To make magic credible on screen is always very difficult. The story is the most important thing. That is what should win. If sacrifices or compromises are made, it's usually for story. Story in magic is very, very important to me. That's what I've really championed through my career.

Magic has been something I've been really good at since I was really young. The ability has always come easy to me, I'm not sure why.

I went to visit Frank Capra, one of my idols, and did a kind of Judd Apatow interview with him. I said, "I'd like the Statue of Liberty to disappear, but I want to do it as a lesson in freedom, how valuable freedom is and what the world would be like without liberty." And Frank Capra looked at me and said, "David, I love your idea, but here's what you're going to do. You're going to try and it's not going to work; it's not going to disappear." And I said, "Mr. Capra, I can't do that."

If I was gay, why would I hide it?

You have to learn certain skills to present magic.

The inspiration for my illusions comes from many places. Most often they come from my dreams, or an everyday occurrence in life.

I will now make a scorpion appear in Osama bin Laden's pants