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Ed_Millis Inner circle Yuma, AZ 2292 Posts |
We are always hearing warnings about doing tricks with fire or long needles or other types of danger. I'm considering a balloon-eating routine and am getting the same cautions and warnings.
So the question is: Are there reports of kids getting hurt, setting the house on fire, etc, because they copied a magic trick? Ed |
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charliecheckers Inner circle 1969 Posts |
I really think most of these arguments are way over blown. The reason I choose to keep those things out of my performance is because I don't want the person hiring me to have any reason to be disappointed. What their perception is may be very different than mine. I do know some top performers who "get away" with breaking most or all of these types of "rules".
To directly answer your question though, I have never seen any such actual reports. |
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themagiciansapprentice Inner circle Essex, UK 1381 Posts |
I know that any eating tricks or balloon tricks will not get me re-booked at pre-schools. In fact, I was asked to take the sweets out of my dove pan routine and I have replaced them with magic trading cards. I instead settle for silliness and audience participation routines in these shows.
Balloons offer a choking hazard; scare some when they burst then also leave small pieces around for them to chew/choke on. With older children (over 6), I do a sketch with my puppet involving putting a balloon into my mouth. This has never caused offence. I don't do real danger tricks (escapes, wrist chopper etc) until they are of secondary school age, and even then do them as comedy pieces unless there is a family audience.
Have wand will travel! Performing children's magic in the UK for Winter 2014 and Spring 2015.
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plink Special user 661 Posts |
Child safety is of the utmost importance, but consider. Is this routine adding to my show-the gestalt-the sum of the parts bigger than the whole? Is this routine for me or them? Is this routine going to make me memorable in a way that is going to get me rehired? If I have to question something (just like mom use to tell you) I may already know the answerer.
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Danny Kazam Inner circle 1516 Posts |
I've perfomed the balloon swallow as the finally to my medeavil show before and never had any issues. Typically kids don't have those kinds of modelling balloons around, and even if they did they wouldn't be able to go far with it. I've had a lot of good feedback about my balloon swallow from parents.
We are entertainers, and although there are some gore (geek) tricks I don't perform for children, the stuff children see on t.v is far worse. I suppose it all comes down to knowing your targeted audience. Just don't hand out balloons afterwards. Lol
Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.
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alkazam New user 50 Posts |
I second what Danny Kazam says.
As long as the kids are old enough to understand that you are doing magic, they shouldn't copy you. You don't see kids running around copying Mario or anyother video game character. As long as you tell them not to try it at home, I think you're good. I don't do balloon eating, but I do a version of the Spiked trick. Instead of using a nail, I use an egg. So if a kid ends up copying me at home, he won't need to go to the hospital just his room (for making a mess) |
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Ed_Millis Inner circle Yuma, AZ 2292 Posts |
Thanks for the feedback. I had already figured that I would need some kind of "don't do this" and a pre-show statement/permission request exchange with the adults in charge that says "I am going to do something that takes training to do and could hurt if you don't know what you're doing."
I was just wondering if there were any stories of kids copying the magician and getting hurt. (I did have one mother say that the day after my show, all her spoons were bent! "Mom," her six-year-old said, "it's a magic trick!") Ed |
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jay leslie V.I.P. Southern California 9498 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-06-02 16:10, Ed_Millis wrote: Right there - as an adult who want to book a show - the red flags would come up and I would say NO no matter how you explained it. You're putting thoughts in their mind. Most people perform something and warn the kids as they're doing the trick. OR they don't do it at all. Someone said "kids don't have these balloons at home" No they don't but there are plenty of broken balloons that are on the ground after kids break them. The side of the balloon bag usually has a warning written on it so, as I start to make balloon animals I say "I joke about a lot of things but this is for real. The bag reads: Balloons are not good for small children or pets" . I tell the adults if they see balloons on the ground to throw them away. If I hear a balloon pop I immediately tell the kid to throw it in the garbage. If I see one, I pick it up and throw it away. If there is a pet in the house I tell the owner. But all this is done well after the balloon making begins which requires that I get hired in the first place.
Jay Leslie
www.TheHouseOfEnchantment.com |
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Christopher Lyle Inner circle Dallas, Texas 5698 Posts |
Roland...the creator of The Weekly Magic Failure gave me a spot to rant a few years ago as a guest columnist for his blog...
http://weeklymagicfailure.blogspot.com/2010/12/pc-bs.html Readers digest version... WHO GIVE A F$%& what other magicians think? Do what your comfortable with doing.
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius For a Good Time...CLICK HERE! |
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jay leslie V.I.P. Southern California 9498 Posts |
Sometimes a magician who has been around might have a bit of good advice for others.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_qu......-dSjQkMY
Jay Leslie
www.TheHouseOfEnchantment.com |
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Danny Kazam Inner circle 1516 Posts |
I would think that what you do is far more dangerous than a magician who swallows an inflated balloon, considering you are giving them the balloon to do it with. Also, what is the difference between warning the children to not try this at home, and warning parents to make sure they pick up broken balloon pieces? They are both warnings, no? I think the threat of an infant putting a broken balloon into their mouth is greater than a child going home and choking on an inflated balloon he/she tried to swallow.
You may have your opinion, and I'll respect it as such, as long as it stays as an opinion. P.S. Knives and balloons are two very much different things. @Christopher Lyle, thank you for the link. I totally agree. Quote: On 2013-06-02 16:59, jay leslie wrote:
Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
We talked about something similar before:
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=17 http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=17 |
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Danny Kazam Inner circle 1516 Posts |
Lol. I thought we were talking about balloons, not knives and fire. I suppose scissor's are also out of the question.
I just took my kids to the circus. I sure hope they don't try juggling fire, or knives now that they saw someone do it.
Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.
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Red Shadow Inner circle 1788 Posts |
Check out Lol Jolly 'loads of lolly' dvd. He performs the knife through arm and seven foot french guillotine in his kids show. I guess that's why most people outside of the court system have never heard of him...
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TonyB2009 Inner circle 5006 Posts |
Ed, to answer your question, none of the guys have any scare stories, because kids are not stupid. I have done the balloon swallow several times a week at shows for more than a decade, and it gets me rebooked.
Of course you should issue an appropriate warning. But then don't worry. Enjoy your performance.
Check out Tony's new thriller Dead or Alive http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alive-Varrick-Bo......n+carson
http://www.PartyMagic.ie |
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KC Cameron Inner circle Raleigh, North Carolina 1944 Posts |
I agree with Charlie, future booker's perceptions are important.
Tony, how do you know you haven't missed a booking due to a PERCEIVED danger in your balloon swallowing? Most often I doubt they would tell you. At one time I held the opposite view, but now I am more about business. I want to give the possible bookers as many reasons to book me, and as few reasons not to book me, as possible. Lines need to be drawn, and each of us draw them for ourselves. Does the positive outweigh the negative? I imagine it varies from country to country, to which part of town you have the show. I do some bathroom humor, which kids ALWAYS appreciate, and 99% of the parents laugh too. I am careful to use funny words (i.e."toot" instead of "fart"), but I know I will turn off that 1% with a stick up their patootie. To me that is an acceptable loss - I wouldn't want to work for that type of person anyway! |
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Danny Kazam Inner circle 1516 Posts |
I got booked again because of my balloon swallowing, but not on that alone. The event organizer was very pleased with th whole show. I was even approached by a few parents that complimented me on the balloon swallow, and the event organizer said to me he wish he could learn how to do that.
I am also performing it next week for a birthday party by request from a parent who saw my medeavil show.
Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.
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charliecheckers Inner circle 1969 Posts |
I agree that some effects can go both ways, meaning they can help get you hired with some people and it may hurt you with others. I think if they are signature effects, you are probably ahead of the game to leave them in because most people probably are not as worried about being politically correct as we are because they are not always thinking about it. I saw a well known local magician performing in a mall for small children light his thumb on fire. I was shocked. This was just one of many things he did that I thought was very inappropriate. He performs all over the area for kids and is always getting rebooked. So I think it is important to consider the content of our show, but I also think most people who hire us have more tolerance than we sometimes give them credit for. One example from my show is my use of a live rabbit. Some here object to the use of a live rabbit, yet it is an effect that I prominently promote because to most people it is a selling point.
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Christopher Lyle Inner circle Dallas, Texas 5698 Posts |
I have learned that no matter how hard you try, you'll never please everyone! Do YOUR ACT and quit worrying about what others tell you...well, unless your entire act sucks!
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius For a Good Time...CLICK HERE! |
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Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
If I'm hired to do a back yard Hawaiian Lou out because they want a flame juggling finish I give them my special flame juggling finish. For no additional cost I can substitute my flame juggling finish for my one flaming torch, one machete, and a 12 lb bowling ball (with a big surprise) finish.
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
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