Growing up, I would often hear the name The Amazing Kreskin on TV. He was a frequent guest on top-rated shows like The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Although he has had an incomparable career for seven decades, Kreskin was, to me, always a celebrity of my parents’ generation. I would hear my dad talking about Kreskin and his inimitable mental capabilities. There was a tremendous admiration for him, and so I, too, became an ardent admirer.
Some cover stories come together quickly but in the case of The Amazing Kreskin, it took over two years. (Being a sought-after performer will do that.) But the wait was well worth it. Kreskin’s home is nestled in the woods of New Jersey, but once inside, well, it was another experience entirely. His home is like a living testimony to the timelessness of his career. It was full of items, awards, and other accolades that you might expect someone to accumulate over the course of an illustrious multi-decade career.
If Kreskin’s home was a meticulously curated museum, The Amazing Kreskin was its top tour guide. As I pointed to various pieces, Kreskin was happy to tell me in great detail the significance of each item and how it connected to that point in his career. It was like being immersed in Kreskin’s world and was a front row seat in the Master Class of this man’s life.
For me, I love shooting the cover images as much interviewing the celebs. For The Amazing Kreskin cover shoot, I was excited for both, but let’s be real: I wanted Kreskin to read my mind.
Well, he must have read my mind, because he offered to do it even before I asked. And of course, he did it absolutely effortlessly.
The Amazing Kreskin cover story was simply, well, amazing. Yes, it’s exciting to meet a living legend and an honor to share his story. But on a personal note, working with The Amazing Kreskin was, in a way, getting to reconnect with my parents again. I can only imagine what my dad would have said to me about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
But it doesn’t take a mind reader to know that he would have been proud.