- Content: Reality TV Contestant Uses Audition to Encourage Others
By Movieguide® Contributor
He goes by the name “Magic Mike,” and he uses card tricks to share his journey of mental health struggles and encourage others struggling too.
Mike took his talents to AUSTRALIA’S GOT TALENT where he began his trick at the judge’s table. He began by having Judge Alesha Dixon shuffle the deck and Judge Shane Jacobson sign one of the cards.
He used the deck of cards to tell his story, and as he went through it, the cards he flipped were the numbers or people referenced along the way. He substituted his name for “Jack.”
“It’s actually a story about a guy I know named Jack, and if you met Jack, you probably think he’s the luckiest guy in the world,” Mike began. “I mean, he’s got a loving family and plenty of mates. But even on the most joyous of occasions — like Christmas or even his birthday — he’d often look around at the full house of family and friends having such a good time, and he’d stop and think, ‘What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I have fun?'”
“So, what would Jack do? He’d find a nice, quiet room in the house and cry,” he continued. “Jack was a 28-year-old man, and in his mind, 28-year-old males need to be strong. They don’t talk about their feelings. So, he started to do some research, and he was shocked to learn that in the most recent year, 3,318 Australians took their own lives. That’s 63 people every single week — 63. In Australia, suicide is the leading cause of death, and he didn’t want to become another statistic.”
Mike explained that “what really helped Jack” was hearing the stories of other Australians — whether they were royalty, politicians, fashion or business icons or sporting legends — who struggled with their mental health.
“Hearing these people helped Jack recognize his fears and made him realize he’s not alone,” he said. “So, you know what Jack decided to do? Jack decided to share his story on AUSTRALIA’S GOT TALENT. By sharing this story, I hope I can make at least one person get their head straight and remember that without the rain, there can be no rainbow.”
“So, I want all Australians to shine bright like a diamond,” he concluded as he flipped over the signed card.
Since he shared his story on the show in 2022, he’s received “thousands of emails, private messages, voice messages and even letters in the mail of people sharing their stories and offering thanks for helping them start a conversation with their friends and family.”
His magic career has continued to take off, and he’s even performed in front of celebrities like Chris Hemsworth and Matt Damon.
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