On this Eye on Anthem, magician CJ of Magic by CJ joins Eric Kilstrom and co-host Sawana at Amped, the Anthem gathering spot where CJ once met his wife, Amy. CJ traces his craft back to a David Copperfield television special he watched as a boy, then teaching himself from classic instruction manuals long before mentors or online tutorials existed. He explains the code magicians live by: they trade methods freely among themselves but never with an audience, a culture that expanded through pandemic-era Zoom gatherings led by teachers like Curtis Kam.
CJ walks through the shows he performs, from family birthday parlor sets to corporate strolling gigs and his boutique Mystic Moments close-up experience inspired by the Magic Castle in Los Angeles. Between stories he stuns the hosts with live card and sponge ball routines. He also credits Amy, a former kindergarten teacher, with running the logistics, scheduling, and social media that keep the family business booked and organized.
Key takeaways
- CJ's love of magic began around age 12 with a David Copperfield TV special, then grew through self-teaching from books like The Royal Road to Card Magic and the Mark Wilson guide.
- Magicians follow a code of sharing the method, or the work, only within their community and never revealing secrets to spectators.
- Pandemic-era Zoom meetups, including sessions led by Hawaii teacher Curtis Kam, opened up mentorship across the wider magic world.
- CJ's core bookings are family birthday parlor shows and corporate walk-around (strolling) magic, plus his boutique Mystic Moments close-up show modeled on LA's Magic Castle.
- He relocated to Anthem from New Jersey after a divorce to be near his parents, and now runs a family business with his wife Amy handling logistics, scheduling, photography, and social media.
- You can follow and book him through Instagram @magicbycj or at magicbycj.com for birthdays, corporate events, weddings, and retreats.
Related: Eye on Anthem