John Edward Szeles
(born September 9, 1958, in Detroit, Michigan), better known by the stage name The Amazing Johnathan
, is an American stand-up comedian/magician. His act is mostly composed of hijinks, interaction with one specific audience member and a few legitimate magic tricks which often fail for comic effect. Self-described as the "Freddy Krueger of Comedy", [1] Szeles usually performs wearing his omnipresent headband and his shows frequently use gore for comedic effect. He is also good friends with fellow performer Criss Angel, and has helped Angel perform a variety of illusions, most notably during his three guest appearances on Mindfreak.
Szeles, who began his career performing in the streets of San Francisco, [2] first appeared on television in The 8th Annual Young Comedians Show
in 1983 and later went on to become the host of the short-lived 1991 syndicated variety/game show Ruckus
. He appeared on various talk and variety shows from the mid-80s to mid 2000s. His only credited performance as an actor was The Obligatory Holiday Episode of The Weird Al Show
(playing the part of Uncle Johnathan). The 2005 documentary The Aristocrats
was his last major performance until November 18, 2006 where he had a one-hour special on Comedy Central entitled "Wrong on Every Level."
Szeles has also authored a how-to book on practical jokes titled Every Trick in the Book
, a compilation of both classic practical jokes and plain magic tricks, along with his own original material in both categories. He is currently finishing up his memoirs.
In March 2007 it was reported that Szeles was diagnosed with "a serious heart condition". [3]
The performer's website identified the condition as cardiomyopathy and went on to assert that, due to a combination of weight loss and blood thinners, he was doing well and did not intend to retire.
As of 2009, Szeles was performing regular shows in Las Vegas at the Harmon Theater.
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