Can you relate to this interaction:

You tell someone you are a magician and they say: "Ok is that you're only job?" or "Ok so then what do you do to make money?" or something along those lines.

People in general have a belief that you can't make money as a magician. It is beyond their reality that it could even be done.

Does this interaction frustrate you? How do you handle this interaction?

It has never happened to me because of the places I work.

I think this I something more common as a kids or family magician or a portable/mobile performer (closeup magician, balloon artist, etc.). Stage performers do not get this as much as the perception is much different. Lay people do not know that you can make a living of off doing kids parties or family events. If they happen to know your pricing (o ran idea of it), it is even harder for them to comprehend. If they know you make $175-$250 for a kids party, it only stands to reason the question of "how could he live off of that", so it is immediately dismissed as something you just do for fun, hobby, side job, etc. They have no idea you could do 5, 7, or 8 parties in a weekend.

This is why positioning and perception is so important, as is understanding stereotypes. Unfortunately, whether many here like it or not, this has always been the plight of the kids performer. Yet, if you are an illusionist, the perception is much more of a profession or professional. It's understanding the customer and the perceptions and thought process of they customers.

The irony of it all is I know a LOT of kid show workers making WAY MORE than illusionists!!!

If I was looking to make money by a mugging, I would choose the kid show worker every time. They probably have more.

Another way of thinking of it is:

A man sees a magic trick and thinks: "if I could do that I could meet lots of women!"

Man goes on date with woman and tells her he is a magician and woman says "so is that your only job?..."

Vive la difference!

I've heard this a lot. The thing is, family entertainers/kid show workers have smaller expenses than illusionist, and almost always operate on a higher profit margin. Someone who knows what they're doing, who's well established in a market, does BOR, etc., might easily clear more profit than an illusionist.

Of course, there are exceptions to everything

This interaction bothered me when I was a starving artist, because it stung and rang truth for me personally. It no longer bothers me as a successful national entertainer. As Danny said, it happens less or not-at-all in certain environments. No one at a corporate or high end private event has ever said such a thing. But at a family picnic, living room party, or restaurant? Sure.

If someone nowadays says, "So what's your real job?" I respond, "I am a full time magician." If they ask, "Can you make enough money doing that?" I respond, "I make a very comfortable living" and smile, sincerely. That's all.

In all sincerity, I actually get the opposite reaction. People have a hard time believing I have a day job. I work a lot of festivals and run into the same people all the time. They very often assume magic is my primary income.