Acts of Violet(3)

While police are unsure whether to treat this as a legitimate missing person case, they are erring on the side of caution. “She’s a grown woman and has the right to go missing,” said Chief Donegan. “That said, the circumstances surrounding this disappearance are unusual, and, given Volk’s high profile, we need to rule out foul play. If she went missing voluntarily, we ask that she notify law enforcement to let us know she’s in no danger, so we can focus our resources elsewhere. Otherwise, for the meantime, we’ll keep looking.”




EntertainmentWhenever.com

Violet Mania in Full Bloom

By Reggie Moser

JANUARY 10, 2018

It’s hard to believe nearly a decade has passed since Violet Volk disappeared, considering how her legend endures. Video clips of her magic routines and motivational talks continue to get millions of views online, her signature alterna-glam-goth style still echoes in today’s fashion trends, and her books periodically reappear on bestseller lists, her brand of inspirational tough love still resonant today.

February 22 will mark ten years since Volk’s final performance and her mysterious vanishing. As this somber anniversary draws near, VV’s absence will be felt more acutely than ever, and thousands are expected to flock to the annual candlelight vigil in Willow Glen, New Jersey. If you can’t make it there, you’ll have plenty of other opportunities to celebrate the magical performer. Here are some noteworthy Violet-centric projects to have on your radar:



#violetisback—This trending hashtag is accompanying posts of current photos that supposedly feature Violet Volk. Most are amusing impersonations, but some are striving for verisimilitude. This social media fad has seemingly come out of nowhere. Is it a marketing ploy? A sign of an imminent comeback? An organic outpouring of fan appreciation? Nobody can say for sure, but if we can’t have the real thing, we’ll take these wannabe Violets any day.

Strange Exits (Podcast, Sidecar Studios, January 23)—Journalist Cameron Frank delves into the life, the controversies, and the disappearance of our favorite magician. This podcast promises to be a revelatory examination of Volk, and after listening to a preview of the first few episodes, we believe the hype. Rumor has it Frank will be airing interviews with some of the most press-shy members of Volk’s inner circle—including her sister, Sasha Dwyer.

Violet Volk: Behind the Magic (Saltworks Press, March 13)—This expanded reissue of Noriko Tomlin’s 2012 unauthorized biography contains a new foreword by illusionist Jenn Junk, whose current Vegas residency includes an homage to Volk. While the veracity of Tomlin’s chronicle has been called into question by sources close to the performer, it still makes for compulsive reading. We’re already saving a place for this one in our beach tote.

Light & Magic (Limited Series, Vumi, Streaming May 11)—Focusing more on Volk’s early years, this eight-episode series traces her path from Jersey to Vegas, from obscurity to stardom. If the trailer is any indication, Light & Magic promises to be a feast for the senses, with a killer trip hop/dream pop soundtrack, stunning production design, and eye-popping special effects.

In the Picture: A Retrospective of Violet Volk (Touring Exhibit, Fall)—Celebrity photographer Mayuree Sakda (who was romantically linked to Volk in the early 2000s) shares her most iconic images of the performer both onstage and off, along with never-before-seen private moments. An accompanying coffee table book is also forthcoming, so go ahead and add that one to your wish list now.



COMMENTS (582):

RUNNINGWITHWOLFPACK: Did I read that right?? Sasha Dwyer is gonna spill the tea about her sister on a podcast?? Won’t that, like, short-circuit her robot programming?

PLANTSOVERPEOPLE: Can you blame Sasha for avoiding the media when she gets bullied by the Wolf Pack every time she doesn’t worship at her sister’s altar?

WOLFPACKJACK: Yes, I can blame her, cuz keeping media attention on a missing person case is EVERYTHING if you don’t want it to go cold. Sasha’s done nothing to help.

DAGLITTERBOMB: Dude, you’re talking about a missing chick who’s rich + famous + white. You don’t need Sasha putting up billboards and shit when the FBI is already on it. And you don’t know her sister’s life. Everyone grieves differently.

RUNNINGWITHWOLFPACK: Or not at all, if you’re VV’s sis.

PLANTSOVERPEOPLE: Would exploiting VV’s memory be better? Sasha could’ve made bank doing interviews, writing books about her sister—she even turned down an offer to do a reality show. I’m curious what she’ll say when she finally does talk.

DAGLITTERBOMB: Same. Maybe the WP will finally see her as a decent, loving sister and get off her ass.

RUNNINGWITHWOLFPACK: side-eye Yeah, and maybe Sasha will confess she’s kept Violet in her attic all this time.

PLANTSOVERPEOPLE: Like you wouldn’t already know with all the stalking and trespassing.

RUNNINGWITHWOLFPACK: I didn’t do any of that shit and don’t condone it. All respect to my fellow Wolfies, but some of y’all are giving the fandom a bad name. Drag Sasha all you want online, but don’t fuck w/ her IRL.





Sasha


January 9, 2018

When I get home from work, the first thing I see is that stack of flyers, hot pink papers glowing from the top of the credenza like they’re radioactive. I drop my keys into a candy dish beside the stack. These damn things are plastered all over town, and now they’re in my home.