Avian Flu affects Magician's Business

News Release

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to tell you an interesting and, in my view, very funny story.

I am a Magician based in Maple Ridge who performs for all ages. I have had a very dry run on shows lately and then I received a phone call a few weeks ago that was just the icing on the cake. It was a call from the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency. I was surprised to hear from them. I asked what they wanted, and they asked me if I was “Norden The Magician”. I replied I was. They asked if my website was www.magicshows.ca and I replied yes. They said until recently I had been advertising on my website that I do a show with “Rufus”, my chicken. They said when they went to the site the other day this information was not there anymore. I replied I had removed it.

Their next question was a funny one. They asked me what had become of the chicken. They had been told of my show (probably from a past client) and this hilarious routine I perform with a chicken. This information was probably passed along innocently enough but ended up in the hands of a detective-like government worker. He checked out my website and saw my web page about “Rufus”.

He had a concern that with the Avian Flu that my chicken would be classified as a “back yard” chicken and not a pet, therefore it might be subject to being culled. He further explained that I would have to cease and desist from using “Rufus” in my show as traveling around the Lower Mainland with a possibly infected bird was insanely hazardous. He asked if I had done any shows with “Rufus” recently. I replied no, that due to the Avian Flu people were not too keen on booking a Magician and a chicken. I spent months developing my chicken act and now this Avian Flu has ruined most of it and now he is phoning to tell me they have to kill my chicken too?

He apologized and said he was happy that I had not been performing with him. I replied that it is a shame people are so misinformed about Avian Flu and if people would just listen and not just hear the word “chicken” and go running away I might be able to book some shows. He agreed that it was getting a little out of hand. I said yes, it was. You see, “Rufus” is a RUBBER CHICKEN. Fake. Artificial. Make believe. Phoney. Pretend. Fictitious. Not real.

I advised him my webpage was down until I could update them with pictures of Rufus to assure people I was not spreading the Avian Flu. He laughed nervously, apologized, and hung up. Anyone need to hire a Magician and a “chicken”?

Sincerely,

Norden The Magician
(Mike Norden)
604-916-9879