It's the audience's fault

Here a pro tip that some pros don't want to hear. Sometimes the spectators are the ones to blame for killing your show. I give you an example. Let's assume you do your rope routine. You have done that routine hundreds of times. And there is that one part where you always get applause. But this time you don't. What's wrong? Did you go away from your usual patter? Was you intonation wrong? Is you fly open? Do you wear a dirty costume?

Sometimes the answer is to be found with the spectators. Some are just to darn tired to clap or to laugh or whatever. Sometimes it is not your fault. Most pros will tell you that the spectator must never be made the guy responsible for killing the show. Well, most often you can get around the issue by waiting. In our case people don't applaud after you made ends end and middle of the rope switch places. Usually they do. But now they don't. LET THE AWKWARD SILENCE SINK IN. They will applaud because they feel uncomfortable with the silence and need to fill it themselves because you don't do it.

And that might actually loosen up the audience so the rest of the show runs smoothly. If it happens again, you can start filling the gap with a corny joke: "Looks like you see this sort of thing every day." Now they should get the message.

Maybe, just maybe they are just tired. Or maybe they don't like you or magic. And here is why! People gather in groups of shared interest. Those are called friends. A party usually has a lot of friends in one place. They are friends not just because they share the same interests, but also because they think about stuff in similar fashion.

So if you have bad luck, you run into a group which doesn't like going crazy mad every time you make a card come to the top of the deck. Maybe they don't like your look. Maybe you look like those Ellusionist magicians. Maybe they wan't you to get a hair cut and a real job.

It's their fault your show is ruined, but them must never be called out on that. But know that deep inside your show was a good as always. Don't let a bad experience let you down. Sometimes it's the audience's fault.

So I wanna wish you a Merry New Year. (or whatever you say in order to be politically correct)

Have fun with your gig tomorrow!

What? You don't have one tomorrow.... then you're not a pro! ;)

Three Realities

What book would you recommend for a beginning magician? "Magic for Dummies" by David Pogue? "Close-up Magic" by Nicholas Einhorn? "Magic Tricks for Grownups" by Jon Tremaine? Or even "Magic: The Complete Course" by Joshua Jay?

Think back when you first learned magic. Did you really get a book first? Only a few of us have been so lucky? Before we got a book we had a trick.

In my case it was the Ball and Vase that my grandpa used to own. It was a plastic version. It was dark green and the ball was black. Like a black pearl. He used to fool the hell out of me. And one day I stole the darn thing.

So that was my serious introduction to magic. A criminal act. Next Christmas I got my first magic kit... yeah who's been naughty or nice? My first book on magic was years later. I was in third grade and my reading skill finally has come to a degree that I had fun doing the reading.

But before I read the book I had tinkered with magic stuff many times. And if I hadn't done so I probably would have had a hard time to comprehend even half of what the book was talking about. I was 8 years old. I had a hard time to differentiate between the reality the spectators where perceiving and the reality I had. And that I had to pretend to have the same sort of fake reality that my spectators had. And rather difficult concept really! Now imagine the enlightenment the following trick had on me:

A bowl of rice. You place a wooden ball on the surface of the rice. Then you lift the bowl above every ones head. And then you shook the bowl slightly. And when you brought the bowl down the ball had become golden. I knew what was going on, but realizing to pretend to be amazed myself got me a greater reaction I slowly understood the meaning of magic. Because I didn't see the ball change my reality was the same as the spectators reality. Now I only had to deny the absolute reality of it being a trick and physics and all.

That knowledge really helped me to "pretend". Now when I change the color of a ball I see it. But I can pretend not to see it. Therefore I don't send any signals of guilt or that of a different reality apart from the spectator's reality.

And that is something that those books do not teach you. At all. I made this little drawing I should have seen many, many years ago:

WishCraft..... uhhhhhhh

Review Shows Suck

I need to get that of my chest. There are a few people dedicating time and effort in creating review shows for magic effects. And almost all of them suck. Expect the Magic Friday one. Most know of course would be the Wizard Product Review by the greatest host the magic scene deserves. Craig Petty and David Penn.

Granted, the two have some understanding of magic. But whatever goes beyond their level of expertise and their level of experience as real world performers will be oblivious to them. So it feels like a possible train wreck is coming with each new episode. I'm happy that lately they have focused on just their level of magic. Reviewing Tenyo.

Is it that hard to be honest about a product? Well they are selling products so naturally they are not allowed to be honest.

So here's my idea: To all the manufacturers of magic. If you want an honest review of your magic send it to me. I tell you how much you suck or I will praise you into heaven if you really have something good to offer. I got real world experience. I perform casual and formal. For kids, adults and corporate entities. I perform a lot. I do think I have a commercial sense when it comes to magic products. So what I will give you is the opinion of a working pro who performs for all but magicians.

There is a bit of a catch. I'll review everything I get. If you send me any crap or any gold I will review it. With video and all. And there is nothing you can do about it.

So who has the balls to spend money to send me some stuff? Write me an email so we can work out the details!

PS: Do the reviewers get to keep the stuff or do they send it back?

PPS: Happy Holidays!

Magic Pirates Exposed

This has totally gone under my radar. But I love it. Apparently some guy created a fake website called http://www.sharethemagic.biz/ and people were able to sign up for free pirated magic.

Then he published all the names and email addresses of the people who joined. Unfortunately he removed the list of the people who joined fearing legal consequences. But here is a nice copy: http://instablogg.com/kV8iZxw. have fun recognizing certain names. ;)