They pull me back in again...

Yesterday I did something I try not to engage in often but since it pertained to the last post I decided to dip my toe in and...

On one of the FB magic groups This got posted. For those of you too lazy to watch it, it shows one of the previously mentioned individuals coaching his audience to over-react. To say it was met with dismay would be like saying Marlow and Vernon didn't "get along".

What really rips my sponge balls is the fact that there are magicians DEFENDING THIS! The problem is every single metaphor and example they give doesn't align because THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN MAGIC. Any example you throw at me I will gladly find fault with and explain why it doesn't work as a comparison.

The reason there is no precedent for this is because, as I have stated before, the internet is a new frontier. No one knows exactly what will work until it does and then once that ground has been raped for money and fame people move on to find the next thing that will get them noticed. It's because of this I have come to the conclusion that internet magic is it's own animal separate from stage, close-up and even TV.

What's worse is when seasoned pros say things like this, "He's doing well for himself AND he is getting people interested in Magic." Yah great. he is getting more kids who think it's ok to do this shit interested in magic who won't work or contribute to the art. Greeeeeat. Just what our world needs, more crappy magicians. Yaaaaaaay.

"Oh but they're young. leave em alone." you say? In any other job is this an excuse? Oh he keeps fucking up your fast food order? It's ok he's young. She got your Starbucks coffee incorrect? She's just young. Please. When that happens, you people go apeshit and rip those "kids" a new asshole. You don't get to pick and choose your excuses (even tho' we all do).

I had a conversation with a magician friend who has done a lot of TV and he takes issue with all of this because if it becomes the norm, then TV producers will expect these reactions and when it's explained all of it's fake they will respond with "Well why don't we just do that then?". If this becomes a thing it could affect all of us in front of AND behind the camera who actually work for a living.

But hey, in this world what could possibly go wrong?