Justin Willman
Justin Willman is a magician/Comedian, recent Critics’ Choice nominee and one of today’s most prolific entertainers.
In 2018, Willman premiered his six-episode magic series on Netflix entitled “Magic For Humans” where the show instantly became one of the most streamed shows on Netflix with clips from the show garnering over 150 million views to date across social media, even sparking a viral meme. Indiewire called Willman the “perfect magician/hybrid prototype with incredible comedic timing,” and Rotten Tomatoes currently has the show listed at an 88% audience approval. Soon after the premiere, Magic for Humans was picked up for a second season which premiered December 4, 2019. Season 3 is streaming now.
In 2018, Willman had a residency aptly called “The Magic Show” at the historic and swanky Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles where all shows sold out almost immediately and attracted many of Hollywood’s most well-known names.
The L.A. Times said of Willman to be a "A new breed of magician who's making magic cool again for grown-ups." Playboy Magazine dubbed him "The freshest and funniest magician working today," and Time Out hailed that his show "Has to be seen to be disbelieved.”
Justin has appeared on The Tonight Show, Ellen, Conan, Kelly Clarkson, The Today show, The Late Late Show and has performed live at the White House for the Obama Family.
Willman is also a consultant & writer for film/television productions like America's Got Talent, The Goldbergs and Disney's feature film Magic Camp.
He was born in St. Louis, lives in Los Angeles, and does not own a rabbit.
3 words to describe Nature?
Meditative. Humbling. Itchy.
3 things Nature taught you?
Be humble. We’re small and insignificant in the big picture. Take that as a relief.
Be prepared. Nature is no joke. Don’t underestimate her.
Leave things better than you found them. This applies to everything.
3 most treasured Nature spots?
The Mississippi River banks near Grafton, Illinois. As a kid I spent my summers fishing in the muddy waters. It’s still my happy place.
The Path of the Gods hike in Italy. I proposed to my wife mid-hike on the roof of an abandon hut overlooking Positano. I’ll never top that one.
Napali Coast in Kauai. No reason needed, just go.
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
Home
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Adventurous
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
Vulnerable
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
Present
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Quieted
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
Grounded
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Ocean, 100%. If there’s sand in my car’s floor mats I know I did something right that day.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
10. I need more nature in my life though. The mere act of answering these questions is making me want to get the hell out of dodge.
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
When I was 10 I camped out in the woods behind my house for the first time. I made a campfire all by myself and everything. The next morning I remember the smell of the fire still lingering on my clothes and fingertips. To this day, every time I smell a campfire it takes me back to that moment and makes me feel like a kid again.
Candice Cook
Candice Cook Simmons is the Managing Partner at The Cook Law Group, a published writer, noted philanthropist, and business strategist in the technology, entertainment, and corporate sectors.
Her career began in private practice as a litigator where she represented luxury hotels, television and cable executives, real estate developers, technology companies, and an assortment of Forbes' and Fortune's notable business executives and corporate giants. Cook later expanded her experience beyond litigation to include a vast array of intellectual property, media, telecommunications, and social media issues. Her success in finding creative business-oriented solutions resulted in her invitation to join the Advisory Committee of several startups including music industry technology startup BlazeTrak, Para Music Group, and fashion industry pioneer, Fashion Advance. Today, Cook's firm has handled groundbreaking intellectual property matters—including the trademarking and strategy behind Dominique Ansel’s Cronut™ pastry—and business, entertainment, social impact/entrepreneurship, and talent issues for clients across the globe including Japan, China, Israel, Monaco, Mexico, France, U.S., UAE, and the UK.
Her success resulted in her being honored as a Pearl Honoree in 2009, selected as a finalist for Atlanta's Power 30 Under 30 Award, and a winner of the Celebration Award in Law in 2012. In 2013, she was selected as the Hollywood Power Player by Hollywood & Vine Magazine and in 2014 she was selected as the Barrier Breaker award recipient for her work in the field of law and for her vast hands-on philanthropic engagement addressing education, humanitarian matters, and social justice. She appeared in the HBO documentary "Good hair," the 2009 winner for Special Jury Prize for U.S. documentary at the Sundance Film Festival as well as the documentary Sag Harbor on the OWN network as part of the #Selma50 network campaign. She has also appeared in the American Bar Association Journal, O Magazine, Elle Magazine, The Today Show, and Sirius Radio. She was cited as one of the top interviews for the “Talentedly” platform of 2015 as well as one of the top-five podcast interviews for “Today’s Leading Women.” In 2015, she was the number 1 downloaded interview on the business podcast “Beyond The Business Suit”.
Cook is a contributing writer for the Levo League, Women 2.0, and Conscious Magazine and was a contributing author of the book Conquering The Bar Exam and Co-Editor of the Culture Shift Labs 20 People To Watch of 2015. She serves as an Advisory Executive Member for the United Way of New York's Young Professional Board, is an Advisory Board Member for TheHistoryMakers in Chicago, works to increase engagement as a Committee Member for Jazz at Lincoln Center, served as the Young Professional Board Member for both the Apollo Theater and New York Needs You and served on the Leadership Board for the Council of Urban Professionals. For the past two years, Cook has worked with the 12 Days of Christmas Organization in New York to provide necessities to families across the five boroughs in New York during the month of December and she has also worked to increase STEM awareness through her Advisory Board Work with the M.O.B. Accelerator and CultureShiftLabs. Most recently, Cook was proud to see her work with the rich history of TheHistoryMakers (the single largest archival collection of African-American oral history) rewarded via its acquisition by the Library of Congress. In 2014, Cook served as a Host for the Andrew Goodman Foundation Hidden Heroes Award. In addition to her legal practice, Cook is currently using her platform to aid the Ford Foundation via its Think Tank to assist with the “innovation economy” of Detroit.
3 words to describe Nature?
Calming. Authentic. Transformative.
3 things Nature taught you?
Nature has taught me to be patient; to respect life's process and the universe's unquestionable power; and to be reminded that all things are connected and each action has a direct consequence that affects things that are directly seen and also unseen by me.
3 most treasured Nature spots?
I am from Atlanta, Georgia. Although I live near the concrete jungle now, I am blessed to have a beautiful backyard at my childhood home that is deep green with rose bushes and honeysuckle. My yard had plum trees, muscadines, and figs and the trees provide a balance of beauty and strength.
In New York, I treasure spending time in Sag Harbor with my son by the pond under a tree near my husband's family home. This spot is perfect for aiding me in lulling my son to sleep, viewing animals in the wild without being intrusive, and engaging in quiet reflection.
I went dog sledding in Utah and forever understood the feeling of losing your breath because of the beauty of nature. I always considered myself a beach person. I love the white Driftwood on the beaches on the Georgia Isles and the white sand of Turks & Caicos. But there was something about the mountains, and the trees under the landscape of a flawless sky that brought me so much peace, serenity, and resolve.
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
Relaxed
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Motivated
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
In awe
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
Blessed (to see another sunset or sunrise is a blessing). There are people who woke up who didn't get to live to see the sunset and there are many who went to bed and did not live to see another sunrise...life is a gift).
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
The need to keep things in perspective...storms come when they come and the only way to get through is to hold your own as best you can while it passes.
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
The need to be "ready".
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Ocean
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
8.5
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
My childhood was spent playing barefoot in the grass and grabbing honeysuckle from the vines while perfecting the art of tearing off the end of the honeysuckle and tasting the sweet nectar with friends until the sun went down.