For you non-magicians: Do you like watching a magician perform?

[Senex]

Do you prefer close-up magic or stage magic or mentalism? Does it anger you at all when you are tricked or do you just enjoy watching a show and are able to let your being fooled go? Do you role your eyes at a party if a magician asks for your attention? What type of magic would make you more likely to have sex with the magician? Do you think magic performed by someone at your table during a wedding is inappropriate?

General comments about magicians is welcomed in this thread (at least by me).

 

[Garrette]

As a (non-performing) magician, I prefer parlor magic and mentalism followed by close-up magic followed by stage shows, whether magic or mentalism. My least liked formed of magical entertainment are the big illusion shows a la David Copperfield, though I can get some enjoyment from them. (NB: I am not criticizing them; they just don't do it for me personally).

Regarding magicians at parties and tables during a wedding (I presume you mean wedding reception; I'd be very pissed if it happened during the wedding itself), I find that my reaction is similar to most of what I have observed: it depends entirely on both the timing and the manner of the interruption (and it is an interruption). The same person presenting the same way might be received joyously instead of with anger if he had come just five minutes later when the conversation had tapered off.

 

[abaddon]

Do you prefer close-up magic or stage magic or mentalism? Does it anger you at all when you are tricked or do you just enjoy watching a show and are able to let your being fooled go? Do you role your eyes at a party if a magician asks for your attention? What type of magic would make you more likely to have sex with the magician? Do you think magic performed by someone at your table during a wedding is inappropriate?

General comments about magicians is welcomed in this thread (at least by me).

My father was a comedy stage magician, and he was good at it. His gig was to fgail completely at whatever trick, but to pull out a spectacula finale, confounding everyone. I tried it a few times with some success, but I became far more interested in close up stuff. Impromtu stuff you can perform at the drop of a hat is far more interesting to me. Magicians are a spectrum, like everything.

A few years back, him being no longer being able to perform, he shared many secrets. Some I knew some I did not.

You do not require paranomality.

Just three days ago I comfounded some relatives with a well known trick in the magic communtiy. They cannot figure it out and I ain't saying.

 

[Garrette]

As I said, I do not perform, but on those few occasions when I sort of did, I was best at the comedy magic, too, even doing the failing-but-not-really bit. It works well for kids especially but also adults. My best routine was the zombie, the outline of which I sent to forum member Chickenpotpie some years ago. The story was that another magician gave me the ball because he could not control it where as I was expert at it, and it would not dare misbehave when onstage with me. Of course, whenever my gaze was elsewhere, the ball (which I had named Kirby) snuck to the top of the foulard but rushed back to the cup when I looked. Eventually he got more brazen, nearly dragging me across the room as I insisted I could make him behave.

Regarding your confounding of fellow magicians, I tend to admire greatly such effects, the ones that disguise well known methods so well that they appear as miracles.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I rarely watch stage magic, especially if they call it "magic". If you can do magic produce a living dragon on stage, please. Otherwise you're just a performer with a particular set of skills that don't impress me.

 

[Sherman Bay]

As a child, I envisioned being a magician (in the Randi sense), but it didn't work out. I guess my patter was faulty or I was short some white tigers.

As an adult, I enjoy watching performances. But one thing bothers me deeply. When I go to skeptic conferences, they often have an expert performer who does his thing in a very impressive manner.

Now I'm going to be really hard to convince that he actually has magic (real magic) powers. But if the trick behind the trick is not revealed, what is an observer supposed to think? Is wink, wink enough? Not for me.

I should just take his word that it is a trick? Isn't the whole idea of a skeptic conference to uncover and learn ways we humans can be tricked? Isn't that what science is all about? Yet this seems to be an exception.

Which is one reason I stopped going to some of these conferences. It seems to be hypocrisy in the worst way, to claim to be a skeptic, but never find out how the good tricks are done.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

But if the trick behind the trick is not revealed, what is an observer supposed to think?

That it's a trick, not magic.

 

[Sherman Bay]

That it's a trick, not magic.

Just being Devil's Advocate here, but there are some people who claim that stage magic is really paranormal. They certainly won't be convinced it is not without a serious demonstration of the real mechanics.

 

[abaddon]

Just being Devil's Advocate here, but there are some people who claim that stage magic is really paranormal. They certainly won't be convinced it is not without a serious demonstration of the real mechanics.

Ha! Everyone knows it is just a trick, they go along with it not because they believe in magic, but simply that they want to see a trick performed well.

Are you not entertained?

That said, I was once accused by a fundie of being in league with satan.

 

[Octavo]

I love close-up magic. Stage shows are great, but you can't help wonder there might be plants in the audience and who knows what that black backdrop is helping conceal. With close up table magic, it's just sleight of hand and clever gimmicks. It's also more of a game to see if you can catch the magician out - you can watch their hands more closely etc.

I enjoy seeing if I can spot the sleight of hand, although I enjoy being completely fooled even more The only agitation comes after the show when credulous friends seem amazed, whereas my reaction is more amused "he sure managed to pull that one off well".

Some of the best magic I've seen has been table performances at restaurants and events.

 

[Garrette]

I have no idea how prevalent it is, but the belief that magic tricks are real is certainly not ultra rare. Like abaddon, I have been accused of being in league with the devil, and I rarely performed. Every single magician friend I know has similar stories. It's possible, I suppose, that the observer was pulling my leg and didn't mean it, but I've been jokingly accused of the same thing and am confident (though not certain) that I can tell the difference. The fear and anger tend to give it away.

 

[Sherman Bay]

I have no idea how prevalent it is, but the belief that magic tricks are real is certainly not ultra rare. Like abaddon, I have been accused of being in league with the devil, and I rarely performed. Every single magician friend I know has similar stories.

I program a small local cable station, and viewers of this forum may find it hard to believe, but there are many TV shows that promote a "paranormal is real" agenda that are submitted to us for broadcast. Some are tongue-in-cheek, but others appear to be dead serious (I usually refuse to broadcast those, on the grounds that they are deliberately misleading).

Yes, there are people out there who believe that magic is real. Many times I can refute this with my knowledge of how some tricks are done, but there is always a residual batch that I cannot, and the response is "See, you can't tell me how it was done, so it must be real!"

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Just being Devil's Advocate here, but there are some people who claim that stage magic is really paranormal. They certainly won't be convinced it is not without a serious demonstration of the real mechanics.

I have relatives who believe some magic man rolled a rock away from the entrance to his tomb. An education might help there, but the real solution would seem to be do drop the rock on them.

 

[Garrette]

I program a small local cable station, and viewers of this forum may find it hard to believe, but there are many TV shows that promote a "paranormal is real" agenda that are submitted to us for broadcast. Some are tongue-in-cheek, but others appear to be dead serious (I usually refuse to broadcast those, on the grounds that they are deliberately misleading).

Yes, there are people out there who believe that magic is real. Many times I can refute this with my knowledge of how some tricks are done, but there is always a residual batch that I cannot, and the response is "See, you can't tell me how it was done, so it must be real!"

These are two separate things. I know that the belief in the paranormal is widespread. My question about prevalence is in regard to those who think that magicians specifically are using paranormal powers. That may be widespread, too, but my suspicion is that it is substantially smaller than the population who believe in the paranormal in general.

 

[bluesjnr]

Do you prefer close-up magic or stage magic or mentalism?

I like all three in this order

• Mentalism
• Close up
• Stage magic

As long as it's live - on telly not so much.

Does it anger you at all when you are tricked or do you just enjoy watching a show and are able to let your being fooled go?

I delight in being fooled - especially with close up.

Do you role (sic) your eyes at a party if a magician asks for your attention?

Not at all, although I don't crave his/her advances.

What type of magic would make you more likely to have sex with the magician?

None, you're getting no pointers here chum

Do you think magic performed by someone at your table during a wedding is inappropriate?

Absolutely not if it's a magician hired for the event. I've been at a table where an amateur tried his hand and it was a little attention whoring, but fun nonetheless.

 

[Sherman Bay]

I have relatives who believe some magic man rolled a rock away from the entrance to his tomb. An education might help there, but the real solution would seem to be do drop the rock on them.

Aren't you the Little Devil.

How about education at a Christian College?

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Aren't you the Little Devil.

How about education at a Christian College?

One of my cousins wanted me to contribute to her education at Southern Missouri Baptist University. Pity I didn't have any extra money at the time. Mine was all ear-marked for hookers and crack.

 

[Denver]

Do you prefer close-up magic or stage magic or mentalism? Does it anger you at all when you are tricked or do you just enjoy watching a show and are able to let your being fooled go? Do you role your eyes at a party if a magician asks for your attention? What type of magic would make you more likely to have sex with the magician? Do you think magic performed by someone at your table during a wedding is inappropriate?

I love both stage and close-up. I find it fun to try to figure out how a trick is done, and fun when i can't. To me, it's a way of learning where my blindspots are.

 

[Senex]

I started this thread for several reasons. The first is my mom hates magic because she thinks magicians should explain everything at the end of the show. No argument that explaining would ruin the fun would win her over. I learned at a young age not everyone likes magic nor would every parent be supportive of all your hobbies. (She is a wonderful mom otherwise).

It's interesting to me that although I am smarter, more poised and wiser than I was when in my late teens/early twenties I can't find the magic mojo I used to have. I was never accused of being in league with the devil but I did speak with audience members after a performance who bought into my patter their "energy" bent the key/nail/silverware. I always told them it was a trick but I never knew if they really believed me. One thing many gullible people had in common was a belief they turned off street lights. I wonder how the new street light technology makes them rethink.

My miracle tool I bragged about on an earlier thread has let me down now a few times. Sharp eyed precocious nine year old children should not be close to you when performing and you can hit snags during a performance that isn't your fault except for your use of unreliable methods.

"Learning your blindspots" is brilliant. That's an important part of art. Art makes you see things differently. Art that shows you can be deceived easily is valuable. Art that makes you wish to be more knowledgeable is crazy valuable.

 

[anglolawyer]

I like card tricks and close up stuff most and vast, staged stunts the least. Making the Statue of Liberty disappear on TV just pisses me off. Likewise sawing people in half or escaping from a straight jacket while on fire and under water (I cross my fingers and hope the guy dies).

I saw the irritating little British magician from up north pass his hand back and forth over an upturned deck held in the other and the face card changed with each pass, perfectly smoothly. I really like that. I like being totally fooled by something dead simple, knowing it's a trick but not knowing at all how it's done. My son and I like learning and trying out simple card tricks. Lots of fun.

Sleight of hand is cool - producing coins out of thin air is a big favourite.