Who's to blame for all of this?

As February approaches with all of the Blue and Gold Banquets, I start to think back to how I got started in all of this. First a bit of explanation. A Blue and Gold Banquet is the yearly celebration of Boy Scouting's birthday. Cub Scout packs, consisting of boys ages 6 to 12 and their families have a meal, entertainment and usually have a ceremony where the oldest boys "graduate" into Boy Scouts.

When I was 6 years old I joined my local Cub Scout pack and in February we had a magician perform. His name is Bob Beatty and at the time he was an Elementary School Principal in Johnstown, PA. That was really the beginning of the end of it all for me. That year my parent's got me a magic kit for my birthday and then another one for Christmas.

My scouting career and magic both grew and I went on to earn the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in scouting. Now, each February I perform at many Blue and Gold Banquets. I feel in a small way I am giving back to what scouting and Bob Beatty have given to me.

As a comedy magician I know I'm not setting kids on a path to save lives but I may inspire the next great comedian. You never know.

About the author: Edd Fairman is a Chicago Magician who performs for companies, colleges, and private events.