Golden Lion: BioVlog 161 of 384
“And the first place winner of the ‘Golden Lion’ award from Siegfried and Roy is… Richard Turner!”
When I hear my name called out, my stomach drops and my heart skips a beat. I take a breath and think, “That’s me!” Janalee lines me up, and to thunderous applause and a standing ovation I start working my way down the center aisle toward the stage.
Las Vegas headliner Jimmy Grippo remarks to Dai Vernon and Dennis Marks, “Now, there’s a true winner.”
Vernon says, “That’s right, and he did it with sheer skill.”
Producer Dennis Marks adds, “I was the one tasked to tally up his scorecards, he had all tens!”
Out of the corner of my left eye I’m following the rows of chairs toward the stage. I lightly stub my toe on the bottom step, and I know I have arrived. Siegfried greets me and escorts me to the mic, and like bookends, I am pinned between Roy on one side and Siegfried on the other. They hand me a trophy with a solid brass carved gold lion that feels like it weighs ten pounds. I’m pretty excited. No, I’m very excited to accept the cash and my Golden Lion Award from two of the greatest magicians of all time!