“Where can I get a copy of your show?”
“Why don’t you have a DVD?”
“Did someone record this? I REALLY wish my friend could have been here to experience it!”

Well, it’s finally happening.  I’ve purposefully waited for well over a decade, because I wanted to make sure the timing was perfect and that it could end up being everything I dreamed it could be.  But yes, I’m finally releasing a live show on dvd.  And trust me, it’s going to be absolutely amazing!

It’s going to be so much more than just a live show.  We’ve been filming for the past few months all over the place, including places like England and Scotland.  We took a trip to the U.K. a few months ago just to work on a section of this project.  We’re investing in it that much!  Why?  I truly believe it’s going to be an incredible resource for others, and has the potential to change lives.  And when a project has that kind of potential, why wouldn’t you give it everything you’ve got?

This is an amazing opportunity for you to be a huge part of this project!  On October 23rd, we’ll be filming a live show at the beautiful Paramount Theater in Anderson, IN!  It’s in the Indianapolis area, right outside of the city.  Not only would I love to see you there, we need to ensure that we have an absolutely PACKED house that night!  If you just can’t make it, the chances are, you know someone who lives in the area.

In fact, why not take a moment right now to send them information about the show and help us spread the word?  You don’t want them to find out about it after it’s over, see it later on TV or dvd, then discover that you knew about it all along, do you?  No need for anyone to regret not being there…let’s all spread the word and pack this place out.  It’s a unique opportunity for everyone to be involved in something that has the potential to be really, really special.

Plus, I’ll be risking my life that night attempting something for the first time that has never been attempted before.  Even Houdini himself refused to try it.  But I will…and I want you to be there to experience it being attempted for the first time. You can be a part of history!  Trust me, you do not want to miss this show!

Details are on the poster/image above, and you can CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT.  Once you have it reserved, you get the whole seat…but you’ll only need the edge!  ;-)

For fun, here’s a fresh look at what this holiday is all about…it’s a story about a child, told by children:

The Christmas Story

Cool, huh?

“Five Amazing Years”? … ”A Dream Come True”? …”I Love My Wife”? … They’re all true.

This weekend, I celebrated my five year wedding anniversary with my incredible wife and best friend, Kate.  We were blessed to be able to spend a couple of days off, in-between shows, in Charleston, SC.  While we had some trials to deal with, (like our engine breaking down as we pulled into town), it was a charming few days with great food, conversation, relaxation, and unforgettable memories.

I have a little tradition each year on our anniversary.  Every year, I give Katie a “Message in a Bottle,” by writing a letter, and putting it inside of an old wine bottle.  It started the first year with me giving her the option of breaking the bottle to get the letter out, or keeping things mysterious by saving it, and always wondering.  It didn’t take long for her to convince me of the ridiculousness of those options, and so I finally broke down and let her read a copy of the letter, so she could save the bottle.  Since then, I always create a duplicate copy for her reading pleasure.  Now, she has a nice collection going of cool looking bottles with thoughtful anniversary letters inside.  It’s probably not the coolest thing in the world, but it’s a small gift I will always be able to afford to create and give, and at the absolute least, they’ll look very cool on a shelf someday.

With her permission, I share an excerpt from this year’s letter.  Because yes, I love publicly confessing my love for one of the most beautiful human beings I have ever had the privilege of knowing.  It is an honor to share my life with her…  

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I cannot imagine my life without you.  You are truly my soul mate, and I thank God regularly for bringing you into my life.  I couldn’t ask for a better partner, or a better friend.  I do not take what we have for granted. It is truly special.

As usual, I struggle to find the words necessary to express the depth of my affection for you.  You are truly an incredible woman.

Your beauty takes my breath away.

Your smile melts my heart.

Your talents more than impress me.

Your character inspires me to be a better me.

Your undeserving, selfless love is a gift…one I will never cease to appreciate.

It has been an unimaginable five years, and my love for you is overwhelming.  I can’t begin to imagine how my love for you will grow in five more.

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For those of you who don’t know, my wife isn’t just an amazing person.  She’s also an amazing artist.  If you haven’t checked it out already, visit her site and learn more about her work!

So…

How about you? How long have you been married?  Successful marriages are few and far between in today’s culture.  I’d love to hear about how long YOU have been married, and what your secret is!  I have many secrets to magic tricks that I can’t tell you, but these are the kind of secrets I think we can all share with each other…

Watch the video. Seriously ask yourself, and God, if this is something you should be a part of. I can’t show you pictures of starving children or people in need of clean water, but if you were here, you’d see God changing the hearts and lives of the people in this video.  Check this out…

Harris, III – Master Illusionist :: 2009 Thailand Vision & Highlight Video (Part 1) from Harris, III on Vimeo.

Your donations, large and small, make this project possible. You’re playing a role in the lives of thousands of people, and giving them an opportunity to discover life, joy, and freedom.  Please consider contributing to what God is doing through an online, tax-deductible donation.

“So…what do you think about Criss Angel?”

It’s funny to me, because I know that people are really asking me: “Is he of the devil?” So instead of replying right away, I usually just ask, “What do you mean, what do I think? What about him?”  Then usually comes the admission that they believe he’s possessed, or demonic, or in cahoots with Satan.  

First of all, No! I mean, c’mon…would that give him the ability to walk through glass windows and make coins go through soda cans? Do demons like to be on TV, and therefore always manifest their presence at the perfect time when the camera guy rolls tape? And better yet, even if he were in link with demons, would that really give him the ability to levitate? Sorry, but not a chance. That may not make sense to you with a limited perspective on how magic tricks work, but trust me, Criss Angel is not “real.”

Well, he’s a real person of course, which explains most of how I feel about him. What do I think about Criss Angel? Well, since everyone has been asking…

I think that like all of us, he desperately wants to be valued. It’s common opinion that when watching his show, “Mindfreak,” it’s clearly translated on camera that he most definitely likes himself.  Some people will do anything for the power of celebrity.  And let’s face it: If your team is creating forum topics and surveys on your website titled, “How obsessed with Criss are you?”, or “Would you die for Criss?,” or even “What would you do if Criss Angel kissed you?”, it’s not only creepy, but screams, “Hey, I like myself. A lot.”

I respect Criss Angel for his desire to be a great performing artist, and believe that he really does want to perform art with excellence. And he has an incredible team around him. It’s the best creative team that money can buy, and they create some brilliant illusions for him and his show. But at the end of the day, unlike David Blaine, his over-confidence will get in the way of his longevity.  Ed McMahon said not long before he died, “The greatest asset missing in the lives of today’s celebrities, entertainers, and performers is class.” Class is often identified in those with professionalism, and humility. And as Malcolm Gladwell said during his speech at Catalyst this past year, “Incompetence annoys me. Over-confidence scares me.”

I have learned by watching Criss’ career. Mainly that just because you think you’re ready for something, it doesn’t mean you actually are. Criss got a deal with Cirque du Soleil, but he wasn’t ready for it, and as a result, his show got ripped to shreads by critics and audiences alike. (It might have had a little to do with his love of performing shows with no shirt on.)

Sometimes I envy the opportunities offered to others, but the reality is, I have a lot of work to do and I’m just not ready for them all.

So is Criss a little arrogant? Likely. I can’t say for sure because I don’t know the guy, and frankly, it’s probably not my place to judge. But if he isn’t, it sure is the image they’re painting on TV. And if that’s not what they’re going for, a few less publicity photos without a shirt on might help a little in pursuing a different image.

It’s amazing the things we do as human beings for attention, all because of either pride or insecurity, when at the end of the day we just want to be accepted.  Thank goodness there’s a God who is willing to accept us just as we are, and that his love was unconditional…even for Criss Angel and guys like me.

Is Criss the devil? No. Does he try to blur the line between illusion and reality? Absolutely. Should you let your kids watch him?  That’s up to you, but if you do, at least have a conversation about how he isn’t the devil. Or a god.

Obviously, I’d rather you just bring them to our show instead. I keep my shirt on the whole time, and we also get positive reviews.

What do you think about Criss Angel?