http://www.lvrj.com/news/17591064.html

Illusionist Criss Angel, the star of the "Mindfreak" reality show, freaked out Friday after his girlfriend, Miss Nevada USA Veronica Grabowski, didn't make the finals of the Miss USA pageant.

Shortly after Grabowski was eliminated, Angel was seen flashing a middle finger during a NBC telecast when a roving cameraman attempted a celebrity-in-the-crowd shot at Planet Hollywood Resort's main theater.

Angel was still fuming after the pageant when he threatened this columnist in an F-bomb-laced tirade that ended with Angel, after being restrained, saying, "Don't ever write another word about me, or you'll need an eyepatch over your other eye."

Although he didn't specifically mention it during the loud altercation outside the pageant's VIP party on the hotel's mezzanine, Angel was still angry about my reporting in Friday's column.

In an interview Thursday with Vegas Confidential, Sandy Mecca, a preliminary judge and wife of Planet Hollywood Resort CEO Mike Mecca, mentioned that Angel had brought up his girlfriend in reference to the pageant on Tuesday. Angel told Mecca, "I hope you're going to give my girl high marks."

Mecca's two-day judging duties had ended on Sunday, but the comment made her uncomfortable and she and her husband separated from Angel before entering the hotel.

Angel's publicist, Steve Flynn, said Friday that Angel was "absolutely joking around."

Donald Trump, who owns Miss Universe, the umbrella group for Miss USA, told me Friday that he was disturbed by Angel's encounter with a judge and added, "We're going to have to look at that."

Angel's blowup happened shortly after the pageant ended. Angel, his two brothers and a bodyguard ran down a corridor to catch up to this writer near the entrance of a VIP post-pageant party.

"You're a (bleeping) idiot," screamed Angel, who kept repeating it. He added that he wanted nothing to do with me or this column in the future.

Angel, who starts rehearsals this week on Cirque du Soleil's $100 million magic production at Luxor, has a 10-year contract.

When he repeated his no-contact edict at nose-to-nose range, my response was, "I will try to get over it."

Flynn stepped between us and led Angel away, as he delivered his parting shot: the eyepatch threat.

"Good one, Criss," I told him. "Never heard that one before."

What a loser... All he does is continue to give magicians a bad name.

The LA Times is reporting on Voldemort's tirade as well:

It's Angel's own fault ... if he wanted her to make the finals that bad, why didn't he just use his awesome magical mental powers to make it happen ?

Maybe he tried and that's why she lost?

I think we should all calm down and wait for Chris's side of the story.

We all know how things can get blown out of proportion in the press. Remember the weapons of mass destruction that turned out to be a rusty BB gun?

The magic community is calm; it’s Crissy that is going off on tirades.

The Press gave Crissy several chances to give his side of the story and he declined.

I find the story factual since I have heard first hand accounts of his temperament.

http://www.lvrj.com/blogs/sherm/Threats ... Angel.html

Yes I can see how Criss can have reason to threaten to take a reporter's other eye out.

Reporter writes that Criss tried to sweet talk a favorable vote for girlfriend contestant. Said sweet talking being unethical to say the least. Then there is a "he said, she said" situation that we do not have information about.

But...if only we knew....we would understand why Criss would chase the reporter around threatening physical harm, all while screaming that if the reporter did his job.... he would have his other eye removed as well.... which is at BEST in bad taste,.... at worse, may be grounds for an order of protection ...

Bimbo... I understand that as one of The Loyal you must rise to support and defend your God Criss Angel at all times. See this is one of the reasons this is so scary.... As long as Criss does not clarify the situation and say.." No I am not serious about this reporter, I do not wish him harm." Then one of Criss' mindless space monkey a$$-Ki$$er$ well just move on his own expecting to be greeted in the here-after by 99 Half naked vegas showgirls... as a reward to one who died serving the interests of the Holy Crissy ...
Oh if one of Crissy's Loyal band of merry idiots does make a move on his own , and can say.." Crissy told me to do it.." Crissy may be liable...

There have been cases where a person roused a rabble to riot, after which said rabble caused someone physical harm... if it can be proven that the rabble rouser's rabble rousing led directly to said roused rabble to riot... said rabble rouser can be found liable. Criminally, and Civilly.

Word to the wise, if a mutant mindless crissy worshiper does something. Crissy is responsable.

Maybe he's in his mid-life crisis....I mean seriously he is like 46 now. Something like that.

Just leave people alone.

It's his bussiness and not ours. This has nothing to do with his magic so why bring it up?

Dude I really cannot believe you said it's HIS Business and not ours... I Gues the only magician in the world in your opinion is ..Crissy?

he calls himself a magician, people judge us all by how he acts. I am sorry, but I don't like being represented by a zero talent hack, that needs a camera crew following him everywhere that knows to cut away, whenever he tries to cut the cards...the guy cannot even cut cards. I read somewhere he hired a stunt double. They stop the cameras, in comes the double..start the cameras...The double cuts the cards... stop the cameras, then in comes Crissy, and starts the cameras again.

I really cannot wait for this idiot's 15 minutes of fame to be over... oh BTW anyone have an update where they put his picture in Magic castle now? is it still in the basement broom closet? In the locker behind that sign that says.."... beware of the leapord"?

I love how seriously Crissy's space monkey's defend him...it's almost as fun as pulling a fundementalist's chain... but more laughable.. wonder if he has the strength to ignore this post...

I will be at the Magic Castle Monday night. Last I saw, his portrait was hanging in a dark corner between a player piano and the Peller Theatre in the Basement. (It is unlit and hung about 12' inches above the ground).

Clarissa do you like to spew nonsense? You call Bimbo a loyalist and slightly attack him for his simple statement.
You claim Criss is a hack, but have you ever seen his stage show? Probably not. You only look at what you want to. One sided.

I am not defending him on what he did in this report or even his tv show. Though you will probably think other wise.

And technically it IS HIS business. It is between him, clarke and the lawyers. Enless it directly effects you, It really doesnt concern you. You really think he portrays you as a magician when he acts up? Are you that small in thinking? The way you talk about it, makes it seem as you are the one thats rather obsessed with him. I mean, just read your posts again... see how crazied you are over this and the small comments made by others. And go ahead and make another in reply to me.

Nothing he does in magic or on his own represents me, not one bit. What he does only makes him look bad, especially in his personal life.

But I guess because hes famous, you have the right to know everything about him and what he does. You sound like the Paparaizi and those idiot news stand writers.

Also would like to know where you made (yet another) assumption.. that 'iwantgoodmagic' believes Criss is the only magician. Again.. your over-reacting.


Yes he is egotistcal, sometimes rude, and lies. But you want to tell me you never do any of those, you are never egotistical... never?

Yes what he did was uncalled for, could even be taken as a threat.. which means charges could be brought up. He needs to drop the tv show, appologize for much of what he has done. Then go back to his stage magic, thats what he knows and does best.

Part of this is devils advocate, part is just what it is...

DavieG - why don't you take up your argument with me since I posted the thread in the first place...

Crissy is an arrogant egotistical ideological bigot and he is not respected in the professional magic community anymore. In fact, he is a laughing stock and I have heard the word, "Hack" uttered from the lips of many professional, performing magicians. His stage show got him attention, but he head over-inflated with the cable show and media attention. I doubt many have seen his stage show. I did not hear of this hack until 2 years ago. (I was living in Europe at the time and people over there STILL don’t know who he is).

At this point in Crissy's megalomaniacal career, if anyone stands up for him or defends his actions or his so-called talent, has not been keeping up with current events and will most-likely be mistaken as one of his "Loyal Cultist Zealots".

BTW- being a Moderator, I saw fit to delete the pure Flaming posts that did not contribute to the main topic one way or another.

DavieG said



About attacking Bimbo, yes I called him a Loyalist, if it was perceived as an attack, one needs to ask why? If Crissy is the paragon of Magicdom everyone says, being called a Loyalist would be seen as a badge of honor to be warn with pride... and yet it's not...why is that?

I have not had the honor of seeing Crissy perform live on stage. I do not know when he last performed live. I have seen a youtube video of him doing "Metamorphosis". I have had the pleasure of seeing Seigfreid and Roy perform Live...THAT's magic! Dai Vernon performing Cups and Balls is more Magical than Crissy doing " Metamorphosis."

Is this an example of his stage magic? If it is, then I will say it again, he is a no talent hack. That performance was pure crap. The box is too large, So much is going on on stage I had no clue what he was trying to accomplish. If I did not know what Metamorphosis was SUPPOSED to look like I would wonder if anything actually happened.

Dai Vernon said magic should be simple. When there is sooo much confusion the spectator has no idea what is supposed to be happening, and cannot be drawn into the effect.

Instead of a stable continuous shot from a distance so I can decide what I want to look at , as I would have if I were seeing him perform live...I have close camera shots directing my vision to where Crissy wants me to look... so that I do not look where he does not want me to look I guess... so I don't look at him crawl out of the box I guess...

There are shots of the bass player.. strumming chords...do I really want to see that? There is a close camera shot of some clown in front of the box...but what the heck is going on behind the box if anything? Does anyone just walk out from behind and go off to the wings or whatever? No clue..why? I am having my vision directed where Crissy wants it...this is a shortcut form of misdirection... Obviously he has no talent at REAL Misdirection... This makes magic look bad. When I saw it I almost lost my lunch.

By the way, for a GOOD performance of Metamorphosis look up The Pendragons. THEY can perform on Stage.

This is my main complaint he cheapens magic by performing it badly. He is a bad TV actor performing the role of a badly performing magician. Bill Bixby Playing " The Magician" was a better magician. If he came out and admitted .." I am not a magician have not been for a few years. I used to be one...but now i am an actor playing one on TV.", then all my complaints would cease...then I would evaluate his skills as an actor... But he insists he is a magician..oops pardon me.." an illusionist." The only illusion here is that Crissy is an Illusionist... he's a 3rd rate actor playing one badly.

If you have other Criss Live performance gems , direct me I would love to see an example of him performing as a magician... I am sure he WAS good...but now he just wants to be a TV star... Nothing wrong with that... but he insists on being an abusive arrogant egotistical no talent hack... when one is arrogant it would be nice if they also happened to have some talent or skill ... I haven't seen any. As I said... His "Metamorphosis" is the lousiest stage magic I have ever seen,... and I have been to school talent shows.. those guys have more talent than Crissy has been displaying lately.