Bet it didn't sink in though John....lol

James Biss.. as if there is a bigger ******bag and insult to the magic/mentalism community...

Hint: there is none..

The damage has been done, if James likes exposure well see how much he likes it when he finds me in the front row of his next show, if he thought he had problems with that Irish woman heckler, he hasent seen anything yet, if he wants to expose the IMB well see how much he likes it when it happens DURING HIS SHOW, you mark my words I GUARANTEE ill be at his next show, he's almost my neighbour

Stashu Bravo,

Stashu.. id love to have a field raport on that. Bravo

What is he gonna do? Doing a Paddle move with his IMB :')

oh, there are some still there.

Greetings,

You know, I try to never get involved in these types of threads...but I feel that I really need to add my comments.

First, I have spoken to a number of skeptic groups over the years, and I have NEVER exposed one single thing...and I never will. To do so is merely a shortcut for those that really have nothing else to say. It's really quite sad, but that's what happens with those that do not create their own material. A true creator understands the respect that we all owe to the art. On the other hand, thieves don't usually give a ***.

Also, the message from Mr. Biss proved that he didn't even know who sponsored the event...and yet he knows how prestigious the group was. Perhaps...or maybe he's just very full of himself (and obviously, very full of something else).

My suggestion would be this...if you honestly care about all types of theatrical deception, do not support those that disrespect what we do. The goal should always be to leave the art form in better shape than how you originally found it. That means respecting it...not raping it.


Keep the change,
Rick

@ Rick

Amen bro.. amen

Hello, you boys...

Rick's on point again.

The magic/mentalism community is pretty forgiving as a whole. We allow child molesters and drug addicts to pay their dues to society and re-enter our tribes without much fanfare.

But a thief and a liar who refuse to admit his crimes cannot repay his debt and certainly should not be hailed as a contributor to our art. In the past days of performers like Bert Easley, when men wore felt hats, thievery was taken care of by taking it "outside" with a good cuffing.

There may still be something in that philosophy.

Take a powder,
Docc

Ah, Bert Easley. They don;'t make them like that anymore.

Also the proper way to settle things like Gentlemen is long gone. A good cuffing, indeed, settled the scores of many 'misunderstandings'!

Chris

ABISSmal

Benny

In this case, I don't want to stir up anything, but I want address something that Lord of the Horses wrote:

"In my life I've met a great deal of people and the most amazing memories came from laymen who were showed once the method for Zig-Zag Girl or the old Center Tear and they remembered vividly the HOW TO even after many years. Sure there will be some laymen who will forget a method they learned (but that's true for magicians too) and I don't think it has to do with being a magician or not, at least, only partially so."

So, if I understand this perspective, we don't want anyone to know how we lie to them...why? So they won't be entertained by our lie? I hasten to point out that we are supposed to entertain our audiences, and we are supposed to understand that they know(!) what we do isn't real. So I would suggest that unless we are trying to convince our audience that we are the real deal, having the audience know we are fake and still enjoying the performance isn't a bad thing...is it?

My wife and I do a "real" and "entertaining" seance at Hallowe'en, and have had many people ask us to contact their late loved ones - we politely tell them that what they saw was a "show", and not the "real thing". We do not suggest that the "real thing" does not exist, just that we are entertainers. So, would we care if they knew that 'it' fell over by the use of a thread? Or that the planchette moved because of a magnet? No, not at all. And even though we do not advertise ourselves as an exposure-of-the-seance show (and we play it as real as we can, thanks to my theater background), we certainly don't worry that someone 'out there somewhere' exposes one of our effects.

Even the Masked Magician did not cost anyone (that I know of) any work, or any success. So why do we whine so much about another? If you don't want to play in his sandbox, then don't. But quit complaining. And go back to work, or back to creating your own material, or both.

Lee

http://www.mississauga.com/news/article/......x-charge

Lee, Many of us make sacrifices to learn the secrets of our Art, paying thousands of dollars at times, investing hundreds of hours to craft our technique and presentation. Someone comes along with no respect to the Art's rich history of secrecy nor our sacrifices. That's what the big deal is about.

No one will see this I doubt, but I've been leafing through a copy of a Biss book (had it for years, came in a lot I purchased on an online auction) I've been looking at it off and on (mostly on the john) for awhile. Sort of liked some of the thinking. I JUST googled the man this evening. Took me a long time to find much about him. Then I found this thread, followed by a couple of unpleasant news articles. My point is, right now I'm probably one of the few people thinking about him. There isn't much evidence that he was here at all. (I guess I'll stop reading the book, maybe)

Many years have passed since this has started, and after reading this again, I had only one question burning in my throat to ask: do those original people who posted comments here feel the same was abut exposure towards Penn and Teller? I remember feeling horrified that these two magical "greats" would expose things on their numerous television events, and they certainly don't seem to care what the average magician thinks. So, perhaps Biss has modeled his money-making career after P&T...after all, look how successful they are!

Feelings towards exposure are subjective.