Please be polite to your audiences!

[cklam]

I'm addressing the young magicians. Please, for your own sake, be polite to your audiences, especially those who are older than you!


Let me explain what happened.


So, I was on my way back home from my university's library. While I was sitting on a bench and waiting for my metro to come, I was playing with a deck of cards (with the cards inside the box). Then, 3 kids (I would say that they are about 12-13 years old) approached me. At that moment, the bench only had the space for one more person to fit in; yet, 2 of the kids squeezed in. One of them sat on my left, and the other one on my right. After they sat down, I could see form the corner of my eyes that they were looking at me.

So I thought to myself :" they must be one of those kids who like to pick on people".

The kid on my right said in English but with a French accent, " those are Bicycle right?"
I go :" Well, yeah."
"You want me to show you a trick?"
"No, it's fine."
"Hey come on, I'll show you a trick."

So, the kid took out 2 sponge balls, and did a retention, then produced 2 balls on one hand.

I just smiled without saying a thing since I wasn't too happy with their attitude.

Then the kid on my right hand side searched in his wallet for a while and then told his friends that he forgot his "stuff", in French.

So then he took out 5 cards from his pocket, and said in English:"Okay, I'll show you this instead."

At this time, I told him :" It's alright, you can say in French since I can speak French too."

Now comes one of the frustrating parts.

He said in French:" Oh, that's what I thought, Chinese people can't speak English." (which is, of course, not true.)


If this is not racism, tell me what this is.


So then he started showing a trick. He started displaying 5 cards, and put the top card, the 3 of clubs on the bottom.

He now asked where is the 3 of clubs. A little annoyed, I said :" En bas. (on the bottom)"

He laughed: "Hahaha, on dit EN DESSOUS!( we say "en dessous" [<--- means "on the bottom", as well] !)

After he finished laughing, he said in French:" You didn't find it funny? But I thought it was pretty funny!"

"en dessous" or "en bas", I believe it's basically the same thing. Even though they are not, it's not the point of this thread. The point is magicians are supposed to be entertaining the audiences and not ridiculing them.I'm sure they really just started doing magics; but geez, I deeply "appreciated" their attitudes.


Please, young magicians, BE POLITE TO YOUR AUDIENCES!

That's all I want to say.

 

[filth0013]

thats was pretty mean. i feel bad for you.

 

[Ineski]

I believe that was some new age street magic that some big dealers encourage kids to do.

 

[METRODSTAR1]

Thank for the advice. It is definitely more important to entertain your audience than to annoy them!

 

[FatalAce]

Wow. Should of punched him in the face. No. I'm joking. But, still. That sucked. =(

I don't call those people magicians. I call them a jerk trying to get a laugh.

 

[wilfred]

lol what are the odds of bumping into rude kids who know a few magic tricks?

 

[Shanku]

Wow, that racist comment was HARSH.

I bet they're those 12 year old LMT fools that act half their age.

 

[mix999]

Wow, I have NEVER heard of magicians being that rude, that must have sucked!

If someone says no you just shouldnt show them any tricks. Shoulda taought those kids some manners

Mix999

 

[The Dark Angel]

From the situation you described, it doesn't sound like they are magicians, but rather kids who learned a couple of easy tricks online or something of that sort.

TDA

 

[cklam]

From the situation you described, it doesn't sound like they are magicians, but rather kids who learned a couple of easy tricks online or something of that sort.

TDA

One of the kids asked me if I can do a certain cut which seems like Tectonic Verb to me, but he said he doesn't know the name of it (and he frigging dropped my cards on the floor!)


He couldn't even do a decent Pirouette...not even dribbling.

You are right. I bet they learned stuff online.

 

[Jakeh]

What jerks.

I agree with what someone said - it's the "street magicians" that are setting the examples.

 

[CoryOOreo]

Wow, that's not cool at all. Hopefully they will learn.

 

[2ndDeal]

And who said that it's good for magic that Ellusionist (and others) brings people to magic?

 

[Jakeh]

And who said that it's good for magic that Ellusionist (and others) brings people to magic?

Exactly. Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[2ndDeal]

Exactly. Couldn't have said it better myself.

Thanks, Jakeh!

 

[..:Z:..]

Wow. What are the odds of that happening?

Well, I've seen very few rude magicians but I've certainly interacted with some pretty mean audiences. People would take my cards and bend them, drop them, try to show-me-up with them, and etc. Also, sometimes (mostly the kids) would babble incessantly on the secret (he/she was never ever close to describing the secret) and claim that any half-baked idea of theirs is automatically true (these are the times where I really want to challenge them. "Okay, let's see YOU do it then.").

I understand that some people just don't know how to properly handle a deck so even the most polite laymen will still leave some nasty crimps (like from holding a deck in the mechanics-grip for too long), but at least it was completely unintentionally. But I think the line for the what-not-to-do-with-a-performer's-deck is quite obvious and shouldn't be crossed.

Because of that, I rarely ever perform for people like that nor do I use premium cards with those kind of audiences.

I don't understand this kind of animosity. Why would you risk humiliating yourself (if the audience is full of Riichard Craniums, then I guess humility isn't a factor) and go through all of the trouble to just embarrass a magician whose goal is to just entertain you? It just seems so asinine!

Well, if your forcefully assert yourself onto your audience, I would expect responses like the previously-mentioned. But a magician can take the most tactiful approach to gather audiences and interacting with them kindly and charismatically, but to no avail: Still, they will heckle you.

I've learned through experience that you most choose your (target-) audiences very carefully. I.G, if your gonna go perform for a bunch of public-schooled teens, your most likely gonna get some ****ty responses; for mature adults, more respectful and Etiquette-'ll responses.

I'll still perform for teens and kids occasionally. But unless they clear as being polite and un-disruptive, I won't perform for them as the trouble of performing (for them) isn't worth the lame reactions in the end.

..:Z:..

 

[cklam]

Wow. What are the odds of that happening?

Well, I've seen very few rude magicians but I've certainly interacted with some pretty mean audiences. People would take my cards and bend them, drop them, try to show-me-up with them, and etc. Also, sometimes (mostly the kids) would babble incessantly on the secret (he/she was never ever close to describing the secret) and claim that any half-baked idea of theirs is automatically true (these are the times where I really want to challenge them. "Okay, let's see YOU do it then.").

I understand that some people just don't know how to properly handle a deck so even the most polite laymen will still leave some nasty crimps (like from holding a deck in the mechanics-grip for too long), but at least it was completely unintentionally. But I think the line for the what-not-to-do-with-a-performer's-deck is quite obvious and shouldn't be crossed.

Because of that, I rarely ever perform for people like that nor do I use premium cards with those kind of audiences.

I don't understand this kind of animosity. Why would you risk humiliating yourself (if the audience is full of Riichard Craniums, then I guess humility isn't a factor) and go through all of the trouble to just embarrass a magician whose goal is to just entertain you? It just seems so asinine!

Well, if your forcefully assert yourself onto your audience, I would expect responses like the previously-mentioned. But a magician can take the most tactiful approach to gather audiences and interacting with them kindly and charismatically, but to no avail: Still, they will heckle you.

I've learned through experience that you most choose your (target-) audiences very carefully. I.G, if your gonna go perform for a bunch of public-schooled teens, your most likely gonna get some ****ty responses; for mature adults, more respectful and Etiquette-'ll responses.

I'll still perform for teens and kids occasionally. But unless they clear as being polite and un-disruptive, I won't perform for them as the trouble of performing (for them) isn't worth the lame reactions in the end.

..:Z:..

Your stuff make sense...but it kind of went off-topic...

The situation was...I was THE audience... not the one doing magic...I didn't even tell them that I do magic.

Besides, I wouldn't even call that an "entertainment" because I didn't feel being entertained AT ALL. All he was trying to do is to "make himself look cool while embarrassing his AUDIENCE".

And I think this really becomes a problem lately. Some companies advertise their products as "the next thing that will make you even cooler". And unfortunately, very often, many (not all of them) young magicians' goal is to be "the cool guy" and forget about the initial purpose of magic, that is, I believe, to entertain your audience.

 

[..:Z:..]

Your stuff make sense...but it kind of went off-topic...

Yah, I kind-of accidentally dozed off there.

And I think this really becomes a problem lately. Some companies advertise their products as "the next thing that will make you even cooler". And unfortunately, very often, many (not all of them) young magicians' goal is to be "the cool guy" and forget about the initial purpose of magic, that is, I believe, to entertain your audience.

I've observed that, too. When I criticize (politely) a kid/teen's performance on YouTube, most of the time, I get some cynical-response like "Well, I'm know way more trick than you do and you suck and BLAH, etc."

I'm also seeing a lot of "magicians" who will buy every single new effect thats' released, gain half-ass mastery over it, and then video-tape the performance and submit the video to their profile on YouTube (along with the dozen of other half-ass performances).

I think they think that having a large DvD library will automatically improve their skill and reputation amongst other magicians. Sadly, some other magicians would agree; It's like blind leading blind.

..:Z:..

 

[arcangeld]

As Oz said in one of his lectures that we do not just entertain.. but 'We are in the business of creating memories'

So it is our responsibility as magicians to create good memories and not the ones like CkLam experienced. My brother is head of this magicians club back in my hometown, and that is one of the major problem with the kids that are getting into magic. They fall asleep during an audience involvment lecture.. though I don't know if its my brother or his audience that are at fault

 

[Dylan P.]

I feel bad for you yet I respect how you handled the situation. I'd say this is going to make a differance to some young magicians opinions on what to say and do. Good job on handling the situation.