Amazing Johnathan mauls magic at Golden Nugget

Friday, July 27, 2001 | 9:25 a.m.

If Howard Stern were to become a magician, he would be the Amazing Johnathan.

While Stern has been dubbed a shock jock, Johnathan might be described as shock schlock -- his humor and his magic are trashy and gory.

The first thing that Johnathan makes disappear is good taste.

Check your inhibitions at the door when you enter the Golden Nugget's Theatre Ballroom, where Johnathan performs at 10 p.m. every night but Mondays.

You know you are going to be in for something different when a large screen video at center stage warms up the audience with a series of scenes of infants spitting up.

Nothing is too outrageous for this irreverent entertainer, who honed his talents as a performer on the streets of San Francisco more than 20 years ago.

Some of his jokes are sophomoric:

"Say wing three times real fast," he orders Carl Schmidt of Jupiter, Fla., a volunteer from the audience.

"Wing, wing, wing," Schmidt obeys.

"Hello," Johnathan answers an imaginary telephone.

Some of his jokes border on obscene:

"I was reared in San Francisco -- once. I needed a ride."

Nothing is sacred to Johnathan -- Las Vegas icons Siegfried & Roy don't escape his sardonic humor as he satirizes the legendary Strip magicians by using a pair of stuffed white tigers that have been converted into hand puppets.

He takes old illusions and puts his spin on them, such as tearing up a $100-bill furnished by Schmidt, wrapping it in tape and telling him to take it home.

"I know what you're thinking," he said. "If you take the tape off that when you get home tonight you will be surprised it is no longer ripped. You would be, wouldn't you? I would be to. I would be shocked as hell. You call me if that happens."

Johnathan first performed at the Golden Nugget in February to fill in for David Brenner when Brenner took a vacation. The gonzo-comic was so popular he was brought back in June been playing to full rooms almost every night since.

Johnathan will be at the Nugget at least through Oct. 31, Halloween being an appropriate target date for a man who can be downright scary. Don't miss his act. His tricks are full of treats.

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