October 1, 2010 A successful former resident Comic helps out alma mater By BRAD GILLMAN Standard-Examiner staff bgillman@standard.net Adam London is headed back to where the magic started. London, a comic/magician and alumnus of Fremont High School, will lend his talents this weekend for a school fundraiser. "It is interesting ... anytime you go back to your high school, all those old ways of thinking, you know the cliques, it always comes back for some reason," said Adam London, calling from his Las Vegas home in advance of his shows at Fremont High. The shows will raise money for the Fremont drama department, which London was a member of in high school. His grandfather was the first showperson in the family. He held performances just for the grandchildren, transforming toothpicks, silverware and playing cards into a magic act. "It wasn't anything big. But the reaction he got from all his grandkids was kind of a big thing," London said. London, who now tours nationally, was performing before he hit junior high school. "At a Cub Scouts activity, they asked me to come and perform some magic," London said. "That was really when it got set into motion." Going for the laugh London said magicians typically strive to be the next David Copperfield or Criss Angel, with their grand, mysterious tricks and illusions. London chose to be funny with his magic. "Then you don't have to travel with so many assistants and tigers and bears," London said. The comedy part was easy for him — he naturally used humor in his act since those junior high days. "I just learned over the course of time that misdirection is a big part of 207 Adam London performs tonight and Saturday at Fremont High School in Plain City. Rubber ducks repeatedly appear on stage in bags of treats or stuffed with money, and they spill out of his clothes. He throws them into the crowd, and even his tie is covered with pictures of rubber ducks. "It started when a friend of mine gave me a duck tie and he said 'You are just a quack.'" London laughed about the practical joke. He went along with the joke and wore the tie to social events until someone suggested he should wear it onstage. The door was opened for several duck-related tricks, and then the joke eventually became an identity. "What kind of corny comic and magician wears a duck tie?" London joked. "So it's kind of a unique thing." PREVIEW • WHO: Adam London • WHEN: 7 p.m. today and Saturday • WHERE: Fremont High School auditorium, 1900 N. 4700 West, Plain City • TICKETS: $7/adult, $3/ child. 801-452-4000. magic and that's one way you can throw people off with misdirection, with comedy," London said. "You tell a joke and people kind of forget about the trick. Then when the trick is over people say 'How did you do that?' " The quack London has a penchant for little yellow rubber ducks.