call a number. - 4.
You'll be my secret partner.
Do you want to sit at 1, 2, 3 or 4?
Pick your spot at the table.
Um, spot 2.
- Number 2. - Yes, sir.
- Take the deck, Troy. - Alright.
Deal a card off the top right here
face-up, player 1.
Face up number 2 is you.
- What's that card? - Queen of diamonds.
Player 3. Player 4.
- Player 1. Face up. - Face up.
Right on top of each other.
You're number 2. What's that?
- Lady. - Player 3.
Player 4.
Player 1, you chose 2.
- What's that? - Lady.
Start betting, start betting big-time.
1. How many do you have altogether?
- That's 4... 4 ladies. - That's all you need.
Excellent.
Let's shuffle 'em back 'cause you won.
What was I gonna show you? Here.
Going to a magic convention
with Richard Turner
is probably the best thing ever
because everybody's like, Whoa, it's Richard Turner!
And like, Can we have your autograph?
Everybody's always like, How are you related to him?
And then once they find out I'm his son
Can we have your autograph too?
No matter where we go, there's always magicians
and every single one of them treats my dad like a king.
[speaking in foreign language]
People always just come up to the booth.
Even people, people who don't speak English
just come up and they're like
hello in whatever language and we're like, um, hi.
- What, what, yeah? - Yes.
You do..
- Close-up. - Close-up?
- And stage. - Cards?
- Close-up and stage. - Oh, and stage.
When did you start?
I started around 3 or 4.
3 or 4? Oh, really?
Young. Me, I was 7.
- I can't remember... - 7.
- Oh, that's right, yeah.
And that's, yeah, that's, uh, 3, 4, 5.
Alright, ready, I'm about to head onto it.
- There you go. - Got it.
That's the bottom right there.
But that, there must be a base to get to the ground.
It has a base and then a bottom?
That's the bottom.
How can the bottom be so far up in the..
- Oh, we're underneath it? - No.
We're nowhere near underneath it.
Gee-wiz. Now what's it... is it covered with metal?
Yeah, the whole thing's metal.
It's not solid metal, it's hollow, I'm guessing
'cause there's viewing windows at the top.
This is the bot.. This is the base of it here, right?
Yeah, this is the base.
At the back of your hand.
Well, this is solid here.
And we're almost to the end.
And there you go. Here, let me see the cards.
I'm gonna take the cards from you. Don't forget, okay?
So you have the triangle, it goes..
So this is the inside and that's the...
That's the point I was just at over there?
Point's the inside and it goes up
and around that way.
Oh, I got ya.
So the point's at the bottom like that.
So the point stays down pointing all the way around.
Well, that's interesting.
I never saw a blind person
before I started losing my vision.
I never even thought about bein' blind.
It was 1963.
The teacher was writing somethin'
on the chalkboard.
And I'm sitting there looking
and it's just a fuzz.
And the day before, I could see it just fine.
If you could imagine, you're looking at things
the way they are.
Then the next day, you're lookin' at things
in the way you'd see a cartoon.
There's no detail on anything.
The camera lens got twisted
and it became a blur.
You couldn't focus in on anything.
I'm tryin' to, tryin' to see the board.
Well, where'd the letters go?
They just thought that he had bad eyes.
That he just needed glasses, you know, and they could..
Corrective lenses would fix it.
After a few months, there was a black hole.
And in the center, it was just black.
It was just like a... a hat
in front of your face wherever you looked.
As far as what caused it
we didn't know, the doctors didn't know.
We were referred to another physician.
We had some bizarre test.
That was like I was in a spaceship.
They had these dots, blinking lights goin'.
And they diagnosed him, you know, then we knew.
He had an eye disease.
And it, uh, it's something
they can't do anything about.
I cried and cried..
I could cry right now just thinking about it.
Yeah, it was hard.
[indistinct chatter]
Hi, eh, my name is Guy Landien.
I'm just going just to introduce you.
Everyone knows who you are
but I just have to say it right now.
I know, I know who I am too.
- Good, great. - He just introduced me.
Yeah, good, great.
[speaking in foreign language]
May I ask for a big round of applause
for Richard Turner!
[applause]
Everybody help the ladies keep track
of the queen of diamonds.
We'll go 100 a throw, not too much.
Warm ya up.
It's called Find The Little Lady.
Pair of deuces, pair of deuces
keep your eye on the queen.
Tell 'em, Jennifer, 1, 2, 3?
- 3. You lost me actually. - 3.
Oh, Jennifer.
As soon as we put money on the table, $300.
How 'bout this? How 'bout this?
What's that card, Jennifer?
- That's a queen. - What's in the corner?
- A bend. - Yeah.
This is so if you go to a place called New York.
They do this on the streets and I won't move or blink
until, Jennifer, when you're ready
you tell me to go. When you're ready, say go.
- Go. - Where is it, Jen?
- In the middle. - Good job, Jen..
Oh, Jennifer.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thank you very much.
[indistinct chatter]
Rick, I need you to get out your green pen.
Right here.
- I got a green pen. - He has a green pen.
The green pen shows up better
on these than the black one.
- And it's Stefan? - Stefan.
- That's my name, yeah. - S-T-E..
- F-A-N. - F-A-N.
I've learned Swedish.
Willkommen which is the same in German
which I already knew and Tack which is thank you
and my favorite which is Hej, that's hello.
[indistinct chatter]
She's just sitting on a chair.
She got her arms folded.
[indistinct]
That's his thigh.
What's under his thigh? Gum?
Give me that. Give it.
Spit it out. Spit it out.
No, you didn't.
You didn't. I know that trick.
Give it to me. Give it to me.
No, it's in your pocket.
- Oh. - I... I know that.
Give me the gum. Give me the gum.
When Richard and I first started dating
he had some vision.
He had like peripheral vision.
And so we would go out and do, you know, fun things
like, you know, play basketball
or go swimming or go sailing
or whatever the case would happen to be.
And he would always be kind of looking out
of the side of his eye like that
and that's kind of how he would look at me too.
- Multiple steps. - Grab this rail.
And then come down 2 steps.
And then duck your head way down.
You know, he needed help every now and then
like what does that say or obviously, driving
was never gonna be a thing for him.
But clearly, he needs a lot more help today than he did then.
"Smoked salmon, famous warm fishcakes ..."
Hold it, smoked fishcakes. Say that again.
"Served with rye bread and Danish remoulade."
Start from the beginning.
- That is the beginning. - Okay.
Start from.. Okay. Dark bread.
- Served on rye bread. - Rye bread.
I remember when we were first married
other people had told him, Oh, you need to learn Braille.
He goes, "I'm not gonna learn Braille. That's for blind people."
Or they said, uh, You need to get a cane.
Oh, he said, "I'm not carrying a cane."
I mean, you know, i... it was a weakness
and it was a weakness that he was not going to admit to.
Back button. 2145 Mesa Court Dr.
Mesa, AZ, 85,209.
1.0 miles to destination.
Estimated time, 18 minutes.
Okay. Left, left.
Left, left. Left, left. That's it, girl.
I started losing my vision about a year
after Richard did and I was in 3rd grade.
For me, it went fast.
I'm doing my math problems
and all of a sudden, my eyes just went black.
And then when I open 'em up, that was it.
It was like within 60 seconds.
I am independent
in a different way than Rick.
He doesn't use a cane, hardly
and he doesn't use a dog.
Yes, good girl. Good girl.
He doesn't want people to know that he doesn't see.
Because he thinks it's embarrassing.
$1.
Is anyone here?
I just don't care what people think.
It's more important for me to be able
to have as much as freedom as possible.
How're you doin' today, sir?
Very well, thank you. How about yourself?
Oh, really good. Sure a beautiful day today.
Yes, it is.
It is so liberating
and I am such a, much happier person.
I feel like I can do pretty well anything I want.
For example, I wouldn't even cross a very simple street.
You know, I thought people were nuts
to cross a street.
And now I can go and get my groceries.
I can go and walk to the mall.
I didn't wanna be a burden on people.
Okay, we're here.
I think Rick is resistant because he still
has that mindset that it's a weakness.
When we both started losin' our vision
I think he struggled way harder than I did.
I can remember walkin' down the street with my friend
and we would go blind bat, blind batty
even though it was me doin' it and my friend
and I remember him just going berserk from that kind of thing.
And then Rick and I both went
to the school for the blind.
And for a stage there
Rick was self-destructive.
When I was, uh, 11, I was sent off
to Callum Hills and they had a VH room.
VH stood for Visually Handicapped.
I did not like the word handicapped.
I still to this day, I can't stand the word handicapped
and I hated the word blind.
And so there was, um, some hurt
and a little bit of rebellion
that was starting to fester within my soul.
The teasing from the other kids
that's what really ticked me off.
The kids would call me Mr. Magoo.
They liked to say, How many fingers am I holding up?
And they would always use the middle finger
and they'd put it right up next to my nose.
How many fingers am I holding up?
It was embarrassing. I wanted to beat 'em up.
But I was crying. I hate to admit it.
I was weeping. I was cryin'.
And I was very mad and, uh, and very hurt.
My mom at first was comforting.
Then I think she just didn't want to accept it
so she kind of withdrew.
And I remember one time she's ironing
and I'm sitting there trying to read
my large print book and she said
"Must you put the book so close to your eyes?"
It was like I was broken in her eyes.
I went out in my dad's workshop
and I took a magnifying glass
that I was given to help me see... see the large print.
And I literally stared at the sun trying
to burn the eyes out of my head.
And I was cursing everybody around me
and I was cursing God.
I was hurtin' inside and I couldn't do what I was able to do before.
And I thought I just wanted to burn
the worthless things out of my head.
My teacher in the VH room
she really did something that was special for me.
She had a giant 7 inch
reel-to-reel tape recorder.
And she recorded some pieces
from a book called "Expert At The Card Table"
by S.W. Erdnase.
It was a book written in 1902
and it was on how to cheat at cards.
At nighttime, I would put on these headphones
and I would listen to this... this stuff
while I slept to get it in my head.
There was somethin' tactile about cards
that my fingers liked.
I loved the feel of them in my hands.
I loved the feel of 5 cards
6 cards, a poker hand
where I'm actually holding 6
pretending I'm holding 5.
I didn't have to see what I was doing.
I could feel what I was doin'.
So you know how we had
where we were on the beach?
- Just now? - Yeah.
So it's right over here, right in the back of us.
So you have the beach, then you have a bit
of flat land for a little bit
and then it's just mountains.
And they are all covered with trees
so they're green mountains.
- Green. - Green mountains, yeah.
I've been fishing all my life.
And I can feel a fish fart
within 3 feet of my, my hook.
I don't like to have my pole sitting in the thing.
I like to have it in my hand the whole time.
So I can feel what's goin' on
and feel the exact moment that somethin' hits.
Okay, yeah.
That's a, that's a fish, isn't it?
- Woo! Is it on board? - Oh, yeah.
Alrighty, spademan.
- Give me five! - Over here.
Don't bite the meat.
Just bite the fin. You can have the eyeball.
I don't care about that.
- He's gonna eat it. - Alright, hold it up!
Un eyeball.
What is the point of this?
Well, when have you ever chomped on an eyeball
to see what it tastes like?
Okay, I need some water to rinse my hands off.
Yeah, David's got it.
My dad is a little bit on the crazy side.
As a kid, he would tell me some wild stories
from when he was younger.
I used to think he'd make them up
'cause he would tell them as bedtime stories to me.
So I thought they were like
stuff out of his imagination.
Then I met all his friends that he did them with.
They're real and it's kind of scary.
They always say back in the crazy days.
Not the good old days, the crazy days.
- There? - Yeah.
Good. Little bit more to the right.
I didn't know much about Rick's, uh, vision in high school.
I mean, really, uh, Rick seemed to get along okay
just as if he were sighted.
And that was kind of strange.
He just, he refused to be like
any old other blind person.
He actually did stuff
that, uh, that he really shouldn't have done.
- Okay. - You get what I'm saying?
Oh, Juda! Juda!
At that time, I could see houses
trees within like a 40, 50 foot circumference.
I could see well enough to ride a bicycle
and so I would follow the lines.
I figured if I could ride a bike
I should be able to ride a motorcycle.
I'd jump on the back and he'd say
"Is there anybody coming on the left?
Anybody comin' on the right?"
I'd say nope, go.
I guess he could watch one of the lines
and you know, on down the highway we went.
That was part of his lifestyle was being not blind.
I just had so much energy.
If there was an obstacle, if there was a cliff
whatever it was, I had to overcome it.
I had to beat it.
Rick joined this karate class.
He was very, very determined.
Rick said he did not wanna be treated any differently.
So he would go through all the same drills.
I told everybody, Don't knock him out. Don't injure him.
But then Rick started hitting people
and he liked it.
You don't have to see where every body part is. You just know.
And I didn't care where any body part was.
I was just hittin' whatever I could hit.
It's a little bit exhausting to be around Rick
'cause he's just always doin' something.
He had so much potential for so many things.
But he was all over the place.
I was a perpetual motion machine.
I never stopped moving.
My cards became just the perfect thing
because I was able to develop something
while I burned off that nervous energy.
You know, I'm a nervous person. Always have to be movin'.
And so before I would scratch myself
or wiggle or jerk somewhere or another
so I just funnel all of my nervous energy
into practicing moves with the cards.
In one of his early literature pamphlets
it said, "Richard Turner practices 16 hours a day."
And when I read that, I thought
Am I supposed to believe that?
You know, nobody practices 6..
That... that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
Who... who's gonna believe that?
Fast forward 15 years, I'm stayin' at his house
and he absolutely practiced 16 hours a day.
He never puts the cards down.
Rick always shuffles cards
and makes that little tshh sound all the time.
He does it at church. He does it in the car.
He does it in the grocery store.
He does it when we're layin' in bed.
He does it when he's thinking.
He does it while he's working out.
I've never been in an environment
except maybe in the pool. No, no.
When we first met, we went to the Jacuzzi
he took his cards with him.
She got so frustrated and then she said to me
"Do you know what? The other night we were in bed
we were making love and I heard this tshh."
He was practicing shuffling with one hand
while they were making love.
We all stayed in a motel room together
and I remember he had laid down on the bed
to go to sleep and he had a deck of cards in each hand
and he was shuffling the cards while he was listening
to the television and then he drifted off
to sleep and his hands stopped.
And the next morning, this is exactly what happened.
His hands started moving before his eyes opened up.
It was here at the Magic Castle
in this corner known as the Dai Vernon Corner
named after Professor Dai Vernon
where my, uh, destiny with a pack of cards
was really set.
I'm 84 years of age
and I've been studying magic for 78 years.
I wasted the first 6 years of my life
but... but..
[audience laughing]
What do you mean you've been studying?
Where do you study it? With other famous...
No, you... you sit in a room
and you take a pack of cards
you take some dice, you take a handkerchief
and you try to create some kind of magical effect
and you work it out.
Dai Vernon was the single most important person
in the development of magic
in the last hundred years.
Houdini had a boast that any card trick
if he saw it twice, he could figure it out.
Vernon, as a brash young man, met Houdini
and did a card trick for him
and Houdini kind of knit his brow.
And after the 2nd or 3rd time
Houdini's wife said
"Oh Harry, come on, admit it he's fooled you."
He certainly was an absolute master
of sleight of hand.
And he was also hooked on gambling moves.
He heard I could do some difficult moves
with the cards and he agreed to meet with me
at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood.
When I first showed Professor Vernon my second deal
this is how I was dealing.
You know, I thought, oh, totally hidin' it.
Nobody can see what I'm doing.
And he goes, "Well, that's unnatural.
What's your name again? Turner? Richard?
That's unnatural, Turner.
You can't, it doesn't work, it's unnatural."
And all of a sudden, he grabbed my hand here and he said
"Now watch. No movement at all."
And then he said, "Feel, feel my hands, feel my hands."
And so I, uh, see this blurry image
out of the corner of my eye
as he was describin' a move.
One of the things
Vernon would talk about is naturalness.
He said a lot of people hold the cards like this.
You know, it's called a mechanic's grip.
They really hide the cards
because they can get away with dirty work.
But he said if you hold the cards with your fingers
across the side, more deck is exposed.
And if you're not trying to hide the move
people are less inclined to believe that
you're doin' somethin' dishonest.
He said it takes no effort
to deal a card off the top.
A 4 year old can take that card
and deal it on the table.
So you need to be able to do the second card
with that same natural ease.
I would go home and I would analyze it.
I'd take it apart piece by piece.
And I would practice that move in slow motion.
Training my hands to do exactly
what I wanted to accomplish.
And then I would turn it into a subconscious habit.
10,000 times, 20,000 times in a day
doing that same move.
Like a machine.
And then when I'd go back to show professor
he'd go, "That's it."
He saw obsession in me.
Obsessed like he was obsessed.
He started unloading on me.
He started tipping things that
he hadn't shared with other people.
I still have things that I have today
that nobody else knows besides me and him.
[applause]
Just in case anyone is skeptical
about what you've just seen
Richard's going to show us some more
of his incredible skills.
How many people in the card game, John?
Give me a number of players.
Oh, 5.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Another number, wherever you say
that's where the ace will be.
6.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Remember that one is facedown.
These are coming out of the middle.
I want you sit in the middle.
I'll put it a little further for you.
- Okay. - Another number, John.
- Uh, 2. - 1, 2.
[laughs]
Slow motion.
The first time I saw Richard was on television.
The show was called "That's Incredible."
I'll never forget that 'cause I was dealing craps at the Aladdin
on a strip in Las Vegas at the time.
And when I went back into work the next day
everybody was talkin' about this guy on television
who'd, uh, brought the house down.
What blows me away is, if you list all
of the different gamblers' moves
and you come up with things like the second deal
and push-throughs and perfect shuffles.
Most people have one good move that they're known.
Richard spent his entire life mastering
all of the things on the top of the list.
I'll show you the touch you have to have.
Give me a number between 1 to 52.
How about something like 37?
37. Try that.
But you do that so fast.
31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37.
[laughs]
He's a trickster and not only that
uh, Richard Turner is also legally blind.
And he can do things with cards no one else can do.
- How do you do that? - How do I do which?
Well, how do you, how do you..
What I get angry about
is if someone told somebody
Oh, this guy's blind.
I need to tell you about Richard's eyesight.
Did you notice that Richard brought it up very closely?
Tell them about your eyesight.
It's the way people all of a sudden perceive and treat you
and I... I... I didn't like it.
We all hear about people who have average
or even below average intelligence
and yet a spike in one area.
A retarded boy who was incredible at the piano
things like that, uh..
I would say you're at least average intelligence
but you've got a, got a spike in this one, gosh.
That makes what we're seeing even more
astounding, by the way.
I don't like sympathy
and I don't like the theme
handicapped makes good.
People have introduced me sayin'
Oh, this is a blind magician.
This is Richard Turner. Oh, by the way, he's blind.
And I'll tell 'em
What does that have to do with anything?
I'm just Richard Turner.
You can just introduce me as that.
I turned down the biggest show on television
because they wanted me to walk with a stick.
I wouldn't do that.
I wanna be known and recognized
and respected for what I do
on its own merit.
Not because of this guy has this situation
and this is what he's done.
He's lived his entire life
trying not to be like a blind person
and so he doesn't want to admit
that he actually is.
Reach out.
What else you want?
You're really crooked, dad.
The screw is really crooked.
I know.
You're really crooked, dad.
That is even more crooked.
Okay, well, let it ride.
Well, then it's going to come out the side of the wood...
It's not gonna show.
How the hell did I make it crooked again?
I know, I don't want your hand
down there when I'm doing this.
I know, but you're gonna leave it crooked.
- My drill straight? - No, towards your leg.
- Okay, yeah. - Towards your leg more.
Yeah, this bit is worse than the other one.
I one time was telling my sister.
She was trying to say, You should get a cane.
She said, "It'd be encouraging to others."
I said, "Lori, that's not what encourages me.
What encourages me is somebody
who lost their sight and owns
one of the largest construction companies
in the state.
And I was referring to her.
On the outside, it's kind of tan and dark brown.
Now hang on to me. Does anybody got you?
- Asa's driving. - Okay, got it. Okay.
I got it.
On this walkway now
we're gonna walk around the building.
There, we... we did the concrete.
It's gonna look like a carpet.
What I do for a living is I help masterplan
like this whole 500 acres, for example
we drew it all out.
Figured out what types of businesses would go where.
I don't call her my genius sister for nothing.
I mean, she's brilliant. She does things..
She does things that just stagger me.
And I'm always bragging on her and she goes
"No, no, no, don't say anything about me."
[laughing]
What it is is, it's kind
of fancy-looking edgings around all of it.
Isn't that how the top of the Alamo looks?
- Alamo? Alamo... - Alamo in San Ant..
Well, I, maybe I do.
Uh, it's, it's like this. Ready?
Uh-huh.
Oh, I got you. I got what you said.
And then there's these big domes.
We'll go up one more floor
and I'll show you the domes up there.
They're like 9 foot round circles.
Yeah. Like a half basketball?
Like a half sphere, yeah.
It's something to do with the look.
And this has all the carpet look
inside on the concrete.
Just inside, this will probably
be carpet or whatever they want.
Up to about 4 years ago, I faked it.
I just didn't use a cane.
I didn't use anything like that.
But I was always embarrassed
and when I'd go around people
I hid it.
Then my husband got
in a really bad truck accident.
And he was in the hospital for 2 months.
I was there by myself.
And I had to do everything
and I was so overwhelmed
and I realized I don't care
if I'm embarrassed anymore.
I checked myself in to the school for the blind.
Learning to use my dog
and gettin' around was just..
It was like a huge exciting time in my life.
Richard always would tell me
Lori, don't use the word blind.
Just keep it a secret.
And now I just ignore him.
Because to me, acknowledging my blindness
has been the most invigorating thing in my life.
I think Rick still fakes it.
He has enough people in his life where he can still do
what he wants with using people.
And Asa's like Rick's Seein' Eye dog.
Asa leads Rick and navigates him around
just like my dog does.
Sorry, I was trying to go that way
'cause there was a guy running.
I think It really hit me when I was about 7.
I thought he was walking me
but I was actually always walking him.
I was a lot shorter than he was.
I was very small.
I was about up to his waist.
So I was up there holding his hand.
There was this tree that went over the path
that was like, kind of like hooked
and we were walking and he went whoo-pow
and rammed his head right into it.
I was like, "What? Didn't you see that?"
And he goes no. And I'm like oh.
And that's like when it first really hit me
that he can't really see.
I got it. Let go.
Okay. This the front of the car?
Yep. You're gonna be right in the middle.
- Asa? - Yeah.
I dropped my deck down here.
You just kicked it. I got it.
I just don't wanna touch the ground with my hands.
Here you go.
Many money-minded moguls
mind their moolah more than morals.
Nine nice nieces
neatly nibbling on knick-knacks
never notice nine nice nephews
noticing nine nice nieces.
- Richard, how are you? - Is that Ron?
- Yes, it is. - Hey!
Keep comin'. You're coming the...
We're going in the right direction? Okay.
I used to perform with my dad
but today I am basically his..
I'm like his stage manager, kind of.
I have to give him the location.
I set up table, I set up the chairs
and make sure he is ready on time.
- Here you go. - Is it all wrapped up?
Yep. Got to take the lid off.
Doesn't seem like it affected my hands.
He can get nervous sometimes.
Even if it's just like a basic show.
Sometimes he'll get nervous
and I don't know why.
I had one guy, he wanted to cut
double or nothing for the pot.
He cut a 10 and I cut
what's that card, Brian?
I've probably seen about 10,000 of his shows.
And once he starts something, I can tell you
exactly what he's gonna say.
- Alright. Asa, right? - Ace of spades.
His name is Asa, his middle name is Spades
so it's easy to remember.
- Have a great night. - Thank you now, Ron.
I remember when we were doing this
when you were 5 years old.
Remember, we had those 2 matchin' outfits?
Yes, I do.
[chuckles]
Hello, my name is Asa Spades.
Would you please pick a card?
Take 4 of the same card.
He can barely see over the top of the table
even on his tiptoes, but rest assured
Asa Spades Turner has a trick up his sleeve.
He should, seeing how he's had
the best teacher in the world.
Okay. Should we show them a few things, Asa?
Yes.
Almost every day until I was about 10
he tried to teach me magic.
He definitely wanted me to follow his footsteps.
And just remember, your daddy decorated
this room just for you.
All done in cards.
I think deep down that Rick really did want
to perhaps have a little protege or something.
Take a card face-up on the bottom.
Face-up on the top.
Again, 2 directions. Face-up, facedown.
Square them up, turn them over.
We have 1, 2, 3, 4 cards facedown.
Now if I turn one card up, they're all up.
If I wanted to go to a friend's house
I had to do 50 false shuffles first.
If I wanted a new toy
I had to learn a new trick
and be able to perform it.
It got to where it started becoming
almost like a punishment.
Asa is not really inclined
the same way Rick is.
He's the most disciplined person in the world.
There's no one more disciplined than him.
I try. I really do, but sometimes I can't.
I can't do it all the time, you need a break
which I don't see how he doesn't.
He never takes a break.
Like his break is working out
which is kind of a break.
Not really.
- Asa? - Yeah.
You're gonna do bench press. Okay?
Bench press, I'm gonna start off with push-ups.
We'll do sets of 13 back and forth. One suit.
Everything in my household has to do with cards.
So when you work out, you do sets of 13
which is a quarter of a deck, 26, half a deck
or a deck, which is 52.
Hold it at the top for a second, Asa.
There you go. That was a little better.
Blew out too soon again.
I'm trying my best, dad.
I've done 6 holds. Just leave them be.
You're doing good. You're doing good.
It can be hard sometimes. He really pushes you.
You think you can cheat, but you cannot.
He can hear whatever you're doing.
No power. That was a dud.
Medium.
- Lost somethin'. - Yeah, I know.
Rick doesn't lower his expectations.
Everybody comes up to his expectation.
- Jab, under, jab. - That was awful.
- Yeah, I know. I... - No snap. No snap.
I know. I just..
Just don't worry. Don't look at me. Just..
Just snap there, that's the..
- There you go. - Step back just a hair.
You're a little too close to the bag.
Asa will say, "Dad, you're different from the rest of us."
I'll tell him, "Asa, I'm 3 times your age.
You should be keepin' up with me."
Combinations, Asa.
Oh! You went straight.
You're supposed to go for the head.
Asa, what's his name?
Richard Turner the Cheat and he did it to you.
Okay, what's next?
My wrists are already hurting.
I can't be messing with my hands anymore.
Yeah, I can't be messing with the hands.
Richard is kind of a walking contradiction.
He uses his fingers and his hands
to make his living and on the other hand
he's constantly pounding them
into heavy bags and boards
and bricks and people's chins.
It's like the worst thing you can do to your hands.
[grunts]
It's gonna be a single board speed break.
Jab, focus break.
This is a five board, step across side kick.
[grunts]
I hadn't seen Rick in some time.
He came to me and said he wanted to get a black belt.
We had a discussion about that because
at that time, his vision had gotten worse
and at the time, we probably had
the hardest black belt test in the country.
You would go 10 3-minute rounds
against fresh opponents with 1 minute's rest.
Master Douglas wanted to give me
an honorary black belt because he said
"You've put in your times and lumps."
I said, "No, I wanna earn it
the same way you and Terry and everybody else did.
I wanna go the 10 3-minute rounds."
He wanted it to mean something
so we started training.
The test is very difficult
for anyone under any circumstance.
You can be an incredibly gifted athlete.
You're gonna be tested.
When you fight 10 fresh fighters
and they're all tough and they're all out to get you
you're gonna pay a hefty price.
Now the final point. You're legally blind.
Yeah, and I don't see very well either.
Well, how could you possibly fight?
I don't know? We'll find out.
Sit and watch.
- Chin in. Chin in. - Come on, Rick.
[grunts]
It was full contact.
This was not a man
who was visually impaired to them.
[grunts]
Come on, Rick.
I caught a roundhouse kick right here
and snapped this bone right here, so I fought
the last 3 and a half rounds
with a broken right arm.
[grunts]
- Keep going. - You got it.
[indistinct chatter]
It was probably the only time
I have seen Rick almost broken.
It was probably a little bit too brutal
but we didn't want it to be a gift.
[cheering]
Getting my black belt was one of my single
greatest accomplishments.
It took me 13 years
3 months and 6 days
and the next day, the whole bloody mess was spread across
the front page of "Los Angeles Times" sports section.
The only thing is, they used the word blind
so I never showed anybody that article
because they had to put the Blind Man
Earns Black Belt in there.
I want my stuff to stand on its own.
You got one from Jim Blowers.
- Mom read that to me. - Doug.
Doug Gorman. Mom read that to me.
Okay. You got one from the AMAs.
The Academy of Magical Arts.
Oh, read it. What does it say?
Uh..
It says, "Richard, congratulations.
"Once again, you have been nominated
"as the Close-Up Magician of the Year
by the members of The Academy of Magical Arts."
I've been nominated for a 2nd year in a row.
2nd year in a row. I have to say, okay.
And, uh, you have to respond with your acceptance.
As his publicist, I can tell you
I've already written his speech.
Uh, thank you very much.
No.
You have to say more than that.
Uh..
Whatever happens at that moment
is what's gonna happen at that moment.
No, you should not do an extemporaneous speech.
You'll regret everything you said
and you'll regret everything you didn't say.
Well, okay, it's going to be short and sweet.
"Hello. Thank you. Thank you.
And thank you. Goodbye."
Is that good?
I'll be writing him a speech.
[laughs]
I've been nominated as Close-Up Magician of the Year
by The Academy of Magical Arts.
In our business, this is the equivalent of the Oscars.
There hasn't been a single card mechanic
that has actually won this award.
So to finally be acknowledged and honored
for what I have spent a lifetime developing
would be quite an achievement.
The first time we came, we were very hopeful.
You know, your first nomination is the big deal.
We had hopes and clearly, Rick was disappointed
as was I when he didn't make it.
I kind of have that feeling
this year that he's gonna win.
I hope I'm right for his sake.
Asa, your dad wants you to see what he has on.
What do you say?
Your tie's not tied right.
The tie doesn't? Too long, too short?
Knot's wrong.
Knot's wrong for this dress?
Uh-huh. The purse matches.
[laughing]
Okay, time to, I'll try the other one on instead.
To think that the same scared visually-impaired kid
sitting around shuffling cards in the VH room
could be on stage tonight
receiving this award is humbling.
59 years old, finally wearin' a tie.
I'm so proud.
And then you're just gonna wanna
just tighten it up just a tad bit.
That's why I never learned how to tie a tie.
I wore those Colonel Sanders ties
for 30 somethin' years.
Uh-huh. I think I'm too long this time.
Alright, lift up your chin so I can get your neck.
Did you already shave this morning?
Alright, let me put a little bit of water on your hair.
There you go. And on your mustache.
I think that in his heart's desire
he would like to step up his recognition
in the performing world.
And my biggest fear for him is that
he would not achieve that.
Winner.
[laughing]
Ladies and gentlemen
welcome to the 46th Annual AMA Awards.
[applause]
Hey, hey! Help me down! Oh, yes!
Oh, yes! Thank you!
- Thank you very much! - Thank you, everybody!
- Have a good night! - You guys are great!
Have a good night!
And now it's time for the Close-Up Magician
of the Year award.
The nominees for the 2013
Close-Up Magician of the Year are..
Bill Goodwin.
[cheering]
Helder Guimaraes.
[applauding]
Armando Lucero.
[cheering]
David Regal.
Richard Turner.
[applauding]
And the winner is..
...Bill Goodwin!
[cheering and applause]
[instrumental music]
[cheering]
Today, our son
is off to university.
I... I'm so proud of him, obviously.
He's been my partner for 18 years.
I mean, he started traveling with me
when he was a baby.
For the first ten years of his life
I... I, I could feel him growing.
Now, he's stronger than the old man
smarter than the old man
handsomer than the old man, and, uh..
[mumbling]
My wife and I are so proud of him.
[indistinct chatter]
Is that you opening the door?
- Asa? - Yeah.
I just don't want to walk off any cliff.
There's no cliff, dad..
People say, "Is he going to follow
in his father's footsteps?"
I say, "He's too smart to try to do that."
You know, he's going to, he's going to take things
to levels beyond what I did.
I played with cards and I've done well with it
and it's been fun and it's exciting
but he's gonna do more substantial things.
Make a greater impact on society.
Alright. Behave yourself.
I will.
Adios, amigo.
- Spiderman, love you, man. - You too.
- You have fun, okay? - I will.
Get that card. Get that renegade.
Well, another one bites the dust.
[exhales deeply]
Hey, Johnny.
I was taking a minute off of the spinning wheel
and walking the dog.
A few one-hand middles and, uh
thought I'd give you a harassment call.
Well, talk to you. Later.
You know, when Asa first flew the coup
it was really hard, and it was really hard on Rick
because he really likes having Asa here
to run him places and do things.
I have heard Rick complain
about his vision.
And he gets really frustrated.
When he's down in spirit
he doesn't really like to show that to other people.
He always wants to be seen as the strong person
and he doesn't ever want anyone
to think that he's weak.
[instrumental music]
I was told way back when
you will eventually lose all your sight.
When I got married, I never told Kim
and I probably should have, but I never did.
I guess you could say I was afraid
but I thought I have what I have
and I'm not gonna... I'm not gonna accept anything less
even though the less kept coming.
In our lifetime together
it's happened like three times.
When we got married
he could still see pretty good.
I mean, he walked around without any help.
And then, all of a sudden, he took a dip
and I think he knew it happened
but he didn't want to admit that it happened
and so finally one day, he came to me...
You all are going to make me cry.
He said, "Do you know, I don't think
I can see very well anymore."
And so that was really, really hard.
And then, I'm gonna say about ten years later
there was nothing.
I have to say it probably took me a year
before I realized that what I was seeing
was not what was there.
The thing is if I do this
I will see
uh, just like a clock going back and forth
my hand go back and forth
but if I close my eyes
I see the exact same thing.
And I realized it's not real.
I... I'm not seeing anything that's real anymore.
I didn't realize all that was left was
how my mind filled in the blanks
rather than through any kind of visual sight.
When I lost the rest of my vision
I lost the independence that I had.
Before, I could walk alongside somebody
and not have to be touching them or them touching me
and when I lost that
that meant as much to me as
for anyone else to have lost their vision.
That was really hard for all of us
because, first of all, Rick wouldn't admit it.
Even though we all knew it.
And he wasn't gonna change his lifestyle
you know, he was Rick, man.
He can overcome anything.
I did not want to be helped.
It was very humbling to go
from a self-sufficient disabled person
to a dependent disabled person.
He really was relying very heavily on myself
to help him with everything that he needed.
I remember having to actually say
that I felt like he was using me, kind of...
I felt like I was his, like a Seeing Eye dog.
Which was terrible because when he needed me
he'd whistle for me.
And, at first, it was okay
but then I was starting to think
"Wow. I just, I don't like that."
One day, things had just gone wrong and life just sucked
and nothing was happening the way it should
and we did the only thing that we could do
is that we hugged each other
we prayed about it
and we just agreed that
we would get through it together.
A, B, C, D, E, F
G, H, I, J
K, L, M, N... Zero. Hyphen.
Oh, be careful touching some of these things.
Okay.
Because you might turn the voice off.
Okay. Gotcha. Okay.
So, the first thing when you get on your phone
usually, you wake it up, right?
Uh, well, I slap it a couple of times.
Yeah, so it's usually asleep, right?
What I'm going to show you first is
um, learn these four keys.
The first one to the left of the space bar is the Command.
Command is like "I command you to go to this app
or I command you to do this." You know what I mean?
Okay, like, "I command me to go
to my e-mail" type of thing?
Recently, Rick's been reaching out for help.
We have been learning his computer
his iPhone.
He wears Kim out, you know.
He wears people out
because of things he could do for himself.
And I think that he realizes that now too.
- Figure out where you're at. - Okay.
What we're looking for is the edit field.
So feel right arrow and see
if you can hear edit. You might have to...
- Edit. - Yeah, right there.
Okay, now it said edit button
so you need one finger double tap which means Reveal.
- Selected. - Now you got it. Now..
I think that now that he's allowing
the blindness topic to come up
he's a lot happier
and that's what I'm kind of working on him now.
But you have to almost make him.
Another thing I need to learn how to do
is if I want to find a... a... an e-mail
on a... a, uh, phone.
Say, I want someone to send a key in the Rs.
Oh! I'll show you how to do that.
- That's super easy. - Yeah, I know.
Everything's super easy till you learn how to do it.
Oh. You mean..
There's a certain element of embarrassment
I guess.
It's like, when he was doing his cards
he kept it a secret.
I always thought it was more spectacular
that he really didn't see the cards
but he saw it as a
I really think he saw it as
something he didn't want people to
you know, quote-unquote, "put him in a box or something."
How many people bought two eyes today? Say yes.
- Yes. - Yes.
Okay. 'Cause you're gonna need both of 'em.
The idea is simple.
It's called find the King of Diamonds.
Two deuces, the king wins.
I was always an adult performer.
A guy asked if I would teach a class for the kids.
Just, uh, totally changed my outlook.
Elliot, I'm gonna try it out.
I'm not going too fast.
Are you following here, Elliot?
- Mm-hm. - Tell 'em where it is.
One, two or three?
One.
- Oh, Elliot! - Oh, yes!
I knew.
Four hundred dollars.
[indistinct chatter]
Okay, okay.
I'll slow it down for the losers.
I'll slow it down.
This week, I had a visually-impaired lady
named Michaela.
Very sweet lady, extremely bright.
She sees the way I saw
when I was her age and less.
She does not have self-pity
which is a good thing.
In my case, when I was growing up, you know, I did
and that took a few years off of my growth.
Can you read Braille?
No.
To me, I thought it was too dysfunctional.
- Do you? - Yes, I read Braille.
Oh, good for you. No, when I first..
When I was first asked, when I was nine
I thought I saw the Braille Bible
which, if you put all the pieces together
stands about two and half feet tall.
I thought, "Man, I'm gonna have to have
a wheelbarrow just to carry one book."
And, uh, so I, uh
I kind of rebelled against that idea.
Yeah, I mean, it gets a little out of hand sometimes
but, in the long run, it's really
it's really useful, I think.
Yeah. Yeah.
I was just
I was stubborn when I was your..
I was not as smart as you are, obviously.
But I was good at other things...
- Like cards? - Figuring out..
Figuring out puzzles, cards, games..
It's nice to meet someone else who's blind
and who can do a bunch of stuff.
I think he doesn't really like
the fact that he's blind bother him..
...which, it's nice to meet someone else who acts that way
because I try to not let it bother me and hinder me
but it's kind of hard sometimes.
Well, you, God bless you and, uh
and just keep on doin' what you're doin'
because you're... you're gonna go all the way.
Richard, he's an inspiration that it can be done.
That you can be visually impaired or blind
and go out into the world
and do something really major
that a lot of people can recognize.
Don't let anyone tell you you can't play
or that it's impossible.
Take possible out of impossible.
I think a very general statement
that can be made about magic
is that it helps remind us
things aren't always what they seem
and that limitations aren't always limitations.
And, in Richard's case, he does that
both on and offstage.
He gives by the example of his great skill
and the success he's had.
A wonderful reminder that
there aren't as many limits as we generally think.
That's the one that you didn't do
and that's the one that you did do.
Yes. Is there another rubber band?
Yes.
Are you gonna do three decks on this or...
Yeah. I'm... I'm doing three.
Tonight is a really big night for Rick.
He is performing a new one-man show
about his life.
About a year ago, Rick came to me
and said he wanted to do something
that was more than just entertainment.
So, you know to speak slower, right?
Yes. I know.
And if you're stuck
you want me to yell out from the back
where you are?
- Um.. Yeah. - Alright.
You know, it's not easy for him
to put himself out there
and to be more open about his life.
I just try to encourage him
and remind him that you cannot conquer
what you're not willing to confront.
Being blind is part of Rick.
It's not all of Rick
but it's a big portion of him
and it inspires people.
So, why not share it?
[audience applauding]
- Howdy? - Howdy?
I want you to know over the next 90 minutes
no matter how bizarre and silly the stories sound
they're actually based on real events in my life.
Chapter one.
When I was nine
I contracted a disease
that ravaged the retina in my eyes
and I began to go blind.
For years, I would not talk
about the blind situation.
But in this show, it is a pretty
integral part of the show.
What're those two cards?
- Two jacks. - Yes. Right.
[audience applauding]
I can see better than her.
[laughter]
People somehow seem to be encouraged
when I do share.
When I can use it as a joke, I love it.
I have to admit, growing up with vision
no better than the cartoon character Mr. Magoo
can be very entertaining at times.
Like watching, as I stopped trees, car
or solid brick buildings with my bare head.
[laughter]
Kim's really the one that got me to get over myself.
And on that note
unless there's somebody out there
that would like to maybe stick around
and perhaps play a hand or two.
Anyway, I hope you had fun.
Thank you very much. You were awfully wonderful.
Thank you, everybody.
[applause]
You know, she said, "You don't have to hide it anymore.
"It's reality. Relax.
Let it happen. Let people help you. Get over it."
I mean, people love Rick.
They always want to help him with everything.
He just did not want to be the blind person.
And I don't blame him
you know, who wants to be known
for a whole entire life as
"Oh, the guy's really good at cards
oh, but he's a blind person."
Brought me to some big giant bean.
So what happens is, we're standing here
and everything that's behind us
is reflecting off of that bean.
We haven't gotten to it yet.
So we can see everything..
It's gotta be hard being blind
I don't really understand it myself.
We live with it
but I don't say that I could truly ever
understand what it's like to live in that world.
There's somethin' about the darkness
that people are afraid of.
Of all the different things you could have.
People look at blindness in particular
as probably a more terrifying disability.
And because they perceive it like that
I don't want them seeing me like that
because I don't consider myself disabled.
I do not think
I would've achieved what I have achieved
if I would not have lost my sight.
Subject, AMA Award Show.
Richard, congratulations.
Once again, you have been nominated
as the Close-Up Magician of the Year
by the members of the Academy of Magical Arts.
Well, what do ya' know?
Nominated again.
Please do not tell anyone about this nomination
until all nominees have been contacted.
The award show will be held at the Saban Theater
in Beverly Hills on May 17th.
Congratulations again
and please respond with your acceptance.
[audience cheering]
I, uh, anyone who knows me knows I love card magic
and our next presenter is a world champion.
Give it up for Shawn Farquhar!
[cheering and applause]
[instrumental music]
Well, thank you very much.
It was nearly 33 years ago next week
that I went to the Magic Castle for my very first time.
Invited by an elderly Canadian magician
that some of you may have heard of, Dai Vernon.
It was then I changed from being a stage magician
to a close-up magician.
And I'm truly honored
to be able to present this evening
the Close-Up Magician of the Year Award.
The nominees for the Close-Up Magician of the Year
Woody Aragon..
[cheering and applause]
...Bill Goodwin..
...Armando Lucero..
...Garrett Thomas..
...and Richard Turner.
[cheering and applause]
And the Close-Up Magician of the Year
for the Academy of the Magical Arts..
...Richard Turner.
[instrumental music]
[cheering and applause]
Where's Kim? Get next to me, so I have someone.
- Yes, sorry right here. - I don't want to fall over or something.
She told me, "You better write something down
in case you win." I said, "Yeah, right."
So, she said, "And if you don't, you're gonna end up
getting up there and saying something stupid."
Since I didn't write anything down
I guess I'm gonna say something stupid.
[audience laughing]
Just to start off, today started off
with a workout with my beautiful wife Kim here.
Then we made love. Best part of the day.
And now this.
I can't be more honored.
It's been 40 years
I've been a part of the castle.
I thank you very much. I'm so honored
I can't believe it. Thank you!
[cheering and applause]
[instrumental music]
- There's his leash right here. - Uh-huh.
'Kay, and I got a loop on it.
That's her head, and right here is this harness.
- See this? - Yeah.
'Kay, now, what it is, is she's your eyes
and you're the body.
- Okay, Cookie, forward. - Cookie, forward.
- Do that again, Cookie. - Up, up, up, up.
And then a right right.
Something I've learned
is to accept your weaknesses.
And accept help from others.
♪ Someone.. ♪
'Cause we all have weaknesses.
♪ Reaching for me now ♪
When you accept that
you are then able to move on with your life.
♪ Through the dark ♪
♪ Reaching for me now ♪
- Oh, the... the canoers? - Yeah.
Think I can hit them with a card?
Here see how far it goes. Ready, Asa?
Yeah.
♪ You need someone.. ♪♪
Believe that you're special.
You have to love yourself.
I think the loss of my vision
turned out to be a blessing.
It made me who I am and I'm thankful for it.
I like the way I see.
Subtitles by explosiveskull
[instrumental music]
♪ On a warm summer's evening ♪
♪ On a train bound for nowhere ♪
♪ I met up with the gambler ♪
♪ We were both too tired to sleep ♪
♪ So we took turns a-starin' ♪
♪ Out the window at the darkness ♪
♪ The boredom overtook us ♪
♪ And he began to speak ♪
♪ He said son I've made a life ♪
♪ Out of readin' people's faces ♪
♪ Knowin' what the cards were ♪
♪ By the way they held their eyes ♪
♪ So if you don't mind my sayin' ♪
♪ I can see you're out of aces ♪
♪ For a taste of your whisky ♪
♪ I'll give you some advice ♪
♪ So I handed him my bottle ♪
♪ And he drank down my last swallow ♪
♪ Then he bummed a cigarette ♪
♪ And asked me for a light ♪
♪ And the night got deathly quiet ♪
♪ And his face lost all expression ♪
♪ He said if you're gonna play the game boy ♪
♪ You gotta learn to play it right ♪
♪ You've got to know when to hold 'em ♪
♪ Know when to fold 'em ♪
♪ Know when to walk away ♪
♪ And know when to run ♪
♪ You never count your money ♪
♪ When you're sittin' at the table ♪
♪ There'll be time enough for countin' ♪
♪ When the dealin's done ♪
♪ Every gambler knows ♪
♪ That the secret to survivin' ♪
♪ Is knowin' what to throw away ♪
♪ And knowin' what to keep ♪
♪ 'Cause every hand's a winner ♪
♪ And every hand's a loser ♪
♪ And the best that you can hope for ♪
♪ Is to die in your sleep ♪
♪ And when he finished speakin' ♪
♪ He turned back toward the window ♪
♪ Crushed out his cigarette ♪
♪ And faded off to sleep ♪
♪ And somewhere in the darkness ♪
♪ The gambler he broke even ♪
♪ And in his final words ♪
♪ I found an ace that I could keep ♪
♪ You've got to know when to hold 'em ♪
♪ When to hold 'em ♪
♪ Know when to fold 'em ♪
♪ When to fold 'em ♪
♪ Know when to walk away ♪
♪ And know when to run ♪
♪ You never count your money ♪
♪ When you're sittin' at the table ♪
♪ There'll be time enough for countin' ♪
♪ When the dealin's done ♪
♪ You've got to know when to hold 'em ♪
♪ Know when to fold 'em ♪
♪ Know when to walk away ♪
♪ And know when to run ♪
♪ You never count your money ♪
♪ When you're sittin' at the table ♪
♪ There'll be time enough for countin' ♪
♪ When the dealin's done ♪♪