What do you do?

[joshrobarts]

So, i was confronted with a very strange situation tonight. Its family weekend here at college and apparently my college hired a comedian/magician for last night to entertain (i didn't go cause my school sucks at advertising and i had no idea) But apparently several people who's families love them enough to visit did. Today, i ran into several people who know me around campus and know i do magic as well. All day i heard comparisons between the two of us. Now that wouldn't really bother me, it happens they are just lay people after all, but what got me, is almost 90% said that the guy was decently funny but i blew his magic out of the water. They were saying they had no idea why the school hired some other dude when one of their own students who was better was right on campus. I didn't know how to respond, they almost seemed like they wanted me to boast and agree with them, but i didn't want to speak poorly of another magician without knowing the facts. So i came home and researched the guy, he's not bad, done a lot of work and has a solid work history and client list. I mean part of me is flattered but i was just wondering if anyone else has had this happen to them, and how they deal with it. I mean its not the same as being compared to Criss Angel or Blaine or even Copperfield, those are big names and it comes with the territory, but what do you do when you get compared to someone who you very well could be on a close or similar level with. How do you respond and react?


On a separate note, it did kinda inspire me to put together a on campus show for pay.

 

[praetoritevong]

Accept it as a compliment, but I think you did well to remain professional and impartial.

 

[mehar]

Accept it, embrace it. You did good not to boast a lot.

 

[blackvg]

this will be my first post. and i wanna start by saying that you did the right thing man. like the others said, accept it as a compliment.

 

[aceofspades1]

well i know what you mean... i too have had that happen to me.. well in a way.. see i do magic at my high school here and there and almost everyone knows me by my magic i do.. i mean i cant step outta class without being called Criss Angel or David Blaine.. HAHA but one day i was at the mall with my family for a christmas dinner my dads work always has at Dave n Busters... but we got there early and walked around... i saw a stand for a "Black Box".. thats all it said and it had like a lot of dark medieval type design around the cart... so i go up and this dude comes up to me and asks to show me a trick.. i was okay (even though i do magic i still appreciate to see others do it..) so he showed me a basic ambitious card routine.. after he was done i said that was really good< but i myself am a magician too.. he said oh really, care to show me a trick.. i said sure and i did the trick.. he was blown away... he asked the other workers at the cart to see me.. i did another and they where blown away... they i guess their reactions gather more people and by the time i knew it i had a big crowd... i didnt mean to upstage the dude or what he was selling... it was just my magic speaking for itself you can say... after all that they asked if i had a business card.. i didnt at the time.... so i just walked off.. and people here and there saw me and complimented me the whole time i was there.... and said i was better than what they were selling... i myself.. im very modest to my magic... and i never think as myself as the best.. i think myself as still learning.. but it does make you feel good ya know... all the practice does pay off... so i never thought i was better than those people... i just thought i did a good job and took it as a compliment =)

 

[RickEverhart]

I had a similar experience in Disney World. A big crowd was in the magic shop watching the demo magician and they were going nuts. After most of the people left I complimented him on a few of his effects and then asked if I could show him a few things. He looked at me like, "Yeah sure kid...ha ha." I proceeded to perform 3 effects with a standard deck and he just stood there speechless because he was using a Svengali with the big crowd around and some other gimmicked effects. It does make you feel good to know that your hard work and effort are getting you a step above the rest of the mediocre magicians.

However, I will say that in your college situation, it just goes to show that anyone who is fairly good, (they don't even have to be one of the best) who knows how to market themselves will continue to get bookings time and time again provided they put on a decent show. You need to take the next step and begin to promote, advertise, etc. if you want to begin your journey down that path as well. And now....off to my gig today.

 

[AndrewJ]

JRobarts, thank you for showing the level of class and respect that you did. I believe that 100% that you did the right thing for yourself and for magic as a whole. I hope that your respect for others becomes infectious.

It does make you feel good to know that your hard work and effort are getting you a step above the rest of the mediocre magicians.

I feel good working on something that I want to learn then showing it to others who are entertained by it.

 

[joshrobarts]

thanks for the replies guys. Yeah it definitely has inspired me to market myself more. I told all the people who have been commenting on the show that if they feel so strongly about it they should recommend to the people in charge that next time they hire me instead. Hopefully it will snowball and something will come together haha. Its just weird to be compared to a guy with this big of a client list and a few awards in his back pocket. Although to be fair, we do do slightly different styles of magic (him comedy with a touch of magic, me more close-up/working on a stage show)

 

[D ICE R]

I would do pretty much what you did however I would definatly sugest that those people should speak with whom ever booked the other guy. It is very easy to say bad things about people and you did a better job than I did in a similar situation. At the moment I
am taking time off performing to fix my personal life, so my work hired a magician for some party. A few people knew I performed but nobody who booked this guy. I jokingly told my boss that they could not afford my show. It turns out that this guy gets more than I was asking for. Needless to say I felt quite bad and stupid for quite some time.

 

[saborfang17]

I had a similar experience in Disney World. A big crowd was in the magic shop watching the demo magician and they were going nuts. After most of the people left I complimented him on a few of his effects and then asked if I could show him a few things. He looked at me like, "Yeah sure kid...ha ha." I proceeded to perform 3 effects with a standard deck and he just stood there speechless because he was using a Svengali with the big crowd around and some other gimmicked effects. It does make you feel good to know that your hard work and effort are getting you a step above the rest of the mediocre magicians.

However, I will say that in your college situation, it just goes to show that anyone who is fairly good, (they don't even have to be one of the best) who knows how to market themselves will continue to get bookings time and time again provided they put on a decent show. You need to take the next step and begin to promote, advertise, etc. if you want to begin your journey down that path as well. And now....off to my gig today.

Rev, was this in magic masters in Florida, by any chance? Near the cirque du soleil and that indoors disney building that's 4-5 stories tall?

 

[Slicke]

I had similar experiences like that myself, people comparing me to other guyz who also perform magic. But these guyz that they compare me to are guyz that had interest in magic, and was leaning towards me to teach them. So basically i tutored these guyz from scratch. But laymen don't know that we are connected, so when they come to me and tell me what the other guyz did to them, i'm like "really ???" and doesn't proceed to tell them that i taught them that because i want the spotlight to be on them (i know how it feels and want others to feel it too) ... It's really helpful to relate to other magicians but hide it from the laymen so when several magicians are in the same room, i can use them as an accomplice to create something truly impossible.

 

[b_08]

jrobarts - I think you responded very well and the only way any magician should respond, with humility and a "thank you". There's not much else to it. The positive is that it inspire you to put together a show, so that's a good outcome to the comparison.

Just one note though, I think this happens to us quite often due to level of expectations. If it was you doing a show up on stage then I think they will have a higher expectation, since you show tricks around campus, at parties, or casual gatherings and its not expected, the expectations are lower and you catch them by surprise. Hence in their mind, you're better....which kind of further proves how magic really is in the mind of the spectators.

This is also why we often hear comments about how we're better than David Blaine...silly...but because they're seeing it on TV and we're doing it right in front of them....well, you know.

OR, you really could just be way better and the guy they hire was a typical, stereotypical magician who is doing an act from 1977. Either way I think you should attempt to put together a pay show and see the ins and outs of the amount of work it takes to get your name out there and the business side of things. It'll be interesting.

 

[joshrobarts]

thanks for the kind words. I researched the guy, he's not an old school stereotype. He's pretty modern and hip. His act did seem to put comedy first and magic second but his act was solid although to other magicians some of his chosen effects might seem.... well like the same old same old But not at all from a spectators standpoint. As for the expectation, I have actually done a few shows around here, as far as Open Mic night and the such, a similar venue and stage setting as his so i dont think it is that although i understand where you are coming from. I would love to think that i have just been under-selling myself as far as talent goes but i think i will still wait and see responses for my show. For now though i will simply stick to my smaller close-up gigs and building a solid fan base. After all i prefer close-up and working college Monte-Carlo nights is a sweet deal

 

[b_08]

Then that's probably it. Sometimes we don't know that we've gotten good because we see our own flaws...which is of course something we hope to never lose. Sounds like your audience has been a good barometer. You probably have been under-selling yourself....sounds like you have a good fan base already.

 

[William Draven]

I think you handled yourself well. With respect and humility. It's a high complement. Kinda kicks you in the seat of the pants and makes you want to work that much harder doesn't it?

 

[Elite Prestidigitation]

I nod and say "yep"....