Hi all! I sent the following to Pop Haydn but I'd be interested to hear your thoughts as well.

I'm developing a character who's main thrust is a world traveler who spent his 20's on a journey around the world, learning grifts, cons, and arcane skills and knowledge. Much of the character is derived from experiences that I more or less have invented out of whole cloth. I find the character attractive in a lot of ways, but one concern sticks with me. I'm aware that perception of character is vital to presenting strong magic and if the illusion of character is broken, the magic suffers. I've no problem lying to the audience in this way during performance. It's before and after that bothers me, particularly when it comes to clients. Am I falsely representing myself if I don't make it clear to the people who hire me that I'm playing a character and that much of my "life story" is fiction? I'm worried that, on the one hand, it will weaken the magical experience I'm trying to provide by coming clean, and on the other hand, doing something wrong by not disclosing the fictional nature of my character.

This in particular is the sort of thing I'm worried about: say a client approaches me after a show and wants to know more about,say, the "6 months I spent grifting my way across Europe". Leaving aside concerns of maintaining a believable lie, do I present myself as earnestly and truly having done so (ie lying to them when their guard is down and they are likely to believe whatever I tell them)? If I get more work based on these undisclosed lies, and they honestly believe I have had these experiences, am I in effect "picking their pockets"?

Sorry for the long message. I'm just struggling with this possibility and hoped you could offer some advice. In any case, thanks so much for your time.

You die with the lie.

Here is the problem. When you can't maintain the lie they call you a fraud and the whole thing crumbles.

It is a fine line. Is it a charecter you ate presenting and they are bung that, or is it a lie experience from a person they think they are buying? Just so they know it is all good.

In other words, make it clear I'm playing a character? That sounds like the ethical thing to do and it would certainly sit a lot better with me. I don't want to defraud people, even if the character does. But I guess my concern is if the power of the magical experience dies with the character.

That seems to be the line.

It becomes a question of what they are purchasing. If they are purchasing your charecter that is one thing. If you are selling the "experience" it becomes a sticky wicket.

Putting in business terms definitely helps clarify the issue for me. Thanks very much for your feedback.

No problem.

Really the only ethical issue is if they are paying you because you have these experiences or because you are playing a character. When that is clear there are or should be no issues.

There is a difference between lying about your credentials and playing a character. Your character's backstory doesn't need to be part of your presentation. Often it is better if it is suggested and hinted at, rather than "told." Denying your obvious history might be even more convincing. "I've known people that not very evolved, who made a living by taking advantage of others. I haven't defended such behavior in a long time, but you can understand how the unscrupulous can view things..."

An author who conducted a creative writing course I took years ago in college, when asked about how "autobiographical" his writing was would reply, "It is 90% autobiographical, 100% fiction."

This does help with a background that is



I also agree with



After all, some of the material you talk about might be illegal - even felonious. You certainly wouldn't want to admit to that!

Y'all are silly.

Your craft is entirely about deception. Live with it or get out and do something else.

Or let's put it another way. Do any of us worry about whether, say, Gwyneth Paltrow is who she says she is?

Only nerdy magicians worry about whether their spectators might get confused about what is real and what is fake.

Mentalists especially have this problem. "Oh my goodness...I'm so convincing that some people might believe I have REAL POWERS! I need a disclaimer to save my clients from superstition!"

This is a topic which would be much better served in the theory forum, but I'll still say it here: treat your clients as intelligent people. Maybe they are indeed intelligent.

Everyone knows she is an actress and are passing her for her acting abilities.

Once you start doing this and money changes hands it is about business and if you want to stay in business you do not make clients feel cheated.

Here's a thought... When the client comes up to you and wants to know more about the "6 months I spent grifting my way across Europe"...

Just say, "Oh.. It's just an act. I'm a performer."

Randi

Randi nails it again I would revise it a little bit. I wouldn't say "it's JUST an act" as this seems to reduce its worth. I'm really proud of my act and what it is. I would maybe try something along the lines of, "What I do on stage (or in my show) is a carefully crafted act and if you believed me, that means I did my job really well."

I will use this. That is a great line!