Magic and Fur Part 2

Kashmere

Kashmere and I photographed at South Lake at Mammoth Lakes, California fishing for trout in the late summer. Above tge High Sierra tree line the snow never melts. Good times!

When I lose a pet, I’m continually devastated. It’s literally like losing a family member. It doesn’t seem fair; beautiful creatures can give you so much companionship, loyalty, and love, yet we feel a profound mix of emotions when they're gone. For me, grief and loneliness are often overwhelming with their absence. The space they leave behind leaves me feeling isolated and frequently guilty. I wonder if I did enough for my dog or cat and could have prevented my pet’s departure. Despite all that, I take comfort in the belief they have transitioned to a better place, reminding me of a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. The love and bond I shared with them make me feel good they have returned to the Creator to be assigned their flight. Nothing represents freedom better than a butterfly. It gives me hope of navigating these emotions and is a personal journey. Memories of the joyful moments I spent together with them surface, and the nostalgia brings bittersweet feelings as I recall the impact each had on my life.

I talked about Kindernacht and Juneau, my cherished malamute, and Samoyed in Part 1, and when Kindy died, Juneau was sad losing his mate, and I could sense he felt the same sentiments I was experiencing. I mainly detected his loneliness and sorrow, and a few months later, a chance came to rescue a second Samoyed we named Kirsti—after a friend of mine who was a lovely Swedish exotic dancer from the Nordic country known for its Sammy’s. Her work onstage persona reminded me of Loie Fuller, an American modern dancer and a figure in the Art Nouveau movement, renowned for her innovative use of flowing fabrics and theatrical lighting. Her mesmerizing performances transformed modern dance, inspiring numerous artists and sculptors who immortalized her grace, significantly influencing the arts in late 19th-century France. Kirsti danced, using platforms with creative lighting, and she danced with her enormous white fluffy feathered boas concealing her privacy and, simultaneously, alluring the primarily male audiences, imagining her without the boa. In my magic routine with Juneau and Kashmere, I turned a big fluffy white boa into Juneau or Kashmere.

Occasionally, Kirsti performed along with Juneau in our show, but tragically, when she was about three, she went blind, and her eyes could not be saved. Despite her handicap, she managed to get around well and was a great help when Juneau guided her. However, Juneau was getting older and faced retirement when we performed at The Big E Fair in Connecticut. A spiritual force must have recognized the need for another rescue because while there are a couple brought to us, the cutest Sammy puppy I've ever seen. Upon seeing our show with Juneau, the thought crossed their minds that we might want to adopt her. Well, we did, and now we had three dogs, including her addition, to take back home to Nevada.

Photo I keep of Juneau and Kirsti on my dressing table ❤️

It was a fun trip home with three dogs in our van. I Juneau in Kirsti didn’t have time to acclimate to Kashmere before we left, so I was curious how that would play out on the drive back home. I was shocked to see Kashmere immediately take over the alpha dog role. Although only a puppy, she didn’t get into an argument with Juneau, who seemed to pass the torch her way. It’s like they had their silent communication with one another. Not only did she establish herself as the top dog in the car, but she proved yourself worthy of her position at pee-per stops, where Kirsti required guidance, and Kashmere became her Sherpa, guiding her around the park and back to the van. When we arrived back At our Las Vegas home, it was like the three had always been together.

Juneau , Kashmere and Kirsti in Las Vegas

With all three dogs in Los Angeles! Photo taken by Dr. Bruce Brown

We retired Juneau from the stage, and Kashmere took his place. She was a natural, as if she had been performing before birth. I shared an article where we performed with Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops a few weeks ago. That was one of Kashmere’s first performances, where she was first produced from a tiny miniature stage theater, followed by Juneau being made in the same space, and finally myself. It’s a fast-paced, magical production and one of my favorites. I am also including the link to that performance here so you can watch it if you missed it. I have also included a video of turning a big fluffy white boa into Juneau. The idea of adding a Samoyed to our show was the genius of Jonathan, who, while performing at the Flamingo Hilton Hotel in Vegas, starring in City Lites, an audience member suggested that Jonathan seemed dark. To lighten his persona, we added the dog. Jonathan’s brilliant idea worked great. The illusion was perfect, and the contrast improved our show by giving it more texture and change. Best of all, the City Lites Show provided a lot of fodder for dog stories.

There are so many doggie road tales to tell about my dogs, and here are a few that brighten my day just reminiscing about them. My endless adventures with them gave me time to bond, learn, and play. Each new location offered fresh experiences and challenges, whether it was performing for an audience in a new town or for a president to navigate unfamiliar countries, and the escapades were endless. But there were always those Spotlight Moments where they became the center of attention wherever I’d go. Just like onstage, where their performances garnered applause and smiles, likewise offstage, they were people attracters. So, if you want to draw attention to yourself, parade a beautiful large white dog.

Traveling at Miami Airport with Juneau and Kirsti. We took them everywhere.

Kashmere sleeping in her travel kennel. On long international flights we would book a cargo plane so we could go to the cargo hold and care for them during the flight.

There are those unexpected encounters where you meet fellow dog lovers and share stories and tips. Let me tell you about two of those experiences a decade apart. The first was in Atlantic City, while the Pendragons headlined the City Lites show at Trump’s Castle. Those were the days in the late 80s before Donald Trump was a household name, but he was well known on the East Coast, and he was my boss at Trump’s Castle, one of my favorite venues of all time. I loved living on Brigantine Island, and the hotel-casino was first-class. Despite what some think about Trump, in the 1980s, he was well-liked by everyone at Trump’s Castle mainly because he was not only friendly and accessible, but he took care of his employees by providing them with beautiful perks like three fresh meals a day in an employee restaurant overlooking the Boardwalk, compared to other casino owners who furnished a windowless basement cafeterias serving one meal a day of buffet leftovers. He often hosted pep parties for each hotel department and surprised the cast and crew of our show one late evening with champagne, hors d’oeuvres, and some sweets. Mostly, his encouraging words made you proud to perform at Trump’s Castle. He and his then-wife Ivana signed every check, and I wish I had kept one, Lol. They were very present at the hotel, and I'd often see them in passing, where she'd smile big and greet you. He'd nod and say, “Good show” or something. A few times, I was out walking the dogs when I encountered Trump, and he’d always stop to pet them and comment on their beauty and how well-behaved they acted in a hotel and outdoors. I once joked with him, telling him their best magic was fooling people with their enchanting behavior. One time, when we chatted a little longer, he told me he didn’t have time for a pet, but I love dogs and admired how we took such great care of them. He said he preferred seeing our dogs in the shell rather than the giant Bengal tigers that were popular among magicians then. He thought ours was a better choice. Then, another time, I wished I had a camera because I would’ve taken a photo of how Ivana reached down and hugged Juneau in front of Trump’s Castle. They both loved the dogs, and it gave me a chance to chat with the bosses. Trump loved our show, especially metamorphosis, and was blown away by the speed. So when the Taj Mahal opened, he hand-picked the entertainers, and we were honored and shocked to be among what he referred to as the crème de la crème of entertainers. I honestly can’t recall the names of the heavy hitter headliners, but they were different and diverse, and I was impressed that members of New York Ballet were performing and our dressing area was nearby their’s so I could meet and hang out with them. Dogs will do that for you. Chance encounters can lead to one-of-a-kind experiences when you are with them.

In the first picture we are in Malaysia and in the second picture Niagara Falls

I’m unsure if Trump ever thought he would be president back then. I never considered him a future president, but then I didn’t think he would ever be a famous reality game show host. I didn’t know who I was talking to back in 1988. Later, in 1996, Juneau performed for president when The Pendragons performed a command performance for President and First Lady Bill and Hillary Clinton at Ford’s Theater. The previous year, in 1995, our on-stage presentation impressed President Clinton so much that he invited us back as his special guest next year in 1996. The actual definition of command performance is a theatrical or musical performance (a play, opera, ballet, etc.) presented at the request of a reigning monarch or head of state. The Pendragons were charmed enough to be invited to two command performances—one for the Queen of England and one for President Clinton. We happen to perform for the queen and president just one week apart. It was hard to wrap my head around the surreal experience at the time. And today, it’s hard to believe I did all that.

Although President Clinton didn’t meet our dogs, he did see Juneau on stage, commenting on how much he enjoyed all the magic we performed that evening. But we weren’t the only performers at the Ford’s Theater Gala that night. It was a star-studded show, including Academy Award actor Kevin Spacey, who was seemingly distant and cold backstage. Unlike other performers, he was in his own space and didn’t invite conversation. Following one of the dinners, we joined him and a few others in the lobby of the Watergate Hotel, where we were staying for drinks. During the get-together, I left to fetch Juneau to take him for a walk, and when I entered the lobby, Kevin’s face lit up with a big happy smile, and his barrier melted, showing his authenticity as he began connecting with Juneau. For the rest of the evening, they served as a tension breaker for him. He loosened up and became real; he didn't have to put on a facade with the dogs there. Jonathan especially was able to have a deeper, meaningful conversation with him. Before we left DC, Kevin asked for my phone number so that we could arrange a dog play day. Those were big spotlight moments, but I have another dog tale.u

We were the headliners in the City Lites show at Trump’s Castle in Atlantic City, which I mentioned above. We closed the show, and we had to be ready for the Grand Finale immediately following. There was one last song and dance number before the finale, including male jazz dancers wearing white tuxedos. An homage to Old Broadway. After our performance, we left Juno in his magic illusion, Which space was more significant than his travel kennel. This way, we could easily have him ready for the final bow. But one night, a well-meaning stagehand opened his compartment to walk him back to our dressing room.

I posted this photo of myself with Kim Reale (ice skating star in the City Lights show), John Amon, the lead singer and ourselves with Juneau following our show.

Juneau backstage during the City Lights Show in Atlantic City running down the hall next to the female dancers feather boas and costumes

The stage hand had not had experience with Juneau, so Juno got away from him and ran on stage and began weaving in and out of the male dancers legs while they were dancing. They all tried to keep a straight face, but you can imagine the restraint it took not just to bust out laughing. In contrast, the stage manager was angry at this stagehand and tried to control the situation and bring Juneau offstage. But the audience loved it. At one point, Juneau walked down into the audience to be petted and finished watching the show from the guest's point of view until stage personnel retrieved him. He returned backstage with a big grin to join us in the final bell. When we came back on stage, the audience went wild. He was the star of the entire show. Juneau and Kashmere were always the highlight of our performances, and off stage, they were stars, garnering attention at hotels, theaters, and airports. I sure miss them. May they Rest In Peace among the angels who brought them here.

😇🐶😇