WMF Michael P. Lair

Is it so hard to do magic without being smug about it?
Is it so hard to come across as a genuine and honest?
Is it so hard not to sell crap?

Obviously it is. Featuring Michael P. Lair. Five-time winner of the award of Special Merit for Creativity from the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Five-time winner of the national magic competition at the yearly Magi-Fest in Columbus, Ohio. First place award winner in the stage competition at the Cleveland Magic Convention and more bravado can be found on his website.

Look at this:

This is bad. Cute idea, maybe, but turning a sponge ball into a poker chip? Boy, one needs to create a whole lot of motivation around this.

But I see where Michael wants to see himself. As an elegant magician reminiscent of the old times when everything was good, magicians were respected and respectful to one another and when a man handling candles was standard.

Does this actually fool?

The ditching of the candle was way too obvious and the hand clearly has something in the hand to begin with. (You can actually see it at 0:08 in his right hand)

Are those mistakes OK in a promotional video? No, there not. I would film it again. Or maybe this was the best take before it was bedtime.

Or this one:

I consider this direct spoiling of the method.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR, why is this man such a bad performer? Why are his unique ideas so weak? Why is he so obsessed with streaming coils? And why is his attire always so clean?

I guess I'll never know. But I'll make him WMF. One more bravado he can add to his website.