In his teens, Valentino performed with the "International Cultural Awareness Program" for over a million students throughout the Unified School Systems.
By the end of the 1980s and into the 1990s, Valentino had moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and was performing in casino shows including Viva Las Vegas[3] and Splash, in addition to having appeared on programs such as The Merv Griffin Show and PM Magazine,[4] as well as in the music video for Herb Alpert's "Magic Man".
[5] In October 2017, Valentino announced that he had been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer, and was given one year to live from the time of the diagnosis.
[6] In June 2020 in an interview with the Brazilian show Domingo Espetacular of RecordTV, he said he was cured and that he is in Brazil preparing a project.
Kevin Spencer, a touring magician based in Lynchburg, Virginia who performs with his wife, Cindy, said the specials forced the duo to scrap two of their tricks.
Spencer stated: "We're disappointed that someone who made his living performing the art of magic for over 25 years would be so quick to betray their community.
According to Kole, he licensed the trick to seven of the top 10 magicians in the world and estimated his financial damages as a result of the special at more than $500,000 (equivalent to $914,503 in 2023).