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| Matt "the Knife" | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1981 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Occupation(s) | Mentalist, Con artist, Sideshow Performer, Escape Artist, Comedian, Lecturer, Magician |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
| Website | Matt The Knife |
Matt the Knife (or MTK, as he’s commonly called) was born in Massachusetts in 1979 and grew up in Boston but now resides in Rhode Island. He's a highly regarded Magician and Mentalist as well as the breaker of a multitude of Guinness World Records. but began his career as a professional Con Man.
Early Years
From the ages of approximately 14 through 21 he worked as a con artist, ran a card cheating ring, a shoplifting ring and a pick-pocketing ring who famously bilked dozens of casinos, corporations and even at least one Mafia family (in spite of, or possibly due to, being tied to at least two criminal families himself) out of untold sums.
A Transition in to the Magical Arts
Sometime around 2000 he began to adapt his talents from that of a criminal to the skills of a conjurer and slowly transitioned out of an illegal lifestyle over the next couple of years. Since then his magic has taken him on to perform in 10 countries across 3 continents (including television shows in the United States, China, Italy, Canada, the United Kingdom and several others).
He’s probably best known for his feats of mentalism but also often mixes sword swallowing, stunts, escapes, magic and his irreverent brand of humor in to his stage shows.
Guinness World Records
As of 2009 he’s broken 12 Guinness records. They include records for things such as escapes, sword swallowing, fire manipulation, feats of strength, and card manipulation. He usually performs these stunts either for publicity or for the climax of his various television specials.
Lecturing
Since his transition from a grifter to a performer he's also gone on to be an anti-fraud expert. The stories from his early years along with tips on how to protect yourself, information about fraudulent activities, and demonstrations of many of these feats were put together for his keynote speaking engagements. The lecture has been featured at theaters, colleges and corporate events.
Consulting
In 2003 he went on to found a successful consulting firm that specializes in fraud and the prevention of cheating within the gaming-industry. It supplies knowledge to corporations, casino personnel, as well as security & police forces. Additionally he works with the film industry, the literary industry, theaters and the television industry to create realistic characters and help develop more accurate depictions of topics involving criminal activity, the occult, the allied arts, the magical arts and mentalism.
Media credits
Matt The Knife has been featured in The New York Times, ESPN Magazine, The "METRO" Paper, Road King Magazine, Escape Masters Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal; as well as being on The Discovery Channel , NBC, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, CNN, The History Channel, Adult Swim on The Cartoon Network, Guinness World Records, CCTV (China), Rai Tre (Italy) and The BBC (United Kingdom).
He was also a question on the American game show Jeopardy.
References
- ^ Schwartz, Dan (August 2007). "From Grifter To Guinness". Providence Monthly. p. 14.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ DeLuca, Sharon (September 2007). "It's Magic!". QUAD angles. p. 35.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Bozigian, Terri (June, 2007). "Prestidigitation Plus". Your Smithfield Magazine. pp. 4–6, 68.
{{cite magazine}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Martin, Dick (September 9, 2004). "Not A Hard Act To Swallow". The Observer. pp. 1B, 3B, 20B.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Jones, J.W. (October 25, 2006). "Guinness Book record holder comes to J&W". The Wildcat Chronicle. p. 4.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "Circo Massimo". Circo Massimo. Season 8. September 2007.
{{cite episode}}: Check|serieslink=value (help); External link in|serieslink=|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - ^ "Daily Planet". Daily Planet. February 2, 2006.
{{cite episode}}: Check|serieslink=value (help); External link in|serieslink=|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - Guinness World Records. United Kingdom: Guinness. 2005. p. 177. ISBN 1-904994-02-04.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: length (help) - Guinness World Records. United Kingdom: Guinness. 2006. p. 177. ISBN 978-1904994022.
- Guinness World Records. United Kingdom: Guinness. 2008. pp. 102 and 175. ISBN 978-1904994374.
- Ryan-Herndon, Lisa L. (2007). Guinness World Records To The Extreme. United States: Scholastic Reference. p. 33. ISBN 978-0439865623.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Brown, Seth (2007). Rhode Island Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff. Globe Pequot. ISBN 978-0762743384.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - "Jeopardy!". Jeopardy. Season 25. Episode 5592. 23 December 2008.
{{cite episode}}: Check|serieslink=value (help); External link in|serieslink=|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help)
- Living Sword Swallowers
- Guinness World Record for "The Fastest Underwater Handcuff Escape"
- MTK on dating advice from an impalement artist's perspective
External links
- The Official Matt the Knife Website
- The Official Matt the Knife Facebook Page
- The Official Matt the Knife MySpace Page