So, b - when are you putting out your dvd on mind reading since you think you can reach into my head and tell me how I am feeling?
I will type this slowly, as clearly you have a difficult time understanding, I am not jealous of Criss. And I hardly hate him. Hate is not the opposite of love. That's indifference, which is closer to how I feel.
Now, when you hear of friends being threatened with lawsuits by Criss after they signed their own tv deal, it might make you dislike the man - but hate?
When you hear about Criss threatening to punch out reporters and when you are in the audience and he calls you a bunch of f-ers, it may lead you to think he is classless, but hate?
And when you hear that his lead consultant was fired because he didn't praise Criss enough in a story not about Criss, but about himself - you may come to think of him as an egotistical ass, but again, why hate someone who is already the butt of the joke?
Again, I'll make it easy for you:
How many food critics are chefs? How many film critics write and or direct movies? How many literary critics are best selling authors?
If doing something is required in order to be a critic, then I don't know why you are typing - because until you jump the hurdles you are setting out forothers, you can't praise Criss or condemn him - that's criticism too.
You clearly have no idea how either the entertainment or artistic worlds work. (If you did, then you would know what industry insiders think of Criss.)
This is a bogus argument which, along with sour grapes, are the last refuse of those who can no longer defend their position with logic or facts.
Never performed for 15,000. 1,500 is a crowd a see fairly regularly. Worked for about 5,000 people over the past two weekends. That was a total of 7 shows though.
How many did you do?
And why would that even matter?
Because we DON'T use camera tricks . . . duh
.
Because she had better management
Was it Criss's IT factor that had the Believe audience walking out before the final trick was over? Was it Criss's IT factor is has him relegated to a cable tv series? More people would have seen a single Copperfield special than an entire Mindfreak series. Was it Criss's IT factor that has made him a laughing stock on the Vegas strip?
I am sure some people love Criss. I understand that he tests well with teens and middle aged women. Personally, I don't find a 40+ year old man who lisps about while wearing outfits tacky on a 16 year old to be IT, but to each their own. Heidi and Stewart apparently have the IT factor, they are famous - but talented?
If you want to say Criss is famous, yes, I agree - in a cable tv c list sort of way. But being famous and being talented are NOT the same thing.
I DON'T care about being famous.
No one outside of magic ever heard of Vernon - so should he get a smaller section in the history books because he wasn't "famous" like Criss.
But I digress.
The question you ask though requires us to define "making it." I will never have a Vegas show. My type of material is not suited to that. Nor will I likely have my own tv special , as I have no desire to play those games nor do I have the money behind me like Criss did. (Heard interesting stories re TV guide coverage, know anything about that? Of course you don't.) And I have no desire to promise more than I can possibly deliver and be forced to pretend I'm a magician, presenting material I could never hope to perform publicly under normal conditions. Oh, and I never embarrassed an organization like cirque so much that they decided to pull out all the elements in my production, which is what they seem to be doing.
Nope, by those standards, I haven't made it.
Now, it was nice when I was asked to come on to the world's largest privately owned yacht over New Year's in St Barth's. Hanging with Russell Simmons, Jay Z, Beyonce, Jon Bovi, and others was cool. It's always fun to do magic for that type of crowd. Oh - and it was fun producing and performing a show at a secret air base outside of Moscow. And yes, getting to handle Robert Houdin's original props while in Paris was pretty cool. Now, three trips for shows in Vegas in the past two months was a bit tiring, but seeing Bill Clinton at one of my events was neat I suppose.
So, I guess you're right, I haven't made it.
What have you done lately?
I mean, if I can't criticize Criss without having achieved his successes, should you be allowed to say anything about me without having gone at least as far as I have?
Who are you again?
That's what I thought.
But again, I ask, why would that mean anything?
First, we do not know yet what impact Criss or Blaine will have. It's too soon to tell. Has he done good for magic? Well, I see talk show hosts and adult animation series making fun of him on a pretty regular basis.
I don't know any successful adult who thinks that a 40 year old man in leather pants is any kind of cool.
Likewise, as Criss's name has become synonymous with camera tricks, I cannot see how any history of magic will ever see him for anything more than the media whore celebrity he is/was.
Now, I am particularly intrigued how you, a young man who clearly has done so much in his career, have come to the determination of what magic is, can and should be.
Magic is not supposed to be serious, but entertainment.
Movies can be serious, but not magic? Plays can be serious, but not magic? TV shows can be serious, but not magic?
This is based on what? History of magic? Current trends?
Does this even reflect an understanding of what constitutes entertainment?
Does this make you wonder why magic is constantly kept at the bottom of the food chain? I hardly ever see serious magic. Could that be why?
DO you think before you type?
I guess Ricky Jay's award winning shows that have been heralded in theatrical and artistic circles throughout the world have somehow failed in your eyes to measure up to the man whose Vegas show is heralded by cabbies and critics everywhere (lay people, mind you) as one of the worst shows in the history of the Strip.
Glad you are here to put us on the right track.
One of those two men are being taken seriously - not so ironically, the one who takes his art seriously.
Look, kid. The Angel love is cute. And it's ok to love him. But let's not ignore the facts. Let's not put blinders on.
Criss Angel is a celebrity. His most recent attempt at a live shows was a critical flop (by REAL critics) so much so that he seemingly had to misrepresent tickets sales on talk show appearances. I was there the week he claimed he was playing to 108% sales, or some nonsense. Not nearly a full house and my row, and others near me, were empty.
He is a shameless self promoter who will stop at nothing to be famous.
Good for him.
Just as there are talentless actors who are famous, and talentless singers who are famous, and even talentless comedians who are famous - there is now a talentless magician who is famous.
Criss is a famous magician.
Good for him.
Want to learn how to be famous - look and learn.
Want to learn how to be talented - well, that's another story, now isn't it?
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