Ok...so I just watched the first episode and here are my thoughts.

Ok...so the plot is simple. It's Magic meets American Idol basically. The magician wannabes are ANT, C. Thomas Howell, Chris 'Kid' Reid, Hal Sparks, Lisa Ann Walter, Carnie Wilson and Kim Wyatt. Ok...so these arn't exactly your "top shelf" celebs, but it's VH1 so I guess it's not that big a deal. They all compete to be the best Celeb Magi for a prize (sponsered by Ellusionist) of $100,000. My hope is you don't have to spend the money AT Ellusionist...geeze...how much crap that would buy!!!!

First thing that I flipped over is that Jonathan Levit is the host. WOW!!! AWESOME!!! The next thing I thought was great was that Jeff McBride is one of the Judges. VERY COOL!!! The other judge for this episode was Franz Herari (sp?)...WTF??? Having him as a Judge of Magic is like having Criss and Uri host Phenom...but I digress. Tho' he wasn't on this episode I hear Max Maven will also judge so that will very cool!

Now...who will teach the Celebs how to perform? The Top Shelf list of Magicians that assist the celebs is wonderful. Derek Hughes, Silly Billy, Rocco, Murray, David Regal, Asi Wind and the great Simon Lovell.

Their job is to take celebs and teach them magic and throw them to the wolves to see if they sink or swim.

It's a great concept I think for one reason. It will show people JUST HOW FREKIN' HARD it is to do what we do! Magic ain't easy (as we know) and not everyone can do it and do it well.

Their first challenge...STREET MAGIC! Watching their perforamnces was painful (tho 2 really did a great job I thought). They would muster up a crowd of people and then they'd BOMB. The trick wouldn't work or the way the presented it was sub par. Very painful and I could feel the failure in the pit of my stomach. It was great to see! LOL!

Sadly, this is on VH1 so it won't reach a wide audience, but I think the first show went off very well. Next weeks challenge...performing at an Elementary School! YIKES!!!!

I agree with most of what you said with the exception of your Franz Harary comment. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and you are entitled to yours. However, Franz may not be the best on stage performer by any means. But, he is very much an innovator in the magical arts. He has designed and manufactured and developed more creative illusion concepts then most people couldin their lifetime. For that I admire and respect him. He loves the artform of magic and has shown nothing but respect for it anytime I have met him. I do not think he deserves to be belittled in that way in my own opinion. I think he was a very much deserving judge and knows what he is talking about.

Just my opinion is all.

Kyle

Right on Kyle,

The show was alright, but one thing that ticked me off is:

Since when the heck do you start advertising magic's secrets to the general public, I guess brad is just out there to make a quick buck and doesn’t care about the art, and treat it with the right respect it deserves

Maybe I’m just over-reacting. Let me know guys?

You mean like the Jaw Dropper videos a few years back? This is nothing new. How about all of the Magic Marvin sets and Marshall Brodene sets advertised and sold over the years. (Marshal Brodene, God I'm dateing myself)

First they have to watch the special to start with. Then they have to send for and watch the DVD's. SOME may even use this as a stepping stone to become a real magician, who knows, most of us started out with a small magic set and built from there.

Some will fall by the wayside. It has been this way for many many years, and will continue for many more.

I'm sure Franz is a nice guy and I know that he has come up with some great Illusions. I'm just not fan. My perogative...my review...my opinion. Nuff said!

As for Ellusionist whoring themselves...it's been done to death by other companies. Are they any different than the mail order stuff from the 50s and 60s? I don't think so. It's all the same worthless crap just advertised on a much higher scale.

What I like about this show MORE THAN ANYTHING is that it shows that what we do IS VERY HARD and takes MUCH TALENT to pull it off. Watching them bomb was great. It helps bring this point home!

Don't blame Brad- All of the top magicians involved with this program are getting paid. Brad is the one giving away the 100,000! I wouldn't accuse the judges and teachers of "selling out". I am watching this for the first time right now, and I enjoy it. Unlike most viewers, we are saying, "Wow, it's Rocco and David Regal" instead of "Wow, it's the girl from the Pussycat Dolls and Carnie Wilson".

More interested in the Cadabra than the Celbra.

They're making fun of Jeff McBride's jacket!

Regardless of your opinion, it's putting magic into the public consciousness!

It is a reality show with all of the required BS, but the showmen are coming out on top.. My money's on Chris "Kid".

If I was 14 right now, and had google, this would be the coolest show in the world (and if they could get Paul Harris on the show).

I don't know..."KID" did a pretty simple trick "sorry Richard Sanders". My money is on the Pussycat Doll! Her effect kicked tail and by far was the best one on the show. Chicks with broken beer bottles...now that's awesome! Oh wait...did she do a trick?

I think Hal Sparks is taking it, I mean c'mon he's got Rocco.

Eddie

I'll miss Simon Lovell. I knew him being paired with the hyper talkative and terribly unclever and unamusing Carnie Wilson was the kiss of death.

So far so good after the first show it seems. I just posted our interview with Simon Lovell, the first Magic Coach to be eliminated from the show along with Carnie Wilson. You can find it HERE.

In addition, I just got off the phone with Jonathan who was at a special premier party at the Magic Castle last night and will add that conversation to the site a bit later. We now have lengthy interviews with Jonathan, Show Producer Chris Martin , Max Maven, Jeff McBride. & Simon. all of which were great fun to talk to. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed doing them We will be posting interview with each judge eliminated as well as those celebrities that can make time to do so on the day after the episode airs.

I think this is going to be great for Magic in general. ::crosses fingers::

Posted: Apr 28, 2008 3:12pm
BTW.. under the interview with Simon, you can find a link to about 30 minutes of footage from the first show that didn't air during the premier.

cheers!

Im pulling for my friend Asi Wind, he is a great creator and peformer and Im sure can train Ant to be. The bill effect ant did is one of Asi's effects, it such a great idea.

SIX

That was a "differnt" treatment of the mis-made bill effect. I really enjoyed it. I had never seen it done that way before.

I agree, so far Hal has got it.

Unfortunately, not even Asi could overcome the self absorbed hyper defensive drama queen known as Ant. I'm glad he got to make him dissapear.

Unfortunately, not even Asi could overcome the self absorbed hyper defensive drama queen known as Ant. I'm glad he got to make him dissapear.

Anyone know where us Canadians can download episodes?

Since no one mentioned it yet...

The Effect is DAN HARLAN's and there is a complete thread on it, Magic names and the media, CELEBRACADABRA:

I loved this show... really. Everything except Ant. Sorry if anybody's a fan of his, but... I kinda doubt that's even possible. It was causing me tremendous physical pain to watch him perform my trick... not because I was never contacted to "clear" it (I would have anyway), but because I knew it was gonna save his sorry little (ENGAGE EXPLETIVE FILTER), and it did... "
--Dan Harlan

Before there was Celebracadabra, there was "The Celebrity Magic Challenge!"

The concept for Celebracadabra was pitched via a Pilot (which was never aired) called "The Celebrity Magic Challenge."

Copies were sent to numerous people within the magic community for their feedback and we have been lucky enough to receive one from a reader and have posted a clip for your enjoyment.

The two celebrities not before seen are Jerry Manthy (from Survivor) and Jane Wiedlin (from the Go-Go’s).

Also, you get to see yet another Ant vs Clown meltdown!

Chris called it! Kid's out, and The Pussycat Doll is a top contender. Hal Sparks has Rocco too..

Everyone likes and Underdog, so maybe cave girl will come through-

Eric

Is it just me, or does it sound like, during the promos and the show breaks, that the prize is $100,000 of magic education from Ellusionist? It sounds like it is not a $100k cash prize...

This kinda hit me a couple of times. I thought that's what it sounded like.

Comments?