Flying girl

[jsfisher]

You're kidding right? James Randi actually became famous for his work revealing and exposing just how so called "magic" is performed. How ridiculous (hypocritical even) would it be for him to create a website where such practices were not allowed.

Where exactly did you read that? "We're not allowed to reveal how magic is done on this board." Unless maybe this was meant as a joke?

You do not see a distinction between magic as a form of entertainment versus magic as a form of woo? The former should be protected; the latter, exposed.

 

[arthwollipot]

You're kidding right? James Randi actually became famous for his work revealing and exposing just how so called "magic" is performed. How ridiculous (hypocritical even) would it be for him to create a website where such practices were not allowed.

Where exactly did you read that? "We're not allowed to reveal how magic is done on this board." Unless maybe this was meant as a joke?

Randi exposes fraud and deception, including self-deception, and absolutely not stage magic. Randi made his living through stage magic. It would not be in his best interest to reveal how the illusions are done, and so there is a subforum specifically set up for discussing stage magic. It's called Conjurer's Corner, and it's where this thread should be, since it is discussing stage magic and not the paranormal. The subtitle for that subforum reads "For a discussion of magic and magicians, NOT TO INCLUDE THE DISCLOSING OF SECRETS"

In short, do not discuss the secrets of stage magic here.

 

[Giordano]

You do not see a distinction between magic as a form of entertainment versus magic as a form of woo? The former should be protected; the latter, exposed.

Also in my experience, learning the trick is never as much fun as the mystery before it is figured out.

 

[jsfisher]

Also in my experience, learning the trick is never as much fun as the mystery before it is figured out.

Different strokes, I suppose. I enjoy the classic magic tricks the most. Even though I know how they are done and I can spot every move and variation of the magician, I get my pleasure observing the artistry.

Knowing how a trick is done only enhances the experience for me.

 

[Kevin_Lowe]

You're kidding right? James Randi actually became famous for his work revealing and exposing just how so called "magic" is performed. How ridiculous (hypocritical even) would it be for him to create a website where such practices were not allowed.

Where exactly did you read that? "We're not allowed to reveal how magic is done on this board." Unless maybe this was meant as a joke?

As I understand it, Randi as a professional magician himself has occasionally decided to expose how a magic trick was done if that trick was being used to exploit or seriously mislead the public. Uri Geller's tricks are the obvious examples - they were magic tricks, but not terribly great ones, and Randi decided that the harm done to stage magic as a profession by revealing those tricks was worth it to expose Geller.

Similarly I think that the world is better off with cold reading being a non-secret, since it is frequently used to exploit vulnerable people.

However Randi doesn't want amateurs revealing the secrets behind all sorts of tricks willy-nilly without a pressing social justification for doing so.

The secret to most tricks is somewhere on the internet for free or for cheap in any case, and there are forums where you can talk about it. If that's what you want to talk about just find a different venue and all is cool.

 

[Liamo]

Different strokes, I suppose. I enjoy the classic magic tricks the most. Even though I know how they are done and I can spot every move and variation of the magician, I get my pleasure observing the artistry.

Knowing how a trick is done only enhances the experience for me.

Same here. It is an even better feeling to still be deceived even when you know how the trick is done. As you said, magicians are artists - bad ones rely solely on the trick, whereas good ones create the best presentations.

 

[AdMan]

You're kidding right? James Randi actually became famous for his work revealing and exposing just how so called "magic" is performed. How ridiculous (hypocritical even) would it be for him to create a website where such practices were not allowed.

Where exactly did you read that? "We're not allowed to reveal how magic is done on this board." Unless maybe this was meant as a joke?

There is a difference in exposing how frauds and hoaxers like Uri Geller and John Edward and Peter Popoff lie and dupe and steal from the innocent while claiming they have "real" powers, and exposing how magicians, who are only entertainers and don't claim any actual supernatural powers, do their tricks.

Randi was a professional magician, and as you probably know magicians frown on exposure, even if they admit it's just trickery to entertain spectators. It is attacking their livelihood, after all.

Admittedly, it's a fuzzy area, since con men and frauds do use methods also used by legitimate entertainers, but I think the line is crossed when disclosing methods related to a magician's/entertainer's specific act or performance.

 

[Alareth]

Where exactly did you read that? "We're not allowed to reveal how magic is done on this board." Unless maybe this was meant as a joke?

The description of this subforum as listed in the forum index

For a discussion of magic and magicians, NOT TO INCLUDE THE DISCLOSING OF SECRETS

 

[arthwollipot]

The description of this subforum as listed in the forum index

This topic was not originally posted in this subforum.

 

[thaiboxerken]

That's Cyril Takayama. セロ Known as "Cyril".

He's the best street magician I have ever seen. The link is to his videos on YouTube. Guaranteed to be a time sink. Great stuff.

This video of him at the Yokohama Aquarium is pretty much my favorite.

I agree. The tricks are good but his performance is great. I like his style.

 

[Azrael 5]

If he can do it with a random spectator let me know,he is verging into Criss Angel territory. Selective editing and favourable angles is how its done

 

[Monza]

This looks like it was filmed in the old ship dry dock next to the Landmark Tower in Yokohama. I always stay at the Royal Park Hotel at the top of the tower. I know this doesn't mean anything to anyone, I just thought it was cool I recognized the place.

Anyway, Cyril is fantastic and has some great illusions in his repertoire. I'm not so fond of this one for the same reasons as Azrael 5, but his other videos are worth checking out.

 

[lane99]

He had it coming

Imagine a magician relying on, of all things: trickery. The nerve of the guy.

Enough is enough, and this phony needs to be shown for what he is. This video, uh, "exposes" almost everything:

Floating Girl REVEALED
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