Matt the Knife

Matt the Knife, magician and mentalist, escapes a straitjacket during his performance at the theater on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 4, 2015. Matt has performed at more than 100 different bases to give back to military personnel. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Edwards/Released)

Matt the Knife

Matt the Knife, magician and mentalist, holds a lighter near a voodoo doll during a trick at the theater on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 4, 2015. Once Matt was done with the lighter, he made the Airman open her hand to reveal a black ash-like mark. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Edwards/Released)

Matt the Knife

U.S. Army Pvt. Austin T. McCoy, 344th Military Intelligence Battalion student, pulls a metal hanger out the throat of Matt the Knife, magician and mentalist, during a magic show at the theater on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 4, 2015. After the show, Matt signed autographs, posed for photos and performed a few card tricks. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Edwards/Released)

Matt the Knife

Matt the Knife, magician and mentalist, speaks to a crowd before his performance at the theater on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 4, 2015. During his performance, Matt escaped a straitjacket, swallowed a clothes hanger and recreated a voodoo ritual. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Edwards/Released)

Ex-conman visits Goodfellow

Published Dec. 14, 2015
By Senior Airman Joshua Edwards
17th Training Wing Public Affairs

GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- On Dec. 4, an ex-con turned illusionist named Matt the Knife visited Goodfellow Air Force Base to entertain and perform various tricks and tell jokes.

During his teenage years, Matt started his conman lifestyle when he began pickpocketing, cheating cards and creating a burglary ring.

At that time he began calling himself a sharp, a person who cheats at cards.

Matt said, because of this a mafia member gave him the nickname “the Knife,” which he decided to keep throughout the years.

Once Matt decided to get out of a life of crime, he began focusing on a new interest; intelligence.

“Originally I wanted to work in espionage,” he said. “I was deeply, deeply fascinated by James Bond and decided that’s who I wanted to be.”

His new focus didn’t last long though. He said he wasn’t interested in the modern day terrorist, he was more interested in the spy-versus-spy from the Cold War Era, forcing him to rethink his career path into magic.

Fast forwarding a bit, Matt has developed his skills and added additional talents to his reservoir. This helped break 12 Guinness Book of World Records while performing as a magician and mentalist across the world including more than 100 military bases.

"I love working for the military," he said. "On military holidays, I think it's really easy for people to go out and say thank you for your service. I think that is b-------. If you really mean it, then it's imperative that you help out and try to give back."

Matt made his way Goodfellow to provide one of his shows, where he escaped a straitjacket, swallowed a clothes hanger and recreated a voodoo ritual.

"It was really cool to see an illusionist and magic," said Senior Airman Jill N. Yopp, 17th Communication Squadron network operations technician. "I was baffled by the stunt I performed with him. I wasn't expecting him to guess all four items while blinded. Even though he shouldn't have been able to guess them, he guessed them all almost right away."

Once Matt the Knife finished his show, he chatted with his fans and got ready for his next show at a different air force base where he continues to give back to the military.