A masked magician who appeared on a long-running 'magic trick reveal' show moved to Brazil after a near-death experience
From 1997 to 1998, a show in which a masked magician named 'Mr. M' uncovered the secrets and tricks of magic became popular in the United States. Mr. M came to Japan in 2001 and appeared in a special program, but he revealed his identity and left the series midway. After a series of twists and turns, he moved to Brazil in 2020.
How a Blacklisted American Magician Became a Hero in Brazil - WSJ
Mr. M, aka Val Valentino, was born in 1956. According to information on his former official website, he started doing magic as a teenager, was a regular at nightclubs in his 20s, and even performed in Las Vegas.
the masked magician official website
http://www.themaskedmagician.com/
In 1997, Valentino appeared on FOX's 'Breaking the Magician's Code: Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed,' in which he played a masked magician revealing many magic tricks.
The show first aired on September 24, 1997, revealing 13 tricks, and was the highest-rated special ever aired on FOX. It was then aired four times, on March 3, 1998, May 5, 1998, and October 29, 1998. After the fourth episode, Valentino removed his mask and revealed his true identity.
However, due to the nature of the activity of exposing tricks, there was strong opposition from magicians, so in 1998 the World Association of Magicians (WAM) was founded to protect the tricks. After the second broadcast of the show, WAM discovered that the masked magician was Valentino. They launched a campaign calling for sponsors to drop out, and 12 companies actually dropped their sponsorship.
WAM - letters from former FOX sponsors
The show wasn't the only thing that received protests; lawsuits were also filed against Valentino, and at least in Brazil, he lost the case.
The 'Breaking the Magician's Code' series was revived in 2002 and again in 2008-2009, but Valentino did not appear in the show. However, the series in which Valentino appeared as a masked magician has been rebroadcast in some countries, including overseas.
As of 2025, Valentino is living a peaceful life in Brazil, the land of his fate. According to an interview with him by The Wall Street Journal, around 2015, when Valentino was at his brother's house in Los Angeles, he had a near-death experience that lasted about three and a half minutes, during which his deceased mother told him to 'go to Brazil.'
Valentino traveled to Sao Paulo in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit. After getting engaged to political aide and influencer Juavia Romani in 2024, he is reportedly working with Romani to open 'Mr. M Magic Schools' across Brazil.
'I think it's my destiny to stay in Brazil,' Valentino told The Wall Street Journal.
By the way, Nash Entertainment, the production company of the 'Breaking the Magician's Code' series, has opened an official YouTube channel for the show, where videos of each trick are posted.
Magic Secrets Revealed - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@MagicSecretsRevealed
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