Eugene Burger - Because he struck me as a very warm, caring person, extremely intelligent and insightful. I always felt like I knew him and that if we met, we would instantly become friends and talk about magic and performing non-stop. He was a fantastic performer, with a great original persona, that was truly magical and uniquely him. He knew how to construct an engaging and highly entertaining routine. And his book, "The Performance of Close Up Magic" was a tremendous influence on me, from which I learned not to try to copy other magicians or be what he called "the generic magician," but to find and be yourself and create your own original performing style. Oh, and...hella cool beard!