I used to be really into music and play in bands. The same thing happens in that world with the likes of Britney Spears and all.

So I agree with Pinky and IceRaven02... it all boils down to what the audience wants. Sometimes artists get too close to their art and forget what it's all about.

Scott

As for his jumping off London Bridge, I don't know if that would be televised or not. But I read elsewhere on this board that his next televised special would be less escapology and more street magic, as he felt he was getting too far away from the reason he was performing magic in the first place.

Also agree with IceRaven and Pinky. I personally don't care for DB's style, but I appreciate the difference in his art. If we would look at magic as performing art rather than "who is the best mechanic?" perhaps we can appreciate the art of DB. You don't have to like it, but at least acknowledge that it is popular.

The average viewer of magic does not care who the last FISM or FFFF winner was. They want to be entertained and Blaine has created a new niche that he has slipped in to.

There are thousands of skilled magic mechanics out there who are better than DB, but can't sell themselves and have no "art".

There are a some magicians out there making big bucks with mediocre mechanical skills, but are selling themselves and their performance art to a large audience.

I guess it's more the presentation than the skill. You don't need to be full of flourishes and sleights to impress... but seriously, I think he'd be better off doing magic.

I don't think he should stop performing. It's great publicity for the rest of us-pro, amateur, beginner and hobbyist. Blaine's a household name, and there are those laypeople who will go to see a magician's act because of something they saw Blaine do. (Or not do, but of course only we magicians are supposed to know that!)

I hear a lot of David Blaine references when I'm working, and as far as I'm concerned I take them as compliments. No need to reiterate what has already been said except for the bottom line -- laymen know who he is, they enjoy what he does, and if that makes them more interested in what I'm about to do, all the better.

Oh and BTW, 9 times out of 10 if I perform two-card monte or the voodoo ash trick (among others) that Blaine has featured on one of his specials, no one even comments on the fact that they have seen it before. They either are too polite to say so (that may be pushing it in my usual venue) or they remember the man and the "magic", and not the specific effects.

This turned out longer than I expected so to sum up, if the lay people enjoy him, and he is bringing us more exposure, more power to him.

Anasazi

(edited to fix a typo)

My friend, I think you meant he's raising more awareness of magic. Exposure, unfortunately, is the Masked Moron's job.

Fair enough. I think you see where I was going with this, though.

I understood what you meant.

I don't like to critisize DB. He has done far better then most magicians, even if he does do some dumb, non magical stuff. He has to do what the crowd wants to see.

I met him, and he seems like a nice kinda guy.

As for the needle trick, he has performed that at almost every interview he has done for the past 2 months.

I guess the answer to the thread is-no, not completely.

David Blaine lost it? I didn't even know it was missing.

Seriously, it's become a standard thing on this board to see people bashing him on one side then putting him high up on Magic Mountain (pun intended), but either way I don't get it. He's a performer. Let him perform. I'm sure every barb you toss at him makes him cry every time he goes to bank... or floats to the bank.

Many people on this board have already stated the obvious: whether you like him or hate him, the public loves him so use it to your advantage. Promote yourself. Show you have powers too... please, don't copy his style or go out and buy the latest effect he did, but show those around you that you have talent, too.

I can only hope one day to have some show or movie that will have so many people enraged and in love with me at the same time. I'm going to make it a point to never comment on Blaine on this board again... maybe we can all take that as a New Year's resolution and stop wasting energy discussing someone else's life when we should be working on our own.

Just my opinion, but I'm going to try to stick to my promise. See you guys on the other parts of the Café.
Greg

Hmm, not according to the ratings of his latest tv special. It tanked ratings wise. So whilst the public may "love him", they seem quite reluctant to actually watch him on TV anymore.

I didn't hear that the "tower" piece, or whatever it was called, received bad ratings (if that is what you meant by his last show - I think there was a repeat of one of his earlier shows on recently, which would naturally receive less of an audience). Even if the show did recieve poorer ratings, it was still watched by millions. I'd love to see ratings numbers stacked up against other magicians specials. I'm sure David did quite well in comparison. Also his book seems to be everywhere, so I don't think the fascination has worn off yet, as much as some magicians would like to see it.

His latest special was called "Vertigo", and involved a stunt where he jumped off a ten story pole into a bunch of carboard boxes & sleeping bags. From what it looked like in New York Square, the reason it got such poor TV ratings was because so many were watching it in person!

The show that received really poor ratings was the one where he's laying in the street and riding the little bicycle around. Completely lost it's time slot that night I believe. And by poor ratings, I mean the
"original" showing got the poor ratings. I'm not talking about any repeats.



Hmm, even if every single New Yorker showed up to see him perform, it wouldn't significantly skew the Nielsen ratings nationwide. Heck, even if 100,000 showed up *which seems doubtful*, that would only be a fraction of the big apples population.

Oh! I got confused about which special it was. Never mind then.

Speaking as a total non DB fan the latest special did lousy in the ratings and IMHO deserved to do lousy. I have seen DC, Blackstone, Pendragons, Penn&Teller, Henning, Daryl, Emerson, West, Elmsley, Lavand, Close, Yedid, Swiss, Maven... live and on the tube and all were great in both places.

As a performing magician I have yet to meet anyone who has seen DB perform live and be even slightly amazing. In my opinion it's too early to state whether this gentleman has the chops of a bigtime magician. Just one guys view.

I saw Blaine on Ross, putting the needle through his hand. I thought it looked pretty good and several people mentioned it to me the following day. Even though he SAID it was an illusion, some were insisting that he had put the needle through!

I saw Vertigo, too. I thought it was better than the second special (where he supposedly went to a remote tribe who just happened to have soccer goal posts in the background).

People say his magic is not technically very great. Well, doesn't this just illustrate what everybody tells begining magicians: that in the hands of a good performer a simple trick can seem like a miracle?

I am not without my criticisms of him but always watch.

I had to smile at all the stuff about being cold on top of the column. Let's face it, anybody planning a stunt of this type would have given thought to the fact that at ten stories high it is bound to be cold at night. Great drama. Also excellent was having him fall into the boxes. Great shots of all the worried assistants rushing to his aid. Had he survived? Was he injured? Blaine understands audiences. One reason why his tricks are so efective is that he shows only one or two to each group. Any more and you are a magician doing a routine of tricks. More drama. And did I notice a sleeping bag amongst all the crushed caredboard?

It did say that the sleeping bags were there, although I don't remember the reason it stated.