To the fans who adored his comic-magician act, Johnathan Szeles really is quite amazing.
Known as The Amazing Johnathan, he began doing his unique act at the Golden Nugget in the early 2000s and worked different venues for more than a dozen years after. He retired only a year ago due to health issues.
During a talk at downtown’s Inspire Theater, he made a surprise announcement. He told the stunned audience, which included tearful staff, that he would be dead within a year.
On KNPR's State of Nevada, Szeles talks about his life on the streets of San Francisco in the early 1980s, honing his craft for coins. Then his stints on Comedy Central and hitting the jackpot with his first gig at the Nugget on Fremont Street.
He said he still has a hard time believing that his heart ailment is going to kill him. But if it does, he's ready.
"I'm almost ready to go," he said. "Now that I’m retired, the only thing keeping me alive is my wife."
Guest:
Johnathan Szeles, performer
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