Guys:
Let's give Pete some credit. Stop reading his literal words and try to understand what he is saying.
First, he did say it was his opinion that it was the greatest trick. He liked the reactions and thought that this would be something that would be, for him, a reputation maker. OK, he is mimicking the ad copy we are all inundated with on a daily basis in e-mails from our favorite magic shops, but he means that it is something that is going into his repertoire because he likes it.
Second, he is performing for a live audience something he learned legitimately. That is better then the Youtube boobs that perform something they learned on Youtube while you watch their hands handle a deck at crotch level. Hopefully, he will pick up some more Bannon effects or maybe some of his books.
Third, he performed it well. There is room for improvement, but the mechanics were there.
OK, so he performed it using Bannon's patter. Have you ever tried to develop patter for Bannon's effects? It's hard. What happens is so unexpected, that it is difficult to focus on anything other than saying what you are doing.
Further, Pete is trying to find himself as a magician. You can tell from his posts here. Also, he is at an age where he is trying (consciously or unconsciously) to find himself as a person. In either of those processes, the first stages are imitation. We do things other people do whether it be in magic or in life. After a while, we are more selective who we imitate and then eventually we develop our "self" -- as a person or a magician. The "self" we develop into is a unique blend of various influences. Just look at Dani DaOrtiz and Woody Aragon -- both very different but also both strongly influenced by Tamariz.
Pete:
I'm glad your excited about Bannon's Royal Scam. Pick up Bannon's Impossibilia as an e-book from L&L. Check out reviews of Dear Mr. Fantasy and Smoke and Mirrors - if you are interested I may know some shops that still have copies. If books aren't your thing (they should be at this point) check out Bannon's DVDs.
And one more thing. Keep expanding your horizons and learning more magic - not from DVDs, but from books. Get the Tarbell set. If you want to become a good magician, study Tarbell. Think about getting a subscription to Genii (with access to 75 years of back issues). I think a lot of the pushback you are getting is from folks who know a lot more magic than you do. When you reach a certain point, no effect is a reputation maker and no effect is the greatest. You realize that what matters is what you do to make that effect yours.