Cheapening of Magic

[arcangeld]

I made this thread as a spin off from Ty's comment in the highway magic thread and I quote

"

Seriously, why does magic have to be everywhere? Can't we keep a sense of propriety? A sense of staging, place and audience. We've already hucked onto the streets, shoving it in the faces of people getting on with our day. Why must magic be everywhere???

"

Do you think it is a cheapening of tricks, effect when you perform magic everywhere? Would the 'magic' of it all be lost and become not to say redundant but tried out?

I know I face this situation when I do gigs at children's parties. Where they are no longer 'amazed' at somethings I do because they saw ChrisAngel or David Blane perform it on TV. It is the same concept.

What do you think?

 

[Steerpike]

Alexander Herrmann and Max Malini built their reputations on being perpetually in-character.

Those who say magic is being cheapened by the current mainstream recognition are incapable of adapting and are victims of kvlt kiddie syndrome.

 

[phrozunsun]

I think we gotta just get better and more innovative.

I'm part of another community that has occasional freak-outs about it becoming mainstream, but the truth is the best will always rise above...

 

[TheGame]

I am fairly new to magic. Actually I am new to performing magic. I have been reading, watching, trying to be part of whatever magic I can get my hands on for about 2 years now so I can get up the strength/courage to perform a routine for friends, family, strangers, or co-workers. I hate that people will want to see Angel/Blaine type tricks or worse, they actually request them.

I know alot of tricks but I don't feel confident to perform with the pressure of these mainstream magi influencing my spectators. No one seems to be impressed with my presentations/tricks and this severly discourages me from performing. I know I don't suck. I definatly could be better, we all can. I just hate being upstaged by A&E.

 

[Steerpike]

Why is everyone so concerned with upstaging Blaine and Angel.

I constantly get requests to do Blaine's levitation. I tell the truth: I don't like levitations because I think they're hokey and overplayed. We're not dancing monkeys. We can say no without making asses of ourselves.

Furthermore, I've had people tell me that I'm better than Criss Angel. Why? Because I'm actually there. I'm not a distant figure on TV, I'm a flesh-and-blood person who's being engaging, charming, funny... People aren't buying the magic I'm doing, they're buying me because they like me.

 

[Anthony Bass]

People may not particularly be "amazed" by something they've already seen somebody else do, but if you perform the effect properly, they may still be entertained. Which is a good thing in itself.

 

[maxrob22]

I think that that it all comes back to the way people perform magic and the way magic looks in the public eye a.k.a the stereotypes of magic. Back before the "Street magic special" the stereo types of magic were basically men in top hats pulling rabbits out of nowhere.
Now the stereotype is basically a guy coming up to you saying "Wanna see somthin" showing a short peace of magic then staring deeply into a camera; Or someone sticking various things in his body and screaming "NOW",(which by the way I think is extremely funny when he does this).
I think the art of magic is no longer considered an art by anyone who has not been to a Copperfeild/Mcbride show. I would love to say that this is not cheapining the art of magic but, to be honest it is.
Just my 2 cents,
Robbie
P.S.
I do not dislike either of these magicians, It is just I think that the way they perform is not representing magic as an art.(I love how we are finally getting some good deep posts to read)

 

[Steerpike]

I do not dislike either of these magicians, It is just I think that the way they perform is not representing magic as an art.(I love how we are finally getting some good deep posts to read)

I would argue otherwise.

Look at Blaine. Though he has a very recognizable persona, he is still a very multi-faceted performer.

Compare his performances of the Balducci, coffee to coins, and self-tying shoelaces.

When performing the Balducci, he's solemn and mystical. The embodiment of his urban shaman persona.

When doing coffee to coins, he's a charitable stranger. It's a very heart-warming moment that he creates money for a homeless man as a gift.

When he does the STS, he's still monotone, but one can hear that undertone of juvenille merth in his voice.

Blaine's message is simple: Art does not belong to the elite. It belongs to everybody.