My top 3 have to be:
Johnny Thompson: For being just the nicest damn guy in the world. He'll help you with anything and when he says something, he sticks to it. Also for releasing great material in his Commercial Classics of Magic series and for keeping people entertained with magic for over two-thirds of a century.
Lance Burton: For promoting the ART of magic for so many years...Dedicating time and effort into it making effects seem truly magical, even to magicians...For making me understand why it is I do what I do and for creating true works of art in his acts.
Paul Harris: To put it simply- "For creating some of the sickest and ballsiest sh*t to ever be put onto the market."
However, there are sooo many great magicians out there right now...and because of that I have to do an honorable mentions.
Wayne Houchin: For being incredibly nice and sharing and for going out of his way to help others. Also, for being very helpful, funny, and generally awesome.
Helder Guimarães: For also being incredibly nice and helpful. For winning FISM and not getting cocky because of it. And also for working with my for hours straight to improve my magic. Also for being able to do some incredibly crazy stuff with cards.
Lee Asher/Aaron Fisher: Both great guys, both help the youth of magic at Sorcerer's, both help out the youth of magic here, and both have created great things...what else is there to say?
Boris Wild: Great guy, won FISM, worked on the Kiss Count with me and gave me specific tips on it, has created some awesome stuff, and has one of the greatest marked decks on the market...again, need I say more?
Other mentions go to Chris Mitchell, Bob Cassidy, Derren Brown, David Harkey, and of course the people I consider my friends in magic...you know who you are.
~David Rysin
