Chris Kenner :: An Answer To Your Question

[Krash]

"Q: What do you see as wrong with the industry today?

A: Where do I begin. I think that the biggest problem across the board is that magicians are not self aware. How many times have you seen someone doing illusions that needed to lose at least 30 pounds and had a Mullet, but did not live in Alabama. Or a close-up guy that did Card on Ceiling, Ring Flight, Card to Wallet, Ambitious Card, Card on Forehead, and might have a small twist of a version of Collectors... but tells everyone he is a creative genius."

I was snooping around the Theory11 site out of sheer boredom. (Can't you tell that I'm counting the days until my Witness DVD gets here? ) Well, I ran across the Q&A section in the "Artists" profile section on Chris Kenner. I read most of the answers to the questions shot at him, but there was one question that stood out from the rest...to me at least.

I was wondering if Chris could possibly elaborate on what he means about being "self aware". I bolded the section that I found quite interesting. Are you basically saying that we magicians need to take pride in ourselves as well as our art and find ways to make us look the part?

Thanks,

Shane K.

 

[-Ty]

Image. Criss Angel wouldn't be where he is without the fashion and abs.

Think about what we try (or should be trying) to drill in our heads all the time; Presentation is everything. That doesn't just include the effects.

Ty

 

[Ampersan5340]

he's right, when you do a trick it has to be presented well and have patter. I've gone up to people and done a perfect subway or card to muth. but I didn't say anything except you know, "Now i'll push the card in here and it comes out the other packet". but you have to have presentation and patter to get the reactions that we magicians deserve

 

[-Ty]

he's right, when you do a trick it has to be presented well and have patter. I've gone up to people and done a perfect subway or card to muth. but I didn't say anything except you know, "Now i'll push the card in here and it comes out the other packet". but you have to have presentation and patter to get the reactions that we magicians deserve

We don't deserve anything. Well a couple of people might. But most of us dont. We create opportunities and reactions for ourselves.

But that is off-topic.

We're talking about self-image here.

Ty

 

[Lynchpin]

A lot might disagree with me but I don't care. I really do believe self-image ties into opportunities and reactions. The public are more attracted to self-image. If you take a really ugly guy and put him next to a really hot guy and they are both the same at the same skill level in magic, same presentation, patter, etc etc. I will put $1,000 down on it right now that the "ugly" guy will get good reactions but it will definitly be less then the "hot" guy that is doing the same thing.

Self-image means A LOT, but of course everyone has there own taste in a persons image. I am just basically saying that the majority of people like a more pleasing image, they will also react more to it.

 

[Krash]

I see what you mean. I mean, of course a working magician will most likely get more business if he is asthetically pleasing. Right?

How many of you believe that you have some work to do in this area? Personally, I think I do to a certain point. I'm not saying I'm a bad looking guy, but I'm a strong believer in always having room for improvement.

What can we all do to become more self aware? Should we strive to make ourselves look more like a magician should? What should a magician look like to you?

Shane K.

 

[Lynchpin]

Since I started messing around with magic, I am more serious when it comes to music and my real life job. Anyways, I have lost 80 pounds, I use to weigh about 275, I am down to 195 right now and still loosing. Don't take this as a crack, but loosing that much weight makes you feel so much BETTER!!!. My breathing is 100% compared to what it use to be. I have so much energy now it's rediculous (yet I am still on the computer....go figure), my legs don't hurt anymore, everything has improved. Also I get looks from the ladies now and I look damn good in a suit and tie

For people that are trying right now to loose weight....just do it, it's a piece of cake. plus those horrible greasy foods that I use to eat taste 100x better now I was big my whole life untill now. my weight goal is 160 pounds.

I also noticed when performing, because of this loss in weight and the changes of my image, I get really good reactions, yet I perform the same as I did when I was really heavy. So I know for a fact/personal experience self-image is a good portion of magic. however, I was REALLY big, some people are just huskey or a little on the big side.

 

[Krash]

Since I started messing around with magic, I am more serious when it comes to music and my real life job. Anyways, I have lost 80 pounds, I use to weigh about 275, I am down to 195 right now and still loosing. Don't take this as a crack, but loosing that much weight makes you feel so much BETTER!!!. My breathing is 100% compared to what it use to be. I have so much energy now it's rediculous (yet I am still on the computer....go figure), my legs don't hurt anymore, everything has improved. Also I get looks from the ladies now and I look damn good in a suit and tie

For people that are trying right now to loose weight....just do it, it's a piece of cake. plus those horrible greasy foods that I use to eat taste 100x better now I was big my whole life untill now. my weight goal is 160 pounds.

I also noticed when performing, because of this loss in weight and the changes of my image, I get really good reactions, yet I perform the same as I did when I was really heavy. So I know for a fact/personal experience self-image is a good portion of magic. however, I was REALLY big, some people are just huskey or a little on the big side.

I know what you mean. I too used to be a pretty big guy. I topped out a 250lbs in my freshman year of high school, but I've managed to keep that under control at a cool 195lbs as well. So, I know exactly what you mean dude.

My ex girlfriend used to be so jealous claiming that everytime she went to the mall with me that tons of girls would "check me out". I still don't believe it to this day.

Take care,

Shane K.

 

[Lynchpin]

Also, eating healthy isn't just for maintaining your wait once your thin. If you look at scientific studies on healthy food vs bad food that they did on rats, look it up...there is a huge HUGE difference. The rats that ate the bad food had a horrible appearance, they really didn't gain any weight BUT there fur was matted it looked very unhealthy. The rats the ate the good food had a really shiny healthy coat of fur on them, there movements were more precise, they were not lagging around.

Basically if you eat healthy your skin smoothes out, you have a better tone to your skin which is very noticable, and your less likely to develope wrinkles at an early stage. When you eat bad, your skin gets flushed, your hair isn't healthy, you develope wrinkles in places only aged people should have wrinkles in, it's definitly noticable.

 

[Krash]

Hmm...I understand what you are saying. I also can see what Kenner meant by what he said about some one getting "okay" reactions compared to someone of...oh, say Criss Angel's stature.

What can we do about dressing more like a magician. I mean, I know that Lance Burton can usually always been seen wearing a tuxedo and whatnot while performing. But, on the other side of the spectrum we have the guys like Blaine and Angel who go out on the streets or whatnot dressed in normal attire. I'm a jeans and tee-shirt kind of guy at the moment as well.

What do someone of you do "advertise" that you aren't just some normal joe schmoe...but a magician?

Shane K.

 

[-Ty]

My motto is to dress a step above. That usually entails (when I'm performing for a gig) that I wear a suit jacket and dark jeans, with a graphic tee. When I'm not normally performing, I like wearing short sleeved shirts, and again it keeps me a step above the majority.

Ty

 

[Krash]

My motto is to dress a step above. That usually entails (when I'm performing for a gig) that I wear a suit jacket and dark jeans, with a graphic tee. When I'm not normally performing, I like wearing short sleeved shirts, and again it keeps me a step above the majority.

Ty

Ah, well that's a good motto to go by.

Shane K.

 

[Aris.SA]

I'd like to see Chris' reply

 

[Krash]

I'd like to see Chris' reply

To be honest, so would I.

Shane K.

 

[j.bayme]

Chris is on the way to a movie as we speak (Fred Claus... yes, he's seriously going to see Fred Claus), but he said he'll chime in as soon as he gets back near a computer.

 

[Krash]

Chris is on the way to a movie as we speak (Fred Claus... yes, he's seriously going to see Fred Claus), but he said he'll chime in as soon as he gets back near a computer.

Hey Bayme,

Ah, Fred Clause, eh? Cool. I'll be looking forward to him chiming in. Hah, are you still rockin' that Triple-Z-Rotation Cut? I know I'm always doing it...it's addicting.

Shane K.