Nail Polish?

Sep 1, 2007
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Don't ask us for advice. Ask someone who knows you better than anyone and see what they think. Talk to your parents...

I would not say that parents are the arbiters of good taste. Granted, their house, their rules. But I would look more to people who have a style you admire.

Luke and I talked ONCE very briefly about our nail polish and tattoos since both of ours are visible. We basically said if they're gona hire us they do, if they don't they don't.

So my guess is that you just shotgun your way to gigs without bothering to do any work on finding a target market/demographic. Am I far off?

Just be yourself and the rest will come naturally.

Mmmmmm, no it won't. There's no substance to claims like that.

Be you, there is nothing "wrong" with it, what is wrong is for you to question it, therefore, it sounds like that you are trying to be someone else. Always remember to be yourself.

Be yourself, be yourself, be yourself... does anyone even know what that means? If I have to listen to that shallow cliche for another page, I'm going to rip somebody's friggin' head off!

(I think) your completely wrong.
if I did what my parents said I wouldn't be me, I would be their puppet. if anyone wants to be a puppet then fine but don't say it works like that.

be yourself, if that means your parents don't like it then good for you.

Yes, rage against the machine. Even if you have no idea what raging entails or what the machine even is.
 
Jan 1, 2009
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Back in Time
I doubt he shotguns his way through gigs. There a few magicians out there who had weird hair styles and tattoos and yet they continue to get hired for lots and lots of gigs.

Eddie Fetchers arms were covered in tattoos and this was before the days of Criss Angel and David Blaine. Yet he continued to have a thriving career. Having Tattoos and a different style won't stop people from hiring you. Hell, Steerpike you've mentioned that you are a metal head. Has your long hair and chains stopped people from hiring you for a gig.

They're going to hire you for a gig regardless of the way you dress as long as you don't look like a homeless drifter. If they are entertained by what you and believe that you are talented and like what you do. Then they'll hire you. If not, then oh well. it's no skin off your back.
 
shotgunning thru shows? hmm ooookaaaaaay...

So my guess is that you just shotgun your way to gigs without bothering to do any work on finding a target market/demographic. Am I far off?

do i really have to do this? and does it matter? probably not...but are you far off? Here's a few tid-bits, you tell me...


3 month engagement headlining "Art and Illusion" in Athens Greece with daily national television interviews and appearances

25th anniversary stage magic champion at 17 by world magic seminar

magi-fest gold medal

3 time winner of the award of merit by the IBM

3 time judge of the gold cups of the IBM (past winners are david williamson, joe givan, oscar munoz, to name a few)

opening act for the amazing jonathan, planet hollywood, las vegas

3 year contract with the world's greatest magic show in las vegas (at age 21 - youngest magician in the cast)

6 week 87 show national tour of canada

one of the youngest magicians to headline the magic castle, i share this honor with others like doug henning, david copperfield, and lance burton to name a few

most original cabaret magic award by the world magic awards (aired on international television - US and europe)

2 spots on Masters of Illusion tv special/series

2 year contract with 'viva las vegas' - longest running daytime show in las vegas history - youngest member in the cast

called upon by david blaine's office for possible bird training

performed at the magic castle for johnny depp's kid's birthday party

royal command performance in kuwait - which i turned down PS

some corporate clients include: hormel foods (that's right, the SPAM company haha), DEX Media, wells fargo, Touchstone Energy, Sysco Foods, Mall of America, Holiday Inn, AI, UNLV, MEA, ok that's enough for now - you get the idea.

- all before the age of 24.





Sooo until you've seen my promo kit, or anybody else's who posts on here maybe just go with the flow and let it go. All I was saying was Luke and I agreed in an unformal off the cuff conversation at dinner one night that if people see our tattoos and piercings and dont' hire us based on that they probably are not the kind of audience we would play well for anyway and we are ok with that. That's all I was getting at there, hope that kind of cleared up things a bit, didn't want to come off as an ass, sorry if I did...
 
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Dan: I don't think you really have to justify yourself to Steer. I think he's just some cynical teenager who'se still trying to figure out who he is let alone his "voice in magic." Certainly you of all people on this forum don't need to justify yourself. You hold a successful career and probably more alcolades than this other kid ever will.

Steer: You should just "be yourself." There isn't anything cliche about it. It is just a zen type of thing. It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't found the answer yet. But to those that have it's the simplest truth.

Lastly: I can't believe this thread has gone on for as long as it has. I don't think anything can be added to this thread that would bring any more value to the topic, and anything else would just be off topic.
 
Sep 1, 2007
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Is there anything wrong with that? Because Dan Sperry is a talented and highly successful magician.

I doubt he shotguns his way through gigs. There a few magicians out there who had weird hair styles and tattoos and yet they continue to get hired for lots and lots of gigs.

Based on Dan's response, I don't think he needs your help, guys.

Hell, Steerpike you've mentioned that you are a metal head. Has your long hair and chains stopped people from hiring you for a gig.

So because I listen to metal, that automatically means I look like this:

Varg-vikernes.jpg


Nice.

That's all I was getting at there, hope that kind of cleared up things a bit, didn't want to come off as an ass, sorry if I did...

Yes, that clears things up, thank you. Your post at first just tripped off a warning bell in my head, because I hear a lot of people trying to make it in the entertainment industry who have no concept of target markets, demographics, or professionalism. They pierce their faces full of metal and get enough tattoos to look like Bradbury's Illustrated Man and still think they can get hired anywhere. They're not willing to make any compromises in the slightest.

Dan: I don't think you really have to justify yourself to Steer. I think he's just some cynical teenager who'se still trying to figure out who he is let alone his "voice in magic." Certainly you of all people on this forum don't need to justify yourself. You hold a successful career and probably more alcolades than this other kid ever will.

I find it to be a laugh and a half that this is twice now you have attacked my character like a slobbering jackal... and you think I'm the bad guy.

You need to learn some self-control.

Steer: You should just "be yourself." There isn't anything cliche about it. It is just a zen type of thing. It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't found the answer yet. But to those that have it's the simplest truth.

It is a cliche because most of the people bleating it out like sheep have no idea what it means. If we're going to try and boil down a complex topic to an overly simplistic maxim, I prefer, "Be you, but bigger." It's only a slight improvement, but it suggests self-improvement, being larger than life, and personal evolution.

"Be yourself," is more often used by yon ignorant masses to justify why they should never have to do any work to change or improve themselves and wave off their failures.
 
I like to look at it as "Don't let anyone tell you who you should or should not be. Be what comes naturally." Meaning, if you listen to everyone elses opinion and try to be what they say you should, that's not you is it? If that means wearing a salmon colored shirt, rinestone boots and jeans so tight that the world can see where you begin and end, then f****** do it. I'm probably gonna be wrong by someones point of view but so what. We live in a world full of opinions and nothing about our limits is currently set in stone.

"Be Youself" in this case is just about looks. That in no way means we don't have to work on something like, our skills or knowledge. You seem to have this strange idea that the two words when put together have the same meaning no matter what mouth they come from. It's nail polish for godsakes and you're trying to make this into a bigger issue than it actually is.

I won't attack you steerpike, but if you're willing to keep attacking everyone else, you should learn to catch what you throw. With that said, this is just my personal opinion: You just do this for attention. Hence why you come back with little one liners at multipule people in one post. The more people you piss off, the better right? Notice, you went after the people who posted to the thread, more than you tried to help the person who started the thread. I don't agree with everything said in this thread, but at least other people offered something to the question. You can't insult a crowd of people and expect them to treat you like the guy helping the old lady across the street. Negative attention is better than no attention at all right? Of course, I could also be completely wrong...:rolleyes:
 

Deechristopher

theory11 moderator
Moderator
Lol, I'm impressed at this thread - 5 pages discussing nail polish...It's like sitting in at the ministry of burlesque forums :p

When you're building yourself and learning who you are and want to be, the character you want to play and the things your comfortable wearing and doing, you should experiment.

I remember waltzing thru the town with a big inverted pent on my forehead drawn in eyeliner to complement the darkthrone shirts (never Burzum though steerpike, but nice ref :p) I donned throughout my early teens - doing magic to all the similarly dressed adolescents hanging around the old castle in Nottingham...

It fit me at that time, I changed, but if I hadn't tried it out I doubt I'd have taken the little bits from it that accompany my style today, magic wise and dress wise...

I think Dan's post is truly inspiring as he's pretty out of the box as far as stage magician's go, but has done really well for himself.

Just think, if Dan can do it with red and black paint smeared across his face, I'm sure you can with a little bit of colour on your nails. ;)

If the original poster is still unsure of what he wants to do, just try it out - if it makes you feel cool, keep it, if it makes you feel uncomfortable, lose it!

When it comes to your magic act, I suppose it's all down to how you want to be perceived, as a normal , smartly dressed, intelligent young chap who can do amazing things, or a tim burton-esque character that lives in some kind of alternate reality. Neither will stop you getting gigs, it just allows you to hone in on different markets and either way I'm sure you'll have a great journey doing so!

Respec.

D.
 
Sep 1, 2007
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You seem to have this strange idea that the two words when put together have the same meaning no matter what mouth they come from.

No, I'm just tired of hearing cliches. I'd like to hear something intelligent for a change of pace.

I won't attack you steerpike, but

But you will anyway. I endeavor to attack ideas instead of people. I don't like to make things personal. I really wish I could say the same of other people here.

if you're willing to keep attacking everyone else, you should learn to catch what you throw.

You seem to have this strange idea that I'm offended by any of that trite whining leveled against me. Quite the contrary. I think it's hilarious.

With that said, this is just my personal opinion: You just do this for attention.

That's the best you can come up with?

I don't agree with everything said in this thread, but at least other people offered something to the question.

So... saying something useful is less important than giving the illusion of agreement? Screw that.

You can't insult a crowd of people and expect them to treat you like the guy helping the old lady across the street.

That implies I want the approval of the masses.

When it comes to your magic act, I suppose it's all down to how you want to be perceived, as a normal , smartly dressed, intelligent young chap who can do amazing things, or a tim burton-esque character that lives in some kind of alternate reality. Neither will stop you getting gigs, it just allows you to hone in on different markets and either way I'm sure you'll have a great journey doing so!

Now, see? This is the kind of thing we should be hearing more of. Dee goes beyond a hollow, feel-good slogan and makes an intelligent point. I don't get why more people don't rub their brain cells together and figure these sorts of things out more often.
 
That implies I want the approval of the masses.

No, it says that you expect to say whatever you want and not get attacked for it... Like I already said... Just my opinion. But you obviously do find it funny when you do get attacked.

I find it to be a laugh and a half that this is twice now you have attacked my character like a slobbering jackal.



So... saying something useful is less important than giving the illusion of agreement? Screw that.

What have you said that's useful? Hell, all you do is tell everyone else to come up with something intelligent, yet we've seen nothing from you but cheap insults and half assed arguments.

That's the best you can come up with?

What would you like me to do pike? Sit down with a pen and paper and charge 279 an hour to ask you what your relationship with your parents was like? A simple assumption based on a few posts was all I offered. And jesus, how many times has "That's the best you can come up with?" been uttered?

From Wiki: "A cliche is a saying, expression, or idea that has been overused to the point of losing its intended force or novelty, especially when at some time it was considered distinctively forceful or novel."

If you're gonna b***h about cliches, don't use them.

No, I'm just tired of hearing cliches. I'd like to hear something intelligent for a change of pace.

Also From Wiki: "It can be argued that the 'negative usage of the term cliché in order to belittle an idea or an expression' is itself becoming a cliché"

But you will anyway.

Wrong, that was simply my opinion.

I endeavor to attack ideas instead of people. I don't like to make things personal. I really wish I could say the same of other people here.

There is no such thing as an idea that stands alone. Every idea comes from a person. You're not just attacking an idea, you're attacking THEIR idea.

So my guess is that you just shotgun your way to gigs without bothering to do any work on finding a target market/demographic. Am I far off?

I endeavor to attack ideas instead of people.

Really?

You seem to have this strange idea that I'm offended by any of that trite whining leveled against me. Quite the contrary. I think it's hilarious.

If my "idea" is that this stuff offends you, then how come I said that you do this for the attention? Remember, I said "If you're willing to keep attacking everyone else, you should learn to catch what you throw." I said nothing about you being offended. Even you know that a personal attack is a humans first response, whether they stop to think about it and decide against it, or just outright say it without thinking at all. It's the igrorance that comes with having opposable thumbs.

Come on pike, anyone with a brain knows that you love this s**t.

I also wanna apologize to achuthan1988 for what this simple thread has turned into lol.
 
Aug 31, 2007
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This is completely off topic but Steerpike: Are there performance vids. of you anywhere? I'm always reading that you're really good so it'd be interesting to see you doing some magic.
 
Apr 27, 2008
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Kinda seems the thread is going towards personal defenses and attacks which seems silly because by responding you show that you care what that person is saying. It's not directed at anybody specific just making an observation.

Womens products include Eye Liner and Nail polish. Like I stated before I think it looks silly IF you are trying to act cool and think it looks good. It really doesn't and unless you are trying to perform with it because it fits your avatar/character then it makes sense. KIZZ was performing and they used make up for an image and it worked. Putting on make up and nail polish because it looks cool (to me) like a way to get attention or putting on a fake image. Dan Sperry may wear make up on stage and off stage but he is a professional magician and it seems to me he is in character, not saying he is fake. Kinda confusing the way I put it but some will understand.
 
Sep 1, 2007
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What would you like me to do pike? Sit down with a pen and paper and charge 279 an hour to ask you what your relationship with your parents was like?

I already pay someone with a college degree to do that.

If you'd like to continue telling me what a horrible person I am, you can do it via PM. In the meantime, to get you and the other nagging critics off my back for a time, I'll throw you a bone and be a little more on-the-nose than I was hoping to be.

The point I was trying so obtusely to make is to consider whether or not the nail polish is truly a form of self-expression or not and whether it helps or hinders you in reaching your goals. As much as we like to claim otherwise in the name of political correctness, appearances do matter.

If I chose to work the corporate scene for example, I would have to cut my hair, shave off my goatee, and buy at least one extra suit. I may also want to think twice about that wolf tattoo I'm planning on getting since I'll never be able to wear short sleeves around my clients again. Why? Because in every market, appearances count. You're probably not going to get a restaurant gig dressed like Mystery. Conversely, when Morgan Strebler decided to work the nightclubs in Vegas, he had to change his appearance from an Average Joe to something more dynamic. So he got a new spiky hairstyle, pierced his ears, and updated his wardrobe.

If it's something that wouldn't affect your professional life and you'd just like to experiment with it, go right ahead. Try it out for a week or a month or whatever and see if it works. If it's something that could genuinely help augment your appearance in the style you've chosen for yourself, once again try it out to see if it sticks.

As Dee pointed out, you need to consider where you want to go with all this. The internal is often expressed through the external, so consider your audience and how your appearance will color their perceptions of you and your performances.

This is completely off topic but Steerpike: Are there performance vids. of you anywhere? I'm always reading that you're really good so it'd be interesting to see you doing some magic.

No, there are currently no videos of me performing. My camera and all of my budget for tape stock is going towards other projects.
 
I actually have a couple extreme tattoo's but out of respect to my art if I was to perform at a Corporate Pepsi Convention I would cover those tattoos. I adapt to my surroundings for whatever the show calls for.

Trust me many shows I have had too.

My apoligies if this is a illusion of agreement.=) Business is business

Shane B.
 
Be yourself, be yourself, be yourself... does anyone even know what that means? If I have to listen to that shallow cliche for another page, I'm going to rip somebody's friggin' head off!

Yes, if someone is questioning a change in him self, then he is obviously not being his self as he is asking if he should do something certain to change his appearance. It is absolutely pointless being someone who you are not, re-acting your own life is a waste, seriously.
 
Sep 1, 2007
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Yes, if someone is questioning a change in him self, then he is obviously not being his self as he is asking if he should do something certain to change his appearance. It is absolutely pointless being someone who you are not, re-acting your own life is a waste, seriously.

Now tell me something useful.
 
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