Jim, you wouldn't expose real magic - and besides you do stuff for real, correct? I suppose you could expose "frauds" of the paranormal..... and then demonstrate you can do their fraudulent tricks using true paranormal abilities! Now that would be a cool switch of cliche - feel free to credit me if you use that for your series theme someday


Posted: Aug 13, 2006 7:38pm
---------------------------------------------
Oh yeah - for those who love exposure with a twist - including an explanation of the BCS of Osterlind

http://www.mallusionist.com/

That's what Randi does, and Jim mentioned Randi in the OP as an example of (bad?) exposers.

If truth-telling is a defense, then why bother with these guys at all? They are telling what they believe to be true. I'm all for truth-telling and eye-opening.


More tickets? Probably not. World domination? Haha. Will he sell product to magicians? Yes. I recommend you use the Café search function to see how many times "Jim-Callahan" has used James Randi as a publicity-gathering device for himself. Perhaps a quick trip to his website will give a bit more info.

John

I wrote this back way back when. It still applies, I think.


A guy with no talent found a way
to get himself on TV one day.
He put on a mask
(Why? Don't ask.)
and gave magic secrets away.

Among magicians, this caused a foray:
"Why...oh, why?" they all did say.
But they forgot the first rule
we all learned in school--
'Ignore it...it'll all go away.'

Naturally this guy's ratings grew
'cause the magicians screamed until blue.
So the networks said, "Thanks...
(while running to their banks)
We couldn't have done it without YOU!"

Then the pariah himself took the stand,
claiming, "I'm improving magic-land!"
But I know in my heart
It wasn't for the art--
more likely for the sixty-plus grand.

Finally, he appeared on the screen
removed his mask and said, "I'm coming clean!
I'm Valentino!", he cried
and laymen nationwide
thought, "Uh...what does THAT mean?"

It doesn't end here, let me tell you--
the network exposures continue.
Perhaps if we made a deal
and claimed magic is real
we'd get shows like the 'psychics' do.

So the next time some bozo comes along
showing tricks in ways that are wrong,
just look away
for a month and a day...
we'll all be here long after he's gone.


Best,
Mick Ayres

Mick:

That is beautiful!

Thank you.

Tony

I'm trying to ignore my Diabetes...but it won't go away...?
I'm not sure that Philosophy works for big things?

Slim:

You have to admit, it was well written though.

Tony

John,/Magnus

You gave me a good laugh.
(Your Avatar and your comments)

Your Avatar is you with an effect "Penn & Gillette " exposed.

Do you not care?

Are you a lap dog for these guys.

Look I get nothing out of being here other than building freindship with others who would shake my hand and stand with me.

I will post my answer and explanation tomorrow about Criss.

Jim

Mick is a very good poet! No doubt.
What a weird deal with Magnus' avatar....Makes me smile too!

I missed the Magnus avatar as well. Nice catch Jim! That gave me a good chuckle. I needed that.

My thoughts on the original post-
Kreskin wrote a book and Blaine wrote a book, but they had a different method as well as motif for exposing...
Kreskin might write a book to further knowledge of existing magicians. Blaine wrote a book to not just further knowledge, but to interest people who might want to be magicians. Blaine's book had a few select tricks, but nothing superb or astonishing. His book contained a good amount of magic history, not to mention an autobiography of a famous magician.
So what's the difference between Criss and David?
On Criss' tv show he exposes to make money and try to get viewers for his next airing. In Blaine's book he exposes to further interest in magic and thus keep our profession alive.
I've seen many Criss Angel episodes and I've read Blaine's book. Criss uses his show to expose to mass audiences, but does Blaine? I don't think I've ever seen or heard David Blaine advertising his book, and if he has he probably didn't say, "You can learn this trick by reading my book."

Mac King did the same thing on World's Greatest Magic as Criss is doing today- trying to get ratings and viewers, plus money, by hurting his own profession.

I don't agree with Exposing, and I don't accept it. If laymen want to keep seeing magic performed they shouldn't accept it, either. Most people I know don't.

No - I meant Jim/Jack would expose the frauds but then not duplicate their effects through explainable things - JJ would do REAL paranormal things to show what REALLY it would be...

i.e. Sucky McTooth (Bucky's evil twin) is using his magical skills to exploit some home for orphaned grandmothers placed in a crooked old age home with children planning their demise - hired to scare them to death so the in-laws can get the $, JJ comes to the rescue and unmasks Sucky and his crew of pseudo-poltergeists - then he conducts a true ghost summoning - which still gives many of the residents heart attacks... but it was real paranormalism - not some fakery - (Hey JJ, my dog Scooby says he will help you out) - ok... this was a joke...now a serious scenario:

Some quack does some spirit "healing" of some sort - some people end up worse off - JJ is informed - comes to the rescue - exposes the method - and then heals the people for real using paranormal powers... that no one can explain - because JJ always travels around with his skeptic side-kick who carries a CSICOP kit and always says "JJ, you did it again! But one day I'll figure it out - or I'll just give in and become a believer!" (Casting for this role is still open)

See JJ and Terry13 tackle the case of the Yogi Yoddeler! The tarot trickster of Timogany! The crystal gazer of Gettysberg! An American Odyssey of wonder and awe!


Actually, I'd love to know the premise of JJ's show!

Kreskin wrote, "How to be a Fake Kreskin"...Brilliantly, he exposed nothing. David threw in a couple of card tricks ( In his book), but they had a historical significance relating to his career. I've never seen him expose anything on his TV specials.

I'm glad you enjoy my cups 'n balls hamster. Sadly Mr. Poffeles passed away this summer. By the way, not one spectator has said, "Hey, Penn and Teller gave that trick away!"

As a side note, I was in Wal Mart today, and they are selling genuine Bicycle stripper decks. What is the world coming to?

John

Give it some timeMagnus and you might just have someone say that to you.

Sripper decks are lame. That is kids magic and they belong in Wal Mart in my opinion. I don't have a problem with Kids learning magic. How did we all get started?

Maybe no one is SAYING it....but how many are THINKING it? A true test of your Mentalism skills..LOL

Kreskin exposed the use of carbon paper in imp b***ds.

Every show I have ever seen. Every person I have ever spoken to about magic they've seen. Everyone. They all say they knew how 85% of the tricks were done. Whether they are right or not is another matter. The point is that they believe they've worked it out. For all those tricks - there is no magic. You memorised the deck, you used stooges, wore magnetic glasses, had spring-loaded decks, etc. However, there is the remaining 15% that the audience can not figure out. There is a mystery and the 'magic' remains.

At the end of the day, you are assessed on how much the audience appreciated and enjoyed your show. If, for your 15%, you're relying on the sort of effects exposed by Penn & Teller et al. then it isn't really surprising that you're feeling a bit insecure.

I don't think good magicians are hurt by exposure. A great magician could show an audience how a thumb tip works, and later in the same act fool the same audience with a different thumb tip effect. Does anyone have any evidence that Randi or Penn & Teller have hurt other magicians?

You can take a thumb tip and demonstrate vanishing a silk in your fist. Even give the thumb tip to spectator and give him a go. And he's still amazed when his signed card is found inside bread roll. People only absorb so much information. Remembering fake thumbs is only triggered when silks disappear from closed fists.