Tuesday, April 28, 2009

I take it back...

Magicians are NOT the most closed minded people in the world....

See?

Bizzaro.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Just a quick thing.... for all of you guys who vanish stuff onstage in a manip act and then bring it back a few seconds later because you have no other way to get rid of it.... please stop.

I'll explain why later.

Bizzaro.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Falling up

In life, (some) people tend to learn more from their failures than their successes. If you always achieve your goals on the first try, then yer not trying hard enuff. A lot of magicians have this innate fear of going belly up during a trick on stage. While this is indeed a valid phobia, it's not always a bad thing. Many a screw up can illuminate a previously hidden avenue to improve a trick greatly.

I say the best way to learn... is do. Get out there and give it the old college try. (Hell I didn't even GO to college) Maybe not at a high profile or paying gig. Perhaps at an open mic or on a small stage for the helluvit. (If yer a stage person.) for you close-up kids, there is no scarcity of places to ply something new. This goes back to an old post of mine about "in the moment" creation. Some of the best things come at you from left and ONLY when yer performing and pulling RIGHT from yer ass.

Don't let something silly like practice hold you back all the time. ONLY if you are confident in your abilities to cover yo' ass and shrug in the face of failure and laugh at yourself will you succeed in failing. If a trick going wrong in front of other people is the end of the world for you, then it's time to get over yourself and leave your insecurities at the door. We're just people. All of us. No one is going to run you out of town on a rail if you screw up a card trick at a nightclub. Just make sure you have something tried and true to fall back on... just in case.

You do own an invisible deck right?

Bizzaro.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

On a crutch...

I have been thinking quite a bit about the material that magicians use. Sure we have seen effects like cups and balls, and clinking things, and egg bag used over and over again... but why? Is it because they are classics (or we have been TOLD they are)? Is it because we someone else do it and think, "Hey he got a good response from that, I bet I could too."? Perhaps they are just readily available from YFD. (if you don't know what that means, GTFO of magic.)

I think these are all contributing factors, but a big part of it is we know they are always there to fall back on. We know them, we know they work (Even if a metric fuckton of people have seen them), and they are readily available. The above tricks are just a smattering of the number of effects that have been flogged to death like 6 card repeat at a magic club meeting. I know a few of my readers do these tricks and do them well. Good for you. However, have you ever considered what you might create if you put these implements of ease down and tried to... create something new?

If you know that you will always have certain effects to "fill time", you will resort to them.

Just something to chew on...

Bizzaro.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Just replace American Idol with America's Got Talent....



You get the idea...

Bizzaro.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Grease is the word...

Or was that Hairspray? I haven't seen either one so what do I know?

I think there is a major lack of magicians in the US doing theme acts. The ones who are, tend to be going for competition and won't play terribly well in the real world.

Regardless, I love Asian TV for magic. They get so into it. This Act has some nice ideas to it. Perhaps a tad long and some superfluous stuff, but over all entertaining. It's probably a competition piece as well, but at least there is a definitive story arc going on... even if it's not totally clear at first.

Just thought I would share.

Bizzaro.

Friday, April 10, 2009

A den of thieves...

Sometimes magicians can reeeeallly bug me. The fact that I have heard non-stop that one day, while I am not looking, laying in a prone position, someone is going to sneak up, club me mercilessly about the head and shoulders (And the pert plus) and steal one of my personal pet effects.

I don't mind hearing it, it's more the fact I know it's true. Magicians are some of the most unethical performing types on the planet. They will sit in on someone's show and take notes on every trick, joke, and move. Then, just because it worked for someone else, they feel it is the right duty, nay their RIGHT to do it themselves.

For those of you who read my trite little ramblings, let me tell you something. There is no skill in taking someone else's ideas and using them for your own ill gotten gains. The person whose effect you are knocking off, or routine you are stealing or whatever, has (more than likely) put in some serious research and development into making what you have so callously absconded with. In many cases some big time monetary investments, just so you can come along all willy nilly and make off with their life's work.

Now chew on that for a second. If you are one of these people, I would like you to realize how big a scumbag you are. Why? Because if someone did it to you, you are likely the type to throw a girly hissy fit on some message board and try to get sympathy for your silly ass. Karma is a bitch my friends. (Don't "believe" me? Take a look at a little plummeting project out here in Vegas that shall remain nameless... sorta.)

I have made it very well known that I have NO qualms about physically hurting someone who steals from me and I have a few friends who know how to break fingers and end careers. Sure that sounds a bit harsh, but if someone is gonna take from you, I think it might be ok to take a little something back. The unethical need to get a good dose of manners laid down upon their heads... and knees.

So wise up. If you can't get by on your own ideas, maybe you need a better one. Like 9-5 and the local Taco Hut. You are not fit for human consumption, so you might was well do somewhere that reflects you as a person. Do I sound mad? Perhaps. Am I? Not really. I just want to make a point while it's on my mind. Don't like it? Start yer own blog.

Please drive thru...

Bizzaro.

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Thank you Seattle!!

Today boys and girls, we're gonna look in the old Bizzaro mail bag and answer some questions from our friends at home. This first one comes from a young man named Troy out of Las Vegas. He writes:

"When can one call one's self a magician? Are you a magician when you can pull off a double lift? Or do one solid trick? Or have a solid 60 minute show?"

Well Troy that is a good question. Also a tough one. Magic is one of the few professions you can buy your job title. Sure you can buy some paints and brushes and CALL yourself and artist, but as soon as you try to paint, you are screwed. (Unless you call it avante garde or modern art. Then you can just defecate on a mailbox and put it in a gallery and be called a genius.... come to think of it magic is a lot like that too.) In magic you can get a trick deck of cards and effectively accomplish what people expect from a magician, to fool them.

I think the term magician is thrown around too loosely as it's a dated name that is too encompassing. Mind you, we can use that to our advantage. However, I think if you can reliably make ANY kinds of money performing magic then you can use the title. I want to narrow that down a bit tho'. I don't mean you have a real job and/or dress like a clown and do some crappy stock material. I mean you are actually attempting to perform and add something to the magical gene pool.

Problem with that is, people like Criss Angel do that, but the addendum to that is they are too self serving to really be doing magic any positives. See I have seen guys here in Vegas who have big illusions shows that by all definitions make them a magician. However, the crowbar separation is they STOP at magician, when the best kind of magic practitioner is first and foremost an entertainer.

To me the term magician has a negative connotation, so I might be a bit bitter and jaded. This is because I see it from the inside. All of the people who couldn't perform their way out of a change bag. However, they get indignant when someone who is a better performer beats them at a magic competition. People who use magic and the title of magician to make up for the fact they have no talent at ANYTHING else. They want to rock stars, but can't sing, play, or fuck to save their life.

So when can you call yourself a magician? That is up to you. I say look at those you admire and respect. If you TRULY think you can hold your own against them (or very close to it) then you have perchance arrived. However, by that point, you might have wised up and realized the moniker of magician isn't that brass ring you've been looking for.

Who says I don't do requests?

Bizzaro.