Diana S. Zimmerman
America’s Foremost Lady Magician - Author - Entrepreneur and above all Friend
I admire Diana Zimmerman. I’ve admired her since we met in 2008. I think she is an extraordinarily amazing woman who followed her dreams ...
Like I said, we met in 2008 in September at The London Palladium. Diana is on the Board of Trustees for the charity MagiCares, the launch of which was part of the Siegfried & Roy Tribute Show and Diana had graciously invited us.
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| Gloria, Diana and Ellen at The London Palladium 2008 |
Why do I admire her so much? It’s because Diana is a doer. And, she gives back.
How come she’s able to do that? Through guts, determination, hard work, rising above, and sheer genius.
Well, if you are America’s First Lady Magician and you created illusions for David Copperfield and Lance Burton then you must agree Diana possesses more than a sprinkling of fairy dust ... and this is only the tip of the iceberg.
When we met Diana had just published her first book, Kandide and the Secret of the Mists: Calabiyau Chronicles. I hadn’t read the book before we met and assumed it was just a pretty story about fairies. I read it the week following our meeting ... and was knocked out by it. This is a brilliantly clever story about bullying, beautifully illustrated, that will appeal to all children and adults alike. And, where you would expect Kandide to be the victim, she is in fact, the bully who fears becoming a victim when she has an accident that destroys her perfect image. You could say the bully gets a taste of her own medicine.
I thought this story came from the heart. I was right. Diana had been bullied. And she wanted to help young school children who were being bullied. Kandide is the result and because of her story Diana tours schools explaining to children the terrible implications bullying has on lives.
How did Diane come up with the character Kandide?
Diana is an avid collector of faery art. Her collection of bronzes, clocks, paintings, sculptures, books, and porcelains is one of the largest in the world with pieces dating back to the 1700s. A painting by Australian artist, Maxine Gadd, now in her private collection, inspired Kandide.
See what I mean about giving back? But ... that wasn’t the beginning. Oh no, this woman has a big heart.
In 1974, with the help of legendary actor Cary Grant, Diana founded—and still sponsors—a youth group at Hollywood’s famous Magic Castle.
What started Diana on her magical journey? Destiny perhaps ... but since the age of eight Diana had dreamt of being a magician after she watched a magician produce money from thin air. She’d thought, Wow! Any job that can make money that easy is for me. So, aged eighteen, with her car filled with magic tricks, costumes, and a great deal of ambition, she left her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona and headed for Los Angeles with only $45 to her name!
The rest, as they say, is history. Diana starred in her own television show, ‘Enchanted Palace, as well as her own magical revue show in Lake Tahoe. Her success was global. She toured the world appearing on almost every major TV talk show and variety show.
There’s more ...
Diana’s transition into the corporate world saw the creation of CMS Communications, Intl.—a marketing communications agency whose clients rank among the Fortune 500. Diana is CMS’ CEO. She is also the co-author of “Tactile Abyss,” a book on MarCom. Her dazzling road of business achievements is paved with equally impressive journalistic credentials having had nearly a hundred articles published in the high-end world of haute couture jewelry. Today, she is a much sought after speaker for schools and educators on “A Novel Approach To Ending School Violence.”
I mentioned Siegfried and Roy earlier. Diana co-edited and wrote the book Siegfried & Roy: Unique in All the World with Robert Gould. It was specifically designed for the Collectors’ market with a strictly Limited Edition of 500 copies.
I could go on but I guess you will understand now why I admire Diana so much. She’s not just a great inspiration, but a great role model too. She speaks from the heart. She is unique in all the world and I’m proud to have her as a friend.
