Sinful07 – that was painful to read, honestly. I love how people talk about bombing so casually now...like, yeah, I flashed and they boo’d me...awesome, and the population of those wanting to see a trick diminishes that much more. Don’t worry – I recovered by doing what I said – finding their card.
Before I talk about “magic vs sleight of hand”, I will say, what you are performing may be the issue. I have spoken on this a number of times, getting people to WANT to be fooled and building a reason. What you “said” to recover sounded like...and I can’t believe I am using this term...”mouth garbage”. It made NO sense, and it was you stumbling on giving something meaning, that didn’t have any meaning to begin with. As I will deal with the magic/sleight of hand concept in a second – but the worst thing to do is to slap the spectator for believing one way – “You didn’t think it was real magic” and your out was a visual effect. You feel like you recovered because everyone “freaked” out, but a reaction isn’t the only indicator of your success - this is false. You found their card, but they didn’t experience magic – they experience a successful trick. Keep reading...the rest may help you. (PM me if you have any questions)
To answer your question – I have heard it from both sides. Guys like Johnny Ace Palmer and Jami Ian Swiss both will tell their audiences that they use sleight of hand...I have heard few say they have “real” magic powers – but Uri Geller made a career out of stating he had real powers...he took heat for it though. Personally, I don’t claim it’s real – but I don’t; want to remind them it’s not either. Like a movie, I go to the movies knowing it’s not real, but feel emotion and a connection – we have the ability to communicate two ways, unlike movies – so the experience should be better! Therefore, when I do magic, I let THEM come to terms with what they see – and they realize it doesn’t MATTER if it’s real or fake – it’s an amazing experience. When asked if it’s real magic, I say – yes, but not Peter Pan Disney magic – its magic in the sense of adult imagination. Because magic is real, we are doing it – but it’s not “real” magic...but then again, Hobbits aren’t real either, but Lord of the Rings was a cool flick!
Ammar really put this into terms for me, when I heard him talk. He said, and I paraphrase - To be remembered (enough to be rebooked and be considered great) you either have to display incredible skills...not just skill...INCREDIBLE skill...or you have to do something that is BEYOND skill...that skill doesn’t come to mind with what they witnesses. Which he said ran into Vernon’s – to be remembered do one thing better than ANYONE...so when people talk about it – they say, but have you seen “Your name here” do it?
I have seen many guys go the “skill” route – but as they get older, it’s harder – Vernon performed natural magic late into his life...and I won’t mention the opposite of that to hurt anyone’s feelings, but sometimes focusing on skill can shorten your career. Also, if we call ourselves magicians – and the goal is magic – magic should just happen...it shouldn’t look like flourishes and visual sleights. As seeing the “move”, and believe me...you don’t have to flash to see a move...example, PASSES ARE NOT INVISIBLE! Therefore, seeing a move or being reminded its not magic is like watching a movie and having the boom lower into the shot...or as simple as the movie theatre screen sound being off from the actual lip movement. It reminds you that it is just fantasy, and the fantasy is easily broken.
Therefore, when I do magic – I think it’s insulting to people for me to say – “I have real magic powers” and it’s why I am working table side at this restaurant?? But it’s also insulting to take the fantasy away from them and say – it’s not magic...UNLESS, you are so good that you can tell them it’s sleight of hand...and they don’t believe you, like Palmer and other greats like him get all the time.
For magic to be art, one must not try to make people see it as one way, we must allow them to see it the way they want – like music and lyrics...we often can hear the same song and get something different out of it. This is art – however, we are a living art, and the guides for the experience, but we should not interfere with the audience’s perception, just help them come along for the journey...whatever it may be for them. ..but at ALL times they should see MAGIC.
