Magic Times in October
Halloween is really close, and while I recently traded the changing of the seasons for 24/7 sunshine and blonde people, there’s one Halloween tradition that I miss more than the others. I’ve carved my share of pumpkins, I’ve done the haunted house thing, and I can marathon horror movies anywhere I go. No, for me, the Halloween season is missing a little *Magic.
Since 2009 ish I’ve been fortunate enough to be in a sketch comedy group with what feels like all of my friends. MAGIC PLUS, was the brain child of Al Krakosky and his Michigan gang of family and friends, and he brought that to Orlando where the rest of us bastardized it, messed with the color scheme, and focused a lot on male sexuality. Aside from digging the stuff Al, Tom, Matt, and the werewolves had done, we ourselves made our own version of MP. That in itself is a much longer story for another day. So pardon the broad strokes while I get us straight to Halloween.
We were gunning for YouTube fame, but settled for having the best time goofing off. I know that last sentence sounds a little poofy, but it's true. Aside from the regulars, we got a lot of other folks in on the action too. Shooting sketches on the fly served as a film school, while at film school. The most magical time of the year however was around October. We always went all out on our Halloween sketch. Our Halloween bits ran the gamut, and featured a lot of colorful personalities. There's just something about the time of year where violence can be funny, monsters get their street-cred back, and you can honor the dead.
But now the gang is spread across certain parts of the country and everyone else is too talented not to be busy. We did a Halloween sketch / episode / special for 3 years straight. Doesn’t seem like a whole lot now, but I spend every time this year wishing I could make another unfunny funny and then complain about how few views we got on YouTube. I have no musical proclivity, but to me Magic Plus was the closest thing to being in a band I ever got. And Halloween was our Super Bowl. (I’m also not much of a sports guy) So I figured I’d link up some of the episodes here, and maybe I can coax the old ghouls to talk about their favorite spooky sketches.
Like I said, I don’t long for the apple picking, and you can get candy everywhere. Orange and yellow leaves are nice, until you have to rake em. But some how, without fault, I start to feel thankful a month and a half early every year.
If I can get some MP veteran opinions on their favortie Halloween sketches, I’d love to do a follow up before Halloween, if not I can just post about another Kickstarter video I worked on. And in the dead of October there’s nothing scarier than shamelessly shilling a product.
Check out Magic Plus on YouTube and give them a like on Facebook. A detailed history of MP to come in the future, I'm sure.
-CS
