A magician is not a magician because he knows tricks, but because he knows the fundamentals of magic. To me, the true secret of magic is not in the method, but it only exists in the audience's mind during the actual moment of performance. I feel a true magician uses "deception" to create "illusion". Unfortunately, the word illusion has come to mean larger stage effects like levitation, sawing in half, etc. Even though deception is happening throughout your performance, it's really only a stepping stone toward creating an illusion for the audience. To me, magic is 95% misdirection, timing and applied psychology and 5% deception. The true secrets of magic involve controlling the thought processes and can never be exposed on a Fox Network Special.
If knowing tricks does not a magician make, then , in your opinion , what does?
Darryl the Wizard

In my humble opinion, a magician is a magician if his/her audience genuinely believes he is. I know fellas that know fifty eleven tricks. They can do a twenty card lift and make it look good. However some of these guys are very into mechanics and very little into presentation, and their audience knows it. Then there are those that don't do anything more complicated than the magic coloring book, but boy o boy does the audience love it.

So I guess I agree with you. That seems to be happening a lot with you.

My opinion in twenty-five words or less:

"A magician is someone who stills relishes the wonder he felt when he first experienced magic, and has learned to awaken that wonder in others."

Regards,
Thomas Wayne

Great answer Thomas.

I can't add to that.

Andy

That 20 card lift can be made a lot easier with a corner short 20th down.

Hey, what else is there to say? The magicians that think about their magic know this, the ones that don't probably won't even click on "Food for Thought"
Paul.

Won't even click on "Food for Thought"....

I agree, a magician is one who is a good performer. ONe who just knows tricks, well, they are just someone who knows tricks.

There is too many "I think, he think, she thinks, this guy said " to really know what gives you the right to have that title "Magician" People give more weight to the word than others. I still have in mind a magician should be able to do magic anytime, anywhere and when questioned about you being a magician, you show them on the spot that you're for real. As long as you do your sleights smoothly and everyone is entertained during that anytime anywhere act I'm all for it. I dont like people being so money grubbing, capitalistic know it all who thinks of money first then audience second. I dont like this type of dialog:

"I heard you're a magician. Could I see some magic?"

"Yes, you could see some magic. Here's my business card. It have the address of the resturant I perform at. Bye."

I would like a person with the title magician to offer a time of enjoyment freely.

We all can dream...

Reian wrote:

"I would like a person with the title magician to offer a time of enjoyment freely.

We all can dream..."

I agree with your sentiment, which is obviously sincere and well meant. But I don't completely agree.

I will admit that most times when someone recognizes me and asks me to do something that I comply. It is just good business and even though mentalism is my only profession and source of income.

There are times, however, when the demand to "show me something!" is out of place. If I were to perform on demand why would anyone want to pay to see me work?? (Even impromptu I would never just do a throwaway or quickie-everything I do in public has to be at my highest standards- my reputation depends on it.)

I remember being out on a nice romantic dinner date at a local bistro. I had done a local television appearance that afternoon and many of the patrons had seen it. A few of them came over to our table and gave some nice compliments about the show. I thanked them and when one of them politely and enthusiastically asked if I could read her mind I gave an impromptu demonstration.

Ten minutes later, some guy I don't know comes over to the table, and loudly interrupts our conversation with "Come over here and show us something!"

I looked at him and said "If I were a famous singer would you tell me to come over and sing??"

Bob (just another money grubbing capitalist)Cassidy


:wavey:

I agree 100% with Bob.

There's a time and a place.

I once remember at a convention someone asking a "name" for an autograph while he was stood at the urinal.

Paul Hallas

This is an excellent discussion and it is nice to see that it can go forward with mannered grace.

I have thought about this subject for many years and the answer is not a simple one. For instance....Is there anyone out there in our audience that 'really' believes that no matter how good the illusion that the performer is 'really' a magician? This is critical. The obvious answer is 'no'.

The question that needs to addresses is why? Now, in this instance, I think that answer is easy.....IF we were really magicians why the heck would we do what we do? Why produce a rabbit or silks or any of the other nifty but useless objects that we love to pull from unlikely places? Why wouldn't we sit at home, drink beer and pull hundred dollar bills from the air??? Think about it! What we that call ourselves magicians do is 'fun' and often engaging, but seldom makes any sense. That is why folks walk around humming or singing their favorite song instead of ruminating on the magic trick they just witnessed.

You see Robert Houdin's formula is still I think the best and more brilliant than is appreciated now: The magician is no more than an actor playing the part of a magician. This is much the philosophy that drives preformers like Eugene Burger, et al. It is a wonderful platform from which to extend magic into the world.

But, it is not the ONLY way that magic can be performed. That's another discussion really.

A magician is simply a person acting as if the tricks they do have special significance. That significance should provoke wonder in the minds of the audience. A magician today is someone who does 'wonderful' things. Not logical things at all. If we only did logical things, we would all be RICH wonder workers for we would win the Lotto, manifest the ability to heal anyone with Cancer, etc.

You see to really do a good job at what we do, we must see ourselves as we are. We are the folks that protect the 'wonder' that is in the world. We are purveyors of the wonderful. Take care,

Brad Burt

Paul!!

That actually happened to me once! I still crack up every time I think about it.

The guy actually startled me with the request, and I turned around. You can imagine what happened to his shoes.

(Now that I think about it, this may be an effective way of dealing with all obnoxious spectators!! )

Bob

Had you been in Alaska at the time you could have given him his autograph in the snow.

TW

I refer back to Thomas's quote. That captures it all, I think. The rest is "mechanics" - when will I perform, what will I perform, for whom will I perform, how much will I charge, etc.

Jon