Yes he may have used camera tricks, but all magic has a trick, magic isnt real. Whether he is presenting his tricks to people on the street or you at home they are all spectators. And his goal is to fool his spectators. And he does.
The problem people have with him using camera tricks and stooges is that he overuses the same two methods.
You say "his goal is to fool spectators and that he does." I
strongly disagree.
If I'm out performing and someone happens to bring up Criss Angel, someone
always says something about how "all he does is use camera tricks and stooges."
Laymen are saying this--every time his name is brought up! Now that's a problem.
I could understand your argument somewhat if magicians were the only ones that had caught onto his methods, and laymen were still being amazed and mystified, but about half the laymen I talk to that bring up his name now dismiss him as a guy that just does camera tricks and uses stooges. They're seeing through what he's doing, and I think, it's because he's overusing the same methods.
So the truth is, whether he uses camera tricks for 1% or 100% of his effects,
a lot of laymen now have the perspective that
whatever he does must be a camera trick or using a stooge. Criss doesn't give laymen enough credit--they can see for themselves the reactions he's getting aren't genuine, and they've have seen enough movies to know when they're seeing a special effect.
Remember, laymen are often looking for a reason to explain what they see, and Criss has given them every excuse to dismiss whatever he does as a camera trick or a poorly acted scene.
His personality is likable
That is
definitely up for debate.
Again, a lot of laymen I know who nothing about how the magic community views Criss Angel are turned off by his personality. Not a single one of my muggle friends like him, but they'll gladly sit down and watch Copperfield or Blaine. They enjoy magic but they don't like Criss.
Now not everyone is going to be liked by everyone else--that's just how life is. People like different things. But again, comparatively speaking, a lot of laymen I talk to who like magic and other magicians don't like Criss Angel. They think he's phony and they're turned off by his cocky attitude.
Hes a millionaire with tons of cars and a beautiful home. (If anyone hasnt seen pictures of it check it out)
We know. Everyone who watches his show knows. I think they did a whole episode on Criss Angel showing off what he's been buying with his money lately. It was not so astonishing.