Zipcode Man

Street performer David Rosdeitcher has developed a most unusual talent. He has committed ZIP codes and their associated locales to memory and can tell you instantly where you are from when given the ZIP code. His initial street performing talent was juggling, and he developed the ZIP code memory feat when he moved to Boulder, Colorado, and found, since there were already some very talented jugglers performing in the area, he needed something new to help set him apart from the other entertainers.

Mr. Rosdeitcher’s earlier street performing had brought him to many different towns around the United States, and he was able to use his knowledge of the landscape to help him remember all the different ZIP codes, aided by the fact that they do have some logic to the way they are designated, i.e. the numbers start low on the East Coast and get higher as you move West. As the act proved successful, he started spending more and more time memorizing ZIP codes as well as pertinent facts about each location. Mr. Rosdeitcher has also taken to traveling abroad in order to expand his repertoire and currently can even perform the feat with many foreign countries’ postal codes and even say something in the person’s native language!

Our director, Bill Kalush, was on hand to witness one of Mr. Rosdeitcher’s performances. Bill was sure that he was going to see the Zipcode Man stumped, as he was in the company of Lennart Green, one of the premier masters of magic in the known and unknown universe and also a resident of Sweden. Both were shocked when Mr. Rosdeitcher, immediately upon hearing Lennart’s ZIP code, correctly guessed the magician’s place of residence (Gothenburg).

If you are interested in learning more about Zipcode Man, check out the interview he did with NPR (transcript available here): NPR Interview