Why would a person want to be pelted with cups and balls when they don't care where the ball is? Why would someone care to be "tricked" and "lied to" and never really be in on the secret? There's a reason why magic will never be in the media like it used to over ten years ago. It's placed in a subgenre with circus, clowns, and mimes which probably don't get much exposure either. Why? Nobody really likes being left out. Which is why there's always been these magic revealed specials for everyone to look at. Although EVEN these programs aren't very often seen and don't really get a lot of ratings and everyone would rather be watching Lost or Dancing with the Stars.
The reason why XCM/Cardistry has so much interest in forums today is because, you can skip the mystery/magic/I like fairy dust/my grandpa show me this/could you squeeze my red balls. Just the thought of amazing with only ability and no presentation is an ideal people dream of. Anyone can appreciate skill. Would Ricky Smith Jr be getting as many TV appearances if it weren't for his ability to throw playing cards 200+ feet and beat world records? I'm pretty sure Ricky's gotten a lot more exposure than a majority of professional magicians. Even Ricky himself is a magician, but TV shows aren't asking him to do magic that's for sure.
If your performance is only about "tricking people" then there is no wonder people seem not to be interested. Magic is about more than being a sharp stick with which to poke people and point out their ignorance.
First, the notion that circus gets little exposure is interesting compared to the incredibly WORLD WIDE success of Cirque du Soliel. Second, the exposure shows you mentioned had a short run a few years ago when magic specials on TV were common and pulling in high ratings. It was a producers attempt to cash in on the SUCCESS of magic. If magic were not succesful, there would have been no cause to make the exposure shows. Why make a show about something no one cares about? At that time, magic was HOT.
I think the Ricky Smith/Ricky Jay confusion is interesting. They both throw cards. One has been on a number of "human oddity/human talent TV show appearances mostly lasting under 5 minutes. The other has had two Broadway shows, a succesful touring show, has had their own HBO special, has had (I believe) two full network specials, and has become the world's leading consultant for adding magical effects into movies and shows.
That Ricky is Ricky Jay who is and always has featured MAGIC in his act.
People love magic when presented intelligently. Being a mere trickster revels in magic's most base instincts.
People appreciate skill, but there is no wonder. It is jugglery. It can be artistic jugglery, but it is essentially jugglery. Magic - done well - can create moments of wonder that are equal to that of the greatest theater and reveal wonders comparable to that in the deepest works of literature. People don't 'poo-poo' the end of the first half of Wicked as "fairy dust and my grandpa show me this.' No, some tear up, many applaud, but they all FEEL because that magic - that effect - points to something larger. Great magic does that. Skill as skill alone ends at itself.
Brad Henderson