Joshua Jay


Joshua Jay is a magician, author, and lecturer. He has performed in over 100 countries, and he was awarded the top prize at the World Magic Seminar in 1998. He fooled Penn and Teller on their hit show, Fool Us', and he holds a Guinness World Record for card tricks. Jay has done magic on numerous television shows, most recently Good Morning America and The Today Show'. Most recently, in January 2018, Joshua was recognized by the Society of American Magicians with their highest proclamation, for his contribution to the art of magic. Joshua attended Ohio State University and currently resides in New York City.

Early Years

Joshua attended Canton Country Day School and then GlenOak High School, in Canton, Ohio. He was raised Jewish. He became interested in magic when his father showed him a card trick but did not explain how it was done.

Career

Joshua has designed illusions for stage and screen, including a recent collaboration with HBO for Game of Thrones. Joshua consulted with the United States Postal Service on the design of their postage stamp series, Magic.
On January 30, 2016, at the Columbus Magi-Fest, Joshua set the Guinness World Record for Most Selected Cards Found from a Shuffled Deck in One Minute. He found 21 cards, a record that still stands.
Joshua has done innovative research into what he has classified as "Tragic Magic," tricks that have proved fatal to magicians, assistants, and even spectators. Joshua has delivered keynote addresses on the history of magic at museums across the country, and written an academic article on the subject for Gibiciere.
Joshua appeared at the 2008 Inaugural Ball for President Barack Obama, and has also delivered private performances for former President Clinton.
In 2008, Joshua and best-friend Andi Gladwin founded Vanishing Inc. Magic, a retail magic outlet that manufactures and distributes props to magicians. Vanishing Inc. is currently one of the largest magic shops in the world, with warehouse and shipping operations in the US and Europe.

Author

Joshua majored in Creative Non-Fiction at the Ohio State University with the intention of writing for and about the magic community. His senior thesis would eventually become The Amazing Book of Cards. He has authored three books for the public: MAGIC: The Complete Course, The Amazing Book of Cards, and, for children, Big Magic for Little Hands.
Joshua has also authored a dozen books for magicians and served for 12 years as the Tricks Editor at MAGIC Magazine.

TV Appearances

Joshua Jay has become one of the most prolific writers of the contracting literary scene in magic. Nearly all his books have been translated into other languages, and two titles have been published for the public: Magic: The Complete Course and The Amazing Book of Cards. He is also the publisher of many titles, through his company Vanishing Inc Magic with magician Andi Gladwin.
Joshua Jay has become one of the most prolific writers of the contracting literary scene in magic. Nearly all his books have been translated into other languages, and two titles have been published for the public: Magic: The Complete Course and The Amazing Book of Cards. He is also the publisher of many titles, through his company Vanishing Inc Magic with magician Andi Gladwin.
First place awards include: