Wizard battle?

I hope none of you are friends with these people.

(Please note: this is actually a parody website and, Flying Spaghetti Monster willing, people like this don't really exist.)

Weirdos...

 It's what's for dinner.

Damn that rap music...

So when I was younger and older magicians tried to give me "advice" such as "You can't wear that outfit, do that kind of magic, why not do something less weird etc" I always brushed them off. It wasn't because I didn't think they were right, but I knew that wasn't right for ME.

So it amuses me when I see younger magicians bite back at other magicians online when they put up a photo or video and they start getting said "advice" from those of us who have been in the business for a long time.

One such kid on a FB group started getting messed with for his performing outfit. I'm not one to talk about what one wears onstage because I fought long and hard to get what I like to wear to an acceptable level. However, today's youth seem to be adopting the look of "Justin Bieber on his day off getting high on a  friend's couch".

It's ok to dress in a modern style but you want to look better than your audience. My friend used to say, "You want to be the best dressed or most noticeably dressed in the room" This doesn't mean Versace but it doesn't mean Wal-mart either. I can't stress this enough to younger performers: LOOK LIKE A PERFORMER!

If you want to be taken seriously by anyone wanting to hire you for something other than house parties then find a look you like but find something (or have it made) that isn't like anything everyone else is wearing. Personally I am sick of the suit coat over T-shirt look. It's lazy not hip and not very original now. Don't believe me Google "College Magicians". I don't care how clever your shirt is, stop it!

Lastly, I know the hipster look is in right now but if I see one more kid dressing like This performing magic I am lighting your beanie on fire. I'm not kidding. I'm crazy...

I'll do it.

Glad they didn't find my photos...

Anyone remember Bad Magic Photos do com? Yah it's kinda like that.

I blame Burt Wonderstone.

Slug trailer...

Over on the Magic Soup Kitchen there has been some interesting talk in some various threads. One thing came up about removing the fluff from magic explanation videos. People on the street screaming, 30 second intros (or more), and other extraneous BS.

Today I saw this trailer and I am immediately reminded of why I hate trailers like this. Right now I am out in the Grand Canyon doing a gig and the net connection is iffy at best. I have to wait longer than any sane person would to see anything happen because of too much artistic crap going on in the demo. I don't care how cold you are I don't need to see you sitting by a fire. Just show me the bloody trick. You are not Theory 11. Just get on with it!

Oh if that were my only issue with the video. I am usually put off by over-boasting in magic videos. Saying something is "the most" anything in magic is ridiculous. You don't know what I have seen. I promise you a self lighting match is not the "most" anything I have ever seen. Don't turn yourselves into a liar before I even buy the product.

While we are at it, let's leave out the phrase "reputation maker" too. That's just a bit presumptuous doncha think? I could stab a bunch of people and get a reputation for that. Not sure I wanna be "the guy who sets off fire alarms by accident".

As a last thought, do you think people put bleeps in magic videos even when no one said something offensive to make it seem more edgy? I wouldn't put it past most magicians. Personally I'd rather see a studio performance of the effect straight thru...

but that's just me.

22 blows to the head...

Courtesy of Pixar.

Many of these things can easily apply to magic.

It finally happened...

I have finally found a reason to read my Twitter feed.