Chest Pains

an idea i've been kicking around since april

Today: The Pendragons and Melinda, the First Lady of Magic


The Pendragons are a husband-and-wife duo who frequently appeared on television in the 90s. Every time I saw them, however, they performed the same trick! The two would abruptly switch places inside and outside of a locked chest.


During a fall at his home in late September 2006, one of the arrows from Jonathan's archery collection pierced his liver, his stomach, and his heart. [source]

Oof.


Earlier this summer, the Pendragons returned to television on America's Got Talent and impressed the judges (and Jerry Springer) with…

THE SAME GODDAMN CHEST TRICK!


Melinda Saxe, the self-proclaimed "First Lady of Magic," appeared on some of the same 90s magic specials as the Pendragons.

I saw her perform her trademark Drill of Death illusion (embedding disabled) on The World's Greatest Magic II and thought: "Copperfield performed this on his flying special three years ago, only a woman pierced his torso, not a drill."


Although derided by some critics as a "dumb blonde" who achieved success because of her looks, Saxe is also respected by many in the magic business as a highly professional performer who is kind and intelligent. [source]

I initially misread the highlighted part as "kind of intelligent."


On a family trip to Vegas in the mid-to-late 90s, I remember seeing ads on cabs for Melinda's live show. The ads noted that she performed twice nightly, and that the late shows were topless.

Alas, I was not old enough at the time to experience topless magic, and Melinda retired before I could return.

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