# Ricky Jay has died. (Not the Doper) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 25, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037 "2018-11-25T01:28:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/1 "2018-11-25T01:28:42Z")
[My only source is this tweet that Neil Gaiman retweeted.](https://twitter.com/derek_del/status/1066500839446073344) Pretty good actor and really good magician. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/2 "2018-11-25T01:38:17Z")
Just an FYI. I freaked out when I saw this. We do have a Doper by the name of _Rick Jay_. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/3 "2018-11-25T01:45:51Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Just an FYI. I freaked out when I saw this. We do have a Doper by the name of _Rick Jay_. Ditto. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/4 "2018-11-25T01:51:14Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Just an FYI. I freaked out when I saw this. We do have a Doper by the name of _Rick Jay_. I have asked the mods to clarify my title. I had no idea we had anyone with such a similar name. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/5 "2018-11-25T01:54:47Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Ditto. Tritto. An unfortunate similarity of names. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/6 "2018-11-25T01:58:25Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > [My only source is this tweet that Neil Gaiman retweeted.](https://twitter.com/derek_del/status/1066500839446073344) > > Pretty good actor and really good magician. Confirmed by Wiki. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/7 "2018-11-25T02:11:04Z")
Holy shit, that scared me. Not my forum, but I hope the CS mods will forgive me for intervening and editing the title. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/8 "2018-11-25T02:11:58Z")
I saw this in my FB feed, and it ruined my day. I’ve been a Ricky Jay fan for years, mostly for his magic and also for being in great movies like Boogie Nights. Back in the day I made a living as an entertainer and I worked with many magicians. Some of them were really, really good. And none could hold a wand to Ricky Jay when it came to card handling. Here’s his one-man show [Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtgUSUHnzLI) - watch the segment from about 7:20-22:00, it is just masterful. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/9 "2018-11-25T02:36:31Z")
Ricky Jay was an unparalleled master of card manipulation. This is perhaps the most spectacular sleight of hand trick I’ve ever seen: [Ricky Jay - Amazing Card Trick/Manipulation - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWvRorX0KhQ) There’s an unfortunate camera cut but I think we can assume there was no camera trickery involved. RIP RJ. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/10 "2018-11-25T03:07:16Z")
That’s too bad. He was one of those guys I recognized for a long time, but never caught his name. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/11 "2018-11-25T03:14:26Z")
> [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > Back in the day I made a living as an entertainer and I worked with many magicians. Some of them were really, really good. And none could hold a wand to Ricky Jay when it came to card handling. Here’s his one-man show [Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtgUSUHnzLI) - watch the segment from about 7:20-22:00, it is just masterful. I had a friend who was an amateur magician. He told me it was hard to get tickets to a Ricky Jay show because whenever he was playing somewhere a lot of other magicians would buy up the tickets to see him. I don’t know if that was true, but when he was in my area about 15 years ago I managed to get a ticket. It was an amazing show. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/12 "2018-11-25T03:24:32Z")
Sad to hear this. I loved his “cards as weapons” bit, and his book “Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women” – about the strangest stage acts of all time – is a fascinating read. Terrific talent. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/13 "2018-11-25T04:44:03Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Just an FYI. I freaked out when I saw this. We do have a Doper by the name of _Rick Jay_. Same here. :eek:☹ ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/14 "2018-11-25T04:53:59Z")
My stomach dropped a little upon reading the thread title. Thanks for adding the clarification. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/15 "2018-11-25T05:18:04Z")
Sorry Rick Jay, but when I saw Ricky Jay it never occurred to me that could refer to anyone else in the world. His best trick is being played after death. From my Google News page, appearing one on top of the other. > [@](#): > > Ricky Jay Dies: Renowned Magician And ‘Boogie Nights’ Actor Was 70 > > Known for his professional career as a magician and his roles in films like Boogie Nights and the HBO series Deadwood, Ricky Jay has died. He was 70. > Deadline > 2 hours ago > Ricky Jay, Master Magician and Actor in ‘Deadwood,’ ‘Boogie Nights,’ Dies at 72 > > Ricky Jay, a master magician who also acted in films and TV shows such as “Boogie Nights” and “Deadwood,” died Saturday in Los Angeles. > Page Six > 3 hours ago How does he do it? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/16 "2018-11-25T05:52:57Z")
I hate getting old. I’m losing too many people. Ricky Jay was a goddamn genius, at the far end of several human spectra, and we are lessened by his passing. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/17 "2018-11-25T12:51:19Z")
This saddens me. I know him from several movies, but also from his sleight-of-hand specials and talk show appearances. From Steve Martin: > [@](#): > > “I sort of think of Ricky as the intellectual élite of magicians. I’ve had experience with magicians my whole life. He’s expertly able to perform and yet he knows the theory, history, literature of the field. Ricky’s a master of his craft. You know how there are those teachers of creative writing who can’t necessarily write but can teach? Well, Ricky can actually do everything.” If you have not seen “ **House of Games** ” or “ **The Spanish Prisoner** ”, you are missing out on something special. mmm ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/18 "2018-11-25T13:59:50Z")
[Here’s](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0419633/) his IMDb page. I like him is some of those Mamet things like _Heist_ (the only one of the “crew” I felt sorry for) and _State and Main_. But my all time fave is his small role as Captain Amazing’s agent in _Mystery Men_: " Look, I’m a publicist, not a magician." I laughed out load. Rest of audience: _crickets_. Magicians are sort of a type of conmen. Too many look and act like conmen. Ricky Jay seemed like someone you could trust. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/19 "2018-11-25T14:32:04Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Magicians are sort of a type of conmen. Too many look and act like conmen. Ricky Jay seemed like someone you could trust. That’s what he wanted us to think! This reminds me of the time he did an on-stage interview with Terry Gross. She asked him at one point, “Suppose I needed to find a con man. How would I find one?” Ricky paused and said, “One will find you.” ---
**Author:** ![mind\_the\_gap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@mind\_the\_gap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mind_the_gap)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037/20 "2018-11-25T14:44:54Z")
I was unaware of who he was, though I recognized him when I saw his photo. He sounded like the real deal for sure. I read a story on his passing this morning referring to his immense talent and containing a few re-tweets frm fans and admirers. One was, “Ricky Jay just stole my wallet…God”. Damn, he must’ve been good. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ricky-jay-has-died-not-the-doper/825037.md?page=2)