1958

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1973

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1975

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1976

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1980

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1983

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1986

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1991

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1996

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2001

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2002

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2006+

• 2006+
  IN 2006, COMEDY CENTRAL BEGINS SELLING THEIR CATALOGS TO ITUNES AND SEES THAT AJ IS STILL ONE OF THE TOP 10 MOST REQUESTED COMICS. THEY ASK HIM TO DO A ONE-HOUR SPECIAL AND JOHNATHAN WRITES "WRONG ON EVERY LEVEL". IT HELPS MAKE NEW GENERATIONS OF FANS AROUND THE WORLD. HIS FRIEND CRISS ANGEL HITS WITH A&E'S MINDFREAK, THE MOST WATCHED TV MAGIC SHOW IN HISTORY. CRISS AND JOHNATHAN WRITE SEVERAL EPISODES FEATURING THEM TOGETHER AND IT GIVES AJ LEGIONS OF NEW FANS WHO FLOCK TO YOUTUBE DAILY TO WATCH THE MADMAN OF COMEDY. AJ IS CURRENTLY IN HIS 11TH YEAR IN VEGAS, MAKING HIM THE MOST SUCCESSFUL/LONGEST RUNNING COMEDY MAGIC SHOW IN THE WORLD. HE'S HAD MORE TV APPEARANCES THAN ANY OTHER SOLO COMIC MAGICIAN IN HISTORY. HE CURRENT PLAYS AT THE HARMON THEATER NEXT TO PLANET HOLLYWOOD IN LAS VEGAS.
  
  

 

• 2002
  JOHNATHAN IS ASKED TO DO ANOTHER HALF-HOUR SPECIAL FOR COMEDY CENTRAL. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME AMERICA HAS SEEN PSYCHI TANYA AND THIS SPECIAL BOOSTS AJ'S ATTENDANCE. HE IS ASKED TO FILL IN FOR DAVID BRENNER FOR TWO WEEKS AT THE GOLD NUGGET IN LAS VEGAS. HE SELLS OUT ALMOST EVERY NIGHT, A HUGE SUPRISE TO EVERYONE. BRINGING PEOPLE TO DOWNTIME LAS VEGAS, AWAY FROM THE STRIP HAS PROVEN TO BE IMPOSSIBLE, BUT HE DOES IT. THE NUGGET EXTENDSHIS TWO-WEEK RUN TO TWO YEARS AND AJ GOES ON TO BREAK HOUSE RECORDS FOR ATTENDANCE. BEATING EVEN SINATRA'S RUN THERE. AFTER TWO YEARS AT THE NUGGET, AJ LEAVES FOR A ONE YEAR DEAL AT THE FLAMINGO. AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, THE NUGGET OFFERS AJ AN UNPRECEDENTED 3 MILLION DOLLAR A YEAR CONTRACT TO RETURN. A FEW WEEKS BEFORE HE'S TO OPEN, THE MGM SELLS THE NUGGET TO POSTER FINANCIAL GROUP WHO AIM TO MAKE A REALITY SHOW CALLED "CASINO". THEY WANT A NEW ENTERTAINER FOR THE SHOW, AND BREACH THEIR CONTRACT WITH AJ. THE REALITY SHOW FLOPS, FORSHADOWING THEIR POOR CASINO MANAGEMENT SKILLS. THEY ARE OUT AFTER ONE YEAR AND JOHNATHAN OPENS AT THE RIVIERA.
  
  

 

• 2001
  JOHNATHAN HEADLINES THE MAIN ROOM AT THE SAHARA FOR MOST OF THIS YEAR. FLYING BACK TO L.A. SANDRA SHOCKS AJ BY ANNOUNCING SHE WANTS A DIVORCE. JOHNATHAN IS DEVASTATED BY THIS NEWS AND HE CANCELS ALL DATES AND PONDERS GIVING UP THE SHOW. HE SPENDS THE NEXT FEW MONTHS GETTING OVER THE LOSS AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS TO CHANGE EVERYTHING. HE IS HANGING OUT BACJSTAGE AT THE COMEDY MAGIC CLUB IN HERMOSA BEACH AND HE MEETS PENNY WIGGINS, AND ACTRESS/COMEDIENNE. SHE INVITES HIM TO WATCH HER PERFORM IN A SKETCH SHOW AND HE'S KNOCKED OUT WITH HER COMEDIC SKILL. HE ASKS HER TO REPLACE SANDRA IN HIS SHOW AND THE LEGENDARY CHARACTER OF PSYCHIC TANYA IS BORN. THE REST OF THE YEAR IS SPENT WRITING, TOURING AND HONING THE NEW SHOW. THE TWO ARE MADE FOR EACH OTHER AND THE SHOW GETS STRONGER THAN EVER. OUT OF THE ASHES COMES REBIRTH FOR "THE AMAZING JOHNATHAN SHOW".
  
  

 

• 1996
  AFTER PERFORMING AT THE MONTREAL COMEDY FESTIVAL, AJ FLIES TO THE BAHAMAS FOR A GIG AND MEETS AN AUSTRALIAN GIRL NAMED SANDRA, AND AFTER A FEW DAYS, THEY FALL IN LOVE. A YEAR LATER, JOHNATHAN ASKS HER TO MARRY HIM AND THEY SPEND TIME LIVING IN AUSTRALIA AND THE U.S. THEY TOUR CONSTANTLY, WITH SANDRA SETTING UP THE SHOW AND ALSO PERFORMING IN IT. JOHNATHAN GETS INVOLVED WITH COMEDY CENTRAL AND DOES SEVERAL SPECIALS FOR THE, THEY SOON OFFER HIM HIS OWN HALF-HOUR SPECIAL CALLED "LOUNGE LIZARDS". IT'S THIS SPECIAL THAT MAKES THE AMAZING JOHNATHAN WELL-KNOWN AND ENDS UP BEING ONE OF COMEDY CENTRAL'S MOST REQUESTED SPECIALS. AFTER LETTERMAN SEES IT, HE CALLS TO RE-BOOK JOHNATHAN. AJ DOES THE PSYCHO SANDRA ROUTINE, WHERE SANDRA GETS STABBED IN THE HEAD WITH SCISSORS, AND IT KILLS! LETTERMAN FREAKS OUT BECAUSE OF HOW REAL IT LOOKS. HE CALLS AJ INTO HIS OFFICE TO TELL HIM HE WONT AIR THE SET BUT ALLOWS AJ TO PUT TOGETHER ANOTHER SET WHILE THEY HOLD THE SAME AUDIENCE. AJ THROWS TOGETHER DIFFERENT MATERIAL AND HE GOES OUT TO A CONFUSED, COLD AUDIENCE. DAVE EXPLAINS THAT HE IS "ONE OF AJ'S BIGGEST FANS" BUT CAN'T ALLOW VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN. JOHNATHAN TRIES TO EXPLAIN HOW SLAPSTICK COMEDY HAS JUST TAKEN IT'S FINAL BOW ON TALK SHOWS.
  
  

 

• 1991
  JOHNATHAN RECEIVES A CALL FROM MERV GRIFFEN, THE CREATOR OF THE TWO MOST FAMOUS GAME SHOWS IN THE HISTORY OF TELEVISION; JEOPARDY AND WHEEL OF FIRTUNE, ASKING IF HE WOULD LIKE TO BE THE HOST OF HIS NEW GAME SHOW TITLED "RUCKUS". MERV EXPLAINED THAT THE SHOW WOULD BE MUCH LIKE JOHNATHAN'S OWN SHOW....FAST AND CHAOTIC AND THE GAMES PLAYED WOULD BE DIFFERENT EACH SHOW. FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THEY WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE A PILOT AND IT WAS TAPED IN FRONT OF 1000 PEOPLE AT RESORTS INTERNATIONAL IN ATLANTIC CITY, ONE OF MERV'S MANY PROPERTIES. NBC BOUGHT 65 EPISODES AND THEY WERE AIRED AT 8:00PM EVERY NOGHT ON WNBC. THE SHOW QUICKLY GAINED A CULT FOLLOWING. JUST AS THE SHOW WAS ABOUT TO GET NATIONAL SYNDICATION, A CONTRACT DISPUTE ARISES BETWEEN MERV GRIFFIN PRODUCTIONS AND JOHNATHAN. JOHNATHAN WALKED OFF THE SHOW AND DECIDED NOT TO RETURN. SCXRAMBLING TO FIND A NEW HOST, MERV GRIFFIN STARTED AUDITIONS. NBC DECIDED THE SHOW NEEDED JOHNATHAN AND CANCELLED "RUCKUS". A FEW YEARS LATER, THE GAME SHOW NETWORK BOUGHT RUCKUS AND AIRED ALL OF IT'S EPISODES NIGHTLY, GIVING IT MORE NATIONAL AIRPLAY THAN IT ORIGINALLY HAD AND PICKING UP MILLIONS OF NEW FANS.
  
  

 

• 1986
  IN 1986, JOHNATHAN RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE SECRET SERVICE, ASKING HIM IF HE WOULD BE WILLING TO DO A SHOW FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. AND IF SO, WOULD I ANSWER A FEW SECURITY QUESTIONS? THINKING IT WAS ANOTHER PRANK PHONE CALL FROM ONE OF HIS COMEDIAN FRIENDS, HE HANGS UP THE PHONE. A MOMENT LATER HIS FRANTIC AGENT'S CALL TELLS HIM IT'S FOR REAL AND THAT PRESIDENT REAGAN HAD PICKED FOUR COMEDIANS TO DO A PRIVATE SHOW FOR HIMSELF AND PRESIDENT MITTERRAND OF FRANCE DURING THE BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. AFTER AGREEING TO DO THE SHOW FOR FREE, HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO BE ON THE CORNER OF 50TH AND BROADWAY AT 7:00AM WITH HIS PROPS. WHEN HE ARRIVED, AND UNMARKED BLACK VAN PICKED HIM UP AND INSIDE WERE YAKOV SMIRNOFF, JERRY SEINFELD AND LARRY MILLER WHO HAD OBVIOUSLY GOTTEN THE SAME CALL. THE VAN DROVE THROUGH A PRIVATE TUNNEL UNDER THE HUDSON RIVER AND EMERGED ON GOVERNOR'S ISLAND, WHERE THE PRESIDENTS WERE WAITING.
  
  

 

• 1983
  JOHNATHAN IS ASKED TO FLY TO L.A. FOR AN INDUSTRY NIGHT SHOWCASE AT THE IMPROV COMEDY CLUB. HIS HOW KILLS AND AFTERWARDS EXCITED PRODUCERS SURROUND HIM. THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PIVOT POINT OF AJ'S CAREER. IN ONE NIGHT HE GETS TWO NATIONAL TV SHOWS. THE FIRST IS HBO'S "YOUNG COMEDIANS" SPECIAL AND THE OTHER IS "THICKE OF THE NIGHT". AFTER THESE BOTH AIR, DAVID LETTERMAN INVITES HIM ON THE SHOW. THEN, COME THE HUNDREDS OF OFFERS FOR TV APPEARANCES, RADIO INTERVIEWS, AND NEWSPAPER STORIES THAT ALL GO TO FURTHER HIS VISIBILITY. HE BECOMES ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S TOP HEADLINING COMEDIANS. HE ALSO BRANCHES OUT, MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF IN AUSTRALIA, THE U.K., AND SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES. HE'S IN AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY CONSTANTLY CREATING A HUGE FAN BASE.
  
  

 

• 1980
  JOHNATHAN'S SHOW BECOMES SO SLICK THAT HIS STREET CROWDS ON FISHERMAN'S WHARF, SWELL OUT INTO THE STREETS, BLOCKING TRAFFIC. HE IS ARRESTED SEVERAL TIMES FOR OBSTRUCTION AND THE POLICE KEEP THROWING HIM IN JAIL EVERY TIME HE DOES A SHOW. AJ DECIDES TO LEAVE THE STREETS AND WORKS AT PIER 39 FOR A SUMMER DOING OUTDOOR SHOWS. A POLICE OFFICER HARRASSES AJ AND THEN PUSHES HIM AND AJ KNOCKS HIM OUT COLD WITH HIS MOTORCYCLE HELMET. HE IS TAKEN TO JAIL BUT THIS TIME WITH A SERIOUS CHARGE....ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON. HIS DAYS OF DOING SHOWS ON THE WHARF ARE OVER. HE DECIDES TO TRY COMEDY CLUBS AND STARTS DOING LOCAL CLUBS. HIS FIRST IS AT THE HOLY CITY ZOO AND HE KILLS. THE STREET TRAINING HAS MADE HIM VERY FAST AND FUNNY. HE SOON STARTS DOING GIGS FOR MONEY HEADLINING ALONG WITH HIS FELLOW COMEDIANS ROBIN WILLIAMS, DANA CARVEY AND ELEN DEGENERES. HE WORKS CONSTANTLY AND SAVES HIS MONEY. THROUGH THE YEARS AJ BEGINS TOURING AS A HEADLINER WORKING ALL OVER THE U.A. HE DOES LUCRATIVE COLLEGE TOURS AND BUILDS A NAME FOR HIMSELF.
  
  

 

• 1976
  AJ AND SOME FRIENDS DRIVE TO CALIFORNIA IN A VAN. WHILE IN L.A. A DISAGREEMENT DEVELOPS AND THE GROUP SPLITS. TWO HEAD BACK TO DETROIT AND AJ AND HIS FRIEND KATHY FALL IN LOVE AND THEY STAY BEHIND TO FULFILL AJ'S DESTINY. HITCHHIKING AROUND L.A. AND THEN UP TO SAN FRANCISCO, THE MONEY RUNS OUT. AJ DECIDES TO TRY STREET PERFORMING WHILE KATHY FINDS A JOB AS A WAITRESS. THEY LIVE IN A ONE ROOM,STUDENT CO-OP IN BERKELEY UNTIL THEY CAN AFFORD TO MOVE TO SAN FRANCISCO. JOHNATHAN WORKS ON HIS STREET SHOW AND THEN MEETS FELLOW STREET ACT HARRY ANDERSON. HARRY WAS THE KING OF THE STREETS AT THAT TIME AND WOULD LATER BECOME FAMOUS FOR STARRING IN TELEVISION'S NIGHT COURT, CHEERS AND SNL. WATCHING HARRY AND STUDYING HIS IMPECCABLE TIMING AS OFTEN AS HE COULD, AJ DECIDEDS TO ADOPT COMEDY INTO HIS OWN SHOW. THEN HE MEETS THE PERSON WHO WOULD TEACH HIM THE MOST ABOUT COMEDY....A. WHITNEY BROWN. WHITNEY WAS ANOTHER STREET ACT WHO JUGGLED AND HAD A DOG ACT. HE HELPS AJ WITH HOW TO WRITE COMEDY AND THEY BECOME FRIENDS. WHITNEY GOES ON TO BECOME A WRITER/PERFORMER ON SNL AND THE DAILY SHOW.
  
  

 

• 1975
  MAGIC HELPS AJ GAIN SOME POPULARITY IN SCHOOL AFTER BEING INVISIBLE FOR MOST OF GRADE SCHOOL. HE DECIDED TO SHOW OFF HIS SKILLS BY DOING A MAGIC SHOW IN THE FRASER HIGH TALENT CONTEST. THE NIGHT OF THE SHOW, AND WITH EVERYONE HE KNOW; PARENTS, FRIENDS, AND RELATIVES, HE BOMBS A MISERABLE DEATH. OUT OF 6 TRICKS.....6 TRICKS FAIL. THE WORST OF WHICH WAS THE GIRL INSIDE THE SWORD BOX GETTING A LEG CRAMP AND BUSTING APART THE BOX DURING THE TRICK. JOHNATHAN VOWS TO NEVER DO ANOTHER MAGIC SHOW AND GOES TO TORONTO TO GET STONED FOR THE WEEKEND. WHEN HE RETURNS TO SCHOOL, NOBODY MENTIONS THE SHOW, THAT'S HOW BAD IT WAS. HIS MAGIC CAREER ENDS.
  
  

 

• 1973
  JOHNATHAN WALKS INTO A MAGIC SHOP AND BUYS HIS FIRST MAGIC TRICK. HE IS INSTANTLY HOOKED. HE TAKES A FEW LESSONS FROM MAGIC SHOP OWNER, BOB MOATS, WHO IS A LOCAL AMATEUR MAGICIAN HIMSELF. IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, JOHNATHAN SOON BECOMES AN AMATEUR MAGICIAN, DOING SHOWS FOR ANYONE HE CAN. HIS FIRST SHOW WAS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD BOY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY. HE MAKES $4 AND IS LOCKED INTO A TRUNK, HANDCUFFED AND TIED. AFTER 15MINS, THE KIDS START BOOING AND AJ HAS TO BE SET FREE. IT'S THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF AJS MAGIC CAREER.
  
  

 

• 1958
  JOHNATHAN SZELES, AKA THE AMAZING JOHNATHAN IS NBORN IN DETROIT, MI. TO PARENTS DOREEN SZELES AND EDWARD SZELES. WITH HIS TWO SISTERS, NANCY AND GAIL, HE IS THE YOUNGEST OF THREE. HIS FATHER WORKED AS A DRAFTSMAN WHO DESIGNED TANKS AND MILITARY EQUIPMENT. THEY SOON MOVED TO FRASER, MI. A SMALL TOWN WITH POPULATION AROUND 14K. THIS IS WHERE JOHNATHAN GREW UP. GRADE SCHOOL WAS ATTENDED AT BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL AT FRASER HIGH. HE WAS A BELOW AVERAGE STUDENT.