Probably not on TV in front of a bazillion viewers... Just another example of someone who thinks the magic is in the prop.

Very well said.

That's how Pamela Anderson started off her career.

No one said she'd get on stage for the first time at her competition. She knows she needs work first, silly! In spite of the "Miss America" label, they aren't all just "dumb blondes" - lol. I recommended a great many performances for her first complete with videotaped feedback and I believe she will be taking that advice. THANK GOODNESS!

I've coached young women to do magic in reigonal competitions, more than a few times. At first, I had the same hesitations as Randi, but it turns out that the people I coached were highly motivated, mostly intelligent, people of some achievement, but none of their talents fitted the format of a public performance. We can't all be singers, dancers, or musicians, after all. So as to whether they "deserved" my help, or "deserved" to be in the contest, I had no problem answering yes to both. Turns out they worked hard, did well, and the fact that they "acquired" their on-stage talents quickly and for the purposes of the contest frankly had a negligible effect on the overall sanctity and integrity of the noble institution of pageant competition.

As for the effect on magic in general, they did better than some local "professionals" I've seen, if only because they had the good sense to ask someone else if they were good or bad. A lot of the pros can't be bothered, much to their detriment. The fact that she quickly became competent was not a slight to magic's reputation, either, since nobody had to know how long she had been doing it. Obviously, her introduction didn't say "____'s been performing magic for all of two months...."

One question--in order to compete in the Miss America competition, don't you have to have already won a smaller competition, like the reigonals I mentioned? What did our subject contestant do for her talent to win that (or those) competition(s)?

Having said all that, here's my two cents' worth:

1. One advantage magic has in this context is that most judges have no idea how easy or difficult it is. You can sidestep the problem of a judge who's thinks he knows something about singing, for instance. Also, try to have one piece that looks like it requires skill, whether it does or not. The judges must be led to conclude that your contestant is doing more than just pressing buttons and smiling.

2. Write her an introduction that tells the judges how difficult magic is.

3. Find a characterization that she's comfortable with. She's a lay person, and they have all sorts of ideas about how magic is supposed to be presented, most being charactures of the magicians they've seen at parties, or on T.V. Is she able to dark and mysterious? Mischevious? Innocent and surprised? Can she do stage comedy? Is she a decent mime? Any of these characteristics can be built into a presentation, but you've got to choose one that fits, and before you choose the effects, if at all possible.

4. Keep in mind that she will be judged on appearance and poise, even though this is the talent segment. If an effect requires that she do something that looks awkward or clumsy, change the method or throw it out. The actual magic she does is mostly secondary to how she looks doing it. Just as in normal magic performance, it's not really about the tricks.

Good luck with it, don't jam her in a box unless she can come out looking better than when she went in. Remember that she will be going through all the stages of disillusionment you went through when you first learned how the tricks worked, and there will come a time when she will doubt whether the tricks will fool anyone. You're going to have to help her keep her faith in the magic. She will have the same anxiety that we all have about things going wrong. You can address that by making her practice her outs. Seriously, what should she do if the reel breaks? Teach and Rehearse that. She has to project joy in what she's doing, so try to keep the process fun. That said, I have also learned to expect some tears in rehearsal.

Teach her the vanishing handkerchief...

"A person who never sing before doesn't mean she cant sing. It just mean people have not discover yet"

How often in magic, where a person who have interest in magic fail to have talent in magic... having interest doesn't mean you going to perform good magic"

How many of you guys are the next david Copperfield, cyril takayama, derren brown, dai vernon or ed marlo?

There are some not so talent magician become famous, such as david blaine or criss angel?

SO this girl here, might not have the talent, but maybe she be famous for the magician who always fail, fail in a cute girl? People don't want see magician who fool them, people love to watch a cute girl who always fail her magic, or determine to work her magic out...

"Remember a magician is just an actor playing the part of a magician"

Her purpose of learning magic is not become the best magician or sleight of hand artist but to just get into a camera, to have something to perform. As long as she get into a camera, the natural beauty or personality might land her something other than magic, modeling? advertisement? ... ...

This remind me of Piff the Magic Dragon, who perform normal trick but his personality that make his magic fun to watch...

Anymore hope to see what come up in the talent show... Good LUCK^^

Teach her the balloon swallowing trick.

I'm with Randi. This woman has no talent, so she decides to do magic= takes no talent to do magic...

I would encourage her to do a version of snowstorm in china. If she has some money, she should buy one of Kevin James versions. It is simple straightforward, conveys a story, and has a powerful large climax with strong music. Very elegant. With practice, this could be a winner.

I hink this pageant is already done ?

I came on this too late to offer useful advice, but this is the most extraordinarily negative statement.

Of course it is possible to give a complete beginner a trick and have them perform it in an entertaining fashion. In fact it is easy. The trick is only a vehicle. If the person is naturally entertaining, they can make the trick entertaining.

On the other hand, if someone has twenty years experience and interest in magic, but is a boring presenter, then they will not make magic entertaining.

We are far too precious about our craft, and more damage is done by boring and inept magicians than by beginners with enthusiasm and a desire to rehearse and learn.

Came here looking for a review on selected doll by tora magic
Saw this and few thoughts came to me. Firstly how did the young get on in the competition?
Did she stick with magic thus showing us who was wrong or right and would the selected doll adapted
doll not have done with the dolls all dressed up as contestants. perhaps having a 4th reveal when she turned her dress at the back revealed to be the same as the doll
Anyway may be thinking out loud or lost the plot .