I'll post an honest report once the shows go to air.

- entity

Where you from entity?

Ontario

- entity

Let 6 year old's perform basic tricks badly, that way we just look better when we come along and perform complex tricks very well.

Perhaps we should think beyond our own immediate benefit or detriment. Beginning six year old Magicians deserve to have their beginner's secrets honored, too. They need their unspoiled audience, with which to learn to entertain and enchant. How else will they learn to respect the secrets of others as they grow in Magic?

- entity

Teaching magic on TV sends the wrong message. Isn't a big part of magic about secrets?

Psychologically, what it is about secrets that titlilates us magicians is beyond this thread, or maybe even human understanding.

But let us agree that secrets are a big part of magic.

So how can that "sense of secrets" be imparted to anyone, 6 years old or otherwise, when everything is being aired on TV?

The Sankey show has nothing to do with magic and is just another way to make a buck.

I'm still waiting for the review. I suppose it hasn't aired yet?

Not yet. I'm told it's not due to begin until the Fall.

- entity

Here's the promo for Jay Sankey's upcoming series:


Now you see it - now you don’t!

Ever wondered how on earth those magicians do that amazing stuff? Magic must be really hard to do, right? And magicians never tell us their secrets, right? So there’s no way that a funny, professional magician and his cool and enthusiastic kid assistant are gonna go on TV and tell us just how easy and fun it really is… wouldn't you like to see that!

Well then - Presto!

SpellzTM is a weekly hosted live action children's series for 6 - 9 year olds, scheduled to air on tvokids this fall!

Based in a Fun House and hosted by magician "extraordinaire" Jay Sankey and his pal, the Amazing Kid Assistant, Bridget Hall, SpellzTM is a fast paced, fun romp that reveals the mysteries behind everyday and “not so everyday” magic.

Using common objects such as coins, cards, and clips...paper clips that is, Jay will perform his amazing and unique brand of magic with humour and loads of fun. After each trick, Jay will then show Bridget, and the viewers just how he pulled it off.

- entity

The only ones worried about exposure are the dealers

And those who don't want their works openly discussed at all.

And those who wish to choose who knows their secrets.

The dealers just want money. If product X is not selling, they push product Y, no biggie for them.

I just got my Sankey email today, here's what he says about some TV shows he's filmed for kids...

============================
"SPELLZ"-THE TELEVISION SERIES

This past spring I taped 13 half-hour shows for a new children's tv series
called SPELLZ. Hosting the show (along with my charming 15-year old
co-host Bridget Hall) was one of the best experiences of my life
and I cannot begin to express how humbling it was to work with the
Ottawa-based production company, GAPC Entertainment. Everyone involved
had so much obvious RESPECT for the art of magic.

Each episode I got a chance to perform some serious sleight-of-hand,
teach a couple of simple "beginner" tricks (linking paperclips, jumping
rubber band, coin fold, etc) share some performance and practice tips and
even "act" during historical segments about Malini, Vernon, Houdini and
many more! (I just wish I was a better actor!)

Like I said, it was a truly humbling experience. When I think that
thousands of young people will watch the show, I feel deeply honored
to be part of such a creative and respectful television project.

However, I wasn't born yesterday and I know that there's no pleasing
everyone, and no doubt there will be at least a few magicians who take
exception with me teaching even such simple tricks as the wobbling
"rubber" pencil or indestructible toothpick.

But where would any of us who have made magic such a big part of our lives
be...if someone hadn't first shared with us the secret behind a simple
trick?

The question isn't IF we should share our love of magic (including a
few simple methods) with other people. We must, if the art is to have a
future.

The question is HOW we share it. And I personally I have no respect
whatsoever for anyone who exposes our craft in a cheap, exploiting "masked
magician" style.

Which is precisely why I jumped at the chance to host the SPELLZ tv series
because I saw that it was an opportunity to share my life-long love of
magic in a truly comprehensive, fun, respectful and educational way.

And as luck would have it, the Canadian broadcaster TVO is so psyched
about the show that, starting in September, they plan to put the show into
"high rotation" airing it five times a week!
========================================

comments please...

Folks,

I respect Jay and when I met him in 1986 he was a deep thinking student of performing and philosophy. Just because I'm seeing his note as based upon some rationalizations does not mean I've changed my opinion of him. Perhaps we disagree on this matter of offering to teach magic on TV. I've parsed ACMP's post above to address a few items



1) I can only speak for myself on this and I am sure I did not care one bit for or about the stuff I was shown years before I decided to study magic. Only after I decided I wanted to do magic FOR others did the methods have any value for me. In general others who are not looking at the world through the eyes of a magician would likely be doing something useful and bugging less people by telling them to "pick a card".

2) IF? Perhaps, though instruction is likely better managed in private. As to the necessity... IMHO not necessary as those who listen to the muses would discover the 'how to' stuff on their own.

3) Is this a claim of superiority for working with a larger budget and not wearing a mask? What next, a competition for who can expose the most magic secrets in a show segment? One could argue the opposite and claim a darker context as the masked magician did not offer exposure on a children's program and similarly claim he is more respectful of magic in that he at least wore a mask while doing the one thing magicians are not supposed to do... expose. ( someone's been reading too much Borges? )

IMHO unless someone asks to learn the "how to" and can make a promise to respect the "how to" behind magic itself, they are merely learning the mechanics of guile and not joining the ranks of those who offer magic to people.

It's 9am in a steaming hot NY and that's how I feel. Perhaps it's time for that first cup of coffee.

I'm interested to know if any of these shows have been aired yet. It seems that this thread has been around awhile so hopefully something has gone out and we can have some feedback based on actual observation rather than speculation.

C'mon guys....it's Canadian TV! No one will see it, they'll all be watching a hockey game!

<ducking and covering> Just a joke, hey?

Hey? .........i don't get it.

The show begins to air in September.

- entity

It sounds like the effects that Jay is teaching are some of the same effects taught in "The Healing of Magic" program and we aren't screaming exposure there. C'mon, isn't snapping your fingers a secret until someone shows you "how to do it". I think we have nothing to worry about.

Think about it, did you buy the rights to the 21 card trick before you performed it? And don't tell me that you never learned that one. And what about all of the other effects that you learned from library books?

It may create another generation of Sankeys, Copperfields, Burtons, etc.

Scott

Good points Jonathan. Let me say at the beginning I am opposed to ANY "blatant" exposure. I believe Frank Garcia made a few spins in his grave when JT exposed the three shell game on Mindfreak.

What is most amazing to me when reading various comments and replies in this forum concerning exposure, is the number of well posted magicians who defend this practice and continue to expose methods of the art, themselves. I can remember when even the smallest of secrets were treated with respect and you would never be invited on the "inside" by real "workers" once you betrayed that trust.

What would be the reaction any major television or cable network having an "insider" appear on radio and television segments nationwide, expose the weekly episode endings and season finale of a muti-million dollar production such as 24 for example, one week before the premier air date?? Would they even make it on the air? Would people such as this be considered as great promoters of their product or company?

Look at what happenend in the recent Coca Cola/PepsiCo situation when an employeee of Coke tried to sell certain formulas to Pepsi. This was a complete backfire for the employee, whether they were disgruntled or just greedy!!

Not every effect that most magicians perform can have an expose`/double kicker ending to cancel out the method such as the "silk to egg".

Many have said in this forum that the secret isn't what it is all about. It is the presentation, the style, and talent of the presenter. While I do agree that all of these qualities are needed; they are needed to help hide the METHOD. Otherwise we as magicians and mentalists would be nothing more than storytellers and Mimes (referring to silent magic acts).

Unfortunately, exposure will continue, but my respect for those who insist on "giving it away for free" will not.

mgl

How about "...but my respect AND SUPPORT for those ..."

Do not support them monetarily.

The actual show will probably do very little, if any, harm.

It's mostly the mindset behind it that's bothersome, at least to me.

I respect Sankey too. I saw a lecture of his once.

Perhaps it's just a phase he's going through. Perhaps, one day certain investments he's made, say, in the stock market will pay off and he won't have to resort to doing this kind of thing.