For's %#*$ sake...

Today a friend of mine and I were talking about Double Stuft. I told him about an effect that was told to me where someone refills an oreo and the cream just gets more and more until it becomes an egg, and then they crack the egg open. (If anyone knows who this is, lemme know.)

Knowing how it works, I think it's a grand idea but it doesn't seem practical nor does it make ANY sense to me. I know, I know... magic doesn't HAVE to make sense. I agree... to a point. I think the biggest downfall of magicians is they perform magic just for the sake of doing magic. Magic for magic's sake isn't always magic.

Much like I think coincidence isn't magic or how Dai Vernon said confusion isn't magic, just doing magic because you can.. isn't magic OR art. This always falls n line with the idea that most mage's skip over... the question of, Why? Without motivation, reason, or even subtext (what's that?) you are merely just flapping in the breeze as it were. There is a LOT of great magic that makes NO sense in the wrong hands. Without motivation to fuel your endeavors, you are merely just going thru the motions and putting no effort or interest into what you do. You will receive what you put in.

Now I am not saying make a story or clear reason for EVERYTHING you do. Card tricks and things like that have a loophole in them as we are magicians and they are known as our tools, BUT every card trick is it's own vignette. You are able to weave your own essence into them and make them your own and make them interesting to those you are foisting them upon.

Then again, who am I to point fingers aye?

Bizzaro.

What kind of pompous litigious ASSHAT takes legal action against a sports team because their logo which resembles the head of a snake slightly resembles your logo which looks like an upside down spade.

Srlsy?

Bizzaro.

Danger!! Sharp Edges--->

(Tell me where that title comes from you win... something.. maybe.)

Ok so time to open yer minds up a bit. I got my jaws of life so kneel down in front of me and smile like a donu... er... brace yourself.

Occam's Razor, ever heard of it? It's a simple concept. It's the basis for the KISS ruls and the idea that the shortest path between two points is a straight line.

Ever seen a magic act that just kinda goes all over the place? It has no logical progression or flow. What's that you say? That's MOST magic acts? Well you'd be right. Some of the best performances have a common thread (Some subtle, some not so much) running thru or around them. Any jag off can produce candles, canes, and doves for no reason. Put a story to it, or character motivation, or.. well anything that people ccan grab onto with their brains, and you'll not only connect with them on a visual level but a mental one and maybe even, gawd forbid, an emotional one.

A lot of magicians think emotional means dramatic or sad. Happiness is an emotion. Pity is an emotion. There are a lot of ways to go about it. David Copperfield isn't and shouldn't be your only frame of reference. As magicians we use, or should use, magic as our tools to create art or something like it. Take a look at that link up above one more time. Think about how you can simplify and focus your techniques and material. Strip away the flash and useless moves and use the SIMPLEST techniques possible. As I have said before, just because you KNOW all of the moves with a prop, doesn't mean you should DO them.

Now go put a band-aid on that before it gets infected.

Bizzaro.

Sorry posts have been sporadic. I've been making cookies. I have been kicking the idea around of releasing another DVD next year or later this year with some of my wacky ideas inside. It got me thinking about the plethora of crap that gets released in the name of "furthering the art".

After taking a dip into the cesspool of magical capitalism, I have to ask myself... who am I really doing this for? It makes me wonder if anyone else asks themselves the same thing. Think about it: IS the mass amount of crap we release into our little sub-genre of entertainment for the purpose of education and furthering of the art... or is it for a big fat amount of dollars in our Pay Pal accounts? Do we REALLY need another Flash Cash? Do we REALLY need another Torn and Restored card?

On the other hand, it is nice to have options. To find something that befits your style or character better than another. As I mentioned in a previous post, when yer bit by the marketing bug, it's a hard fever to break. You have to admit there is a LOT of magic that could just be better off being printed in lecture notes or as a cheap download online. I myself have been accused and stand fairly guilty of this crime... but I was young and foolish then.... I feel old and foolish now.

I suppose every little bit helps, but it makes me question others as well as my own motivations. Is it about name recognition and showing people how clever you are.. or is about having a resource for something you TRULY believe will benefit the art?

Do we REALLY need another card thru window?

Bizzaro.

OH YEAH!

First up, some news for my fine feathered readers, DOUBLE STUFT NOW AVAILIBLE!! For those who heard my itricks interview thingee, you knew it was coming out soon. Well that soon is now. Head over the the Bizzar-o-Matic and pick up one today!! Remember, there is only a limited quantity being made. When they are gone, they're gone. Want to see what the hell I am talking about? Look over Here.

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In other news, someone in my network of spies and informants passed This along to me recently. I think my main problem with this guy is the same thing that plagues any other artform. He doesn't know any better, nor does he WANT to. He thinks he is totally in the right because it is LEGAL. Problem is, some people in this world or just ethical midgets.

In all honesty, this kind of stuff won't affect me or any of the stuff I do. Real people won't see this site and if they do, I don't DO the material they are showing or selling. This, however, is the problem with our instant gratification society we live in. If you plan to be part of it, you have to take the good with the bad. In EVERY genre there's gonna be a few asshats who spoil the punch for everyone. Short of killing them, there's not much we can do. Problem is, by pointing our fingers at this and going "Oooooh yer a bad person ooooooooh." we are helping it exist. (Before you point the finger at me for doing it, let's face it... this guy is a fucktard and nothing I say here will help him. My readers are smarter than that. I hope.)

Personally, I say let the younger kids do more harm than good to themselves. They wanna screw up their potential careers getting involved in this stuff that will probably fade anyway once they discover sex. (Not GETTING any mind you, just discovering it exists.) Exposure has never hurt magic in the grand scheme of things. We do get flustered about it because it's part of our world and someone traipsing upon our little niche can be quite bothersome. However you have have to realize our position in the world is of little concern to anyone but ourselves. This is an occupational hazard and comes with the territory of mixing lowest common denominators with technology. Someone is always willing to trade their souls for a few bits. With that being said, here's to Jim Jones and Kool-aid....

May all your parties be killers.

Bizzaro.

I gone and done it now...

This posts officially breaks 300 POSTS!! (What the hell was I thinking when I started this? Oh yah, I got sick of other people telling me my opinions were WRONG on message boards.)

In other news: I just officially registered for World Magic Seminar. My first Non-Texas convention. Before you ask, no I am not going to compete. The reason is, I feel at this point in my life and career, I should not have to show off my art and should instead get paid to do it... however since that is not gonna happen at WMS, I'll just go mill around and bowl with the celebs. (WHAT? Yes, bowling with a magical "Celebrity". Outta be hilarious to watch a buncha un-coordinated white guys try to lift heavy objects on a slick floor.)

This cleverly segues me into a short discussion on name recognition. I have had people I have NEVER met in the magic world say, "I've heard about you" after I introduce myself. To which I then think to myself, "That can't be good". However it IS good. It is better to be known in hell, than alone in Heaven. As the saying goes, the only thing worse than people talking about you, is people NOT taking about you. Now this trite saying is only partially true. Some people prefer to remain anonymous, but in this business it is better to be known for something... as long as it's not molesting kids.

I think the lines from the first PotC movie sums it up best:
"You're the worst pirate I have ever heard of"
Ahh, but you have HEARD of me."

Never be afraid to stand out in a crowd.

Bizzaro.

The Fourth Dimension....

So last night was our monthly show at the local Improv comedy club here in Dallas. (Finally magic has found a home in Dallas!!) I performed some of what I lovingly refer to as my "B-sides". Those are the effects I rarely perform or only drag out to elongate my show if necessary. Aaaaaaanywho, I wasn't overly pleased with my performance, but it wasn't bad. Everyone else enjoyed it regardless of the magic performance or the material snafu's.

Why is this you ask? Ok so you didn't ask, but if yer reading this you are CERTAINLY asking for it right?

Regardless, my stage show is performed entirely to music which means I have to use my WHOLE being to convey my message on stage. One of my problems with a lot of silent acts out there is that most don't acknowledge the audience is there. Most guys who look at the audience and smile do so like they are looking at themselves in the mirror at home. It's forced and practiced. If something looks or feels rough and you look at the audience or shrug it off AT them, they usually chuckle and when it shows that something doesn't bother you, then it doesn't bother them either. An audience can retain an uneasy tension and if it remains unchecked or unreleased, then it can have a negative effect on the way they perceive you. By remembering there lies a sea of faces waiting to be entertained just beyond that fourth wall, you can make a whole room chocked full o' nuts your friend.

Don't be afraid to be human on stage. A look can say more then practiced patter line ever will. We are only above them because that platform is elevated.

"Remember who you are..." - Mufasa

Bizzaro.

Cross-polination...

So obviously itricks.com has run out of people to interview cuz' they asked me to be on their Magic Week in Review Podcast.

Seriously tho', it was a good time and I wanna thank them for havin' me on. It's good that there are folks out there who care to fill your lives with news and amusement because, well... you probably wouldn't do it your selves.

It's just an honor to be nominated.

Bizzaro.