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Author: Tim Quinlan
Source: Inside Magic
Date: February 12, 2003
Subject: The Intercessor

Here is the description of one of the many effects you can do with this gimmick: A volunteer selects any card, no force, from a deck. You tear off a corner of the card for the volunteer to hold. In fact, you can allow the volunteer to pull the corner off the card herself.

You then burn the remaining portion of the card in front of the volunteer. She is convinced the card has been burned and destroyed. She holds the only remaining piece of the card.

Now the volunteer is shown a bag of lemons. The volunteer is asked to freely select any lemon -- again, no force. That lemon is cut opened and there is a portion of a card in the very center.

When the card is opened, it is seen that one corner is missing and that corner is the one held by the volunteer. It is an exact match.

Okay, so that's one of the many effects you can do with the Intercessor. Now, let me tell you the story of how I came to know this great effect.

I was at the Abbott's Magic Get-Together and watching the Gaetan Bloom lecture. He was blowing my mind with some amazing effects and then he demonstrated the Intercessor. I could not fathom how this could be done. I watched as the spectator tore off the corner of the card that was later burned. I had no idea how this was possible.

Gaetan Bloom explained his secret as part of the lecture and offered the Intercessor as a post-lecture sale item. I rushed to the table after the lecture but he was sold out. I understood he had only a very small number of the effects left. I threw myself into a tremendous rage. I went completely crazy and looked directly into Gaetan Bloom's eyes and said, with all of the anger I felt, "okey doke." And I meant it.

I looked for the Intercessor every where. I went into the underworld of magic, walked through the streets and sewers, seeking it. I couldn't find it. I began to spiral downward. I thought there was no hope. I thought it was all over. I would always be doing the old fashioned method of a corner tear. I would have to force a lemon, I'd have to hand them the corner. They'd know, I thought. They could tell. I would be a failure. My father would reject me. My credit history would turn bad. I'd hear the voices again.

Okay, I'm overly dramatic. I don't think that my credit history could get much worse.

Then I found the Intercessor at Kevin James' magic site. I have found my peace now. I can tell you that the Intercessor is worth five times the price you'd pay for it. It is exactly right and is the kind of thing you know the big-time pros have but would never share.

If you have the Intercessor, you can do the impossible. I haven't seen an effect with this type of impact since, well, since ever. When I first saw the Cups and Balls, I was convinced that a small, puffy cotton ball could penetrate plastic. When I saw the Intercessor, I became convinced I could do magic -- real magic.

Okay, so here's my recommendation: if you don't buy the Intercessor, it is because I have failed you. I wanted you to understand that the Intercessor is the the cat's meow -- whatever that means.

INSIDE MAGIC RATING: FOUR OUT OF FOUR

Author: Mike Close
Source: Magic Magazine, September Issue 2001
Date: September, 2001
Subject: The Intercessor

One of the real downsides of the reviewer's job is that every now and then I have to tell you about something that I would really rather keep to myself. Such an item is Gaetan Bloom’s The Intercessor. This gaff allows you to perform the following effect. A card is selected (forced). A corner of the card is torn off and given to the spectator. The remainder of the card is vanished (or destroyed). The card appears in a completely impossible location, limited only by your imagination. The corner held by the spectator is fitted to the card. It matches perfectly.

There is no switch of the torn corner. The corner that is torn off the original card absolutely matches the card that is found in the impossible location. Gaetan has been demonstrating and selling The Intercessor at his lectures, but the trick is still relatively unknown to magicians. I got one a year ago and kept very quiet about it. You get the gaff plus a manuscript that includes ideas from Juan Tamariz and Michael Weber. Also included is Gaetan’s pet routine. As with almost everything that Gaetan comes up with, The Intercessor is a brilliant idea. Get one before Blaine does it on his next TV special.

And now, just forget I said anything about this. Move along to the next item, there’s nothing to see here. Just move along now.

Author: Andrew Bennett
Source: Bennett Performance Group
Date: May 23, 2001
Subject: Snow Animator, Bowl-A-Rama, Little Blizzard Machine, Website

Hi Guys!

I've purchased "Bowl-A-Rama," the "Snow Animator," and a "Little Blizzard" machine from you over the last few months. Monday night I debuted Bowl-A-Rama and the Snow Animator and I'm writing to thank you for these beautiful and ingenious devices.

Both effects have taken a good amount of work to get to the point where I feel worthy of presenting them, but the practice has been worth it. Both effects are unique, highly visible and they both elicit an emotional response. Bowl-A-Rama is the "WOW!" effect that every magician dreams of performing. The Snow Animator is simply the experience of wonder itself. I received an e'mail message from an audience member after Monday's performance and she said that the "snow" effect made her cry. We received a phone call from another audience member saying she cried too. And isn't that what we're after, reducing our audience to tears?

Your effects contain: creative new ideas, ingenuity of design, and high craftsmanship in construction. Your service, including the design and function of your website is absolutely first-rate. I've been on a buying spree as I expand my show, and I've been working with a number of magic vendors. Your service is at the top of the industry.

Kevin, thanks to you and your colleagues for helping me be a better performer. I've dropped a few bucks with you and I don't regret one cent. The value you have provided me has been...invaluable!

Author: Dan Bowen
Source: Beyond Impossible Entertainment
Date: December 11, 2000
Subject: Bowl-A-Rama

The performer walks out carrying a thin sketch pad. Flipping back the front cover he writes bowling ball and sketches a picture of one. The performer closes the pad and holds it out in front of him. From within the pages of the pad falls a giant bowling ball that crashes on the stage, proving its real. When the performer opens up the pad, the picture of the ball has vanished, leaving only the words "Bowling Ball."

This is an awesome effect and a perfect opening item. You receive everything you will need to perform the effect including, the correct type of bowling ball, the 18x24 sketch pad, marker pen, necessary gimmicks, video instructions and a signed and numbered certificate giving you full live show, convention, trade show and TV performing rights.

The video starts out with Kevin performing this effect on Spanish TV. You will immediately see what kind of reactions this effect gets. Kevin then walks you through the effect teaching you step by step all of the subtleties, tips and practical experience he has learned from performing this effect in his show for over 15 years. Kevin also teaches you how to replace the pad when it runs out of paper (don't worry, its nothing complicated).

You get 50 performances from a single drawing pad and the effect takes about 15 seconds to set up. As with any Kevin James product, Bowl-a-Rama is totally practical and self-contained. And no, you do not have to be a body builder, this effect uses no body loads!

This kind of blockbuster effect doesn't come cheap and it shouldn't. You will have to understand that you are buying a reputation maker that sets you apart from the competition. Highly recommended.