DANIELS, Paul (1938 – 2016). Paul Daniels Magic Show ‘Goldfish’ Letter of Complaint and Response. With a receipt stamp of the BBC dated August 31, 1984, the ALS from one Mrs. P.E. Thomas reads, “I wish to protest most strongly the way Paul Daniels was spinning the bowl of goldfish on the programme last night. Any aquarist would tell you that this should never be done. Apart from the fact that there were too many fish in the bowl, one could see that they were completely disoriented after the spin, and crashing into each other. This was a very insensitive part of the programme, and one can only hope that children watching the show would not follow his example. Paul Daniels has certainly gone down in my estimation.” With the original mailing cover and Paul Daniels’ inter-office ALS response to the complaint attached, the latter reading in full, “Dear Mrs. P.E. Thomas, As I sit here in a restaurant eating my trout I think the goldfish got off lightly. [SIGNED] Paul Daniels.” Sold together with an autographed portrait postcard of Daniels, and a collection of Daniels' annual Christmas cards and other cards signed by Daniels and his wife.
John Fisher, producer of The Paul Daniels Magic Show, recorded his memories surrounding the receipt of this letter in his 2021 book Heroes of Magic, recalling that it was received in response to, “… a demonstration of cod inventions in which Paul included a self-exercising machine for goldfish. This was simply a goldfish bowl rotating on a revolving gramophone turntable.” Fisher went on to describe Daniels’ reaction which led to the note offered here: “As we sat in the restaurant, I produced the letter and showed him. His combination of outrage, amazement, and laughter matched my own from earlier. He looked up and said, “Do you mind if I answer this for you?” [the letter had been handed to Fisher as producer of the show, not Daniels.] No problem. He gave me back the form, upon which he had written [the above message]. I never bothered to send the form back on its petty bureaucratic merry-go-round ….”