My father was an avid fisherman and would give the most wonderful misinformation (lies) to other anglers he didn’t want fishing in his spot or using a particular bait. One day after a particularly good day on the lake, there were a couple of fishermen putting their boat in the water as we pulled out. They admired our catch and asked my father what he was fishing with. He didn’t say, “None of your business”. He casually made up the name of plausible sounding bait, a deep running tiger stripped something or other, and they left all smiles. I remember my Dad gleefully telling me when we got into the truck to head home how those two would be spending hours in the bait shop looking for that lure. Fishermen are a lot like magicians. I wish I had remembered that story earlier.

If I can take a bit of the devil's advocate's position here for a bit:

If the guy is buying a currently popular video, one that is for general sale, that puts a bottle cap in a bottle using a mag ring, then what has he "stolen"? That's a marketed effect.
It might be a bit tacky that he chose to do what someone else does so nearby, but then ponder this:

What is the difference between Effect and Presentation ?

Sure, you could mumble a few words and slap the bottle cap "in" there, and say to yourself, "mission accomplished, trick done", or, you could take some time to develop a truly unique presentation that won't resemble what the other guy is probably going to do, or resemble Prohibition, for that matter.

That's the problem with marketed effects, everyone becomes a clone, going through the motions. Actually, that's not the marketed effects' fault, that's the magicians' fault.
Be original ! Come up with something unique. Take the effect and make something different out of it.

Many, many tricks use the exact same methods or gimmicks, and yet look entirely different to the audience due to the way it's presented.

Lastly, an analogy: I've played in rock bands for many, many years. (It's also been many years since I've played in one, but that's beside the point ) It's a fact that "rival" bands often play the same cover songs - basically whatever is popular. It's expected.
Now, it might be considered tacky if Band "A" were to suddenly start playing a little known, esoteric tune that Band "B" has been playing for weeks or months, but outside of that, it's just an understandable desire to appeal to what's current and hot as much as it is competition.

Sometimes it strikes me as odd that magicians can be such a territorial lot.
What next, gangsta magic ?

I don't see why you couldn't have just lied.

"I'm gonna use it instead of a Raven"

Problem solved

Yea, I should have just lied. Yea it was just tacky. That's the point.

Be honest, be nice.

"I make a living by performing magic at various restraunts in the area so I can't divuldge what I am going to do with this; however, if you would like a recommendation as to some good tricks I might be able to suggest something."

More than likely he would not have wanted that recommendation, but then that guy who is just a hobbist would be more than greatful for that suggestion. Not everyone in the shop is a pro, some people just like to dabble with it or do small shows for relatives.

Now as far as the person you dealt with and was now trying to break the secret with a little knowledge he got I think that is just wrong! Nothing ticks me off more than having a magician try and figure out a trick that a fellow magician worked hard on to bring it to the market with the intention of never buying it.

No.

Be dishonest. And mean.

JK

You could have told him, it a trick you are going to soon be selling for $500.00 buck. Then tell him, you'll let him in on it now, if interested. Tell him nothing else, unless he hands you the cash first. If he does fork over the cash, go over pick up the Prohibition DVD, pay the store for it. Then hand it to him and say here now buy that PK ring. See ya!

Ha haaaa! Good one Walt! I've often seen such at local magic shops I've been to... including the Mall Kisok that used to be here years ago...blatant exposure in discussing our trade secrets right in front of the General Public.

Funny thing, is Don's Magic Shop (Fort Myers Beach) had NONE of that. He would not tolerate people just "hanging out"...if it happened, he'd get really aggressive and say something like, "Can I help you find something?" They'd say, "Thanks..I'm just looking..." And he'd fire back, "Well...I'm just SELLING! Are you going to buy something?"

Worked every time. Then just serious purchasers would get his full attention. I like that kind of intolerance for time-wasters. I sure miss Don and the Shop!

Doug

After realizing you had made the mistake, you could have pulled him aside and said "You'll want to get 3 Foo Cans for the ending too."

Now for the REALLY unpopular view.

First I found it funny that you wanted to perform something "original or at least unique" and you chose to buy it at the magic shop in the first place. Certainly I can not be the only one who sees this as ironic.

Second off it is really your fault. Why tell him? You KNEW why he wanted to know. BUT you told him anyhow. You wanted to brag. How wrong is a guy for buying something in the magic shop? No more wrong than you are.

Also the odds of someone seeing you and him in places 10 miles apart are pretty slim.

Get over it or learn from it those are the real options. Both would be best. Don't tell guys what your working on. Tell him it is something you simply want to mess arround with.

Or if you want an original and unique act, don't buy it from the magic shop.

Well Danny, a PK ring is a legitimate gimmick, and not something easily made or purchased at a non-magic store. And the fact that he is supporting a local business is also a respectable act. So I see no irony.

The "irony" since you ask is that the routine he is talking about is purchasable. Not going to be "original" now is it?

As for supporting a local magic shop. Darn right!

He was talking about something unique to his restaurant's ten mile performance area. Not to the world of magic.

Until the new guy moves in and chases the guy away from his paper route

Back to the original topic of "copy cat" prop orders for "copy cat" magic, while I know it's a source of irritation, look at the causes. One is under the heading of the "Time, Place and Manner" in which orders are discussed and placed. From experience in the recording industry, there were times when the copies beat the originals to market! Information flows are not always controllable.

But there is the other problem. The function of a magic dealer is to sell magic. They hunt magicians to advise on what to buy! Then they try to sell it to them (again for the day). It is what they do for a living. If you ran a music store, you would certainly point out that this is a guitar just like "Johnny Hit-Maker" plays.

It won't make you "Johnny Hit-Maker" but the identification isn't worthless either. The guitar is just a prop.

Magic is even stranger than music. In music, any successful agent will tell you that the smartest strategy in live performances is to play your greatest hits over and over. If you don't have any or enough, play someone else's greatest hits over and over. Successful musicians know and do that.

Magicians think no one in a paying audience wants to see the same show twice. How right are they? Not very! A lot of them come and go. The ones who stay have an act.

The reason we use Bicycle cards is ...

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Much wisdom in what Bob Sanders says above. My advice is don't sweat other performers, its not like people spend much time remembering or even thinking about magic and magicians. Just do the best job you can when you are performing and you will do well.

Actually, I think from a purely practical standpoint it is to your advantage to encourage other magicians to do good material. AS an agent I have never heard I don't want magician X because he does the same thing as Y, but I have heard we don't want a magician because our people don't like magic. The reason they say this is they saw a bad magician and judge everyone on that basis-so the real issue is not copying but the quality of performance.

Gil Scott

I was thinking about this, and I think you could have "answered" your cell phone and excused yourself. This seems kinda rude, but what this person was doing was rude too. Just my 2% of $1.00.

Ron

I like Walt's approach.

Derrick,
It's none of their business, you're being too nice!