What do you think about the masked magician?

[Senex]

On American TV there is a weekly show where a masked magician exposes magic tricks just for the sake of exposing them. Many of these tricks are fairly new and could/should be purchased. This masked rascal has exposed a number of the few effects I perform, maybe poorly, but gosh darn it I don't want some idiot who has nothing better to do than watch the masked magician every week and then watch me perform a slieght I worked hours on only to state, "I watched the masked magician and this is how it's done."

The availability of knowledge on the web doesn't bother me because someone has to proactively look for it. Putting every magical secret, and I mean every secret, on TV for bored people to soak up and then not be later entertained by watching a live performance aggravates me. Personally, I have yet to not get away with an effect because of the masked magician but I suspect it is only a matter of time.

I've thought about mastering (well doing my best at least) four effects with water bottles for next summer -- this idiot has diminished my enthusiasm.

I am interested in your thoughts on the issue.

 

[Ron_Tomkins]

I guess it's the same bias as the issue of mp3s and the record companies. Since I do not work for a record company and I don't suffer monetary loses, I like being able to download mp3s so obviously I'm biased.

Since I'm not a magician, I actually enjoy being revealed the secrets behind these tricks because I am not affected negatively. Once again, biased and proud of it.

 

[Legend]

The whole idea pisses me off.

Making a living from making others' much more difficult.

That's what the world's about though I guess.

If he started revealing how classic card tricks were done, I'd shoot someone. Preferably him.

 

[AgeGap]

The availability of knowledge on the web doesn't bother me because someone has to proactively look for it.

Excellent point.

Putting every magical secret, and I mean every secret, on TV for bored people to soak up

I don't think most people who watch the programme will remember how the tricks are done a few weeks later. They are probably only half watching the TV.
Does seem a pretty crappy and unscrupulous idea for a show though.

 

[Senex]

I guess it's the same bias as the issue of mp3s and the record companies. Since I do not work for a record company and I don't suffer monetary loses, I like being able to download mp3s so obviously I'm biased.

This has similarities to stealing music but it isn't the same. The masked magician does not explain how to perform the magic, he only exposes the method (you can't watch the TV show and start performing magic yourself, unlike if you went to ellusionist.com and payed for a video where the fellow who came up with the effect, hopefully, gets a cut). It's more like listening to a bootleg song that will prohibit you from enjoying the original if you should ever hear it.

Since I'm not a magician, I actually enjoy being revealed the secrets behind these tricks because I am not affected negatively. Once again, biased and proud of it.

I have to admit, although I always hated the idea of the masked magician, I hate him more now that he has expanded into exposing close up tricks.

If he started revealing how classic card tricks were done, I'd shoot someone. Preferably him.

The only reason you may not end up incarcerated on murder charges is a big part of his shtick is he wears gloves. Believe me, if the show is renewed another year, the gloves will come off and the classic pass will be exposed (especially if Blaine or Angel use it on one of their shows).

 

[geni]

If he started revealing how classic card tricks were done, I'd shoot someone. Preferably him.

Why? The details are already trivialy avialible.

Most forms of IP other than trademark expire eventualy. Fail to see why card tricks should be any different.

 

[Legend]

On TV people are watching, on the internet you have to look it up to find it out.

 

[geni]

On TV people are watching, on the internet you have to look it up to find it out.

So? Someone who is just passivly consumeing is even less likely to recall any of it than someone who goes looking for a youtube vid or the like.

 

[Legend]

I highly doubt that they will forget how it's done.

If someone watches how Zig-Zag Lady is performed, then a year later, they see it again, they'll remember.

Even if they don't immediately, they will later on. Also, even if they couldn't remember it, when they see it, the amazement of the revelation or effect is lost. The trick dies to them.

Also, it doesn't require mass amounts of attention to get how the trick is done. If it's a stage illusion, there is usually one main secret to it. With cards, there are usually a whole set.

It's a stupid show.

 

[Jeff Corey]

At TAM2, Penn told a story that went something like this:
I was a a bar in Vegas talking to a couple of women and this ****bag came over with a woman and said, "Hey, Penn, tell her that I'm really the Masked Magician!" and I said, "I don't who the ****you are ***hole, **** off."

 

[The Professor]

The masked magician has just exposed an effect of a person whom I've enjoyed communicating with over the internet.

It must feel bad to have someone show the secrets that you invented on the TV for all to see, while you get Nothing and the masked magician gets paid for Your invention.

I hope someone sues Valentino!

 

[Legend]

Well said, mate.

 

[PhantomWolf]

As a viewer, I watch purely for the entertainment, it doesn't really matter if I know, or can figure out how someone does something (often if you look close enough you can see the practisioner's trick, I've even spotted a few of Cris Angel's and he's usually pretty hard.) The fun is in how well they do it. I mean, come on, everyone already knows that there is a sleight of hand to the trick, that it's not real magic, so the entire thing comes down to how well the magician pulls that trick off, not if the audience either know, or can figure out, how it was done. Heck if you are good enough that you can pull it off in front of people that know how you did it and leave them thinking, "well I thought I knew" that's even better.

 

[Legend]

Criss Angel is pathetic.

He is no more of a magician than by large toe.

He has minimal skills. If you were a magician you'd understand.

He frequently uses stooges to get the reaction he wants rather than an honest one. He uses camera tricks and generally doesn't actually use magic requiring any level of skill that a 3 y/o couldn't pull off.

Also, the trick RELIES on how well the magician pulls his trick off, however that's not what the majority or laymen would want to see. The fact is that they want to be amazed, if magic does that for them, great, magic works. If not, then magic isn't impressive.

However, if you're impressed with how well the magician pulls the magic off, you aren't alone and that is most certainly fine.

Alex.

 

[Shevek-72]

I really liked the one or two masked magician episodes I saw. It's actually the only sort of magic that I find entertaining.
I don't mind if it's simple magic with cards, sponge balls and false thumbs or the most elaborate stage magic with elephants and heavy machinery.
I know that they use trickery, I know I can be fooled by trickery. That by itself has no entertainment value for me. It's also frustrating, a bit like watching a film that ends with a cliff hanger that will never be resolved in a sequel.
But getting to know how I was fooled and how things work is fascinating and in no way deminishes the performance of the magician.
But perhaps that is only my engineering mindset that makes me prefer taking home the explanation for a mystery over the mystery itself.

 

[Senex]

Criss Angel is pathetic.

He is no more of a magician than by large toe.

He has minimal skills. If you were a magician you'd understand.

He frequently uses stooges to get the reaction he wants rather than an honest one. He uses camera tricks and generally doesn't actually use magic requiring any level of skill that a 3 y/o couldn't pull off.

Alex.

We agree the masked magician is a shameful concept. Chris Angel is a bit more complicated. Yes, stooges and camera angles have been involovled, but he creates more interest in the field of magic than would have been if he never was on TV. I'm not saying he is a hall of fame magician but outside of people starting to be skeptical of TV effects -- he does more good than harm.

I really liked the one or two masked magician episodes I saw. It's actually the only sort of magic that I find entertaining.
I don't mind if it's simple magic with cards, sponge balls and false thumbs or the most elaborate stage magic with elephants and heavy machinery.
I know that they use trickery, I know I can be fooled by trickery. That by itself has no entertainment value for me. It's also frustrating, a bit like watching a film that ends with a cliff hanger that will never be resolved in a sequel.
But getting to know how I was fooled and how things work is fascinating and in no way diminishes the performance of the magician.
But perhaps that is only my engineering mindset that makes me prefer taking home the explanation for a mystery over the mystery itself.

You shouldn't know about false thumbs. You have something in common with my mom. She never liked magic. My best friend in high school/college studied engineering and is now an engineer. His buddies were the roughest on my equipment when I handed it out for examination. They were one of my favorite audiences.

If I can put a coin through a beer can right in front of your nose next summer, you should understand it was a trick and think about the possibilities on your own instead of remembering what some ass learned and decided to expose for no other reason than making money from exposing the moves another person worked hard and long to make work.

 

[geni]

I hope someone sues Valentino!

For what?

 

[geni]

You shouldn't know about false thumbs.

The knowlage is pretty useless. The magician knows why they are doing you won't be able to spot it.

If I can put a coin through a beer can right in front of your nose next summer, you should understand it was a trick and think about the possibilities on your own instead of remembering what some ass learned and decided to expose for no other reason than making money from exposing the moves another person worked hard and long to make work.

So you would argue that if someone sees a liquid crystal being prepared through a Suzuki reaction you should work out how it is done yourself (which is unlikely to be posible) rather than useing a book written by someone making money out of the thousands of hourse people have spent optomiseing that class of reactions?

 

[Legend]

We agree the masked magician is a shameful concept. Chris Angel is a bit more complicated. Yes, stooges and camera angles have been involovled, but he creates more interest in the field of magic than would have been if he never was on TV. I'm not saying he is a hall of fame magician but outside of people starting to be skeptical of TV effects -- he does more good than harm.

Attracting people to magic is good, escept he attracts these type of people to magic:

"OMG lyk how did he dun dat? teh grl lyk jst disaprd i gonna lrn da trik now bye mo-fos"

Unfortunate, but true.

Alex.

 

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

I've watched a few of the shows and I don't think it will affect my enjoyment of magic much at all. After all, I did realize that it was just a gimmick, not real magick.

Magicians will just have to keep ahead of him, I guess.

~~ Paul