November 8, 2008
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Magic Hands at the Magic Castle
My friend Tyson flew from New York to LA earlier this week to make a special presentation at the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, and he was nice enough to put me on the guest list. For those of you who don’t know, The Magic Castle is a members only private club whose membership boasts the best magicians in the world. It’s ridiculously expensive and very “old Hollywood”. Tyson was there to teach some of the magicians how to solve the Rubik’s Cube. After all, it was Tyson (and his brother) who taught Will Smith how to solve the Rubik’s Cube in the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness“.
And even though he was featured as one of the “geeks” on the hit TV show “Beauty and the Geek”, he’s definitely not your typical geek. Tyson has a unique ability to explain complex things in layman’s terms. In other words, he’s the geek that all the cool kids look up too. He transcends geek barriers and is equally comfortable talking to Jay Leno or Martha Stewart or Anderson Cooper (he’s appeared on all of their shows), as he is to his fellow astrophysicists from CalTech. He can also solve the Rubik’s Cube anywhere! Whether in front of 60,000 screaming fans while singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” at a Giant’s game or in my living room or on Space Mountain at Disneyland. Oh, and one more thing, he can do it blindfolded.
Tyson & Carey at The Magic Castle November 3. 2008Because of Tyson’s ability to relate to everyone, he was tapped by the Rubik’s company to create an instructional DVD to be sold with Rubik’s Cubes exclusively by Barnes & Noble. It makes a great Christmas gift for young and old and is only $15 if you buy it online!
Here’s Tyson at The Magic Castle the other night, explaining the first two steps in solving the Rubik’s Cube. If you want to learn the rest, buy the DVD!Tyson is actually responsible for my Xanga. He’s had a Xanga for years, and in order for me to leave comments in the old days, I signed up. I would have never started blogging if it weren’t for Tyson. He’s also the reason I met Macky, who’s amazing in his own right, as this video I took this past summer will attest:Click below to play the video and be amazed! If it’s not working, click here.
The “cubing” community is full of wonderful people, old and young. Kids like Daniel who at such a young age is really trying to make a difference in the world. They give me hope for the next generation. I’ll leave you with another video I took on Monday of Dan Dzoan and his brother Chris solving the Rubik’s Cube with one hand, and then doing it again with one in each hand.
Comments (24)
Fascinating! I have to buy the DVD. My nephew can solve it faster than you can see it moving and I can’t do it trying for days on end! LOL
Rubik’s cube and me have never got along.
Thanks for the awesome post and cool mention, Carey! I love all the different subjects you explore on your blog and hope you keep it up forever(that’s right, you better make a deal with someone or something soon that grants you eternal life).
I would have loved to have gone to the Magic Castle! I’ve been wanting to go there forever! How many people attended? It seems like they would have had to have a lot of cubes on hand to give out.
that’s pretty cool!
AHH COOOL! I’ve seen him on beauty and the geek :P
I can;t watch the video ggaa!! It takes ages to even load a page T_T
But I shall strive on.
Lol he’s awesome!! Magic is definately something I believe in :)
haha how awesome! I’m one of those strange people that finds trying to solve the damn thing relaxing and a good way to distract my mind though. So to solve it would probably drive me insane ^____^ It really is all about the journey for me I guess heh heh
this makes me want to go get a cube and practice, then go and get the instruction DVD and see how my analysis measured up.
great post. it’s original and fun.
That is awesome. It takes me forever to solve the rubik’s cube and your friend did it like nothing.
Awesome! You’re so lucky to have gotten into the Magic Castle. I’ve always wanted to go! GRRR. I need to be-friend a magician someday.
I will definitely get this Rubik’s Cube and instructional DVD. I’ve always wanted to impress people with that skill. But also, I’d love to have something to do while I’m thinking by myself. Sounds like a cool mathematical and hand exercise that would be like geek-meditation.
i’m gonna buy one today!
@ETCACTOR - You should bring your nephew to the CalTech competition on Nov. 22nd! http://caltech.cubingusa.com/caltechfall2008/
@niez_cho - LOL, the cube can be a fair weather friend
@generasianx - Thanks Tony.
@Loltothepower - Why does the video take so long to load Jin? Is it something I did? You’re electric too. LOL
@fickleboy - I have no doubt that if you get this DVD, you’ll be able to do it!
@curtainsopen - Thanks. Actually, the DVD is sold with a cube, so you don’t have to buy them separately!
@reckless_eagle - Hey, at least you can do it! That’s really impressive.
@davidngo - Thanks David. Tyson may be arranging another trip to the castle in the spring, so if you’re around, I can let you know and you can be my guest.
an interesting hobby – read about him on your blog before – way smarter than me! – lol peace, Al
If it weren’t for him you wouldn’t be here! Hmm… now, is that a good thing or a bad thing?!
Kidding. hehe 
I guess if one was color blind, the cube would appear to be “solved” all the time? Well – probably not.
@pukemeister - He’s smarter than all of us!
@Dezinerdreams - VICIOUS!
@ElusiveWords - LOL, I’m sure they would argue with that!
sweet. Tyson’s really the right person right now to make something like this.
also, thanks for the video. =)
@e2718281828 - Thanks Macky. I like to post that video of you every chance I get. I love it. A lot of people have already told me they bought the DVD already….maybe you’ll get a cut??
Stay warm!
Is that your doggies ? They are so cute.
Ryc : no i didnt went to grant park. I kind of regreat it, but I was working late that night.
wow a dvd to show how to solve the rubic’s cube. i wish i had that years ago but of course dvd weren’t invented yet. hehe.
@vsan79 - Nope, I was dog sitting. That’s too bad you didn’t go! True history.
@razzlebash - You should buy it. Learn how to solve it and post a video!
@e2718281828 - http://wherewasiyesterday.blogspot.com/2008/11/den-rubiks-cube-and-jet-pack-guy.html
They’re selling!
@davidngo - I keep forgetting to ask you if you ever solved the Cube David?
yeah! i learned it through your friend’s dvd and i taught my girlfriend. she’s even quicker than i am now. like under 2 minutes.
@davidngo
@fiddletfm – That’s so cool! I’ll let him know! Tyson, another success story from your DVD!
What I would do to appear in a picture with Willi Smith!, happiness is the main element in all pictures. My tablets of Cheap Viagra makes me really happy since it’s the only aid I have due to my advanced age.