Hey guys,

I found this quite interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkOkGE6pujE

This guy is performing XCM as a restaurant magician. I don't do any of this stuff (XCM), but I'd like to hear other magicians comments about this.

He get's some reactions, but I myself don't like the idea. What if you screws up, and the cards end up everywhere.


Looking to hear you thoughts,

Miikka Pakarinen

More like juggling than magic. Didn't the little child with the drink seem interested? Maybe if the "entertainer" put on a red nose?

JMHO

Cheers!

If someone approached me at a restaurant and did that, I'd probably suffer two minutes of it before I told him, in a polite way, that he shouldn't mastur**** in public.

First of all, I don't even know what "XCM" is but judging by his performance, I don't care to know. This type of entertainment is not appropriate for any restaurant. The only one being entertained here is HIM.

Maybe we all should post a comment and let him know how we feel. Too many comments stroking his ego.

I was pretty bored watching the video....impressive, kinda. Entertaining? not for me.

Posted: Feb 24, 2008 12:04pm
Just posted a comment...everyone give it thumbs up!

You watch Steve, we're gonna get flamed by a bunch of 12 year olds.

First of all if you as a magician, look at this then you as a magician will be bored because there is no trick.

a problem what these XCM (EXTREME CARD MANIPULATION)guys have is that they are so into thier selves with practicing the hard stuff. because of that the are boring because they lack energy and presentation.

his ribbonspreads are not impressive because the are not catched just above the floor.

the young man is still young but he has to work on his presentation AND personality.

my believ is that you can make a little routine with flouriches and make it entertaining but for that you need an entertainer.

If you think about it, they're all just a bunch of flamers anyways!!

I was able to get through about a minute of it.
He was not very entertaining.

The standard quote applies...

"Before you can be entertaining with a deck of cards, you need to be entertaining without one".

This is the downfall of nearly all magicians when they start out and most magicians long afterwards.
Card tricks are not entertaining.
Card tricks are not entertaining.
Card tricks are not entertaining.
Card tricks are not entertaining.
Card tricks are not entertaining.
Card tricks are not entertaining.
Card tricks are not entertaining.
Card tricks are not entertaining.
Card tricks are not entertaining.
Card tricks are not entertaining.

If what I repeated several times offends you I'm sorry but you're probably a boring magician.

And watching a boring person show off is REALLY not entertaining.

This is the worst example of "card magic". A boring kid, staring at his hands, telling you everything he's doing, with no personality, just showing off.

This has every possible example of why magicians are laughed at and sent back to the back room to entertain children so the adults can be left to enjoy themselves.

Skillful AND entertaining. Not just skillful is what's required.

Too many "magicians" just don't get it.
Do you?

Oh, right, gotcha.

I'm not gonna me mean to him because I know he IS young and I am sure he won't take his magic to the next level and actually make a living at it. If he feels he needs to do that to make himself feel good, who am I to criticize him? To each his own, I choose to make a living entertaining other people and not just myself.

A flourish here and there during your performance if great but in a restaurant it's not a good idea to do NOTHING BUT at a table.

He obviously put a lot of practice in to this,however,this is more akin to skateboarding than to 'artistic' manipulation with cards.

Regular folks are quickly bored with the stunts like this.This young fellow would do well to study someone like Jeff McBride,and learn how to create a theatrical performance using these abilities.Just a thought.

Rich

A.E.R.P.W.N.C.L.B.C.

You are right Frank, "Card tricks are not entertaining". It's up to the performer to make them entertaining. I did my 30 (more like 45) minute close up routine for an adults 40th. birthday party last night. There were about 25 adults present. My performance included about 85% card magic (it just hit me last night) but I made them entertaining, I had them in stitches the entire time.

Cards are just tools, as are coins and other props. It's up to the magician to breathe life into them, to make them entertaining. Otherwise, EVERYTHING in magic is boring.

It's nice to hear people are on the same frequency with me. I think that some of hes moves could be easily incorporated into a card trick, but with his showmanship I highly doubt no tricks would save him.

But mostly I wonder how did he get the job...

Guys like him work just tips or for little to nothing. I had a 12 year old guy move into one of my restaurants shortly after I did his bar mitzvah. Apparently he was so impressed with my magic that he wanted to be just like me. He worked for free the the owner liked that. Needless to say, I wasn't kept for to much longer.

But I digress........

I wonder if he even works there, or just doing a "trial night" kinda thing...look at the way he's dressed. I'd never show up in a restaurant looking for a gig dressed like that....

Oh well....whatever.

I don't think he got a job, did he? I thought it was just a competition.

I am not trying to be mean as the kid is young. No problem there.
Since it's on YouTube, however, people should know as soon as possible and as clearly as possible that this is NOT what to shoot for if you want to be a magician.

Hobbiesst? Sure. Go for it. Paid performance? Please!

I couldn't get the video to load but I ran into a bunch of the XCM kids a couple three years ago. First they were upset that I don't believe Devo exist, I think he is that guy, sorry I can't remember the name, in Colorado I think it is who puts out the XCM stuff but is really kind of boring so he created Devo. There was one kid who claimed to do nothing but a manip act in a restaurant so I asked him to do it. He said, and I'm not kidding, that he didn't have time because his table side manip act is....ready? Really, he said this....45 minutes long! That is right, he told me he did 45 minutes at each table!

Should of asked him what restaurants he is in and what time can you come by to catch his act.

I guarantee you that he wouldn't do 45 minutes at my table...unless he could do the last 43 minutes with my butter knife stuck in his back.