Ever wonder why the Mental Arts aren't more popular? I think that I know one reason.
LACK OF ORIGINAL PROGRESSION. We seem to be stuck in the past. A new mentalist comes on the Café and everyone says " Buy 13 Steps to Mentalism".....Why? Read Annemann!.... Why?
That would be fine if we don't want to progress. To be up to date. To capture the immagination of todays youth and young adults. A person could get so bogged down in the Classics that new thoughts take the back seat. THAT'S THE PROBLEM!
Where are the PIONEERS of the New Mental Frontier? Who will step foreward and say....."I'll lead the way!" We need Psychic Sientists! Someone to blend science and mental mysteries into an entertaining and amazing art form.
Paranormal Programming on the Tele has NEVER been better. Where are the Entertainers to solidify this popular movement?

Some would say that Derren Brown has done exactly what you suggest.

- entity

I totally agree! But who in the states?
Dave

SLIM, rock on........

I think this is very much a thought which can ride on the back of my recent post. What is the point of mentalism anyway ?

why bother with all the nonsense.....

ME!

Lead on!!!!

Slim, the word "Progression" implies being better than before.

Telling a newbie to mentalism to read Corinda and Annemann has nothing to do with progression of the art. Corinda and Annemann give us a foundation from which to work from, and while Annemann gives us showmanship, Corinda specifically describes all the avenues we can travel as mentalists. Hence the reason to read these when beginning the journey. Having said that however, much of the effects we do as performers are found in the old classics, and just dressed better in order to keep it relevant to our times. There are only so many ways one can read a mind.

As to your question: "Where are the PIONEERS of the New Mental Frontier?"

Why, they're all around us. Banachek, Osterlind, Maven, Brown, Enriquez, Rowland, Xavier (?), me, you...

There are so many avenues to walk down, so many facets to mentalism: straight entertainment, motivational speaker, pyschic, pseudo psychic, reader, mind reader, motivational-psychic-speaker-who-entertains, etc...

Look to the area that you are interested in and you will see the leaders and pioneers. There is no definitive answer unless you've decided what you want to do with "it".

(Disclaimer: all use of the word "you" implies all of us in general)

What I don't get is how few people put an ounce of thought into routining and just do 4th dimensional telepathy out of the box. No idea of who they are or what they wish to portray, instead its the same hackneyed effects.

Its not about the latest and greatets, instead:

A. A story makes it unique and touching to an audience.
b. It is a new effect no one else uses because its unique to you.

Do people know Geller more or any of the names mentioned?

Ever heard of frogs in a well?

I think Scott hit on my thoughts. A lot of what Derren Brown does is old material. He puts a fresh and new presentation on it and it looks NEW. I don't think we need any more ways to catch a peek, or imp, or whatever. I think we need to add some new ideas to the presentation. That is the key.

Weeeeeeeeeeell- John Edwards, Sylvia Browne and folks of that group are among the ones I'd say are pioneering.

But, I'd have to agree that Banachek, Osterlind, Maven, Busch and others are among the innovators- for the general consuming magic public.

Then there is a lot of innovation going on in the art form- but the mentalism/ psychic entertainment field is quite a bit more secretive than the magic field in many ways. There are a lot of pocket groups that stay to themselves.

I have been watching this shift slowly transpire.

That realization that there is something more.
Or can be for those willing to go exploring.

You create your reality and let others interact with it.


J ack

I think that Slim is wrong with the premise of this thread. The mental arts are more popular than ever before. Look at the literature. Look at television. Although some of us may not like the way it is going, it is on the move and growing in popularity. When I was young, we were lucky if a new publication came out in a year concerning mentalism or mental magic. now there are many every single month. Before, the experts in the field were older men who had been working in the field for 30 or 40 years before they published. Now we have experts that can put out DVDs at the age of 12 and revolutionize the industry.

So, Yes, I say that it is growing in popularity which is causing changes in the field of the mystery arts. But changes are not always good, and some times growth can be caused by a tumor, and tumors can be cancerous and deadly.

Tony

I see INTEREST growing in the form of Paranormal TV shows and movies, but I absolutely do not see the ART FORM of Mind Reading,Mentalism, Hypnotism, and Mental Magic in general, PROGRESSING. It is Stagnant.
I'm not saying that many are not trying to improve this but as proof....Where is our version of THE AMAZING KRESKIN SHOW or DUNNINGER'S BRAIN BUSTERS or MANDRAKE,The Magic Detective? Where are the performers stepping in on TV and Radio and grasping the momentum of this new public interest? I really don't see them. Angel is trying, but who else has gotten a TV SHOW and not just a Special?
With TV and Radio so diversified it should be much easier nowthan in Dunningers day.
I see no growth in perportion to interest.
Were you calling Mind Freak a TUMOR?

I ordered that bad dog yesterday. Should be life changing.

No, I was not calling him, in particular a tumor.

Why Chichi, why?

Slim: There have been other shows, Alain Nu had a fantastic series last year. But, the networks are competing with eachother like never before, and they will only put certain types of programs on the air. What you ask about for mentalism can be asked for many other specialties in entertainment. For example, dance, music, comedy shows (with the exception of the comedy channel). These programs used to be all over the air, not anymore.

But I do see this situation changing within the next 10 years. As the internet and television continue to merge, there will become a need for more content.
For an example of how this will come about, look at the new venture, fearnet.com which starts next Tuesday, or even the popularity of the video sites such as youtube. It will be like the cable access movement we had during the 80s, but anyone with a computer and internet access will be able to add to content.

Tony

I agree....and WE are the content....right?

Could be. As will be singing dogs, dancing cats, nunchaku wielding disco-computer nerds, the list goes on.

Mentalism, to me, is a fingerprint of the performer.

Even if someone presents something "out of the box" (which I do NOT advocate), the very nuances of their personality will make it somewhat different. Alas, this has its limitations.

I agree that progression is important in order to combat stagnation, but a firm knowledge of the history is important to have, too. Without knowing from where one came, it is difficult for one to know where to go. Personally, I have benefited from the knowledge of the background of my profession, but I do not dwell on its premise in the present. Instead, I have learned both from the successes and the failures of the past and I use those lessons to sculpt my present performances.

But like I said in the beginning of this post, mentalism is but a fingerprint of the performer. There are many who will forgo the history, and that's OK. You certainly don't have to know the history of Henry Ford if you want to build an automobile. But studying his strategy for marketing and production could prove quite useful.