Brian Brushwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brian Brushwood |
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Brushwood in 2014
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| Birth name | Brian Allen Brushwood |
| Born | January 17, 1975 Fountain Valley, California |
| Medium | Live, television, IPTV, MP3 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Texas at Austin |
| Genres | Magic (illusion) YouTube |
| Subject(s) | Confidence tricks; Fire eating |
| Spouse | Bonnie Brushwood |
| Notable works and roles | Scam School Weird Things Night Attack Cordkillers Hacking The System (with Jason Murphy) Modern Rogue (with Jason Murphy) |
Brian Allen Brushwood, born on January 17, 1975, is an American magician, podcaster, author, and comedian. He is famous for his show Scam Nation (first called Scam School). On this show, he teaches fun tricks you can use to impress friends or even get a free drink! It's all about clever social skills.
Brian also hosts several popular podcasts. These include Weird Things, Cordkillers, and Great Night. He was also a regular guest on the This Week in Tech podcast. Brian performs his Bizarre Magic stage show all over the United States. He has also written six books. Brian co-hosted a YouTube show called The Modern Rogue with Jason Murphy. You might have seen him on TV shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno or channels like CNN and Food Network.
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About Brian Brushwood
Brian Brushwood was born in Fountain Valley, California. When he was a kid, he got a magic kit for Christmas. This started his interest in magic. Later, while studying at the University of Texas at Austin, Brian rediscovered his love for magic. He started performing paid shows, filling in for another magician. His interest in magic was so strong that he even did a 45-minute magic show for his final project in college.
During his time at college, Brian took a class about pseudoscience. This class taught him how to think like a skeptic. His teacher, Rory Coker, helped him with his magic thesis. Brian has even gone back to help teach in that class.
Brian graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1997. After college, he married his wife, Bonnie. He first worked testing video games and then designed computer systems for Dell. While working at Dell, Brian performed magic shows on Wednesday nights in Austin, Texas. In 1999, he decided to leave his job at Dell to follow his dream. He wanted to perform his Bizarre Magic show full-time.
When a TV show idea didn't work out, Brian looked into making shows for the internet. He wanted more control over his work. After making some episodes of Brian Brushwood: On The Road, he got the idea for Scam School. He first planned to make it himself, but then sold the idea to Revision 3. The first episode aired on April 6, 2008. Brian had to travel to San Francisco to film Scam School episodes. He would film many at once to save on travel costs.
In October 2008, one of Brian's childhood heroes, Richard Garriott, did a magic trick he learned from Scam School. He did it while he was on the International Space Station! When Discovery Digital Networks bought Revision 3, Brian moved the production of Scam School to Austin, Texas. He now lives there with his wife and three children.
Brian's Performances
Brian Brushwood started his professional stage show in 1999. He now performs 100 to 200 live shows each year at colleges across the United States. His Bizarre Magic show mixes old sideshow acts, mind reading, traditional magic, and comedy.
After talking with audience members, Brian created his Scams, Sasquatch, and the Supernatural lecture in 2004. This talk uses what he learned in his college pseudoscience class. It covers strange topics and how to spot fake claims. Brian also developed a lecture called Social Engineering: Scam Your Way Into Anything Or From Anybody. He first gave this talk at the 2009 South by Southwest Interactive event.
In a podcast interview, Brian explained why he teaches people how to do tricks. He said that magicians use how our brains work to fool us. He realized that scam artists do the same thing. By teaching people how easy it is to trick others, he hopes more people will question what they see and hear.
Brian's Hair
Brian Brushwood's famous hairstyle was inspired by a character named Guile from the video game Street Fighter II. It used to take him nine minutes to style it with special products. He even said he could sleep without messing it up! Brian stopped wearing this hairstyle in 2012. He felt he was getting older and had new TV projects. Now, he has a shorter haircut and a neat beard.
Mr. Happypants
Mr. Happypants is a voodoo puppet that appears in Brian's stage shows and podcasts. Brian thought it would be funny to give a cute name to a mean character. Mr. Happypants started as mean but then became truly evil. He speaks through Brian using a voice distorter. Mr. Happypants first appeared in a stage show at a magic conference. His first podcast appearance was in Episode 6 of Brian's web series Brian Brushwood on the Road.
Television Appearances
Brian Brushwood first appeared on national television on The Roseanne Show in 2000. He performed a trick where he pushed a nail into one eye and it seemed to come out the other! He has been on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno twice, doing tricks like the "human crazy straw." Brian also appeared on Anderson Cooper 360°, teaching Sanjay Gupta the "human blockhead" trick. On CNN's Life Beyond Limits, he taught Gupta how to eat fire.
Brian also talked about eating fire on Food Network's Unwrapped. He appeared on Paula's Party where he ate fire and helped make a special dessert. Brian has also been on other TV shows like Debra Duncan, The Jenny Jones Show, and Ricki Lake.
Brian starred with Jason Murphy in Hacking the System. This show started on February 27, 2014, on the National Geographic Channel.
Internet Shows and Podcasts
| Show | Description | Premiere |
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| Scam Nation (originally titled Scam School) |
Brian teaches magic, street cons, and fun tricks. The goal is to help watchers "scam" a free drink from friends. | April 6, 2008 |
| Weird Things | Brian, Justin Robert Young, and Andrew Mayne talk about strange news stories. They often discuss supernatural and unusual reports. | October 19, 2009 |
| Cordkillers | Brian and Tom Merritt discuss weekly news about "cord-cutting." This includes TV, movies, and streaming devices. | December 23, 2013 |
| Great Night (originally titled Night Attack) |
This is a comedy podcast hosted by Brian and Justin Robert Young. It's a follow-up to their earlier show, NSFW. | March 4, 2014 |
| The Modern Rogue | Brian and Jason Murphy teach about being a "Modern Rogue." Each episode focuses on skills like being a warrior, a gentleman, or a scoundrel. | December 14, 2015 |
| World's Greatest Con | In this podcast, Brian shares the secret stories behind famous cons, swindles, and heists. | June 7, 2021 |
Music Albums
Brian Brushwood has released three comedy albums. His album Night Attack came out on September 28, 2011. It reached number four on the Billboard Comedy Albums chart. Night Attack 2: Enjoy the Garden was released on April 20, 2013, and hit number one on the Billboard Comedy Albums chart. His album Night Attack (Live) came out on October 22, 2013, and also reached number one.
Awards and Recognition
Brian Brushwood has won several awards for his magic and podcasts:
- 1995 – Won Best Comedy Magic at the Texas Association of Magicians
- 1998 – Won Best Club Magic at the Texas Association of Magicians
- 2002 – Won Best Stage Magic at the Texas Association of Magicians
- 2003 – Voted Variety Entertainer of the Year by campusawards.com
- 2015 – Won People's Choice Podcast Award for Mature for Night Attack
- 2015 – Won People's Choice Podcast Award for Best Video for Night Attack
- 2016 – Won People's Choice Podcast Award for Education for Scam School
