John Kippen on Turning Scars Into Strength

Wendy & Rich 0:01
Coming to you from the Freedom Federal Credit Union Studios, Hartford County Living Presents, Conversations with Rich Bennett. 

Rich Bennett 0:34
John Kippen is a professional magician, best-selling author, speaker and resilience coach who spent more than a decade. Do you hear me right more than a decade hiding from the world if their brain tumor surgery left one side of his face completely paralyzed. For years, he wrestled with isolation, fear, and the feeling that he was somehow different in a way people wouldn't accept. But during that darkness, something unexpected happened. John rediscovered his childhood love for magic and storytelling, and which started as a private escape slowly became a bridge back to the world. And eventually, he realized something powerful. People weren't focused on what made him different. They were drawn to the hoop, wonder, and humanity he brought to the state. Now, John uses his story, his magic, and his coaching to help others stop hiding, embrace who they are, and realize that the very thing they see as a weakness may actually be their greatest strength. His message is simple, but incredibly powerful, being different is your superpower. How you doing, John? 

John Kippen 2:03
Wow, you do a great improvement. 

Rich Bennett 2:06
Well, thank you. I don't know what it is. When we were in the green room, we were talking about dyslexia. The other thing that it seems like I've been talking about lately on the podcast is brain cancer. Because I've had three friends recently with brain tumors removed. I don't know what is going on here. If it's like somebody's trying to tell me to focus on one pathway and talk to people about these stories or what, but it's Everything just keeps lining up with them. I mean, within a month of each other. 

John Kippen 2:45
Fortunately, mine was not cancerous. Mine was benign, but it was 

Rich Bennett 2:49
Okay. 

John Kippen 2:49
still killing me by displacing my brainstem. 

Rich Bennett 2:52
Yeah, which is yeah. So I want to jump right into this because after everything you went through the surgery, the paralysis and spending years wanting to hide from the world, was there a specific moment where you realized, wait a minute, this thing I thought ruined my life might actually become my purpose. 

John Kippen 3:17
It was my accident to me honest with you. I was bored stiff being alone. I had lost my relationship. She didn't want me to hide. So I was alone. Fortunately, I had an IT consulting company that I could run from my home, so I could put a roof over my head and 

Rich Bennett 3:38
make 

John Kippen 3:38
my living. But I was lonely and finally when I ventured out of the house, I started playing semi-professional poker. 

Rich Bennett 3:51
Nice. 

John Kippen 3:52
Because at a poker table, no one cares what you look like. They just want your bankroll. 

Rich Bennett 3:58
Yep. 

Oh, yeah. 

John Kippen 4:01
But I started to establish friendships with degenerate gamblers. And I played poker with a psychological attack. I wanted to know what I could make people do, make people raise, make people fold. It was more of an experiment. It was a low stage poker than I 

Rich Bennett 4:26
was. 

John Kippen 4:28
But it was how do I get into their head to get them to do exactly what I want them to do, which was what really attracted me to playing poker. 

And so I lost a story, which I was going to about how I did that. The one funny story as I was playing it up, you know, in Hollywood, called Hollywood Park. 

Rich Bennett 4:54
I 

John Kippen 4:56
sat down at a table and I looked at my right. And there was one of my high school mentors, actors, Dawn Adams from Get Smart. 

Rich Bennett 5:07
come on! 

John Kippen 5:09
Yes! 

Rich Bennett 5:10
Oh God I love that 

John Kippen 5:11
And 

Rich Bennett 5:11
show! 

John Kippen 5:12
he was sitting there with his caregiver and his wheelchair because he was in his 80s by that time and playing poker and not smiling and you know, he had just this dry sense of humor and he wasn't really talking to anybody. So some of your viewers are old enough to remember good smart, but we were in a hand together and it was heads up and he missed his straight by one card. 

And my sense of humor turned him and I said, don't miss it by that much. 

And he turned and looked at me and started cracking up. Which were viewers who don't know the series that was one of the famous. 

Rich Bennett 6:09
Oh, yeah. 

And 

John Kippen 6:15
we became lifelong friends after that, until he passed away. 

Rich Bennett 6:19
Wow. 

John Kippen 6:21
He was just something that caught him off guard and 

Rich Bennett 6:25
made his day 

John Kippen 6:26
present. 

Rich Bennett 6:27
Yeah, you made his day there. 

Actually, was the poker part? Do you think with you know, and magic and everything helped with poker? 

John Kippen 6:44
Yes. The reading of people. 

Rich Bennett 6:46
You 

John Kippen 6:48
know, as a magician, you get in front of an audience and you pick your favorites that you're going to want to have help be with an illusion. I do mostly close up magic and you need to be able to read them to know which way to lead 

Rich Bennett 7:04
them. Yeah, 

John Kippen 7:05
to be able to best pull them. 

And so you listen a lot. You listen to their conversations before they sit down on your table. And you get keys to their personality, to the ways they think so that you can use those that knowledge to really take them down a path and then pull the rug out from 

Rich Bennett 7:34
them. And 

John Kippen 7:36
that's what I love about performance. 

Rich Bennett 7:39
Did you, after the surgery, did you think you would ever be doing magic again? 

John Kippen 7:45
You know, I would sit there at home, download by a video online, grab a deck of cards, I'd play with it. I'd entertain myself when I'd entertain close friends who I were in my social circle. But that was as much as I wanted to do. I didn't want to be a professional magician. But, but after, after leaving the poker world pretty much because again, the relationships weren't long lasting 

Rich Bennett 8:19
Right. 

John Kippen 8:19
once. I joined a club in Hollywood called the Magic 

Rich Bennett 8:22
Yes. 

John Kippen 8:23
House. A private club from magicians and their their friends and them. And then I put together three tricks that were good enough to pass the audition. I would go on a Saturday night and just look and watch and see the other magicians doing the thing and how they engage the audience. And 

I just had to try it. 

Rich Bennett 8:49
yeah, 

John Kippen 8:49
So I remember sitting down at a table and I had, I was dressed up in a coat and tie and all the men were in Tuxes or Totsin ties and the women were dressed very, very, very provocatively because I was part of the dress. 

And I would start my act and I noticed that people were distracted by my facial brow. And not in a judgment way, just in a curiosity way. "Hey, did he have a stroke? Did he have Bell's fall Z? Why was his face paralyzed?" 

Rich Bennett 9:23
Right. 

John Kippen 9:23
So that that distracted their ability from me and completely present. 

So I changed my act opening and I would start saying, "Hey Rich, thanks for coming. I've let him make a little bit about myself. I've been in a magician all my life." But in 2002, I had a brain tumor. And when they removed it, they traumatized my facial and their heads to the paralyzed face. But something happened to me on that operating room table, Rich. Now I'm not sure what it was, but it was of course I was unconscious. Thank God. All I know is I recovered and I realized I had acquired some new skill 

and then I would pause. And I would wait for everyone to get on the edge 

Rich Bennett 10:13
seat, 

John Kippen 10:13
of their wanting to know what possible skills I could have acquired from having doctors monking around in my brain. 

And I would look to my right and then my left and lean in and whisper in a loud voice. Guys, I am able to visualize people's thoughts. And then I would do zementalism or mental magic. And what that would do is two things. Number one, that would answer the question that we're all thinking what didn't have the balls to ask. 

Rich Bennett 10:51
What's that? 

..but 

John Kippen 10:57
the second is that shared something personal about 

Rich Bennett 11:01
it. Right. 

John Kippen 11:03
And so immediately I had a bond because now they trusted me because I really, you know, announced my biggest challenge in my faith. So, uhm, I found that after I would perform and I was always good at remembering people's names and I would always use them because people loved to hear their own name. 

Rich Bennett 11:29
Yeah. 

John Kippen 11:29
And I would put my spectators on a pedestal and make them magic about them and that was really the key to my success as being a close image. 

But I found after the 30 or 40 minute performance I would be having a drink at the bar or whatever and people who would watch me would come up and ask to to me and they would share their stories 

with them because they knew I had been in similar shoes. 

Rich Bennett 12:04
Right. 

John Kippen 12:05
And they saw this aura that came off of me

the self of self-confidence. An this power that came from me, from me, learning how to accept myself or who I had become. 

And that strength was attractive. 

Rich Bennett 12:26
Yeah. Not 

John Kippen 12:27
in a physical or sexual way, but in an emotional way. And people wanted that for themselves. And so they would belly up to the bar and ask me questions and share their stories. And that would happen every time I would perform. And it started to make me understand that I have something to offer people. 

Rich Bennett 12:51
Yeah. 

John Kippen 12:52
variance and I have reversed, engineered my whole life and every traumatic event in my life and how it shaped me to who I am as a six-year-old Tottenham with a paralyzed 

Rich Bennett 13:10
face. Is that why you decided to start speaking as well? 

John Kippen 13:16
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 13:16
Okay. 

John Kippen 13:17
You know, I did it to talk in 2019. 

Rich Bennett 13:22
Which is very good by the way. 

John Kippen 13:24
Has over a million views. I did a documentary called "John's Ultimate Illusion" through my computer consulting company. I met some celebrities living in Los Angeles in one. So, the celebrity was Jamie Likertis. She kind of adopted me as her third child. 

Rich Bennett 13:45
Wow. 

John Kippen 13:46
And I sitting there a friend of mine who was an amateur film maker said, "John, I love your story. I want to do a documentary on you." And I was very flattered till I realized I would be paying for the production of that documentary. 

Rich Bennett 14:03
But 

John Kippen 14:05
at that point, I had already committed. So I said, "All right, let's do it on new tissue stream weathered, let's get it done." 

And I remember sitting at Jamie's house with her by my side and I'm staring at her computer screen. 

And I was telling her about this friend of mine who had said, "I want to do a documentary on you and your story." I didn't want to Jamie involved. 

Rich Bennett 14:30
You 

John Kippen 14:31
know, for so many reasons. Because one, I loved her one. One, you know, who knows what she bring to the table with her talent and her connections. And I just, we were good friends. But I had to get that courage to say, to ask her to be part of it. And finally, she prompted me, as I said, told her the details of the documentary. And when she didn't hear the question, she said, "And, 

I said, "And?" She said, "Are you going to ask me something?" 

And I sheepishly like a five-year-old boys in Jamie. "Will you be my documentary?" And she said, "Yes." 

And she was so Yes, 

Rich Bennett 15:37
yeah. 

John Kippen 15:38
You know, I was working with amateur crews and and other people in my life that we're talking about me who didn't know how to really get their message out and she coached all of us and was there five minutes early in the five minutes after the call time was over and and just was so giving of knowledge, her directing abilities and her love for the project 

Rich Bennett 16:09
"Learn 

John Kippen 16:09
was... 

Rich Bennett 16:09
a lot from her." 

John Kippen 16:11
Yes. And she was just so free to give it. That I think she actually adopted me. 

Rich Bennett 16:20
I'm 

John Kippen 16:21
not in the unfortunately. 

Another 80 story oh quick is you know I went to... I considered having a plastic surgeon fix my 

Rich Bennett 16:36
thing. No. 

John Kippen 16:38
And it was early on because it really bothered 

Rich Bennett 16:41
Oh, 

John Kippen 16:41
me. 

Rich Bennett 16:41
yeah. 

John Kippen 16:42
because I hate looking myself in the mirror. I had covered all my mirrors on the house. 

Rich Bennett 16:46
Wow. 

John Kippen 16:47
Because I didn't want to be constantly reminded of my facial brows. And I stopped posing for a photograph. Because in a photograph, it flattens the picture out. It really accentuates the duplicity of my lip. 

Rich Bennett 17:01
Right. 

John Kippen 17:03
So I'd seen a world-renowned LA-based plastic surgery. And I came very close to "Okay, let's do it." And something happened with the scheduling, and just-- I won't go into details. But it didn't work out. And then later on, Jamie and I were talking. And Jamie asked me, if I had thought about having corrected plastic surgery. And I said, "Yeah," and I told her the story about the doctor. And she said, "Well, is that something you want to do?" And I said, "I'd love to look better." And she said, "Well, do you want me to go with you to the doctor appointment?" 

And I turned her and I said, "You would do that for me?" And she said, "Yeah, of course." 

Rich Bennett 17:51
Wow. 

John Kippen 17:51
So it's funny. We walk into the doctor's office. And you know, he's, like with a hill's elite doctor, where you check in an hour and a half later, he'd call your name. 

Rich Bennett 18:02
Well, 

John Kippen 18:03
now I walk in with Jamie Leeker to Sun by hit. And the receptionist sees that she's with me, and we could not get into an examining room fast enough. 

And she said, "Dr. I'm here to just take notes and be counseled to John. I'm not going to make any decisions on his behalf. I mean, just here to hear what you have to say and then have an honest conversation. This is 

Rich Bennett 18:32
quick." 

John Kippen 18:33
right 

Rich Bennett 18:33
Right. 

John Kippen 18:35
And at the end of the day, Jamie and I as we were driving back to the valley, we talked about it. And I said, "No. My battle stars I wear not only in my face, but in my short sleeves as a badge of honor." And my facial paralysis gives me a story that when I tell it and I tell how I overcame the feeling of self hatred and I inspire others to stop hiding from 

Rich Bennett 19:18
"Beauty is on the inside. We hear it all the time. But 

John Kippen 19:21
life. 

Rich Bennett 19:22
it's very..." It's true. And think about it, if you would have gotten that plastic surgery, the speaking, the TED talk, all that stuff, 

John Kippen 19:33
was... 

Rich Bennett 19:33
do you think 

John Kippen 19:34
Would 

Rich Bennett 19:34
that 

John Kippen 19:34
have been a row of it. 

Rich Bennett 19:35
Yeah. 

John Kippen 19:36
The THESIA process gives me authenticity. 

Rich Bennett 19:39
Yeah. 

It's unique. And it adds to your story. And I think... I don't think... I know you are helping others, 

John Kippen 19:52
Oh, 

Rich Bennett 19:53
because... 

John Kippen 19:54
absolutely, through my coaching practice. And even just meeting people who sense that strength that comes off... 

Rich Bennett 20:02
Yeah. 

John Kippen 20:03
Because I'm proud of who I become... 

Rich Bennett 20:05
And you should be. 

John Kippen 20:07
Being different is your superpower. It's what makes you unique. It makes you what's interesting. 

Rich Bennett 20:13
Yep. 

John Kippen 20:14
It attracts other people to you. 

Rich Bennett 20:16
With the documentary, was that ever submitted to any film festivals or anything? 

John Kippen 20:21
The one three best documentary. 

Rich Bennett 20:24
Did it really? Oh, 

John Kippen 20:27
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 20:27
wow! Wow. I can see why too. 

John Kippen 20:31
And Jamie, actually, the first one was Doc LA. 

Rich Bennett 20:35
Okay. 

John Kippen 20:36
This is a huge film festival in LA. And if you look in my background, you'll see picture of Jamie Lee Hugging and I Hugging. And that was at that documentary reception. And she actually was asked by the producer to present the winning documentary award to me. 

Rich Bennett 20:59
Wow. 

I know that meant a lot then, especially having her presented to you. You had 

John Kippen 21:07
So I 

Rich Bennett 21:08
Kleenext 

John Kippen 21:08
wonder... 

Rich Bennett 21:08
handy, I hope. 

John Kippen 21:09
Yeah. I wanted to bring up a real quick... I wrote a book called "Playing the Hand You were Adult." It's a it's a memoir filled with all sorts of stories about my life, how I grew up, my parents, the schools I went through, the people I met. And the common theme through the book is that I live my life with the idea that it's better to ask for forgiveness 

Rich Bennett 21:39
and permission. 

John Kippen 21:41
And has that bitten me in the butt? Yes, it has a couple of times because I crossed along. But it's also given me some of the greatest 

experiences and introductions to people in my life. And so there's a chapter about the documentary, and it's filled with QR code. So if you get that downloadable version, you just click on the link, and it will take you to a private area in my website where you'll see the top. You'll see my documentary. You'll see the awards ceremony. You'll see me doing two illusions for Alex Trebek, which is another story. When he was diagnosed with cancer, came out with his diagnosis to all his fans on National Television and asked for the prayers and positive thoughts for his treatment. 

Rich Bennett 22:40
Right. 

John Kippen 22:41
I got goosebumps because I had grown up with Alex Trebek. I admired him so much, being so smart. And I said, you know, I thought to myself, you know, I felt a lot of people cope with going through cancer and some have actually been inspired to fight it. 

And so I reached out to Alex's family, and I found his daughter, Nikki, and I somehow got her on the phone. And I said, Nikki, I need to perform magic with your dad, 

and I'm not going to take no for an answer. So let's figure out how to do it. And she was taken aback by it. I invited her to be my guest with her dad, and mom, and so forth through the castle. 

Rich Bennett 23:33
And 

John Kippen 23:34
that was a no-go because he didn't want to be amongst strangers. But they were having a 75th birthday party for Alex, and invited me to meet the entertainment for the party. 

Rich Bennett 23:48
Wow. 

John Kippen 23:49
So there's links in my book to two videos of me performing for Alex Trebek at the close-up table. And it was such an honor because he was so smart, and he wanted to know how the magic was done that he was just you could see the frustration in his eyes. To one point where he actually started beating on my on me with his fans, 

Rich Bennett 24:19
really. 

John Kippen 24:20
Yeah, like I'm frustrated how you didn't. 

Rich Bennett 24:24
Wow. 

John Kippen 24:27
And then after the 40-minute show, which was specially written just for Alex. He's an editor jeopardy theme, and I got the pleasure of actually doing some pre-show at the Sony stages on the set of jeopardy. 

Rich Bennett 24:45
Oh nice. 

John Kippen 24:46
Where I did a prediction video where I predicted what would happen during the party. 

Rich Bennett 24:55
And 

John Kippen 24:55
I recorded that a month and a half before the party, it was started. 

Yeah. 

Wow. And that blew the room apart. 

Rich Bennett 25:08
Wow. 

John Kippen 25:09
And I can't go into the details of how that was done, but it was done well. And because I had people thick random things to talk about, and you know, a random playing card. He picked his daughter, one of his daughters, Emily, to think of a random question, which ended up being the name of their first boy ever kissed. She ever kissed. And when that got revealed during the party, I revealed it during the party. That review was also in that video that it had been recorded 90 days earlier. 

Rich Bennett 25:52
That's amazing. 

John Kippen 25:54
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 25:55
That is. Wow. 

Okay. First of all, if you ever come to my house and do magic, I hope that question is not asked about my daughter, 

John Kippen 26:07
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 26:07
because I will track the boy Dan. 

John Kippen 26:11
Where enough? Where enough? I can just make him disappear. 

Rich Bennett 26:15
That's I. That works for me better. 

You 

John Kippen 26:19
know, and I'll and I'll give you my rate card. 

Rich Bennett 26:25
But 

John Kippen 26:25
anyway, so that's that's on a tangent. But anyway, at the end of this interview, I'll be giving your listeners a URL. So don't put them into their computers to be able to download that book, or free. 

Rich Bennett 26:38
Great. 

John Kippen 26:39
But I asked that it not be in the show notes, so 

Rich Bennett 26:41
Right. 

John Kippen 26:41
that people actually have to listen to the whole episode to get that gift. 

Rich Bennett 26:47
But they can also purchase the book as well, right? 

John Kippen 26:50
They certainly can't Amazon. There's a noble 

Rich Bennett 26:55
Wherever. 

John Kippen 26:55
playing hand. 

Rich Bennett 26:56
You're done. Okay. So I'm just going to say this right now. There's a few listening. When you purchase the book and of course at the end when he gives you the link to that too, but when you purchase the book, if you read it, leave a full review, wherever you everywhere that you can, whether it be Barnes and Noble Walmart, good reads, Amazon, wherever. Take a take a photo of yourself with the book. Put it on social media and tag John as well. And then purchase copies for other people to read. I have to issue about the magic castle because and I learned about the magic castle through oh my oh pen and jillette pen yeah pen and tellers for us 

John Kippen 27:41
right 

Rich Bennett 27:42
that's how I learned about the magic castle and there's only one right 

John Kippen 27:46
there's only one 

Rich Bennett 27:48
okay how hard was that to get into 

because it's not just any magician can become a member can they well 

John Kippen 27:59
in 2006 

Rich Bennett 28:01
okay 

John Kippen 28:02
and in 2006 they were hurting 

Rich Bennett 28:06
financially oh wow okay 

John Kippen 28:07
and so they let people in because they wanted their members should use and so as much easier back in 2006 2007 to get in as a member than it is now 

Rich Bennett 28:22
okay 

John Kippen 28:24
but you had to go through a 15-minute audition you had to do three or four 

Rich Bennett 28:29
right 

John Kippen 28:29
tricks I had no trouble because I have a outgoing versatility and now you could still have been part of my life you know I got in the pleasure of working with Doug Henning when I was in college 

Rich Bennett 28:46
oh wow 

John Kippen 28:49
I got the pleasure of meeting this ingredient 

Rich Bennett 28:53
Roy 

John Kippen 28:54
my actually was hired to teach Roy how to use a computer 

Rich Bennett 28:58
get out of here are you serious 

John Kippen 29:00
I do not tell a lie 

Rich Bennett 29:03
wow 

John Kippen 29:05
and 

Rich Bennett 29:05
wow 

John Kippen 29:05
it was funny one night so I met I was flown to Vegas driven in a lemon to their forest palace I think it was the jungle palace taken to a little cubicle bungalow and set up a laptop and waited for them to come in and ten minutes later and comes and read Roy and it pleases in a chair with his arms crossed his lap and his ass off and Roy sits next to me and and I start going through the basics how turn it on 

Rich Bennett 29:38
but 

John Kippen 29:39
how to use the math you know and five minutes into it Roy says in his accent Austrian accent John I don't I don't think this is for me and I said Roy a lot of people went to a lot of trouble 

to bring me here to move by this laptop for you give it 10 minutes 

Rich Bennett 29:58
he 

John Kippen 29:59
says okay so 10 or 15 minutes later he stopped me and he said John again my brain just doesn't think this way and it was a pipeline for me to learn how to use your computer I'll link you a deal I said once that he says if you take the laptop back and I'll let it be a I'll I'll I don't care what it costs my company we can afford it I'll let you be my guest at our home for the rest of the day and you'll be our personal guest at the show with the meraj tonight 

Rich Bennett 30:31
wow 

John Kippen 30:33
and I said I can't pass that up I agree and they invited me to join in for lunch which I did in this huge mansion and as dessert was being served this gentleman shows up and he said okay John here we go and I'm like what 

says oh no you're getting the tour of the property 

Rich Bennett 30:58
with all the animals get what I how many acres is that yeah 

John Kippen 31:04
big big 

Rich Bennett 31:04
big 

John Kippen 31:05
big 

Rich Bennett 31:05
big big wow 

John Kippen 31:05
and they put all the animals that were in that night's show at their property 

Rich Bennett 31:14
wow 

John Kippen 31:16
and so I'm seeing lions tigers bears oh my I'm seeing elephants I'm seeing ostriches I'm seeing just tigers 

Rich Bennett 31:29
was 

John Kippen 31:29
it 

Rich Bennett 31:29
like being in it so far 

John Kippen 31:31
it was amazing 

Rich Bennett 31:32
yeah 

John Kippen 31:33
and they were so well taken care of they had a dozen or so handlers and you know Zickfreen Roy raised these many of these white tigers which 

Rich Bennett 31:46
is yeah 

John Kippen 31:47
their thing with animal and so as the day came to a close and the lemongrower was gonna take me back to the meraj this other young printer came to me with a white tiger cub in its arms 

and John you said John would you like to pet him I'm like absolutely 

Rich Bennett 32:11
so 

John Kippen 32:12
there I am petting this white tiger cub 

Rich Bennett 32:17
they're beautiful 

John Kippen 32:18
and that white tiger's cub's name was Montacore 

Montacore was the cat that ended up injuring Roy 

Rich Bennett 32:31
no 

John Kippen 32:33
yeah 

Rich Bennett 32:36
wow 

John Kippen 32:38
10 plus years 

Rich Bennett 32:42
later wow 

John Kippen 32:44
so even better you know I'm I think it was a theater major you know so um the limo driver is he driving me back to the meraj he's like who are you again I said what do you mean he said no one gets that kind of treatment I said I don't I have no way of explaining 

Rich Bennett 33:00
it right 

John Kippen 33:01
just missed it like me so anyway I got Back to the mirage and took a nap and then got dressed with a show and came down and met the stage managers, since John, I met some bad news. I said, what's that? I said, we've completely oversold a show. Every comp seats. 

Rich Bennett 33:21
Would 

John Kippen 33:22
you mind seeing the show from the Lighting Booth? 

And I 

Rich Bennett 33:27
-- 

John Kippen 33:27
said, are you 

Rich Bennett 33:29
(laughs) 

John Kippen 33:31
Of course, I want to see the show from the Lighting Booth. So she said, okay, John, follow me and we go through these double doors and up these stairwells and so forth, and we end up in the Lighting Booth where they had put a chair right next to the stage managers. She's calling me to use the show and I'm sitting there in Seventh Head, and 

Rich Bennett 33:53
Oh, 

John Kippen 33:53
watching. 

Rich Bennett 33:53
yeah. 

John Kippen 33:54
Produced this show. And for those who didn't see it, then where I'd built the theaters for "Zick Rebroys" show. They had a rant that went from one side of the stage to the other, and "Zick Rebroys" would run along the rant through the show, and there was one time where they had an elephant that Roy was -- 'Zick Rebroys" was riding. That was going across the rant. And as it got to the end of the rant, it decided that he needed to go. 

Rich Bennett 34:30
(laughs) 

John Kippen 34:33
A so the elephant looked at his tail and dumped a load on the corner of the bram. 

And it was all hay. 

Rich Bennett 34:46
It 

John Kippen 34:46
was really hay. But it was huge. 

And the stage managers on this head that -- head that, calling to the backstage crew saying, "Okay, we're going to find the place in the show to stop so we can clean it up." 

And before they had a chance to coordinate that, Roy started running from one side of the stage to the other over the rant. 

And Roy was always looking out at the audience, and everyone was looking down, 

and the crew and the booth was all like flow motion. 

Oh, he's going to see it, right? No, really, he's going to see it. Oh God, no! And he ended up gicking it into the audience. 

Rich Bennett 35:43
What? 

John Kippen 35:45
Yeah. The 

Rich Bennett 35:45
Oh, 

John Kippen 35:45
area 

Rich Bennett 35:46
God. 

John Kippen 35:46
between the front of the stage and the rant were the expensive seats. 

Rich Bennett 35:53
Gallica doesn't have anything on him. 

John Kippen 35:56
No, no, 

Rich Bennett 35:58
no. 

John Kippen 35:59
So, at the end of stopping the show, and Siegfried comes to the front of the stage and puts his hands up. Because the audience, you can imagine, is going nuts. 

Rich Bennett 36:08
Oh, yeah. 

John Kippen 36:10
He quieted the audience down so you could hear a pin drop, and the crew helping these poor, shit-faced people, 

to their new suites at the mirage. 

And as he started to speak, he said, "H is in gentlemen. I'm very disappointed in you." Everyone knows shit happens, 

and the entire audience erupts in laughter once again. 

Rich Bennett 36:48
Oh, God. 

John Kippen 36:50
So, many years later, I'm performing at the magic castle, and in the close-up gallery, which only has 30 seats. And there's a little side door that the manager would peek into and say, "John, you ready? And I'm like, "Yeah, I'm ready." And he would do my introduction, which is always short. John Prefer is a short introduction to make more time for the magic. And it comes to the curtain to sit down, and there, on the right-hand side, is Siegfried. 

Rich Bennett 37:20
Oh, wow. 

John Kippen 37:21
Watching my 

Rich Bennett 37:24
show. That's amazing. 

John Kippen 37:25
And after the show where Siegfried, and his friend Roy had passed by then, 

Rich Bennett 37:30
Right. 

John Kippen 37:30
with Kid Creed came and introduced himself, and we shook hands. And I said, "You remember many years ago when there was this young college kid that came to teach Roy how to use the computer?" He goes, "That was you?" 

Rich Bennett 37:50
Wow. 

John Kippen 37:51
And then we got a picture together in the lobby, shaking hands. So, you know, I attract interesting things to 

Rich Bennett 38:00
me. 

John Kippen 38:00
happen to 

Rich Bennett 38:01
I 

John Kippen 38:02
just do it. I just do things. I don't wait for anybody to say, "Yes, you can do this. I wait for people to say, "Wait, wait, wait, wait, you can't do that." 

Rich Bennett 38:14
Right. 

John Kippen 38:15
And I found through my life that once you start doing something, people are hard-edged to actually get in your way. 

Rich Bennett 38:23
Mm-hmm. 

John Kippen 38:24
Well, it looks like he knows what he's talking about. Let just let him do it. 

Rich Bennett 38:30
Wow. Now, b the magic castle, do you tour anywhere and perform your magic as well? 

John Kippen 38:37
I don't, um, I don't like traveling or a big guy and traveling as a pain, and I really focus on... now my coaching. 

Rich Bennett 38:48
Yeah. Tell everybody that your coaching would then involves. 

John Kippen 38:53
Well, it's an hour a week. And basically, um, I share my methodologies on how to overcome adversity, how to put life in perspective, and how to take what you're good at. 

Rich Bennett 39:16
Mm-hmm. 

John Kippen 39:16
Is everyone has 

Rich Bennett 39:18
gifts, right? 

John Kippen 39:19
No matter who you are, how old you are, wh you look like you have gifts. And if you learn how to use those gifts in your everyday interactions with people, you can't help being attractive. You can't help being lovable. And that's the secret to life, in my opinion. 

Rich Bennett 39:42
Mm-hmm. 

John Kippen 39:43
Is we're all put on this earth, and we all come up with things that we're really good at because we're interested in it. And people want that. They want to see what you're able to do. And you become revered in their eyes. 

Rich Bennett 40:02
Mm-hmm. 

John Kippen 40:03
You know, in my case, people look me on my national prowess, into my stories, into my heart. You can tell them a story dollar. 

Rich Bennett 40:12
Yes. 

John Kippen 40:15
And, you know, it's just to be able to take someone and make, give them an escape from their troubles. 

Rich Bennett 40:24
Mm-hmm. 

John Kippen 40:25
For an hour, 

is my greatest gift. 

Rich Bennett 40:31
Wow. 

John Kippen 40:32
And I teach people how to do that. 

Rich Bennett 40:36
Can you share a feel-good story of somebody that you've helped with your coaching? And you don't have to use their name. 

John Kippen 40:43
Absolutely. Okay. There are dozens, but. 

Rich Bennett 40:46
Where you can share as many as you want. 

John Kippen 40:49
Okay. Um, I was at the Magic Castle one night upstairs, just hanging out, having a beer, looking for a great group to do a show. 

Rich Bennett 41:00
Mm-hmm. 

John Kippen 41:01
And this woman was walking down the hallway, dressed in baggy, black clothes with a hat reminded me of what which is at. And she was looking at the floor. 

And I could tell she was, her brain was in a different place. 

Rich Bennett 41:18
Right. 

John Kippen 41:20
So, as she passed, I said, "Hi. How are you?" And she stopped. But the look on her face was just sleeping in the hell alone. Please. 

Rich Bennett 41:31
Wow. 

John Kippen 41:31
And then she continued walking downstairs to catch up with her group. Well, I saw that as an opportunity. 

Rich Bennett 41:39
Mm-hmm. 

John Kippen 41:40
So, I caught up with them and I said, "Guys, you have a great time." And I was like, "Oh yeah, this is an amazing magic place." Yeah. But if you've seen any really good clothes at Magic, and they shrugged their shoulder, they said, "All right." And I took them to one of those famous green tables in the corners of the castle where the magician will sit down and there's six or seven chairs, our people will sit down. The woman who was dressed in baggy, black clothes, her name was Darren, and I put her to my right. And my goal for that interaction, that purpose of that performance was to get Darren to smile. That was it. 

Rich Bennett 42:23
Nice. 

John Kippen 42:24
I wanted her to forget about her troubles. 

Rich Bennett 42:26
So, 

John Kippen 42:29
I made the show about her. Every magical moment happened because she did something. 

And I started two, three minutes into the show, all of a sudden she stood up straight, and then she removed that funny hat. She started making eye contact, and I could see she had listening eyes, and then she started to smile. And I could tell whatever bag that she brought with her was gone. 

Rich Bennett 42:58
Mm-hmm. 

John Kippen 42:59
So, I finished the show, and normally audience would clap, and they'd get out and they moved to something. But this group wanted more. So, I shared the story of how I had hid from cameras and mirrors for over 12 years, because I didn't like the way I looked, and that all changed August 3rd, 2017, and when I went to my first magic convention in Los Angeles called Magic Life. And I was amongst the greatest magicians in magic, and I got the courage to ask these magicians to take pictures with. 

And I would start handing my phone, I phone out to people and say, "Do you need me to take our picture?" 

Rich Bennett 43:46
Mm-hmm. 

John Kippen 43:47
And I did that two dozen times, 

and I got home, and I'm uploading the photos to my computer for my phone, and it dawned on me at these great minds in magic. I had no trouble taking a picture with me. What was my true problem? And that was actually the beginning of my healing, where I finally understood that my facial difference did not define me if I didn't let 

Rich Bennett 44:15
it. Right. 

John Kippen 44:18
And so, that rebuilt that self-confidence. One photo at a time. 

And at that point, I didn't care. If people didn't want to look my way, then you could turn around. They could go the other way. I didn't care. 

You know, another story. I was sitting in a restaurant by myself. My girlfriend had left me. It was a Tony Romas, and I'm just sitting there having a burger and a booth, and there's a family in the booth in front. And there's a mom, dad, and then a little boy, 5, 6 year old boy. And he's sigiting. So, he gets on the back and turns around. So, these are on the back of the bench, and he's looking at me. And he's cocking his head like you know, a lab with 

Rich Bennett 45:11
you. Yeah. 

John Kippen 45:14
And then it gets up and he walks over to the table and looks up to me and said, Mr. what's wrong with your face? 

And initially I just wanted to show him away. 

But then I thought about it for a moment. I said, you know, I could change this little boys outlook. 

Rich Bennett 45:35
I 

John Kippen 45:36
could make him compassionate with other people who are different. So, but before I had a chance to say anything, his mom saw and came and grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him to the back of the table saying don't bother the nice man. He has enough troubles already. 

Yeah. So I got up from my table and went over to his table and melt down on the knees. I was high level with the boy and I said, you know, you had a really good question. You see, I had a medical procedure that caused me not to be able to move my face. But it's my new face. And I love it because it's mine. It's different. It's cool. It's just like yours, different. 

Rich Bennett 46:20
Wow. 

John Kippen 46:23
And the boy was seated to take his fingers and grab his cheeks and start to distort his cheeks. So they looked like mine. 

Rich Bennett 46:34
Wow. 

John Kippen 46:37
And he looked up at his mom and dad and said, look mom, I can do that too. 

And he went back to eating his dinner, but I looked at his parents 

and they were whispering, thank you. 

Rich Bennett 47:00
Oh man. 

John Kippen 47:00
Because at that point they realized that they had been sheltering their child. 

Rich Bennett 47:05
Yeah. 

John Kippen 47:07
And not giving in the opportunity to see life through their lens 

and not to be fearful of people who are different. But to respect, be curious. But be caring of other people who look different than they were. 

Rich Bennett 47:27
Something you had said in the beginning too, how a lot of people were afraid to ask you what happened, but when it comes to kids. 

John Kippen 47:35
Oh, there's no filter. 

Rich Bennett 47:36
No. No. Yeah, we could still learn a lot from the kids. Even if we teach the kids, we could still learn a lot from them. You're listening to the conversations with Rich Bennett. We'll be right back. 

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John Kippen 49:10
My third story, I'll try to make it quick, I was getting out of my car at the Valle at the Magic Council and gentlemen screened my name and I looked around and I didn't recognize him. That's why I went up to him. He said, "John, we were here a couple months ago. We saw your show. Man, it was good. I have a favorite ask." I said, "Sure." Well, I have a friend here whose name is Ron and he's never been in the castle before. He lives in Culver City not too far away, but he got a call from the doctor this morning that his cancer had returned for the third time. 

And this time we would blood cancer. 

And Ron had told his wife and his friends on the dry love to the castle, they literally had to drag him out of the house. That Ron was not going to fight this time. He was just going to let it consume him and kill him. And so we walked through the front door and we're going to a room where I could do a show and the gentleman Joe who recognized me whispered in my ear, and Ron got that diagnosis today and we're trying to cheer him up. 

I said, "I hear you." And so I slept the entire evening with them, and especially Ron. They invited me to have dinner with him and I did it. I spent my time just sharing my story with Ron, the hope, the dreams that he could be cancer if he chose to. You know, it comes where that string comes from within, and you can't do it for anyone but yourself. But if you truly, truly, truly want miracles to happen, you can make them happen. 

And then next day I got a call from word yo', and they said, 'On their way home, Ron changes mind', and he told his wife to sign 'em up for all the treatments, no matter how capable they were going to be, how disrupting to their life. If John could do it, I was going to do 

Rich Bennett 51:35
it. 

John Kippen 51:37
And eight months later, this funny timing, eight months later I got two emails. The first was from Ted SDSU saying I'd been selected to be in their 10 of that. And the second was for Ron, saying he was in remission. 

Rich Bennett 52:01
No, wow. 

Because he didn't give up. 

John Kippen 52:09
He didn't give up? And we'd become like long friends. 

Rich Bennett 52:18
That has he doing that, still in remission? 

John Kippen 52:21
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 52:22
Wow. 

One 

of the things we've talked about, I mean, I had a gentleman on, brain cancer, and he went to five different places. The fourth place gave him a year. That was 25 years ago. Because he didn't give up. And I hate it when doctors give you like a death sentence. You don't even have so many months. And I think they do it to protect their ass, to be honest with 

John Kippen 52:54
you. 

Rich Bennett 52:56
But don't give up. Those of you listening, don't ever, ever, ever, give up. Just keep fighting. 

Look, go out and watch John speak. his coaching. Go to the magic. I gotta come out there, John. I have to go to the magic castle. 

John Kippen 53:19
Do 

Rich Bennett 53:19
Then I'm going to buy your beer afterwards because beer is your favorite? 

John Kippen 53:25
Beer champagne. 

Rich Bennett 53:27
Beer or 

John Kippen 53:28
okay? 

Rich Bennett 53:28
champagne, 

John Kippen 53:28
I'm not a hard alcohol drinker. 

Rich Bennett 53:31
What kind of beer? 

John Kippen 53:33
Corona light. 

Rich Bennett 53:35
You're right, you're not a big alcohol drinker, you say Corona light. 

John Kippen 53:39
My parents were functional alcohol. 

Rich Bennett 53:42
Okay. Well, in that case, I'll buy you dinner instead. 

John Kippen 53:45
That's even better. 

Rich Bennett 53:46
Yeah, I'll definitely do that. Where can people actually, for your coaching and everything else, find you and hire you? 

John Kippen 53:58
Well, they can go to John Kippen.com. I'll let you put that in the show notes. 

Rich Bennett 54:04
Okay. 

John Kippen 54:05
It's just my name. And there's a coaching link that they can click on. And they'll get a sign up for a time to get a free no obligation introductory call where we get to talk either just my phone or he'll zoom where I can hear your story and see if my -- you know, I, as a magician, you know, I don't believe anything is impossible. And so my coaching method is called the "I'm possible" method. 

Took the word "impossible" broken to two 

Rich Bennett 54:45
I 

John Kippen 54:45
syllables. 

Rich Bennett 54:46
like 

John Kippen 54:46
tha. Actually, "I'm possible." 

Rich Bennett 54:50
I love that. 

John Kippen 54:51
You know, and so 

Rich Bennett 54:53
you got to 

John Kippen 54:53
we 

Rich Bennett 54:53
get 

John Kippen 54:53
talked 

Rich Bennett 54:53
that put 

John Kippen 54:54
about 

Rich Bennett 54:54
on a 

John Kippen 54:54
and 

Rich Bennett 54:54
shirt 

John Kippen 54:54
talk about a method and how that can change your life. 

Rich Bennett 55:00
You 

John Kippen 55:02
know, the secret to my secret to life 

is helping others 

because we help someone else going through a tough time no matter what you're going through. 

Rich Bennett 55:19
Yeah. 

John Kippen 55:19
You take time out of your love that we present with someone, a friend, a stranger, whatever, 

your self-confidence gets such a boost 

that you help someone else out of the goodness of your heart. 

You know, when not necessarily just giving them money, it's being present. 

Rich Bennett 55:48
Yes. 

John Kippen 55:49
Really listening to them, 

yeah, just a high 

Rich Bennett 55:58
five. 

John Kippen 56:00
You know, I have a coaching client, I also coach musicians and on magic, but I'm on presentation and story because that's when I am a 

Rich Bennett 56:09
You're 

John Kippen 56:09
storyteller. 

Rich Bennett 56:09
right. 

John Kippen 56:11
And I had this young kid, 25 years old kid, and his dad was staying for his coaching lessons. And we would meet once a week, and I charged him 50 bucks. I wasn't going to get rich off of him, but I really saw potential in this kid and I wanted it to help him move forward as his magic career. And one day I got a call from his dad saying, "John, I don't know if I'm going to be able to continue paying for my son's lessons because I was diagnosed with cancer and they're given me four months to live." 

Rich Bennett 56:47
Oh God. 

John Kippen 56:49
And it's very expensive. And so, I don't know if I'm going to continue being able to. But the worst thing is I finally got the courage to tell my son the diagnosis, 

and my son retreated 

and he left my life. 

He stopped calling me, stopped answering the phone, he stopped coming over. 

Rich Bennett 57:20
Wow. 

John Kippen 57:20
My only member in my family now, when I need him the most in my life, is the and I scared him away. with that cancer diagnosis and I don't know how to fix it and I know and I know John he respects you so would you please have a conversation with him. I said I will absolutely do that so I called his son the next day and it wasn't our typical day for our coaching lessons so he was kind of surprised to hear from me and I'm not using his name on purpose but I said he said John this is not Friday what what's going on I said we're not talking about magic today I got a call from your dad yesterday and he shared his news not only of his diagnosis but about your reaction 

and here I go buttering my nose and if someone else is business at the risk of losing you as a friend losing you as a client but I'm gonna make a promise that if you don't repair rift between you and your dad it is great as time goes need. you are going to regret it for the rest 

Rich Bennett 58:51
Yep 

John Kippen 58:51
of your life 

and his son kind of worked down and said yeah I was kind of thinking about that and I just don't know how to repair it I don't know how to do it I said it's simple what's your what's your dad's favorite meal he says oh he loves Hawaiian too I said great 

Friday after dinner right Friday after work go to his favorite pieces of joint and get the biggest Hawaiian piece of with extra pineapple 

Rich Bennett 59:23
yes 

John Kippen 59:27
and go to your dad's unannounced walk put the pizza on the kitchen table and say dad let's 

eat and the next day two days later I actually his dad called me and said john I don't know what you said I know what you did but my son and I had the best conversations we've ever had and I cried he cried we embraced we just sat there sometimes just silent eating that pizza and I said what extra pineapple and he started laughing 

and he said it was the best moment in my life that somehow I had my son back in my life 

and it was because of what you said to him 

and I said to him I didn't say anything super special I just reminded him how important family is 

and that he was going to regret not patching up that issue with you for the rest of your life and it was going to change his relationship with everyone he would need moving forward every romantic interest every in his kids every every friend it was going to affect 

Rich Bennett 1:01:06
man 

you have to you need to do another book on 

John Kippen 1:01:15
story 

Rich Bennett 1:01:15
the 

John Kippen 1:01:15
do I 

Rich Bennett 1:01:16
or because you're doing a podcast about magic right 

John Kippen 1:01:21
yes 

Rich Bennett 1:01:21
why don't I do a podcast and share these stories 

John Kippen 1:01:26
as well yeah 

Rich Bennett 1:01:26
because you're I mean just hearing that when other people hear it it motivates them and helps them and changes their life as well 

John Kippen 1:01:37
well I share a lot of these stories on podcasts I've done I think I think I've done for me these kind of podcasts 

um 

Rich Bennett 1:01:45
god that 

John Kippen 1:01:47
my goal is to help clients of all ages all ethnic backgrounds learn how to get out of their own way 

Rich Bennett 1:01:58
yeah 

John Kippen 1:02:00
we are our biggest obstacles 

Rich Bennett 1:02:04
that's true 

John Kippen 1:02:06
you know in my coaching program one one session very two sessions is I talk about to dreaming and the importance of dreaming you know as kids we dream a lot I remember when I would be there five six seven years old and my parents would have a friend over dinner died and they were met and they introduce themselves and what's the first thing that a stranger says to young boys John what do you want to be when you grow up 

Rich Bennett 1:02:38
and 

John Kippen 1:02:40
my and I would say I want to be a police man 

no I want to be a rocket scientist no wait wait wait I want to be a rock star 

and then I would grab two rulers and go into my room and start banging on top of our complaint the drums and get out my air guitar and singing it out of key and just spinning around and I was in this land of make believe for hours or at least till I heard mom call me for dinner 

and then I realized that at some point you grow up a little bit you get a job and you build a family and 

you build a career whether or not it's working for yourself or someone else and then you get me my age 60 

and you look back on your life 

and you realize that you've checked all the pox of everything you want to do accomplish and you wonder why you feel so hollow 

and it's a simple answer 

because you are living someone else's dream 

you were living your father's dream your grandmother's dream your 

Rich Bennett 1:04:15
teacher's dreams 

John Kippen 1:04:18
but you weren't really living your dream, and that's why people as they get to retirement age are so unfulfilled, unsatisfied, 

joyless, because they've squandered their life away on someone else's dream. 

And it's never too late to start dreaming again. At way night before I go to bed, I spend five minutes in that land of make believe, where there are no money problems, and there are no health problems. And what can I achieve tomorrow that will bring me joy? 

Rich Bennett 1:05:06
Yes. 

John Kippen 1:05:08
And you wake up that next morning, and that's still in the back of your mind, 

and you've breathed about it, and you lived it, and you've imagined it to the point where you just take action, and try it. You know, that's the word in my mouth, okay, I believe I tried to remove, try. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:35
There's 

John Kippen 1:05:36
either doing it or not doing it. Trying is an excuse. Trying is, well, you know, I gave with 15 minutes and it didn't work out, so, but I tried it, and it's such a cop out. 

So, you know, we talk about, in my coaching a lot, about, you know, getting rid of those couple words and your vocabulary, that, 

give you an out, to stop moving forward. You know, coaches talk about stepping out of your comfort zone. I talk about tiptoeing out of your 

Rich Bennett 1:06:20
comfort 

John Kippen 1:06:21
zone, because you tiptoe out of your comfort zone, and you get one toe wet. And if all of a sudden it feel, it starts to burn, you pull back, and you re, you should think about it, and you try a different tack until all of a sudden you tiptoe it. The warm feels nice and warm. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:40
I 

John Kippen 1:06:40
and then 

Rich Bennett 1:06:40
like, 

John Kippen 1:06:40
you know, and then you know you're on the right track. As opposed to jumping in with two feet, and then realizing that that's really not what you wanted, but you're committed at that point. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:53
Yeah. 

I like that. That, that makes a lot more sense, because yeah, a lot of times when you step right into it, you're already going forward, you can't step back. 

John Kippen 1:07:06
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:07:08
Wow. 

John, man, I, I can sit here and talk with you. God, I wish we were in person doing this, because then you could also show me some of that magic, but that just gives me an excuse now I have to come out to California. It's been. my God, it's been a long time 

John Kippen 1:07:30
Oh, 

Rich Bennett 1:07:31
since I've been to California. 1982. Some 83 something like that early 

John Kippen 1:07:40
83 graduated high 

Rich Bennett 1:07:42
But in john, okay, I know 

John Kippen 1:07:45
school. 

Rich Bennett 1:07:45
you're younger than me. Sheesh. And I do have to thank you, because I noticed on your website at the magic castle, you had a bunch of my brothers for the, you know, in the room with you doing your magic when I say brothers talking about Marines. 

John Kippen 1:08:04
Oh, man, I love performing with the armed services. 

Rich Bennett 1:08:09
Oh, and I want to thank you for that. Truly, because I know they love that we always lost stuff like that. Always. 

John Kippen 1:08:18
You see the pictures that were taken 

Rich Bennett 1:08:21
Mm-hmm. 

John Kippen 1:08:22
of me performing with those and those are special pictures because the cast are not allowed to take pictures. 

Rich Bennett 1:08:28
Really? 

John Kippen 1:08:29
The woman, Joan Lawton, who is unfortunately passed away, she was in charge of bringing the armed services to the castle. The castle allows anyone who's an armed service in the police or fire department to get in for free. 

Rich Bennett 1:08:50
Wow. 

John Kippen 1:08:50
You don't get a free meal, but you 

Rich Bennett 1:08:53
get 

John Kippen 1:08:53
you get you bypassed the door. And she saw me once just have. But happened across a Marine in his dress uniform and his girlfriend sitting down with them and performing magic. And he saw the joy in their smiles to the point where she came up to sit. John, you want to do this all the time? Absolutely, I do. 

Rich Bennett 1:09:22
Wow. 

John Kippen 1:09:23
I want to be able to say thank you in my own way. 

And so every time she would have a group of Marines or Army or at the castle, she'd give me a call and say, hey, you going to be there upstairs tonight? Because I've got a group on the enemy 

Rich Bennett 1:09:42
who? 

It 

John Kippen 1:09:46
was just to see the look on those service people's faces in those pictures. 

Rich Bennett 1:09:56
Oh, they were all smiling, smiling look amazed. Yeah. And 

John Kippen 1:10:02
they were so thankful. Yeah. They were so polite. They were so honored. That I would take time out of my schedule just to be present with them and give them. Hope. 

Rich Bennett 1:10:25
Magic is hope. Yeah. Yeah. I thank you for that, because a lot of, um, people that do stuff for active military first responders and veterans. They, I think a lot of them don't realize how grateful we are for, 

John Kippen 1:10:41
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:10:42
or what they do. 

John Kippen 1:10:44
And a lot of people think they're good for granted. 

Rich Bennett 1:10:46
Yeah. 

John Kippen 1:10:47
You know, which, it's natural to do that. 

Rich Bennett 1:10:50
Yeah, but not 

John Kippen 1:10:51
But 

Rich Bennett 1:10:52
us. 

John Kippen 1:10:52
every once in a while you've got to give back. 

Rich Bennett 1:10:54
Yeah. 

John Kippen 1:10:55
And say thank you. 

Rich Bennett 1:10:56
Yep, exactly. 

John Kippen 1:10:58
You know. 

Rich Bennett 1:10:59
Well, John, befor I get to my last question, would you're going to have to pick this is where the magic is going to come in? Is there, is anything you would like to add? 

John Kippen 1:11:11
Um, I love what I do. I love my clients to death. I, 

I have seen such awesome transformations come in people's lives. Just by building rapport and having them open up their hearts to me. And we've been able to discover what it is in their lives that's them back. So many people don't know what those things are because they've hidden them so deep but I help them go back and find what those are and we remember how petty those things actually are. 

During the pandemic and I know we're going way over and I don't, 

Rich Bennett 1:12:04
you're fine. 

John Kippen 1:12:06
During the pandemic, that was lonely. And so I invented a game. It's called Rolladax Relay. Now for those who don't know what a rolladax for your younger kids. It's this little spindle in a stand. And you put these cardboard cards with people's names and addresses and phone number and they're all in alpha point in a lottery. So you want to, you want to call rich, you don't remember a cell number. You go to the R's and there is Rich Menet and the number. Well in today's society, our rolladax is our phone and the contact center. So the way you play rolladax is simple. You go to your contacts, you turn the way phone away from you and you blindly scroll up and down and up and down and you land on the name and you turn around and you see what it is. And that's the person you call that day. Just to say hey how are you? You know I was thinking about you. What's going on? I haven't talked to you in weeks, months, years. I talked to you yesterday but it doesn't matter. And they get, especially for people you haven't talked to in a while. You get this reaction like, John? Huh. What are you gonna do for me? And I said nothing. I just tagged you on my mind, I was thinking about you. I was thinking about those good times and I bring a best story about how we got into trouble together or how we celebrated something or just a funny story. I know he's just sneaking about you and I wanted you to know it that you were in my thoughts. 

Rich Bennett 1:13:53
I love that. I'm gonna... 

John Kippen 1:13:57
And you do two or three a week. But then there's another aspect of the game which is a little on the sneaky 

Rich Bennett 1:14:09
side. Okay. 

John Kippen 1:14:11
So we all have those people in our contact that we had a falling out 

Rich Bennett 1:14:16
with. 

John Kippen 1:14:17
Right. 

And some of them wouldn't remember the specific details of the argument. We just know that we're not about to be the one to make that first, That first we chow 

Rich Bennett 1:14:31
yeah. 

John Kippen 1:14:31
to try to mend that fence. We're waiting for them to call us and say, I'm sorry. 

Well playing the game takes that responsibility away from you. 

I call Rich and say, Rich, before you get started, it's John. I'm playing this game I learned. And the rules strictly state that the name you stop on, you must call and have a conversation with. 

So how are you? 

And I'm sorry. I'm sorry it's been so long since we spoke. 

And that takes that responsibility that I'm not gonna be that pride. I'm not gonna be the one to bleach out and then that fence. I'm not gonna, you know, and it puts it on the game. 

Rich Bennett 1:15:29
I really, really love this. 

John Kippen 1:15:34
And you would be amazed how you start talking about that situation and you both start laughing because you remember it definitely. 

And then you come to the decision that it was such a petty little thing 

Rich Bennett 1:15:53
and usually 

John Kippen 1:15:55
is and, you know, it was over a woman, it was over whatever it was over, you know, and you're like, we're all human. We all make mistakes. But life is about owning those mistakes and moving forward. 

And I'm saying, I'm sorry. It doesn't really isn't that difficult. 

And it's amazing how many relationships I was able to repair 

Rich Bennett 1:16:26
just by doing 

John Kippen 1:16:27
that. I'm literally playing night game. 

Rich Bennett 1:16:30
I really love, I've never heard that before. I mean, I heard it in sales. yeah, when you're supposed to do the phone calls, you spend a roll the, roll the decks and call whoever you came up to. But as far as, and with phones now, and, yeah, because you're right, everybody's, we have contacts in there, especially if you have an Android because it connects to your Gmail. 

John Kippen 1:16:54
Yeah. 

The relationships, yeah, we have with friends 

and family. That's what brings us 

Rich Bennett 1:17:14
together. Yeah, yeah, sounds like it could be a whole podcast, a new podcast, too. John, there you go. I'm giving you homework. You got started a podcast called, roll the decks roulette. Invite your guests on to you got to bring their phone. That you call them. 

John Kippen 1:17:31
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:17:32
Ooh, that could be dangerous. 

John Kippen 1:17:35
But could be dangerous. 

Rich Bennett 1:17:36
Yeah. But it could be a lot, a lot of fun and you're, you're, you're probably going to be saving lives as well. 

John Kippen 1:17:43
know, 

Rich Bennett 1:17:44
You 

John Kippen 1:17:44
no just some of the things you get for me. If you hire me as a coach and, you know, my coaching is cost money. Because it's the way I make my living. 

Rich Bennett 1:17:57
Yeah. 

John Kippen 1:17:58
But it's worth that great penny. 

Rich Bennett 1:18:01
I can tell that already. 

John Kippen 1:18:03
Just, you know, and you get, and you get a friend for life. 

Rich Bennett 1:18:06
Yeah, 

John Kippen 1:18:07
just because our coaching contract ends. That doesn't mean that I'm not in your corner. 

Rich Bennett 1:18:12
Yeah. 

John Kippen 1:18:13
You know, so many of us spend time on social media. You know, I'm up Facebook all, all it. An it's all scroll through my feed and I'll see someone post something that's out of character. 

Rich Bennett 1:18:30
Yeah. 

John Kippen 1:18:32
And most people who see that continue scrolling and they chalk it up to yeah, Richard's having a bad day. Not me. I stopped. I called him is it rich? You know, I read that post and boy that didn't sound like the man I know what's going on, buddy? You need to talk. 

And those posts are that person subconsciously reaching out for help. And they don't really realize it. So when you call them with your undivided attention, you silence your phone and you're just going to sit there and have a conversation with them and just be a friend and offer your support and love and guidance and ideas. 

They jump at the chance. 

Rich Bennett 1:19:36
Yeah. 

Yeah, I've done that. I can't even tell you how many times because the last thing you want to do is see anybody having a bad day. And the last thing you want to do is feel like you could have done something to change your life. And they're no longer here. 

John Kippen 1:19:57
I had to really gain this magicians. That I knew when the castle. 

The first one I had dinner with on a Thursday night. And this magician always has a story. His name was Darryl. And he was one of the most creative magicians in the world. And we had become friends over the 

Rich Bennett 1:20:23
And 

John Kippen 1:20:23
years. 

he was sitting at the bar before his show and the waiter had brought him his personal dinner. And so I sat at the bar and sat next to him and just started struggling with conversation. Again, he always loved the 

Rich Bennett 1:20:39
time. 

John Kippen 1:20:41
But this time Darryl was just not interested. He was just eating his dinner. And I could tell that there was something weighing on him. But I kind of took took the hit that he didn't want to open up and left him alone. And the next day I was driving down a Hollywood park. And I got always on my phone was blowing up 

that someone had one of the performers had hung themselves in the dressing room. 

And at that point they weren't saying who it was. But I needed you knew it was based upon that non-complication we had. 

And the blood drained from my body. And I was in a cold sweat. 

And then seven months later I was sitting at another bar. I don't know why the bar seems to be a common thread. But I was sitting at another bar next to another magician. He didn't know quite well as Darryl. But he was best friends with my best friend, magician, friend. And he had dinner in front of him. He was just picking at it. And his name was Lehman. And I went up to Lehman and I he's the stool swivel. So he can be facing him. 

Rich Bennett 1:22:15
And 

John Kippen 1:22:18
I just said his name and I waited him to trying to respond. And he didn't he just continued picking at his food. And I asked if I was six minutes of sitting there being ignored. I said, "Guess you're in your own world tonight, no big deal. I'll see you tomorrow 

that night." He killed himself. 

And when the second person did that I made a promise. That I've liked ever saw anyone showing signs of true despair. that I would stop what I was doing and I would be present with them. I would interject my self into their thoughts. Not that I could just sway them from doing something they were really, really, really set on doing. 

Rich Bennett 1:23:20
But you never know. 

John Kippen 1:23:21
But you never know. Maybe I could have postponed for a day and that next day they got some big news that helped them through whatever the creep was or whatever what it is. And now with social media so many people are crying out for help. 

And as a human race it is our responsibility to notice those things 

and care for another human being. Period. You know in military you learn that your military brothers and sisters are family. 

Rich Bennett 1:23:59
Yes, 

John Kippen 1:24:00
you know, and they're going through a hard time and you're you interject yourself into their life even knowing that you're risking losing them as a friend or we're doing it. 

Rich Bennett 1:24:11
I'd rather lose them as a friend than lose them altogether. 

John Kippen 1:24:15
Yes, 

You've got to be willing to take that risk 

Rich Bennett 1:24:20
yeah. 

John Kippen 1:24:21
because you're talking to them at the wrong time and they take offense that you're trying to supposedly bud into their life and give them an ask for advice. 

Rich Bennett 1:24:34
You never know. And I've brought this story up before me and one of my best friends we went to BJ's warehouse one day. And as we're leaving, there was a lady there. She has to look at your receipt everything in the cart. And she asks us if we found everything. Okay, I took off my hat. And for those of you yes, I'm bald. Bald is beautiful. I said, no. And she said, I'm sorry, well, couldn't you find them? Then I took off my hat and said, I can't find my hair. And she just lost it. She started cracking up. I went in, I think it was the following day if I'm whatever, maybe a couple days later. And because there was a speaker there, I wanted a blue-two speaker. So I bought it and as I'm leaving, she was there again. As she came up, John, I am not lying. She gave me the biggest hug and thanked me. I said, for what? What did I do? She said, you just made me laugh by taking your hat off. And you know, say I couldn't find my hair. And all honesty, I was going to go home that day and just end it all. I was having a bad day. So many things going on and you saved my life. I started tearing up and gave her another hug. I just, because you never know. 

John Kippen 1:25:49
You never 

Rich Bennett 1:25:50
You 

John Kippen 1:25:50
know. 

Rich Bennett 1:25:51
never know. Just it high. Wave. And smile. And being a goofball like I was, it can save somebody's life. And even your own, too. 

John Kippen 1:26:02
Yeah. own. 

Rich Bennett 1:26:03
Even your 

John Kippen 1:26:03
When I go into a store and I have a salesperson say, you find everything you like, you were looking for. And I said, no, I've missed one thing. And they turned around. So what is that? I said that winning 

Rich Bennett 1:26:18
ticket. 

John Kippen 1:26:18
lottery 

Rich Bennett 1:26:18
Oh, yeah. 

John Kippen 1:26:20
We say was on aisle five. I searched aisle five up down twice and I could not find that winning lottery ticket. Where is it? And that always some smile 

Rich Bennett 1:26:34
on cloud. Oh, God. Speaking of winning lottery tickets, I need you to pick a number between one and five and number five. This is a good determine the last question for you now. Pick a number, I gotta find block five. First of all, now pick a number between 81 and 100. 

John Kippen 1:27:00
99. 

Rich Bennett 1:27:01
99. All 

right. This kind of goes back to the Don Adams reference in a way. Doesn't it? Barbara felon agent 99. 

John Kippen 1:27:13
Yeah, true. 

Rich Bennett 1:27:14
All right. Uh, John, this and again, I don't know what these questions are, but this lines up perfect with what we've been talking about. If you could eliminate one source of stress from your life, what would it be? 

John Kippen 1:27:33
The fact that I'm overweight. 

Rich Bennett 1:27:36
You can eliminate that. I was the same way. I was 300 pounds. And I started using this thing, this app called noom. Counting my calories and now I'm down to two 45. And I became a big fan of frozen seedless red grapes. 

John Kippen 1:27:57
Oh, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:27:58
Oh, my God. They help. Oh, yeah. Yeah, what we'll we'll talk here a little bit. There's, yeah, I was the same way because and I play Santa professionally. So I've now I have to wear the fake belly. I didn't have to before. But now I was like, there's no way I'm going to be able to do this. And I was able to through way, there's big pants and everything except for one pair. I kept them 

John Kippen 1:28:27
and 

Rich Bennett 1:28:27
to always remind myself. always remind myself. John I want to thank you so much. It's been an honor and you know what the door is always open anytime you want to come back because I love I love hearing all the stories and those of you listening again when you purchase the book make sure you leave a four-review everywhere and go and watch the documentary and the TED Talk and everything else because just you're going to be floored. It is that damn good. 

John Kippen 1:29:04
Look me up on Facebook, look me on Instagram send me a message saying hey I heard that podcast. 

Rich Bennett 1:29:12
Well, I don't know about you, but this conversation reminded me of something we all need to hear occasionally. Life doesn't always go according to plan. Sometimes we're handed challenges we never asked for. Sometimes we're forced to carry scars, whether they're visible or not. But as John shared today, those scars don't have to define us. In fact, they can become the very thing that helps us connect with others, inspire hope and discover a purpose we never expected. I love John's message that being different is your superpower. And honestly, I think that's something everyone of us can take the heart. The things that make us unique, the struggles we've overcome, the experiences we've lived through, those aren't weaknesses. They're part of our story, a huge, huge thank you to John, keep it from joining us. And for being so open, honest and inspiring. Be sure to visit his website, check out his coaching program, pick up a copy of playing the hand you were dealt, watch his TEDx talk, and definitely watch the document and connect with him on social media. And for all of you listening, here's my challenge. Stop hiding the thing that makes you different, embrace it, share it, use it to help someone else because you never know whose life might change simply because you had the courage to be yourself. Until next time, my name is Rich Bennett and I want to thank you for listening and for being part of the conversation and remember. Sometimes the greatest magic isn't found in a trick. It's found in the way we choose to live our life.