FItzkee was right...

 Have you ever read "Showmanship For Magicians"? I don't blame you if not. Fitzkee can be a bit of a dense read. (Protip: Just skim the book and read the bolded and ALL CAPS text. It summarizes the important points and saves a LOT of time)

In the book he suggests that you watch other performers who are the top of their field. Not JUST magicians, but singers, comedians, actors, athletes, etc. See what they are doing and you are not.

With that in mind, I now want you to watch this video:

Observe his timing. Watch as things happen and he just keeps going like it's normal. He doesn't turn and mug to the audience. (He COULD if he was a different performer) He just plows through undaunted which makes it even funnier. It's these bits of business in the middle of exhibiting skill that makes the performance so good. Even if it's not your cup of whatever you drink, you can and SHOULD still appreciate what goes into doing an act such as this and entertaining a theater full of people.

The internet is full of performances like these. Over the next few weeks, I will share some of them with you. 

Plan accordingly...

End of an Era...

 

While everyone is on social media talking about knowing Amazing Johnathan, let's talk about the man himself shall we?

For those who might not know, he recently passed away and it sent a shockwave through the Las Vegas magic world. Most know him for his stand up comedy and magic. A lucky bunch of us got to know him on a personal level. Unlike other celebrities in our profession who kind of hide away and keep to their own little inner cliques, AJ was very giving with his time and information. His circle of friends and family grew every year because he liked to have fun and do silly things with silly people. 

Since he left this mortal plane, many of us have been talking about his legacy and what he has left behind. His body of work was vast and while he has been stolen from by countless hacks, no one has ever really been able to follow in his footsteps. I think the reason for that is that no one could. He was a truly unique animal that came into the entertainment world at the right time and place. 

His biggest influence on the world of magic was that he gave permission to all of the rest of us who wanted to do something different. His material spoke to many of us and said, "It's ok to be weird and do outlandish things in the name of fun! Magic is a tool and doesn't have to the be the focus.". 

For all of us touched by his noodley appendage, I think it's our duty to keep that going and let future performers know it's ok to take the piss out of magic and be a little over the top, even when the world might not embrace it at first.

 The world is a little less Amazing now, but that's doesn't mean it has to stop...