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Cody S. Fisher V.I.P. Austin, Texas 1194 Posts |
Mr. Penn,
I would hardly classify my 13 lines of previous text as ‘commenting to such an extent’. However since the critic has felt the need to justify his criticism, allow me to comment even further on the matter at hand. I was merely using this open forum to reply to your previous comments concerning my latest release to the magic community. Just as you have the right to your opinion, I also have the right to mine; as do others who have also commented here as well. I am certainly not offended by anyone who does not like my work, nor do I expect everyone to. Performance, character, style, and choice of effects are most certainly a personal taste for each individual artist. There will be many who like a certain piece and many who do not based on the above mentioned criteria. One creator’s trash can certainly turn out to be another performer’s treasure. I do however take an offence to the manner in which you reviewed my product. You have a curious habit of stating your opinions as facts. While it may not be to your personal liking, it apparently is to the liking of MANY others who find your assessment to be ‘way off’. Even your previous co-host, Mr. Petty (who actually uses the routine for paying audiences) finds your comments to be inaccurate and misinformed. To ‘not like’ something is one thing, but to degrade or demean based on one’s personal preference is something entirely different altogether. As previously stated, I find your comments on the chosen title for the DVD to be quite childish. You should know (as a marketer yourself) that when you market a product, it is common practice to come up with a clever / fun name. The name I chose has a catchy ring to it as well as describes the overall ‘gist’ of the routine. (I am using three ropes and getting laughs) If you would like for me to lay out the actual mathematics for you then here you go: There were approximately 300+ people that night in the comedy club during the filming. If they each laughed 3-5 times (which is easily heard on the DVD) then I am clearly within my 1000 laugh range and therefore justified to use the alliteration in my DVD title. It seems rather ridiculous that I should even have to defend a DVD title. You could easily play the same sophomoric game with any trick title. For example, ‘Mystery Solved’. So what mystery are you trying to solve? The mystery of how to over complicate Jay Sankey’s Paperclipped? As you can see, it is a rather easy exercise in practice. I could also comment on there being nothing really ‘new’ here either. After all isn’t this just a variation of the Kennedy Box, Clarity Box, DeCova’s Lager Switch, or 3Sixty? I could certainly say all of those things and given your personal criteria of review, it would indeed be justified. Instead, I would probably comment on while I may not personally like the clear card to box effect, it is a well-produced product, put out by someone with a good track record, and clearly shows live performances where the audience is entertained. As a reviewer, that would be a more responsible approach and more beneficial to potential buyers. In closing I do appreciate your 100% honesty with me and the patrons of your online magic shop. I see that you are currently still carrying the DVD on your site. I can only assume that for the benefit of your valuable customers that you will no longer be carrying this? If I felt as strongly as you do about the lack of quality of a particular product, I would no longer sell it. Personally, I would rather take the financial hit than to sell an inferior product to my loyal customers. Sincerely, Cody S. Fisher
To Sign Up For My Members Only FREE Monthly Videos Visit: www.CodyFisher.com/store
Cody's Comedy Confabulation / Silk-2-Egg / Killer Prediction / Tossed Out Deck / Comedy Book Test / Las Vegas Aces / Three Ropes & 1000 Laughs |
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Merc Man Inner circle NUNEATON, Warwickshire 2537 Posts |
With all due respect, Dave doesn't own nor manage the WMS - well certainly not to my knowledge?
And as a reviewer, both he (and Shaun) have a right to have an opinion about something - irrespective of what that opinion is. Freedom of speech, choice and all that palava? However, what narks me primarily is that I didn't get the opportunity to see the ROUTINE. The gags appeared to dominate opinion; and as someone that has grown up in working-mans clubs and not working for corporate automatons in bow ties, I was actually more interested in the effect. I've been performing Joe Riding's Cut & Restored Rope Routine since 1979; start with one piece, cut into three lengths; prof nightmare middle, then restore. It IS a plot that works so well out there in the real world. I would just like to have seen the difference (if any) between your routine Cody and my dear friend Joe's. I also find it somewhat hypocritical (as previously stated on this forum) for the guys to knock double-innuendo and that box the other week containing a Ding Dong; only to then actually DEMONSTRATE a trick where you stick a bleedin' coin deep up into your bugle! Just my opinion of course - the World is full of them!
Barry Allen
Over 14 years have passed - and still missing Abra Magazine arriving every Saturday morning. |
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NYCJoePitt Special user 558 Posts |
Dear Cody,
Some critics like your product, some do not. That is what happens when you put yourself out there. Best of luck. |
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Merc Man Inner circle NUNEATON, Warwickshire 2537 Posts |
He seems to have gone a bit schtum regarding the correlation between his release and Joe Riding's routine (circa 1978) I must admit!
Barry Allen
Over 14 years have passed - and still missing Abra Magazine arriving every Saturday morning. |
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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
Merc Man,
Cody has said, this is an old and established routine. I don't believe Joe Riding would even say his routine of putting Cut and Restored Rope, Professor Nightmare, and the Conway finale his original idea. It is a natural progression for people that have these tricks and actually perform them. Joe Riding published many handlings and routines for "standard" magic tricks all in separate little booklets. We all miss him and I wonder why no one has published all his booklets into a book. It would be an injustice to him not to do so. Didn't the U.K. "borrow" these tricks from the original inventors here in the U.S. The U.K. borrowers just call Professor Nightmare, Equal - Unequal - Ropes. Conway's may be his original idea and his handling. I do believe the demo video of Cody's trick shows all it needs to show. If you want to compare move for move, well, you are from the olds, what did you have to do. You had to buy it if you are that interested an compare it yourself. Same here, buy the trick and you will finally have some great patter to go along with your rope trick. Anyway, you have gone off course, as usual with your picking out something out of context, just so you are right in your eyes. The subject is about the patter, and David Penn was very negative about the patter. And it sounded very much like he is saying, Do Not Buy This Trick. I have seen David dance around junk tricks like Magic Methods puts out, and he usually says you have to make up your own mind if it fits your needs. It could be as simple as there was nothing new in the rope portion of the DVD, or a competitor is has a similar product ready to launch. Only David knows why he was so critical of a simple popular rope trick that you and I, and hundreds of other magician already perform regularly. |
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sirbrad Inner circle PA 2096 Posts |
Yeah when you get down to it everyone has a different opinion, and not every trick, routine, or style is going to be universally accepted. Sometimes certain tricks should be only be done in certain venues, and the rope trick does not sound like something you would do at a kid's show unless you changed the patter maybe. I agree with MercMan also, I did not even see the routine to be able to make an accurate assessment. I know many sell routines without showing them because they don't want people to copy them, but I have never done that anyway. I have strong ethics and have been the art for 36 years now and I buy stuff that I know I will perform, even if I do know how it works; as me being fooled is not as important as me finding material that entertains an audience. I am not fooled that often anymore, and if I was it is something I would try to prolong as long as possible. I like to know EXACTLY what I am buying so that I do not waste my time and money, especially since you are buying "secrets" and you cannot return them.
But I am sure the routine is good but I would not buy it unless I saw it as a whole or maybe if it got a lot of great reviews. But that still does not mean that I would like it or use it. I don't care to much what the WPR says I make my own assessments. I watch the show just to see the new stuff and see if there is any I can use. Creators want everyone to love everything that they put out, but that is just not going to happen. Then they get offended and involved in long-winded arguments with the reviewers, which has happened here for many years and will continue to happen. But in the end it is the buyer who has to make their own decision based on their own experience, and performance style. I kinda like Wishbone actually, although it would suck it they broke it apart and said put it back together again. But audience management should take care of that unless some unruly kids get a hold of it. But I think kids would like this effect also.
The great trouble with magicians is the fact that they believe when they have bought a certain trick or piece of apparatus, and know the method or procedure, that they are full-fledged mystifiers. -- Harry Houdini
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Merc Man Inner circle NUNEATON, Warwickshire 2537 Posts |
Bill,
Pat Conway is from Eire. That isn't part of the UK. Just thought I'd mention it. So, who else (apart from Joe Riding) published a routine of starting with one rope, prof nightmare in the middle, and restoration to one piece then - pre 1978? As for re-releasing Joe's booklets, you've clearly not seen my posts on this subject elsewhere.
Barry Allen
Over 14 years have passed - and still missing Abra Magazine arriving every Saturday morning. |
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Sealegs Inner circle The UK, Portsmouth 2596 Posts |
Sean, in his review of Cody's DVD, at one point says, "a lot of magicians use the gag where..." and he describes a particular rope gag... he adds that if it is done as he (Sean) describes it is completely non offensive.
I haven't seen Cody's DVD so I can't comment on his application of this material but just for the record, I'd like to mention that I wrote that particular gag. It was written for my 1st ever TV appearance on BBC1's Opportunity Knocks in 1988 and I have been using it ever since. As I say, I haven't seen Cody's DVD so I don't know how he's altered this particular piece of my scripted material but the way I originally wrote it was perfectly fine and acceptable for the watershed sensitive producers of a 1980's, prime time, Saturday night, BBC1 family show with a viewing audience of over 15,000,000. There was a brief review of my Opportunity Knocks act in Abra magic magazine and Donald Bevan rather foresightedly said that he wouldn't be surprised if this particular gag ended up finding its way into many magicians' repertoires. He wasn't wrong. I have yet to see a magician who performs the Professor's Nightmare (or Odd Ropes) for the public not use it. I have also seen it in print several times... most notably the first time was in Repro magazine where it was followed by a note from the editor saying this one gag was worth a years subscription to the magazine... and on several magic DVDs too. While I choose to feel flattered, rather than bothered, that this material of mine has become a 'magic standard'... whenever it crops up in conversation or on a forum I do like to point out it did not appear from a vacuum and that it actually had a point of origin which was me. Excuse me now while I find a quiet corner to go and stroke my own ego.
Neal Austin
"The golden rule is that there are no golden rules." G.B. Shaw |
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MJE Elite user After all these years,I STILL have only 409 Posts |
Man, magicians are generally an odd lot. I can't imagine an actor or producer responding to a bad review by arguing with the reviewer and insisting that he/she gave a truly wonderful performance. Comedians, maybe....they seem to have major insecurity issues......but they can be nice when they want to be.
Oh, and that absurdly stiff handling to conceal the obvious in the "Wishbone" effect? You gotta be kidding. Hey, I thought they went to an every-two-weeks schedule because there isn't enough good magic coming out (or something like that). I dunno. The last few shows have had an abundance of garbage, don't you think? |
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The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » The Wizard Product Review from World Magic Shop » » Wizard Product Review 241: Wishbone, 3 Ropes 1000 Laughs, Vibe & Completely Mental! (13 Likes) | ||||||||||
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