Talking With Fielding West – August 4, 2025

This week on “Talk About Las Vegas With Ira,” Ira welcomes award-winning magician and showbiz veteran Fielding West, fresh from being honored at the inaugural Global Magicians Hall of Fame ceremony in Las Vegas. In this revealing and entertaining conversation, Fielding shares how his magical journey began at the age of nine—sparked by a life-changing gift from his grandfather to help him overcome learning disabilities. That spark eventually led to a bold decision: dropping out of graduate school after a chance encounter with none other than Steve Martin. After driving the comedy icon to a gig and watching him perform, Fielding knew his true calling was on stage, not in a classroom. Fielding dives into the art of misdirection, the thrill of discovering magic’s secrets, and the pure joy of an audience's reaction. He shares the hilarious origin of his unique sense of humor—including a childhood prank involving a whoopee cushion—and talks candidly about performing today while managing COPD with an oxygen concentrator, calling it the “bullet catch” for aging magicians. He also reflects on the legendary “magician’s graveyard,” names his top three magicians in history, and offers heartfelt insights into his decades-long friendship with master magi-cian Lance Burton. It’s a magical, moving, and memorable episode you won’t want to miss. (Also Watch Full Podcast Video)