I just spoke to Denny from Denny and Lee, and I placed an order for a few things. Among them was the effect "The Vanishing Bandana".
One of the acts that I do is a fairly light hearted, comedy show for all ages, and this seems like it would fit right in with my style.
I just found a link to a huge debate about this routine, and how it was stolen from Tom O by DC, etc...
I know that a similar effect was done back in the vaudville days...

What's the scoop here?
If I throw this into my act, am I being unethical?

I think it is wrong that anyone would steal this effect from the creator. However, I also think that it is wrong that this effect totally "disappear" just because someone did steal it in the first place. I think that the creator of the effect ought to come out and sell the original...IMHO, most magicians would buy the originator's version, knowing about the controversy of this and how the marketed version is a rip-off of the original.

However, to get back to your question, no, I don't think it is unethical for you to perform this effect. You bought it not knowing that it was a stolen trick, but you can't be expected to just forget about it because you found out someone other than the originator is marketing it. I think it would be wrong, however, for you to perform it if the original effect was available from the inventor and you knowingly bought the rip-off version. Hope this makes sense. If I have offended anyone with my opinion, I'm sorry. Please don't bite me!

Aye, I get what you are saying. I was most certainly buy it from the originator if he made it available.

Okay, let's throw some fuel on the fire or, even better, put the fire out:

Back in May of 1998, in my Showtime column in the Linking Ring, I did a routine called Top Banana, which is essentially what we are talking about here.

In that column, I pointed out that the first time I had seen it was on the old Ed Sullivan variety TV show about 40 years earlier -- and it was an ancient trick then!

Remember, this was first performed on national TV long before DC was born and Tom Ogden was performing in public!

In short, there is NO living person today who can claim to be the originator of the trick or even who knows who the originator is.

So -- you could hardly consider it unethical to use a trick that NO ONE can link to an originator (and if anyone says they can, they're lying; it's that simple!).

What has happened is that an old routine has been revived and, since so few remember the old routine, there is a tendency to credit the idea to whomever revived it.

Which, of course, is wrong.

cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aol.com

Thanks for clearing it up Peter!

I contacted Denny again and he essentially told me exactly what you just said.

I shall listen to those far wiser than myself.

Thanks again!

Jay

Well, Jay, it's nice to know that being "an old geezer" sometimes has its uses!
cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aol.com

It's refreshing to see common sense raise it's ordinary and rational head. Thanks.

By the way, did you all know that the Chinese Linking Ring effect was actually developed in India before rings were invented? (JK=JustKidding)

alleycat

I remember seeing a banana squashing routine as a kid, pre-Copperfield etc. too.

I didn't know of the Copperfield connection, and the ethical part would only come in to play if the presentation was the same with audio taped instructions, etc.

It has certainly been a good selling trick in its present incarnation. Problem in the UK is that most kids don't know what a bandana is!

I must check out what is being said about this effect.

Paul.

Of course the younger generations know what a bandana is- surely they've all watched "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"!

Hi Neil
How many real young ones know of Ninja turtles now? They have new cartoon characters/heroes to watch. And in every episode did they point at their bandanas and say, "Remember, this is called a bandana."

People have short memories, some children (even some adults no longer remember Paul Daniels). You don't need to be out of the public eye long to be forgotten Neil.

Of course I don't watch the cartoons Neil,perhaps the cartoons are being repeated on TV and still popular, but I thought there had been several crazes since Turtles were a hit. If so, I take it back, everone here knows what a bandana is.

Paul.

True, true. I suppose there has to be something new all the time to be "the next best thing"TM. But the turtles will live on somewhere, probably on a Sky Digital channel, or is that why ITV Digital went bust?

I'm sure the MTV generation know what a bandana is though because it seems to be the must-have accessory in any video(more so for rap and hip-hop).

I thought they call them 'do-rags' nowadays...?

Do you actually mean to tell me the "Do-Rag Squashing" routine is old hat?

alleycat