Rudy Coby
Encyclopedia
Rudy Coby, also known as "Labman", is an American
comedic magician
. He is a member of the Magic Castle in Los Angeles. In the early 1990s, Coby appeared in several small theatrical live shows, and on broadcast television. He is known for delivering eclectic and original comedic performances, of which stage magic plays a large part. He also works closely with rock musician and upcoming film director Marilyn Manson
.
In the mid-1990s, Coby and his troupe of illusionist comrades performed in the Gem Theatre in downtown Detroit for an unprecedented thirteen weeks thanks to the cult following, and radio support. Coby also published a bundle of lecture notes, titled “How To Become A World Famous Magician”.
After a hiatus of 14 years, Coby returned to performing in 2009, including a well-received twelve week run between June 13 - September 7 at the Galaxy Theater, Valleyfair, a theme park in Minneapolis, MN.
. He has also been Manson's roommate; his room being used as part of the cover of the album Eat Me, Drink Me
with this news released as some of the first promotional information regarding Manson's track, Devour, from the 2009 album The High End of Low
.
When Rudy Coby did a revival of his stage show in 2010, Marilyn Manson played the role of his arch nemesis.
, "Labman", a scientist who performs amazing deeds. Labman works for a fictional company, "LabCo", with the slogan "Smarter Than You". Labman was earlier featured as a comic book
character made up by Coby as a child and also made into a publicity pamphlet. Since doing the TV shows, Coby published several comics featuring the enigmatic hero.
Coby's 'four legs' act is said to have inspired the director of the French film, Delicatessen
, to include a multi-legged hero in the film after reportedly seeing him on Patrick Sebastien's early show, "Sebastien, c'est Fou!". Coby also contributed sections of "Labman" material to Gladiators 2000
, a children's version of American Gladiators
, in 1995.
Coby's TV specials and live performances often feature several characters, including his robotic female assistant, Nikki Terminator, his sidekick, Atom, and others. Two TV specials were filmed, in 1995 and 1996.
He then attempts to "dethrone Houdini
" by performing "The World's Most Dangerous Card Trick". The trick is ultimately a joke, hyped up to humorous levels. Coby selects a child from the audience, gets him to select a card at random, and wires himself up to a cardboard bomb (telling the volunteer not to be "fooled by its cheesy cardboard-like appearance"). He tells the volunteer to detonate the bomb at an appropriate time, and after deliberately fudging up the times, gets set on fire but eventually produces the correct card, proving himself to be "The Coolest Magician on Earth".
. Rudy deals with each of the supervillains by besting them in a magic trick.
(designed by Jerry Andrus
) in which concentric rings of black/white stripes rotate in alternating directions. Coby shows this animation for about fifteen seconds, and then instructs viewers to look at a photograph, or the back of their hand, to see the object they look at appear to distort in front of their eyes. This device is a well-known example of the motion aftereffect
.
The Hypnotron 2000 was reportedly so popular in the first show that Coby had to perform it again in the second.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comedic magician
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
. He is a member of the Magic Castle in Los Angeles. In the early 1990s, Coby appeared in several small theatrical live shows, and on broadcast television. He is known for delivering eclectic and original comedic performances, of which stage magic plays a large part. He also works closely with rock musician and upcoming film director Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
.
In the mid-1990s, Coby and his troupe of illusionist comrades performed in the Gem Theatre in downtown Detroit for an unprecedented thirteen weeks thanks to the cult following, and radio support. Coby also published a bundle of lecture notes, titled “How To Become A World Famous Magician”.
After a hiatus of 14 years, Coby returned to performing in 2009, including a well-received twelve week run between June 13 - September 7 at the Galaxy Theater, Valleyfair, a theme park in Minneapolis, MN.
Work with Marilyn Manson
Coby is known to have worked with Manson from 2003, initially developing new material as well as stage magic. Coby designed much of Manson's set and props for stage shows including The Last Tour on EarthThe Last Tour on Earth
The Last Tour on Earth is a live album comprising recordings from Marilyn Manson's Mechanical Animals and Rock is Dead tours. On the studio version of "The Dope Show", Manson says that drugs "are made in California", but in the live version, he says that "drugs, they say, are made right here in...
. He has also been Manson's roommate; his room being used as part of the cover of the album Eat Me, Drink Me
Eat Me, Drink Me
Eat Me, Drink Me is the sixth full-length studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on June 5, 2007, debuting at number 8 in the United States with more than 80,000 copies sold in the first week. It was recorded in a rented home-recording studio in Hollywood, California by...
with this news released as some of the first promotional information regarding Manson's track, Devour, from the 2009 album The High End of Low
The High End of Low
The High End of Low is the seventh full-length studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. Sean Beavan, who mixed Antichrist Superstar, Mechanical Animals, and Eat Me, Drink Me, is co-producer of the album along with Chris Vrenna...
.
When Rudy Coby did a revival of his stage show in 2010, Marilyn Manson played the role of his arch nemesis.
Performances
Coby plays an alter egoAlter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
, "Labman", a scientist who performs amazing deeds. Labman works for a fictional company, "LabCo", with the slogan "Smarter Than You". Labman was earlier featured as a comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
character made up by Coby as a child and also made into a publicity pamphlet. Since doing the TV shows, Coby published several comics featuring the enigmatic hero.
Coby's 'four legs' act is said to have inspired the director of the French film, Delicatessen
Delicatessen
Delicatessen is a term meaning "delicacies" or "fine foods". The word entered English via German,with the old German spelling , plural of Delikatesse "delicacy", ultimately from Latin delicatus....
, to include a multi-legged hero in the film after reportedly seeing him on Patrick Sebastien's early show, "Sebastien, c'est Fou!". Coby also contributed sections of "Labman" material to Gladiators 2000
Gladiators 2000
Gladiators 2000 was a spin-off television show of American Gladiators. It was hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Maria Sansone . Season 5 American Gladiators grand champion Peggy Odita served as head referee. It premiered on September 17, 1994 and ran until May 11, 1996...
, a children's version of American Gladiators
American Gladiators
American Gladiators is an American competition television program that aired in syndication from September 1989 to May 1996. The series matched a cast of amateur athletes against each other, as well as against the show's own gladiators, in contests of strength and agility.The concept was created by...
, in 1995.
Coby's TV specials and live performances often feature several characters, including his robotic female assistant, Nikki Terminator, his sidekick, Atom, and others. Two TV specials were filmed, in 1995 and 1996.
Rudy Coby: The Coolest Magician on Earth (1995)
This TV special was first screened in the USA on 21 May 1995. Coby's first show begins with a general display of magic, timed to music. Rudy then performs several tricks, some with audience participation, before "accidentally" cutting his assistant Nikki Terminator in half with a chainsaw. A lengthy plot ensues, in which Rudy, as Labman, searches for replacement legs for Nikki and a way to reattach them.He then attempts to "dethrone Houdini
Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini was a Hungarian-born American magician and escapologist, stunt performer, actor and film producer noted for his sensational escape acts...
" by performing "The World's Most Dangerous Card Trick". The trick is ultimately a joke, hyped up to humorous levels. Coby selects a child from the audience, gets him to select a card at random, and wires himself up to a cardboard bomb (telling the volunteer not to be "fooled by its cheesy cardboard-like appearance"). He tells the volunteer to detonate the bomb at an appropriate time, and after deliberately fudging up the times, gets set on fire but eventually produces the correct card, proving himself to be "The Coolest Magician on Earth".
Rudy Coby: Ridiculously Dangerous (1996)
This TV special was first screened in the USA on May 6, 1996. The show's highlights are Labman's superheroic struggles with crime. The show introduces a number of supervillains, including 'The Hourglass' - who turns out to be Labman's ex-girlfriend! Others include "Magic Dave," a thinly-disguised parody of David CopperfieldDavid Copperfield (illusionist)
David Copperfield is an Emmy Award-winning American illusionist, and was described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history. Copperfield's network specials have been nominated for 38 Emmy Awards and won a total of 21 Emmys...
. Rudy deals with each of the supervillains by besting them in a magic trick.
Notable illusions
One device used in both shows is LabCo's "Hypnotron 2000", an animated optical illusionOptical illusion
An optical illusion is characterized by visually perceived images that differ from objective reality. The information gathered by the eye is processed in the brain to give a perception that does not tally with a physical measurement of the stimulus source...
(designed by Jerry Andrus
Jerry Andrus
Jerry Andrus was an American magician and writer known internationally for his original close-up, sleight of hand tricks and optical illusions, such as the famous "Linking Pins".-Early life:...
) in which concentric rings of black/white stripes rotate in alternating directions. Coby shows this animation for about fifteen seconds, and then instructs viewers to look at a photograph, or the back of their hand, to see the object they look at appear to distort in front of their eyes. This device is a well-known example of the motion aftereffect
Motion aftereffect
The motion after-effect is a visual illusion experienced after viewing a moving visual stimulus for a time with stationary eyes, and then fixating a stationary stimulus. The stationary stimulus appears to move in the opposite direction to the original stimulus...
.
The Hypnotron 2000 was reportedly so popular in the first show that Coby had to perform it again in the second.