LOS ANGELES — Change has come to the Magic Castle after a scandalous stretch — and guests will notice it moments after they enter the storied venue.
For years, there was something of an open secret among the club's roughly 4,000 members: the central staircase's slatted railing afforded men at the ground-floor bar an intimate view of women as they ascended the steps.
A 2020 Los Angeles Times investigation, which disclosed an array of claims about bad behavior at the Castle, quoted a magician who said other people joked about "prime seats" from which women could be unwittingly ogled. That report uncovered allegations of sexual misconduct, racism and other issues at the Castle, home to the Academy of Magical Arts, arguably the world's most prestigious club for magicians and magic enthusiasts.
