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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Try Try Try To Understand

Try Try Try To Understand

by Alex Smith|  November 24, 201811:01 pm| 61 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

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Oh, no! Not Ricky Jay. He was awesome. 72 seems kind of young, but I think he lived a pretty full life.

There is a whole bunch of his stuff on Youtube. If you’re not familiar with his work, treat yourself.

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Reader Interactions

61Comments

  1. 1.

    Yutsano

    November 24, 2018 at 11:10 pm

    Card tricks have always fascinated me. I think it has something to do with my brain trying to keep up with the “trick” and failing. Keep turning those cards in the afterlife Ricky.

  2. 2.

    dr. bloor

    November 24, 2018 at 11:11 pm

    Saw him do 52 Assistants live maybe 25-30 years ago. Brilliant showman. Loved watching him in his various character roles over the years as well.

  3. 3.

    opiejeanne

    November 24, 2018 at 11:24 pm

    I remember that guy. He was so very good.

  4. 4.

    Yutsano

    November 24, 2018 at 11:29 pm

    Also: go Irish!

  5. 5.

    Mnemosyne

    November 24, 2018 at 11:30 pm

    I’m always a little suspicious when they announce that a famous magician has died. Imma give it a day or two to make sure it’s not an elaborate trick. I know that Mr. Jay would understand, wherever he is. ?

  6. 6.

    Alex Smith

    November 24, 2018 at 11:34 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Just like that magician from Nazareth. Fool me once!

  7. 7.

    Mnemosyne

    November 24, 2018 at 11:36 pm

    @Alex Smith:

    Why do you think Thomas was so doubting? He’d been fooled by that “resurrection” gag one too many times before …

  8. 8.

    Keith P.

    November 24, 2018 at 11:43 pm

    I remember going on a kick trying to get his book “Killing with Cards”. At the time (and probably still so), the book was super-rare and cost something like $300 on Amazon. It’s a shame he won’t get to be in the Deadwood movie (along with Powers Boothe)

  9. 9.

    Geeno

    November 24, 2018 at 11:44 pm

    Can I just jump in and say – Holy SHIT, the Sabres are in first place int the Atlantic Division!!??!?!
    I love the Sabres, but they are quite frankly a middling team. I except them to make the play offs, but leading their division??
    This is unfamiliar territory for a Buffalo sports fan.

  10. 10.

    Ric Drywall

    November 24, 2018 at 11:44 pm

    Appeared in a couple of Paul Thomas Anderson films (Boogie Nights and narrated Magnolia).

  11. 11.

    Mnemosyne

    November 24, 2018 at 11:49 pm

    Well, crap. I’ve been feeling icky all day and finally thought to take my temperature, and I have a slight spike to 99. ? My normal temperature is actually 97.9, not 98.6, so it’s a thing when I get to 99.

    This sucks. I already bought movie tickets for tomorrow afternoon.

  12. 12.

    TomatoQueen

    November 24, 2018 at 11:50 pm

    The New Yorker profile: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1993/04/05/secrets-of-the-magus

  13. 13.

    NotMax

    November 24, 2018 at 11:53 pm

    Worth repeating a look at a fine young up and comer.

  14. 14.

    NotMax

    November 24, 2018 at 11:55 pm

    @NotMax

    Ought to add, no camera trickery whatsoever employed.

  15. 15.

    Old Dan and Little Ann

    November 24, 2018 at 11:58 pm

    @Geeno: I have probably watched about 90% of their games over the last 5 years. One shit show season after another. This year’s team is so fun to watch. Huufuckingzzah!

  16. 16.

    Mnemosyne

    November 25, 2018 at 12:00 am

    @Ric Drywall:

    It was actually David Mamet who kicked off Jay’s film and TV career — he put him in House of Games way back in 1987.

  17. 17.

    John Revolta

    November 25, 2018 at 12:01 am

    I played cards with Ricky Jay onstage in NY! I somehow managed to get picked to go up and be part of some tricks at the 52 Assistants show.
    Watching him like a hawk I must confess I saw him once switch a deck out of his coat pocket for one that had been shuffled; BUT for once in my life I kept my mouth shut.

  18. 18.

    dnfree

    November 25, 2018 at 12:07 am

    Off topic, but I am laughing at John Cole’s comments on The Hobbit movies in the Twitter feed off to the side. Yes, the barrel escape is just silly and over the top, and the battles go to 11 every time. The Hobbit should never have been three movies. It was a short, fun book that was turned into a LOTR extravaganza for no good reason. Right on, John! I watched the first one in the theater and thought to myself, “I’m pretty sure that’s not how the barrel escape went”. Checked the book to be sure, and never saw the other two movies. Big disappointment in the tone and added drama.

  19. 19.

    PST

    November 25, 2018 at 12:07 am

    That is sad about Ricky Jay. He was terrific in a couple of David Mamet movies too. I love his narration of the prologue to Magnolia.

  20. 20.

    piratedan

    November 25, 2018 at 12:12 am

    iirc, he also did turns in Mystery Men (guilty pleasure) and Heist (vastly unappreciated)….

  21. 21.

    clay

    November 25, 2018 at 12:13 am

    @dnfree: The thing about the Hobbit movies is this: Almost every one of Peter Jackson’s is justifiable on an individual basis. But, taken together, the cumulative effects of those decisions made the movies much worse than they could have been. It’s Example A of why creators need to be able to kill their darlings.

  22. 22.

    Gravenstone

    November 25, 2018 at 12:14 am

    Walk into the kitchen and the little cat starts crying, thinking food will be involved (it won’t). Now all the other cats are awake and staring at me because they also think food will be involved. Thanks you little asshole.

  23. 23.

    Gravenstone

    November 25, 2018 at 12:18 am

    @dnfree: Apparently Jackson only wanted two Hobbit movies. It was the studio, with dollars in their eyes who pushed for the trilogy.

  24. 24.

    GregB

    November 25, 2018 at 12:23 am

    Wall Street Journal reporting that Mohammad Bone Saw is slso torturing imprisoned women’s rights activists.

    Saddam Hussein’s heir apparent.

  25. 25.

    NotMax

    November 25, 2018 at 12:33 am

    @piratedan

    Mystery Men came from the pages of the Flaming Carrot comic book series.

    As a movie, could be described as a production from the Legion of Substitute Filmmakers.

    ;)

  26. 26.

    Fair Economist

    November 25, 2018 at 12:33 am

    @dnfree:

    It was a short, fun book that was turned into a LOTR extravaganza for no good reason

    Oh, there was a very good reason – about $900 million in box office receipts. Although not me – I loved the LotR movies and would have been eager to see an honest Hobbit, but when I heard what a hash they made of the book I boycotted it.

    I imagine Christopher Tolkien, who objected to even the LotR trilogy for taking liberties, must have been apoplectic with the Hobbit movies.

  27. 27.

    David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch

    November 25, 2018 at 12:34 am

    Football: Texas AM beats LSU 74-72 in 7 overtimes(!)

  28. 28.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    November 25, 2018 at 12:37 am

    @David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch: Wait, that’s not a basketball score?

  29. 29.

    MoZeu

    November 25, 2018 at 12:39 am

    Time to rewatch House of Games.

  30. 30.

    piratedan

    November 25, 2018 at 12:41 am

    @NotMax: was aware of that, was just linking Jay’s association with the film in a supporting role…

  31. 31.

    David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch

    November 25, 2018 at 12:42 am

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Gah! Football. Just concluded. game went over 5 hours.

  32. 32.

    tobie

    November 25, 2018 at 12:42 am

    Oh damn. Mr tobie is a great fan of Ricky Jay and we’ve watched several videos about him and followed his movie appearances. House of Games remains our favorite. There’s a beautiful clip of a British reporter telling the story of an ice block trick Jay performed just for her while she was trying to film a documentary on him. I wish I could find the slip. It’s genuinely moving. Sad to hear he’s gone.

  33. 33.

    NotMax

    November 25, 2018 at 12:45 am

    @piratedan

    Just providing some background. Doubtless there are some readers here who find it strange or difficult to internalize that there really was a comic book series/hero called Flaming Carrot.

    ;)

  34. 34.

    HumboldtBlue

    November 25, 2018 at 12:46 am

    I never finished the Hobbit one, much less the rest.

    Liverpool 3, Watford 0.

    Sir Elton John Stand is unhappy.

  35. 35.

    Mnemosyne

    November 25, 2018 at 12:52 am

    @GregB:

    I’m assuming you mean that the WSJ has received actual eyewitness accounts or other hard evidence since I think everyone knows that all of the imprisoned human rights activists in Saudi Arabia get tortured by the SA authorities at some point. That’s that whole point of imprisoning them, and why the US used to call for their release as soon as news of their imprisonment broke.

  36. 36.

    Ruckus

    November 25, 2018 at 1:00 am

    @John Revolta:
    I some times click people’s names to see their links.
    Your’s goes to a celtic band with a different name.
    Seemed cool many of us use fake names.
    But it occurred to me to type in your name and there is a band named John Revolta from Poland. Sort of punkish.
    Or did you play golf?
    Or should I mind my own fucking business?

  37. 37.

    NotMax

    November 25, 2018 at 1:04 am

    @Ruckus

    Didn’t the actor John Revolta star in the direct to video Saturday Night Beaver?

    :)

  38. 38.

    meander

    November 25, 2018 at 1:09 am

    In 2015, PBS’s American Masters hosted/sponsored a film about Ricky Jay:
    Ricky Jay: Deceptive Practice. It is quite good. He had an amazing career, and his work collecting old magic books was commendable.

    For the first time, the American Masters series profiles a magician: the inimitable Ricky Jay, considered one of the world’s greatest conjurers, capable of creating a profound sense of wonder and disbelief in even the most jaded of audiences. He is also a best-selling author, historian, actor and a leading collector of antiquarian books and artifacts.

    Looks like the DVD is in the Netflix collection. It is also available from the Hoopla service (check your public library for access — that’s how I connect).

  39. 39.

    John Revolta

    November 25, 2018 at 1:10 am

    @Ruckus: Poland Revolta ees beeeg phoney. No more I say. Also, not golfing. Bagpipes, sadly are for real.

  40. 40.

    Ruckus

    November 25, 2018 at 1:11 am

    @NotMax:
    He may have. In between golfing gigs. Although he might have been a bit early for the one you mention.

  41. 41.

    Ruckus

    November 25, 2018 at 1:14 am

    @John Revolta:
    Nice. Good stuff.
    Your’s is much better than that other guy from across the pond.

  42. 42.

    Amir Khalid

    November 25, 2018 at 1:18 am

    @HumboldtBlue:
    Watford did not disgrace themselves. They didn’t get screwed over by the refereeing. They gave as good as they got for 3/4 of the match, until Mo Salah scored. Liverpool were just too good.

  43. 43.

    Luthe

    November 25, 2018 at 1:19 am

    So I got suckered into reading a WSJ column on “The Perils of Empathy,” and, I shit you not, right in the middle of the article was a Planters ad with the tagline “You need your wingnut.”

    I can’t even.

  44. 44.

    John Revolta

    November 25, 2018 at 1:19 am

    Thank you Sir!

    I will confess to playing miniature golf while under the influence.

  45. 45.

    James E Powell

    November 25, 2018 at 1:38 am

    @dnfree:

    The Hobbit should never have been three movies. It was a short, fun book that was turned into a LOTR extravaganza for no good reason.

    Nearly three billion reasons, worldwide gross.

  46. 46.

    frosty

    November 25, 2018 at 1:49 am

    @NotMax: OMG I thought I was the only one who’d ever seen Flaming Carrot Man. Don’t tell me it’s a Big Deal please! Or is it?

  47. 47.

    eclare

    November 25, 2018 at 1:54 am

    @Mnemosyne: Really? Love that movie.

  48. 48.

    westyny

    November 25, 2018 at 2:02 am

    Not Ricky Jay, nononononono
    : (

  49. 49.

    Amir Khalid

    November 25, 2018 at 2:16 am

    I remember Ricky Jay from his guest starring role in an X-Files episode, The Amazing Maleeni. He played an amateur magician whose head suddenly falls off.

  50. 50.

    Ruckus

    November 25, 2018 at 3:15 am

    @John Revolta:
    I do believe that the last time I played miniature golf I wasn’t old enough to drink. That didn’t stop me when I was 3 though. Parents had a cocktail party and I would pick up glasses and have a taste. Before they saw/caught me I am told that I got truly snockered.

  51. 51.

    sm*t cl*de

    November 25, 2018 at 3:48 am

    @Mnemosyne:

    I’m always a little suspicious when they announce that a famous magician has died.

    “Lord of Illusions” was not a documentary.

  52. 52.

    sm*t cl*de

    November 25, 2018 at 3:53 am

    @dnfree:

    Yes, the barrel escape is just silly and over the top

    Many scenes in Peter Jackson movies make more sense when you realise that they designed the movie-themed computer games first, and then wrote the script around the games.

  53. 53.

    Doug R

    November 25, 2018 at 4:20 am

    @NotMax: He played Captain Amazing’s publicist in Mystery Men.

  54. 54.

    oatler.

    November 25, 2018 at 4:32 am

    @sm*t cl*de: Recommend the “Honest Trailers” Youtubes of these films.

  55. 55.

    ixnay

    November 25, 2018 at 8:03 am

    “Jay’s Journal of Anomalies” and “Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women” are treasures.

  56. 56.

    Miss Bianca

    November 25, 2018 at 10:13 am

    @NotMax: Not me, NotMax, I *loved* Flaming Carrot! Mystery Men, not so much, as I recall.

  57. 57.

    Edmund dantes

    November 25, 2018 at 10:30 am

    Please please tell me Ricky Jay round at least 2-3 young’uns worth sharing his secrets with. It would be a shame if he didn’t pass it on to someone that could carry the torch.

  58. 58.

    hilts

    November 25, 2018 at 10:59 am

    @meander

    That American Masters program about Ricky Jay was exceptional as are most of their documentary portraits. He was not only extremely gifted, but had a genuinely engaging personality as well.

  59. 59.

    JGabriel

    November 25, 2018 at 12:52 pm

    Alex Smith:

    Oh, no! Not Ricky Jay. He was awesome. 72 seems kind of young, but I think he lived a pretty full life.

    Never understood why people like Ricky Jay die young, while shits like Donald Trump get to keep on living.

    Rest, party, entertain, Ricky Jay – if there’s an afterlife, may it bring you joy.

  60. 60.

    Nora

    November 25, 2018 at 1:19 pm

    I watched the video and the trick was great. I had a probability and statistics teacher in high school who had studied in college with a teacher whose research was into the perfect shuffle. I wonder if the teacher and Jay ever met or if Jay had read his work.

  61. 61.

    Steve

    November 25, 2018 at 2:38 pm

    Loved his small part in House of Games

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