Paul Zenon

Paul Zenon

Paul Zenon Born June 29, 1964 in Skipton, Yorkshire) is an English magician and comedian, known for television shows across many genres; in particular his 'Street Magic' specials featuring him performing stunts and tricks in pubs and on the streets.

Early life

Zenon has sometimes been billed as "King Con" and "The Sultan of Swindle". He staged his first scam at the age of eight when he sold fake raffle tickets for a non-existent prize. In his adolescence Zenon worked in a joke and magic shop, "The House of Secrets", in Blackpool before travelling the Mediterranean as a street magician. He also worked as a casino croupier, from which he was fired for (allegedly) cheating. It is fair to say that over the years Zenon has led a life of deceit and trickery but he now uses his knowledge to expose hustlers and scam/con artists, particularly those who claim to have 'psychic' and 'paranormal' powers. [cite web
url = http://www.magicweek.co.uk/magic_profiles/magicprofile_0025_paul_zenon.htm
title = Profile dated 2002 at MagicWeek.co.uk
accessdate = 2007-03-06]

Performance career

Early in his career Zenon performed rock band Hawkwind and was also lead singer with the Blackpool band Crackousrocknroll. As well as appearing on the comedy club circuit and performing in summer seasons and Forces entertainment, Zenon presented children's television in the early 1990s, hosting the BBC shows "Tricks 'n' Tracks" and "Tricky Business"with numerous guest appearances on 'What's Up Doc?'ITV. He subsequently created and produced the Children's ITV game show "Crazy Cottage". He has since made hundreds of TV appearances as performer and presenter on shows of almost every genre. He has had several successful one-man shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as well as at Melbourne, Adelaide and Auckland, and is now one of the UK's most successful corporate performers, appearing at events and hosting awards ceremonies in over thirty countries. ["ibid"]

Zenon was the UK pioneer of 'Street Magic', writing and presenting several one-off specials on Channel 4 and ITV including "Paul Zenon Turning Tricks" (1999), "Paul Zenon's Tricky Christmas", "Paul Zenon's Trick or Treat" (shot in Prague in 2000) and "White Magic with Paul Zenon" (shot in Lapland in 2002). His last special 'Paul Zenon's Revenge Squad' on ITV1 was a kickback against the faceless bureaucracy and daily irritations that we all have to suffer in modern-day Britain. The format was recently plagiarised in the form of 'Dom Joly's Complainers' on Channel 5. He is currently a regular special guest in Countdown's Dictionary Corner and appears as pundit on various shows with regard to subjects such as the history of magic and variety, cons and scams, and as a skeptic with regard to all matters 'paranormal'. [cite web
url = http://www.talkmanagement.co.uk/detail.php?id=62
title = Talk Management listing
accessdate = 2007-03-06 See also cite web
url = http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/619523
title = Entry for "Paul Zenon Turning Tricks" at the BFI film & TV database
accessdate = 2007-03-06]

Other work

He is the founder of The Wonderbus, a not-for-profit organisation which takes older people on days out to see live entertainment - see www.thewonderbus.org. In the summer of 2008 he toured British theatres with comedians Harry Hill and Lee Mack to raise funds for the organisation.

He has also written three books, all published by Carlton:

* "100 Ways to Win a Tenner" (2003) - a compendium of bar bets and hustles.
* "Paul Zenon's Dirty Tricks" (2004) - a guide to revenge-style practical jokes.
* "Street Magic" (2005) - a complete 'how to' course for the budding magician."Street Magic" was re-published in 2008 in a smaller format, with illustrations rather than photographs, and "100 Ways to Win a Tenner" was released in the States under the title "100 Ways to Win a Ten-Spot".

Blaine allegations

It has been alleged that David Blaine has used several of Zenon's tricks and routines without permission. [cite web
url = http://geniimagazine.com/forum/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000377
title = Thread on the "Genii forum" about Blaine's appropriation of other people's material
accessdate = 2007-03-06]

References

External links

* [http://www.paulzenon.com Paul Zenon's official website]
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1600133 His entry] at the Internet Movie Database


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Paul Zenon — (* 29. Juni 1964) ist einer der erfolgreichsten Zauberkünstler und Komiker aus Großbritannien. Er wird oft mit David Blaine verglichen, mit dem Unterschied, dass Zenon mehr Gewicht auf Späße legt. Bereits im Alter von 8 Jahren entdeckte er seine… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Zenon — Zenon, Zenón bzw. Zeno, Zéno ist ein männlicher Vorname griechischer Herkunft und bedeutet „Das Geschenk des Zeus“. Er wird auch als Nachname verwendet. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Namensträger 1.1 Vorname 1.2 Nachname …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Zenon (disambiguation) — Zenon ( el. Ζηνων) is an ancient Greek name derived from the name Zeus. A more modern spelling is Zeno. The word may refer to any of the following: People *Zenon, an Egyptian secretary from the 3rd century BC *Zenon Grocholewski, a Polish… …   Wikipedia

  • Zenon d'Elee — Zénon d Élée Pour les articles homonymes, voir Zénon. Zénon d Élée (en grec Ζήνων Zếnôn), né vers 480, mort vers 420, est un philosophe grec de la période pré socratique. Surnommé par Platon le Palamède d Elée en raison de ses relations avec… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Zénon d'Elée — Zénon d Élée Pour les articles homonymes, voir Zénon. Zénon d Élée (en grec Ζήνων Zếnôn), né vers 480, mort vers 420, est un philosophe grec de la période pré socratique. Surnommé par Platon le Palamède d Elée en raison de ses relations avec… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • ZÉNON D’ÉLÉE — Zénon d’Élée, né aux environs de l’an 500 avant J. C., fut l’élève et l’ami de Parménide [cf. ÉLÉATES]. Celui ci enseignait que l’être est un, indivisible et immobile, que la multiplicité et le mouvement ne sont qu’illusion. Cette doctrine était… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Zenon Grocholewski — Biographie Naissance 11 octobre 1939 à Bródki (Pologne) Ordination sacerdotale 27 mai 1963 par Mgr Antonio Baraniak …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Zenon Grocholewski — Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski (born October 11, 1939) is a Polish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as the Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education and Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Gregorian University, and… …   Wikipedia

  • Zenon Bacq — Zénon Bacq Zénon Bacq (1903 1983) est un savant et inventeur belge et militant wallon Biographie Le scientifique Il devint docteur en médecine de l Université libre de Bruxelles en 1927 et agrégé de l Université de Liège (ULg) en 1933. Il fit un… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Zénon Bacq — (La Louvière 31.12.1903 Fontenoy 12.07.1983) est un savant et inventeur belge et militant wallon Biographie Le scientifique Il devint docteur en médecine de l Université libre de Bruxelles en 1927 et agrégé de l Université de Liège (ULg) en 1933 …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”