America's Got Talent star Murray SawChuck claims he's been 'unfairly targeted' after being banned from exclusive Hollywood magic club over viral video he posted EXPOSING tricks that was viewed 65 MILLION times

A former America's Got Talent semi-finalist who was sensationally suspended from the Magic Castle after nearly three decades believes he has been 'unfairly targeted' - and suggested jealous peers could have been behind the decision.

Magician and illusionist Murray SawChuck, 50, was kicked out of the exclusive members club earlier this month after he posted a series of clips exposing famous tricks to his Facebook page.

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Murray claimed the tricks, which included sword swallowing and disappearing flowers, have previously been debunked online, and that had his video not gone viral - he would not have been suspended.

'I think I'm being unfairly targeted in the sense that the stuff I'm revealing, I've shown before in videos,' he said. 'So my question is why now? I know why now - because the video did really well and got a lot of views. 

The video in question, posted on January 25, has racked up 65 million views and sees him performing a number of tricks before his wife, Dani, exposes him.

'I really believe that if the video only got 100 or 200 views, a lot of people wouldn't have seen it,' he said.

'I've been teaching tricks for a long time. I think what's a little unfair is the fact that exposing magic is exposing magic. You're showing how a trick is done. Right? 

'And [with] magic, you're supposed to create mystery. You're not supposed to expose a trick.

'But if I say, I want to teach a trick. Well, teaching is accepted. But teaching a trick is still exposing. It's just a nicer way of saying you're exposing a trick to hopefully someone wanting to learn it.'

Noting the irony, Murray pointed out: 'A lot of these magicians have taught tricks online or in courses to get people involved in magic. We want to keep this old art alive.'

Murray had been a member of Magic Castle – a Hollywood based clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts and for magicians and magic enthusiasts – for more than 26 years.

Reflecting on why members reported him, he said: 'I think there's a handful of magicians that were unhappy with what I did online, and I unfortunately think [it's] because I have been in the business a long time.

'Because I had a show on the Las Vegas Strip, I guess that carries a bit more weight too. If I wasn't as known or the videos didn't do you know 65 million views….'

Upon learning earlier this month that he was being banned from the Magic Castle pending a review, Murray said: 'I was actually blown away and surprised.

'I was totally shocked by it. I've been teaching magic online since 2015. Probably one in every 10 videos we put up in a teach a trick video, because people want to learn and that's how I learned magic.

'I had a friend back at home in Vancouver, Canada, where I'm from originally, who showed me a couple of tricks and exposed their magic to help me. 

'I loved it, and I got into it. I assume that I'm now one of the top magicians in the world working. And so that's how you get an interest in it, you know?'

Murray, who shot to fame after appearing on the fifth season of America's Got Talent in 2010, likened his videos to people going to Universal Studios and learning how movies are made. 

'All of a sudden it sparks an interest and you go, "Wait a minute, it's not real? We can actually make this stuff up and make a great storyline and be entertained?"

'And that's how you get the Aaron Spelling and Ron Howards and all these wonderful directors and movie makers.'

Despite breaking Magic Castle's rule of not exposing magic tricks, Murray implored that his videos were not disturbing anybody's works of art.

'You're not discrediting anybody's work of art because they [magicians] will use their own signature things they do - and it's stuff that you can buy online,' he said.

'And I said, I'm okay with that because I'm not affecting anybody.'

Should Magic Castle U-turn on its decision, Murray would gladly return to the club.

'I would welcome that,' he admitted. 'Of course, I love the Magic Castle. When I first performed there when I was 24 years old, it was amazing.

'You know, legends have walked through the door, everyone who's a magician has been in that building, it's the Carnegie Hall for magicians.'

Showing no sign of ill-feeling towards the club's decision, Murray added: 'I think it's phenomenal what that place is and I will always uphold the Magic Castle. I love the place. I would always recommend it to people.

'They have a great youth program, you know, for young petitioners to learn and everything and yeah, it's a literal place.'