Banachek’s Mind Games live in Las Vegas at the prestigious Strat hotel, Casino and Skypod.
About
Biography
Banachek was born in England, November the thirtieth, 1960. He was schooled in South Africa and the United States. It was while living in Port Elizabeth, South Africa that Banachek saw his first magician at a high school function at the age of 14, he was intrigued but not enough to delve much further into that secret world. In 1976, the bicentennial year of the USA, Banachek moved to the United States. It was at the end of this same year he picked up a worn copy of James Randi’s book, “The Truth About Uri Geller.” This was the book that changed Banachek’s life. This book gave Banachek the tools to construct his own versions of metal bending and his life was never the same.
Exposing Fakes
In what became known as Project Alpha, Banachek went on to fool scientists at the prestigious Washington University in St Louis, MO. He convinced them that he could bend metal with his mind and that he had a myriad of other “psychic abilities’ only to reveal later that despite the half a million-dollar grant from McDonnell Douglas, he was using trickery the entire time giving Banachek the unique and rare title as “The man who fooled the scientists.”
Since that time Banachek has gone on to expose not only other psychic claims but also hoaxes such as his well-documented expose of the evangelist Peter Poppoff and he also helped to force the Power Balance Bracelet company into a 57-million-dollar settlement.
As President of the James Randi Educational Foundation ( JREF ) and in charge of the million-dollar challenge, Banachek tests psychics and exposes the fakes and the frauds. John Stossel of ABC’s 20/20 said of Banachek, “You are amazing, we need more people like you in the world.”
TV & Media
Banachek has performed on major TV shows from CNN Live, to the Today Show and had hundreds of smaller appearances on TV shows the world over, including appearing on and producing over 100 TV shows for Criss Angel. He has appeared in almost every major magazine and newspaper from the New York Times to the National Enquirer. From the college market, he received the coveted Entertainer of the Year award from the Association for the Promotion of Campus performers two years in a row and the Novelty Act of The Year beating out bands, comedians and other novelty artists. Banachek is the most awarded mentalist in the USA and has been awarded the Psychic Entertainers Creativity award and is sought out as a consultant by most major magicians and mentalists in the USA and abroad including Penn & Teller, Criss Angel and David Blaine. Banachek has put more magic on television than any other magic consultant in the USA.
Mentalism Pioneer
Banachek is the first person to be chained, handcuffed and buried six feet under the ground to only escape. Others have tried, others have, failed others have died.
Banachek’s creations have become a part of mentalism and magic culture so much so that it is very hard to find a single mentalist or magician living today that is not using one of Banachek’s effects or applying one of his subtleties within their own work. His creations are considered to be “Cream of The Crop.”
Even the Penn & Teller closer, ‘The Magic bullet’, performed in Las Vegas for many years, was created and performed first by Banachek.
Penn of Penn & Teller called Banachek’s show, “The greatest mentalist act, in the world.”
From Trade shows, cruise ships, corporate gatherings, keynotes, theaters, and as a headliner at the Strat in Las Vegas, Banachek’s performances thrill and delight ending in a resounding standing Ovation.
