The Masked Magician

Anthony Bass

Anthony Bass

Sep 17, 2007
578
2
Little Elm, Texas, USA
www.myspace.com
Ok. Lately, “Breaking the Magicians Code: Magic’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed” has been coming on pretty frequently, and I’ve seen a few posts about the show bashing it. I’m all for this, bash away, but I’d like to make a few points regarding the show.

First, if you don’t like the show, then DO NOT watch it. The more people watch it, the better ratings the show will get, and the more frequently it will air. So the first step to killing the show is to stop watching it. I’m not saying it will stop airing from now until the end of time, but at least it’ll get rid of it for a while.

Second, the main thing I like to remember when I see that this show is on while I’m scanning the guide on TV, is Val Valentino doesn’t reveal very many effects/illusions that people still perform today. Of course, the show does reveal the secrets to some pretty big time effects that some of us may still perform, but very little. I mean seriously, who in this forums still levitates a dump truck, then vanishes it? Didn’t think so.

Third. Some people HATE the Masked Magician for what he does, which is revealing secrets. Guys, he does this for a reason. Not to piss off other magicians around the globe, but to encourage others to get into magic. Yes, what he does is wrong in a sense, but every cloud has a silver lining.

I just thought I’d share my thoughts on the situation and let you guys take over from here.

Peace. :)
 
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Krash

Sep 1, 2007
885
0
36
Jamestown, NC
www.google.com
If my memory serves me correctly...

The Masked Magician did what he did because he was tired of seeing other magicians perform the same old classics over and over again. I do agree, however, that he probably extended his reasoning to get others into magic as well.

It basically forced the already pro and amatuer magicians to go out and create original and unique effects.

Shane K.
 
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UnholyGodn

Sep 1, 2007
558
0
Victoria, Australia
The masked magician was awesome, I remember watching him back when I was a youngin. I always saw people like Jeff McBride do these amazing things, but it was actually getting to see how things worked that actually tweaked my interest in magic.
 
clllllust

clllllust

Aug 31, 2007
1,731
0
31
Vancouver, Canada
www.myspace.com
Oh that explains it, but technically I wouldn't have gotten into magic if it wasn't for him. But, I must say a lot of the stuff he reveals is devices...so it's not like people will be able to go out and perform it. The only tricks he really reveals is some of the voodoo ash stuff (from what memory serves) Honestly I think he shouldn't have done it but, I'm in a sense glad it did because that was one of the first stepping stones for me and my magic career.

-RA69
 
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Lynchpin

Oct 21, 2007
58
0
Yep, if no one showed how people were getting cut in half inside of a box, we would still be seeing that on television right now. Now there are finally way dfferent methods on cutting people in half, or sawing them in half. The newer ones now I have no clue on how it's done.

people can only be amazed so much by the same thing untill it becomes stupid or boring. Even though he has revealed all these different illusions, A lot of people forget them or they just haven't seen the show. You could probably still saw the box with the lady in it, I will be that a lot of people still wont know how it's done.
 
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StreetMage

Sep 2, 2007
221
0
These shows aired on Fox when I in the fourth grade, and it actually intensified my interest in magic. I had been interested and practicing at the art for a few years already, but watching the masked magician made me want to get into it even more. I liked the shows because besides showing big illusions, it also showed some of the smaller close-up and platform classics... rabbit from a hat, linking rings, sticking a pin in your thumb, vanishing silks from a tube, etc. This show prompted me to buy my own set of linking rings from the local costume shop, and that year I did magic during my school's talent show, during which I did the linking rings, pulled a jump-rope through a class-mate's torso, and escaped from a homemade straightjacket (one of my dad's old jackets with some rope tied to it). I started getting magic books and sets for my birthday, and eventually I lost interest for several years. My interest was resparked about two years ago, and now I'm thinking about becoming a professional magician and have already performed on a professional basis a few times. If it weren't for the masked magician, my interest in magic might have died off altogether before it ever really got off the ground.

Also, ironically, what got me into "geurilla magic," or "street magic" as it is often incorrectly called, was a similar special where a totally different magician was going around revealing a lot of David Blaine's tricks: the Balducci, the Raven, resurrecting a fly, some card switches (actually exposed the triple lift on tv, which is a staple sleight), cig through quarter, voodoo ash, etc. That's what initially started my interest in geurilla magic, and one of the things that resparked my general interest, as I had gotten out of it for a few years even at that time.
 
The Dark Angel

The Dark Angel

forum moderator / t11
Sep 1, 2007
2,003
18
32
Denver, Colorado
StreetMage said:
These shows aired on Fox when I in the fourth grade, and it actually intensified my interest in magic. I had been interested and practicing at the art for a few years already, but watching the masked magician made me want to get into it even more. I liked the shows because besides showing big illusions, it also showed some of the smaller close-up and platform classics... rabbit from a hat, linking rings, sticking a pin in your thumb, vanishing silks from a tube, etc.
Click to expand...
I agree with you 100%. Now, when I saw these specials, I didn't know anything about exposure or all stuff, but it made me want to be a magician more than anything.
Now, lets say that in 20 years, I'm the next biggest thing since Houdini, and I attributed my success to watching these specials when I was a kid, would the programs still get bashed?
 
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wesley11221

Oct 5, 2007
48
0
Queens , New York USA
Yes I personally would still bash the shows because the ends do not always justify the means. Bottom line is that the magic community was overwhelmingly against it for a good reason. Since you are so intent on justifying it, who's to say that someone such as yourself will not try to pull off a similar stunt in the future. There is no excuse or justification for what he did. You are not supposed to reveal secrets to a lay person. That show was geared to curious laypeople, not potential magicians.
 
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phrozunsun

Sep 9, 2007
512
0
Krash said:
If my memory serves me correctly...

The Masked Magician did what he did because he was tired of seeing other magicians perform the same old classics over and over again. I do agree, however, that he probably extended his reasoning to get others into magic as well.

It basically forced the already pro and amatuer magicians to go out and create original and unique effects.

Shane K.
Click to expand...

It does serve you correctly.

I'd also like to note that most of the stuff he exposed was STAGE magic requiring all sorts of props and gimmicks. I find stage magic less believable anyways since it can be easily prepped and rigged ad infinitum.

so i think his negative effect was negligible.
 
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wesley11221

Oct 5, 2007
48
0
Queens , New York USA
I think the fact that he exposed stage illusions instead of close-up is irrelevant. First of all, it let's the idea of exposing close-up effects float about. Secondly, magic is magic, it doesn't matter what the venue is. You're still causing damage. I would never want anything exposed even if I know I'll never use it. Once they learn one secret, they realize it's all a hoax and they won't be quite as amazed anymore. I can't believe that so many magicians here are defending his selfish and pathetic actions. I've even had laypeople tell me that what he did was messed up.
 
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Sergey

Oct 12, 2007
546
0
Orlando Fl
I am totally against what you said about how it gets people interested because it's not as mysterious as when it was still unknown, and 2 exposure does not get someone interested, a tutorial migh but just plain old exposure doesn't, and the magicians it willl draw in aren't the committed magicians, but are the ones who buy an effect like shapeshidter change for example, and make thousands of exposure vids on youtube, and now thats not a classical effect, thats a new effect, almost all tricks on ellusionist are exposed on youtube, and those are new concepts not old ones!
 
Anthony Bass

Anthony Bass

Sep 17, 2007
578
2
Little Elm, Texas, USA
www.myspace.com
kaiarz said:
I am totally against what you said about how it gets people interested because it's not as mysterious as when it was still unknown, and 2 exposure does not get someone interested, a tutorial migh but just plain old exposure doesn't, and the magicians it willl draw in aren't the committed magicians, but are the ones who buy an effect like shapeshidter change for example, and make thousands of exposure vids on youtube, and now thats not a classical effect, thats a new effect, almost all tricks on ellusionist are exposed on youtube, and those are new concepts not old ones!
Click to expand...

At the last magic convention I went to, I spoke with 10-15 people who told me that their start in magic was inspired by The Masked Magician. And they were not the exposing type of person. They were commited magicians, and very respectable. So yes, The Masked Magician does inspire some good magicians.

Anthony Bass
 
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