Magician-mentalist Randy Charach returns to performing after a ten-year break from shows. He ran marketing firm IncomeMarketing.com during his hiatus and now does interactive mentalism shows for charity, with performances at Yak Yak's on July 11, 18, and 25 benefiting the Canadian Mental Health Association. He demonstrates his mind-reading techniques live during the interview.
You know, if you ever want to have your own entrance music and just come in, just be Randy Charach. Here he comes. Oh, it's okay. It's cool. The magician and mentalist was just hiding behind a pillar. How are you, Randy?
I'm good, Fiona. Nice to see you. Yeah, I know.
Yeah, what?
I got lost. I don't know what happened. I'm not really a psychic, so I just like thinking, where, where am I?
Who am I? Yeah. So where does that music come from? A buddy of mine, Craig.
Greg Hanley lives in Maine, wrote it for me to promote my new show just as a favor.
That's nice.
I mean, every magician should have their own rap.
I think so.
I think so.
And the last time you were on our show was 1999.
Yeah.
Now you have to describe what you did because it just goes to show how long ago it actually was. We had antiques involved.
We did, we did. We have something that a lot of people watching have probably never heard of or seen called a tape recorder. But back then they were in vogue.
And we had a cassette.
A cassette. I gave you a cassette. I gave it to the producer of the show, I think a couple weeks before I came on, and I had predicted that day's Vancouver Sun headline.
And you did. I do remember being quite wowed by that. Okay, so what's new since 1999?
Oh yeah, yeah. Well, I actually stopped performing shortly after that, and I took 10 years off because of us. Yeah, you ruined it for me. I mean, I was so stressed. No, it was the bad news on the headline.
Yeah, you're like, I can't do this anymore.
Yeah, I should have known that.
So you took 10 years Well, yeah, I've been—
I have a company, IncomeMarketing.com, and it's a marketing company. I had done over 5,000 shows over 20 years at that point when we met, and within the next couple years I had just, you know, I'd had enough. It was fun. During the last 10 years, I mean, I still have my marketing company, but I really miss performing. So I do it mostly now for fun and philanthropy, and it's just something that, you know, kind of a neat thing to do.
So what can people expect? You have a bunch of shows coming up at Yak Yaks. This is one of the shows where the audience is involved.
Completely from the beginning to the end.
So you can't be one of those chickens, right?
No, I don't hypnotize them. That's a different show.
No, I didn't mean turning people into chickens.
Oh, chickens would be scared to come up.
I meant don't want to be involved.
Yeah, and look, if somebody doesn't really want to come up, then I don't make them.
Do you ever turn people into chickens, or is that somebody else's shtick?
Yeah, no, actually I did that once, and well, that was 10 years ago. That's why you haven't seen me for 10 years.
There we go, then the hiatus happened. Okay, you have some stuff with you today. What are we gonna do?
Okay, so we're gonna just share a couple thoughts, and some of them will be personal, maybe some not. And I asked them to provide a pen, paper, marker, pen, paper. There you go, you can take that. So Fiona, don't let me see what you're doing, and don't let the camera see either so they don't think that I can see. And I want you to draw some sort of an image that has some personal meaning to you.
Okay.
All right, and don't worry, we're not grading you on your drawings. Okay, because I'm not a very good drawer.
Well, me neither, and Something that has significance. Yeah. There's strippers coming up later.
Keep this family-rated show.
Here we go. I've got it.
You have it?
Yes. Okay. It's quite lovely.
I can't see it. I'm gonna try to reach into your mind and pick up that thought.
That's frightening.
Yeah, I know. It's crazy. You know, actually, I have a new idea of something that I'm gonna do. I'm gonna go to parties and I'm gonna go read the minds of the people. And if somebody's gonna say something really nasty to someone, I'm gonna go in and I'm gonna change their thoughts so they say something kind. I'm thinking I'm gonna start with Jodi from Real Housewives.
Oh, that would be a great idea if you could. Maybe you could go in a time machine and do that. That would be lovely.
Yeah, I know. All right, you've drawn yours already.
Yes, I have.
Just concentrate. Okay, I'm actually getting— this is something that you do when you're having recreation time.
Mm-hmm.
It's related to that. It's something you love to do. It's fun.
Mm-hmm.
You're with friends. You're picturing a little bit of motion and emotion. And let's— I'll tell you what, I'll show you mine if you show me yours.
Okay, ready?
Whoa.
Oh, that's really trippy.
Isn't that crazy?
I don't know, I think yours might actually be better though.
I don't know, I don't know.
That is crazy.
You wanna try something else?
Yes, I do.
I was gonna have you think of—
This is what I wish I were doing today since we finally see the sun after—
I know. I know. All right.
Let's go.
Okay. This time I want you to think of a, of a just a word that relates to something not so personal, but something more recent. You have a word in your, in your head?
Yeah, it's not the— maybe I'll think of a different one. That one wasn't— no, that— mm-hmm. Okay.
Got one that you'll, you'll recall.
Okay.
And in a moment. And here we go. I think it's starting with R. Yeah? Good. Can you spell out the whole— oh, you're trying to do your poker face, but I see that. Oh, it's related to what we just did?
Yes.
Yes. Oh, thank you. Remarkable? Is it?
Yes.
Yeah. All right, well, thank you. That's a nice compliment. I'm glad you were thinking that. I'm also getting some thoughts from last Saturday night, but I won't reveal those. I only reveal personal, real personal thoughts if they're really, really juicy.
Probably a good idea.
Yeah. Will you come out to see my show next week?
Yes, I will. Absolutely, and anybody can go.
You have to be 19 or over to get into the audience.
19 or over. If you want to check out Randy, he will be performing at Yak Yak's July 11th, 18th, and 25th. You can go to his website for ticket info. And you're doing a charity aspect to this too.
Yeah, this is to raise funds for the Canadian Mental Health Association. And it's a charity that's near and dear to my heart.
Oh, that's great.
I have a lot of friends and family who've been affected. By depression and other things during the last few years in particular. So yeah, so come out and support us and have some fun.
That's great. Thanks so much. We'll see you in 1999. If I could do math, I could tell you it'd be quite a few years from now. We're going to take a break.
