My wife was watching a special on the travel channel and I cannot believe what was on there. It was entitled The Fielding West Show; Comedy, Tricks, and Naked Chicks. Has magic gone down hill that bad that magicians have to use nude girls just to get attention? Even the producer of the show said that 80 percent of the people that come to the shows are just there for the naked girls. Does silicone overpower magic? To me this is a disgrace to our art. What do other people think?

If you are a magician you do magic, but not with nude women. There are strip clubs all in Vegas and even the idea of using magic this way is just sickening. It gives magic and magicians a bad name. It's one thing for a magician not to perform so well but it's another for him to be a pervert. This kind of trash and the performers of such should be kicked out of our community. How could you perform magic knowing that a nude girl pops out of a box and no one is ever going to look at you. Your the magician. It is my opinion that this should not be looked at as oh it's ok it's his thing. If these people are members of any magic organization they should be kicked to the curb. What is every one else's view on this?

If you think about it, the stereo-type for magicians has always been just a step away from this anyway. I mean, think about the "lovely assistant" who comes onstage often in very tightly fitting leotards. I really don't like that kind of magic anyway, where it takes 2 seconds for a car to appear and 5 minutes for the girls to dance around. It's not magic, it's just a car appearing. There's no audience connection, just a car and lots of girls. There are many different types of magic and magic performances (I mean, just look at how MANY different topics there are on the Café`). There's always the "Darker" side of magic which is a little more sleasy, and it's a shame that it exists.

Wow, I guess I can understand how you feel but don't agree. Vegas is filled with shows that are great shows but have topless women it. I think its a part of vegas. In fact there is a show there called the show girls of magic. And guess what women doing magic and are topless. Fielding west is a top notch performer don't knock him or his magic based on were he is performing. What sometimes we seem to forget is that there are producers involved in most of those shows. But then again when I first started out I would do shows in strip clubs. It wasn't really that bad.LOL Now its not for everyone which I can see its not for you, but in vegas anything goes....the saying is what goes on in vegas stays in vegas. Its differn't out there. I don't see a show like that going on the road....LOL

tpdmagic

Tpdmagic, I can see a little where you are coming from. But still, show girls of magic? A bunch of topless women running around and giving us a bad name. I also have to point out like Jordini said, that regular magic shows have 5 minutes of dancing and 2 seconds for the magic. Also, as far as producers go, I'm also an actor and you have a choice. If you don't like it don't do it. If it's supposed to stay in Vegas then why did I see it? There is lots of magic in Vegas and I guess that most people today would rather see a show like this than just magic. No it's not for me but everyone has their opinion.

I like the idea!

Nothing wrong with lovely women, with or without clothes.

Does this make the magician's wand seem smaller?

Seems just a challenge to establish and maintain some sort of theatrical context.

One could of course simply cross the openings of Cabaret and Pippin and see what happens.

Believe it or not, Showgirls of Magic at the San Remo Hotel and Casino is one of the more popular Shows in Vegas. It is advertised just about everywhere. Now with Vegas going away from family oriented entertainment,(What happens in Vegas here, stays in Vegas,)there will be more adult oriented shows with naked show girls. The Stratosphere recently added a Vampire show called bite. A city where 35 mil people visit a year, I guess anything goes.

With the Showgirls of Magic supposedly being one of the more popular shows in vegas as M. Perk states, why is it that the show is on it's last legs and will NOT be there when San Remo becomes the Hooters Casino? You would think that it becoming a Hooters Casino, that the show would be staying....but guess again.

Kevin

Lots of opinions here, so I'll share mine...

I agree with the idea that there should be less nudity in magic shows (none, in my personal opinion). However, that being said, this is not a new idea.

I have a tape of a TV special from back in the 70's, called "A Bare Touch of Magic". I have the clothed version. As I understand it, there were 2 versions of the show. One with topless assistants, and one with them wearing their tops. And I am sure there were review shows with magic and nudity combined predating this.

What I think has happened here, is that it is one of the appeals of theatre / showbiz taken to the extreme. Sex appeal can be one of the elements in a strong show, magic or otherwise. This is discussed in Dariel Fitzkee's books (perhaps "Showmanship for Magicians").

Sex appeal can be as simple as a man wearing a tuxedo or some attractive suit, and looking handsome (teeth brushed, face scrubbed, etc.)... some women find that very appealing. Sex appeal can be as simple as a woman wearing an attactive (though not necessarily revealing) pantsuit or dress, and looking pretty (teeth brushed, nice hairstyle, makeup as necessary, etc.)... some men find that very appealing. Sex appeal can still work with people fully clothed, and not even in skin tight outfits.

What I see the problem as, is sex appeal taken to an extreme, and exploited for all it's worth. It is up to the performer / theatre group to define what that sex appeal means, and what extent that will be exploited. It is overdone as an element in these shows. The other elements need to be blended with it, to create a balance.

I don't think the nudity needs to be there, and I don't think women (or men) need to expose themselves for a show to be successful.

- Donald

DanCprfld,

I do magic in bars. There typically aren't any topless women hanging around, but there are sometimes a lot of scantily dressed women trying to get every available guy in the room to notice them. There's also a lot of guys dressed to the nines with blow dried hair and too much aftershave scouting every unattached female that happens by. My point? Distractions can come in many forms, learn to deal with and overcome them. If you don't care for nude women, don't include any in your show, but it's an opinion call, not an amoral fact. Every topless women in magic is not a "tramp," and every magician that chooses to use topless women in their act should not be "kicked out of our community". Tolerence of diversity is wonderful thing, really... it is.

Mike

I haved worked the Topless clubs with my act. I even did a Clown act in "Nudes On Ice". (Same bill with Ricky Dunn!). This was in 1967!! Nothing new here.
If people like it they will pay for it. We need to work. These days I wouldn't...but back then...hey, it was a gig.

At least there's magic to look at besides the every day run of the mill topless woman.

I always got a laff out of the topless and nude clubs that put Girls! Girls! Girls! on the marquee like they were some rare alien species being shown by PT Barnum. Not to mention the chicks themselves..."Look at me! I have THESE!"

So what..so does everybody else. Get an act!

Well, it seems they have and that's why it's called Sin City.

Personally, we don't go.

Doug

It's not that **Magic** has gotten that bad.
It's that our **Society** has gotten that bad.

The type and kinds of entertainment we enjoy is
simply a reflection of moral decay in general.

Steven Youell

Since when are sex and nudity bad?

Perhaps being teased is annoying.

I can think of worse in our society than displays of nudity and erotica.

Fielding West is a very humorous guy...in fact I just ordered his DVD set.

Naked Chicks and Magic...two wonderful things!

Maybe not for the kids, but that is why kids are not allowed into those shows.

If you are looking at a naked girl and you prefer the card trick, that is the 1st sign of that you have a serious problem.

In the late 19th century Le Petomaine (a backwind artiste) was the highest paid performer evert to appear at the Moulin Rouge. He was even paid more than Sarah Bernhard the single most popular entertainer of the day.
Public Hangings were a very popular form of entertainment in the 18th century. The whole spetrum of society from rich to poor could be found at Tilbury to observe this grisly entertainment.
Most popular entertainment in this our modern age pales by comparison.
Moral decay is in the eye of the beholder (especially those who know not what has come before)
I see no decay of morals in our society. They are the same ones that have been with us from time immoral.

Am I the only one who thinks it strange that, for some, it's not OK for women to appear topless in a magic act, but it's OK for a (male) magician to hypnotize a woman into submission, then saw her in half?

Perhaps this is because women can produce live human beings from their bodies, while male magicians can only find your card.

Yours,

Paul

Good point Dr. Wilson.

Gets me to thinking.

"Perhaps this is because women can produce live human beings from their bodies, while male magicians can only find your card."


Thankfully we don't have to cut them in half to get them out.

Topless magic in vegas will not affect the average audience's perception of magicians as a whole. No harm done. The only thing they will be thinking is, "thank god this is going to show up as a 'magic show' on the corporate credit card."

<<If you are looking at a naked girl and you prefer the card trick, that is the 1st sign of that you have a serious problem>>

I'm with Dave on this.

W.C. Fields famously hated to share the stage with precocious kids or animals. Sharing the stage with a naked woman is just asking to be ignored as a performer. Who do you think the audience is going to go home remembering?

Selfish perhaps, but true, I believe.

Jack Shalom