If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development. [Aristotle]

True or false: Houdini invented the illusion known as Metamorphosis.

I'm known as a magical trivia expert in my part of the world. I've entered a number of trivia contests and have never lost. In one of the contests it came down to me and a sitting president of the IBM. I won. (In all fairness, IBM presidents are not elected based on their knowledge of magical ephemera.)

What is Professor Hoffman's real name, and what was his (non-magical) profession?

I hate that I'm considered a trivia master. It sounds so... trivial. What really interests me is the history and development of our art. I want to advance magic, and it's really hard to know where you're going if you don't know where you've been. Physicists understand that. Writers understand that. Painters understand that. A lot of magicians seem to have a problem with the concept. Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque could not have developed cubism without understanding the works of Paul Cézanne. There would be no Sherlock Holmes without Poe's Inspector Dupin.

According to the Professor himself, is his common nickname pronounced Day, or Die?

If I'm an inventor, history tells me what's been done before. If I'm a performer it tells me what kinds of acts and characters have worked and what kinds have not. And if I'm involved in magic in any way, a deeper knowledge of magic can only increase my love and appreciation for the art. Trivial? I don't think so.

Name at least three former talk-show hosts who started their show business careers as magicians.

Send in the hounds!

I attended my first magic convention in 1982, the same year I joined the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the same year I got married. 1982 was a pretty good year for me.

The convention was in Dallas. I don't remember the whole thing but a few things stand out really clearly. Vito Lupo premiered a new act there and it was brilliant. The late, lamented juggling troupe AirJazz received a standing ovation on both of their shows (and they also "kidnapped" my wife and had her take them to the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie - it's a long story...) Roger Klause did his usual brilliant lecture featuring the bill switch.

Shortly after I left the Klause lecture an interesting thing happened. A gentleman came up to me and asked if I was enjoying the convention. I admitted that I was, but that I didn't have much basis for comparison. He asked what I had learned. I explained about this bill switch thingie Mr. Klause had taught. Well, the guy sat me down for about an hour and showed me about 15 variations on the bill switch, some with the gimmick Roger Klause had used, and some without. I sat there stunned. He asked if I had any other questions and I just shook my head, dazed.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is how I met Karrell Fox.