6 Notable Mentalists

Mentalism is perhaps the most misunderstood area of magic there is. Some people associate it with hypnosis and mind control, while others associate it with trickery and deceit. In fact, it is neither. Mentalists are usually very bright people who use their knowledge of the human psyche to surprise their audiences not manipulate them. In this post, I will list 6 notable mentalists – who have amazed and inspired millions of people around the world:

• Derren Brown: Brown consistently ranks among the most well-known and well-respected mentalists working today. He was born in 1971 and specializes in street magic and mind reading. He is also known for having performed several of his tricks on and in front of celebrities like Simon Pegg.
• The Amazing Kreskin: The Amazing Kreskin reached the height of his popularity in the 70s and is said to have inspired many future mentalist to take up the mantle. His TV show – The Amazing World of Kreskin – ran from 1972-1975.
• Uri Geller: The one thing that distinguished Geller from most other mentalists is that he actually claimed to have magical power a claim that was disproven by James Randi,a retired stage magician and a scientific skeptic who frequently challenged paranormals claims made by some of his peers. 
• Theodore Annemann: Annemann pioneered many of the routines that mentalists still use in their routines to this day. He is most notable for his bullet catch illusion. This involved his being shot at and then producing the bullet from his mouth.
• Max Maven: Maven is an American mentalist who has pioneered several innovative techniques and effects that are commonly used by magicians. He has also been a magic consultant for Penn and Teller and well as for Siegfried and Roy.
• Grigori Rasputin: Not all mentalists use their abilities to merely entertain people. Rasputin is believed to have used the then early science of hypnosis to influence Emperor Nicholas II and his family. The control he exerted over the royal family ultimately cost him his life.

Finally, magic is among the oldest and most respected of the performing arts. It is featured on TV, in theatres, movies, on stage and nearly everywhere else people gather seeking amusement. Therefore it takes a special person to add something new and fresh to this art that has been around for countless centuries. You can schedule a magician cocktail hour to get a true sense of the wonder my craft creates in people. I am a magician in New York City who is available for many different occasions.