By Jillian Risberg 

He has transformative powers and the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but really — Bob Richey (aka Magic Bob) stands in his truth when it comes to magic. COVID brought the world as we know it to a grinding halt, but nothing was going to stop this seasoned performer.

“This is my 33rd year performing. To have six parties a weekend and every night during the week just disappear; for my company multiply that by 10 (employees); it went to 0 overnight,” says Richey, of his magic shows and specialty balloons. 

He had a regular gig working all the Fuddruckers, Wendy’s, Cloverleaf Tavern, the Original Pancake Houses and IHops in Wayne. 

It was the first time in the magician’s life that he wished he had a regular job. “The fact that I would even ever say that (is) how scary it was,” he says, adding that he had always worked for himself; committing to do this for a lifetime and never doubted it was the right choice.

But as an entrepreneur, it was at that point when Richey had to regroup — joining legions of other entertainers in the Garden State staring down an unspeakable new reality. 

March 2020 Gov. Murphy announced a statewide Stay at Home Order, closure of all non-essential retail businesses and prohibiting all social gatherings.

Part of the transition to virtual presentations involved starting Magic Bob’s Party Magic Academy, using the power of magic to connect kids from all over the world through ZOOM. 

‘Sign up and let your child Discover Magic this school year,’ Richey says of the program, that provides kids with secret file folders, custom tricks and unique opportunities to boost self confidence, build communication skills and make new friends.

“It’s like the greatest bunch of people ever and so supportive. We all banded together and (created something special), teaching magic,” says the magician, who launched Zoom Room Crashes, where he would appear in a teacher’s virtual class. 

The kids are in for a nice surprise during the half hour learning session, where he teaches them three tricks and calls it ‘part show, part workshop, a whole lotta fun.’

He calls magic perfect for a kid’s show online, especially ages three and up, ‘cause it’s goofy, mysterious, fun and even fun for the teachers since Richey has a Disney background and is a big fan of Disney humor (like Aladdin).  

For an hour each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday he holds scheduled classes, being mindful of these uncertain times.

“I offered it in four week chunks knowing that, ‘are we gonna get the vaccine,’ ‘are people gonna stop wearing masks,’ ‘are they gonna have parties,’ ‘is this gonna be a big year.’ The fact that I even have these questions right now is amazing, a year later,” Richey says. 

This new virtual life meant unexpected requirements, according to the magician. And reinventing himself in all sorts of ways since ‘we’re not guaranteed work, ever.’ “I started doing balloon deliveries. I love doing balloon twisting and balloon sculptures.” 

“I learned more things than my six years in college in the last year,” he says. “I had to learn Zoom, learn how to put my show onto the computer to make it fun, I never knew lighting and green screen technology and sound and equipment.” 

He then aligned with the Wayne Education Foundation and their virtual summer camp last June, noting that he still has students who take his class every week.  

“Each eight-week (course) the kids earn a different color wand,” says the magician. “It’s kind of like karate, we call it wandkwondo. The idea was to get their black wand and become a mini professional magician.” 

Kids gain so much knowledge from Richey’s performances: including social skills, like being respectful and enthusiastic, self-respect, self esteem and self confidence through magic. 

To still be able to share his talent and connect with the public, albeit a revamped version to bridge the gap until things come back to normal is everything.  

“It’s been a test and feels good when you come through the other side of a difficult situation and you’re still here,” Richey says.  

This profession has all his love.

Every day is different and every performance is an interview for your next performance, according to the magician. Richey says there is no such thing as ‘mailing it in.’ 

“I mean you have to lock your problems in your car and put on that happy face — which is something I’m grateful to Disney for,” he says. “It’s the happiest place in the world and how does it get that way?  By these techniques… come to work, ready to work, be happy, be fun. The show must go on.  Just being ourselves is how we get through whatever we do because people talk (good, bad or difficult) — but I have some amazing customers.”

In college he was inspired to become a magician as a great way to meet girls, but says he actually always loved magic as a child, citing his magician great uncle as a big influence.

“It’s not that we were that close; it’s just he knew how much I loved it (bag of tricks the uncle left Richey when he died),” he says, adding that it was the same week he was asked by the manager at the Ground Round if he and his partner would mind doing all the kid’s parties and if they could learn magic. “So it was kind of fate. I was 19-years-old.”

The magician believes that, ‘life is a daring adventure or nothing at all’ (Helen Keller) and knew his life was not going to be ordinary. 

“What better thing to say than you are a magician as your job. Of course I always get, ‘show me a trick.’ If I was a plumber, people wouldn’t say, ‘fix my pipes.’ It’s a double edge sword, you don’t always want to be on,” Richey says. “But it’s a blessing, so you always have a trick or two up your sleeve, where you can do something on the fly.” 

And magic is a great vehicle for comedy because kids say the funniest things and that’s what people miss, according to the magician — being together and watching their kids laugh out loud.

“Watching something live is like a novelty now for kids. I’ve never seen ‘em sit stiller, be more attentive, drop their phones. It makes them think sequentially. And then when someone says, ‘that’s incredible’ to a kid, the kid knows they created this magical moment for an adult,” Richey says.