Podcast episode 506ish: Wes Barker

Proof of the trick

Welcome to episode 506ish. This actually should have been 504ish, but I forgot about it! Summer really plays havoc on my routine. Oh well. Sorry Wes Barker! Better late than never. Here the comedy magician talks about working solo – sans assistant, preparing for defeat in all aspects of his life by getting the excuses ready before any competition, hell gigs where airlines have lost his magic props, plus he does a nasty prank on your humble but skittish host but makes up for it with a real trick with the help of Sidekick Sam.

Have a listen. The sound quality is a bit wonky, but it's listenable. It's a station problem that has since been addressed. Click below to listen or subscribe to What's So Funny? on iTunes or Stitcher or wherever you find quality podcasts.

Podcast episode 470ish: Wes Barker

How is this photo 3D? Must be magic.

The last time Wes Barker was with us, he was a struggling young stunt magician. Then, thanks to the What's So Funny? bump, he catapulted to fame and fortune, wowing the judges on America's Got Talent, fooling the masters Penn & Teller, and becoming king of YouTube with his popular channel full of his special brand of magic, comedy, pranks, hijinx, and x-ray vision. His enthusiasm for what he does is contagious, as you'll hear in this podcast episode.

This gizmo below will help you get started listening. So will iTunes or Stitcher if you search for What's So Funny? and/or subscribe to it.

Oct. 15: Wes Barker

Regular listeners to What's So Funny? know I have a big soft spot for magic. I've had a few magicians on as guests over the years. Tonight, we'll have the first repeat magician guest. Wes Barker was with us first back in July of 2014. Since then, he's ripped apart many a phone book, appeared on America's Got Talent, fooled Penn & Teller, started a YouTube channel, and got married. On Saturday, Oct. 21, Wes, along with four other magicians (Kel, Vitaly Beckman, and Trevor & Lorena Watters) are performing at Bunaby's Michael J. Fox Theatre. So we'll talk about that and everything else he's been up to. I wonder if there's such a thing as audio magic? Maybe he'll perform some!

We hit the air running at 11 pm, as usual. Set your alarms and tune your radios to 100.5 FM in Vancouver. If you're outside the lower mainland, or don't own a radio, livestream us at coopradio.org or search for us on the TuneIn Radio app.

Podcast episode 351ish: Wes Barker

Magician Wes Barker amazes on this episode of What's So Funny? At least, as far as you know. It's audio. Actually, no magic was performed on this night; just the magic of radio. We talked about what it means to be a stunt magician, naked stooges, claustrophobic assistants, walking on glass, sleeping on couches, and beer cans in his underwear (that's not a euphemism).

Click below to get started. Or go download the episode at iTunes, PodcastLand or Stitcher or wherever fine podcasts are dispersed.

July 13: Wes Barker

I love magic. Someone asked the other day what I love about it. I think it's because we all know the magician is going to pull a fast one on us and we still can't figure it out. Think about that. You know it's coming, and they still manage to fool you. I've had two magicians on the show before – Vegas-based Mac King and Nathan Burton. Tonight I get my third on, and the first one to make it in studio for the whole hour: Wes Barker. I know, magic on the radio is an odd concept but they used to do ventriloquism on radio, so why not? Wes is local boy who performs all over the world. In March, he played the Vogue Theatre. He's a "stunt magician." While I love magic, I'm not super into it so I don't know what a "stunt magician" is. Maybe he guesses your card while jumping the Grand Canyon. We'll find out tonight.

We're on the air at 11 pm PT in Vancouver on Co-op Radio 100.5 FM. You can livestream us if you prefer at coopradio.org.