I got an email from Gale wanting to know if anybody taped that show?

Curses...foiled again!

I am not like others and have this upset me, as it may appears. There are millions of people out there who never saw the "classic" illusions, and they still play well, especially the Gamolo. The zombie and the many variations of them are still being used, as well as the many of the others that have been exposed.

I just thought it was a big mistake for FOX and the Mask Magician to expose one that could very well be legally protected, especially when it belong to a lawyer!

As for Big Daddy Cool, he too missed my "Hippy Hop Rabbit" pun, I am not mad at all because I don't make a living out of illusions, I am a children entertainer first. I love theater and know what Big Daddy Cool is saying. My only disagreement is I still love watching the classics of magic, and I know many others feel like I do. I especially enjoy the many variations of levitations as well as variations of how the Gamolo is presented. (Wacky Dracky and Morgan do it so extremely well!)

I was just surprised no one picked up on the blatant Gamolo exposure..

The patent has expired so the device is no longer protected. Plus a patent doesn't protect it from being exposed. It just affords the creator a level of protection he can use to keep the unauthorized copies off the market.

Since all patent information is in the public record it was for all intents and purposes "exposed" the second the patent was published.

Payne is spot on with this.

Exposing something would be an issue is if the exposer had signed a non-disclosure agreement, not with a patent.

How do you really feel?

I mean really, don't hold anything back...

And which art do you speak?

Do ME a favor and speak for yourself rather than assuming you represent all magicians. If others share your point of view let THEM join in on the discussion.
And your suggestion that I should 'leave' magic...well that speaks volumes about you and your inability to tolerate points of view different than your own.

For the record, I don't like exposure. But like John, I also dislike the same thing being performed over and over again. Why is it magic is the only artform where everyone performs the same thing and it's seen as normal by us magicians??
In most other disciplines the idea is to set yourself apart, to be unique; creatively different.
If music genres had not evolved over time, had musicians not strived to be unique and original furthering their craft, would we care about music today?? What if artists had not progressed forward, painting the same things, the same way using the same techniques and not evolving in any significant way. Would we have the same reverence and respect for artwork that we do today??

An artform is an artform because of it's rich history, it's ever growing, evolving and improving nature with artists who strive for uniqueness and creative substance. Magic, in a lot of cases, seems to be nothing more than changing the music and painting the Zig-Zag green instead of red. That's not furthering the art of magic. It's just more of the same. Magic NEEDS to creatively progressive FORWARD in order to survive and continue to garner respect and retain it's 'artform' status.

Believe me, I feel for ANYONE that's had ANYTHING taken from them or exposed.
That's not fair. But guess what? Life ain't fair and exposure happens. So no better time then the present to use this opportunity to grow and creatively move forward. Investing in something new, something more uniquely creative might be the better route in the long run, for you as a performer and for magic as an artform.

Do you still think I should leave magic?

Dear gawd....there is a reason I avoid threads like this. I'm not even going to bother....

LOL! Yeah rants suck don't they?? hahaha

You forgot one thing...There are still magicians out there who feed their children with "old" illusions...
I'll answer your question. Yes, you don't belong here.

Ouch...

Heck, that's all I have is old illusions. Zig Zag, Doll House, Palquin, Assistants Revenge. I have no skills what so ever to even attempt to build something, and there's no way I can afford buying anything brand new. The good part is that the folks all seem to enjoy seeing them, and better yet, not once has anyone came up after a show and told me they seen the masked knucklehead doing one of them.
I say, LONG LIVE THE OLD STUFF !!!
Bob.

LOL!
Look, I like old stuff Bob believe me.
Two of my all time favorite illusions are Origami and Disembodied Princess.
and both of those are performed a lot. I guess for me it would be nice to see
newer illusions be introduced alongside the older ones; have new 'standard' illusions take center stage ya know??

Must...not...destroy...their....souls....

I will say one thing. A gent who performed in a freakin' zoot suit isn't exactly screaming with originality. There, I feel better.

Dang it . Why do they keep draging me in?

I'll do a condensed version. First off if you are a magician then the secret is an absolute component of the art, magic is not stage theater. On stage you can have a clearly fake backdrop or a rope holding up something, or a car that is clearly painted on plywood because it IS the performance that sells the show. In magic people are looking for the wire or mirror and we MUST do what we can to avoid tipping to the audience the mode. If BCD or Agent61 are performing original pieces created by them please let us know what they are. I've read BCD's book, I enjoyed it, it ain't an original show from a magical perspective if that was indeed a representation of his show. The producers of the show with the masked magician, who I don't believe for a minute is a magician, is generated for no reason other than to generate income for those involved with it. If you believe they are attempting to push the art forward then you are a dupe.

That being said there are far and away more bad performers than good. BCD, to his credit, put more into his show than just walking around and pointing at boxes. Most magicians and illusionist really don't understand how to present magic. They think they get a cute girl, roll crap around, point, and pout that they are illusionist. The problem is they are! There is no emotional hook, there is no charm, there is nothing and those guys should be ashamed of themselved but they make up the bulk of the performers. It isn't a problem with the props, they can be the same illusions everyone else does, and this is where BCD and Agent, I think Agent, are correct, the performer has to improve their presentations and make it an actual show not a freakin' display.

This does NOT mean that it is okay to expose illusions!

If you build up a great show and the audience knows how all the illusions are done you lose the ability to really grab them and make your performance shine. If you don't get that then you, as someone suggested, should get out of magic. Satisfy your highschool drama puke desires doing community theater. It is better you are not part of our art the same as it is better those that don't want to really learn how to present magic should just stay in their living rooms. Illusion is so easy it is sick, give me a guy who can dance and looks good and a couple hot girls and I can tour a show! Give me someone who can talk, understands staging and movement, can sell the hell out of it and I can make a star.

In closing BCD and Agent are wrong, exposure does matter and it is wrong. They are also correct when it comes to the need to improve performance. Just don't roll up on me saying everyone should be original while you're in a cover band.

I actually understand what MagicSanta is saying!

There is the theatrical side, the business side, the "magical side", the presentation side, etc. So much more.

The Gamolo is a name of a prop which allows the entertainer to make a heavy object rise. I doubt someone from the lay audience will say, "Oh look, it's the Gamolo"

Magic can work in "plays" as well as a magic show. Somewhere, some how, someone is trying to change a "Magic/Illusion Show" into a full feature stage play. Well that will work and so does sell out performances of "Illusion Shows" They each have their place in the entertaining arts.

We are losing sight of the original posting. At what point is it right/wrong to expose someone's life's work, such as the developer of the Gamolo.

Having had my written work copied from under me, it is a hard thing to correct. Just maybe a lawyer can put a dent into this exposure business.

BDC and company, who gives MM the right to decide what is exposed and not?

Your claims of inventing "new" magic is crap.

Are you going to tell kids there is no Santa Claus or Easter Bunny so you can invent somthing new?

This argument is really lame.

Richard

ARRGGGGGRRRR

Therein lies the crux of the problem


MAGIC IS THEATER!!!!!


MagicSanta
I strongly agree with your take on what most magicians do in big box shows

I'll be back to rant later


and while I'm not thrilled about the MM, how many people are actually watching that show? Do you actually listen to it. It's painful to hear. I think it's aimed at males 13-30 who don't know any women


p.s. I am performing original pieces

Ok lets not get me banned here.

Lets be realistic. Bid Daddy has done more to try to inspire original thought, and bring THEATER to the magic world than most if not all. Even to the point of writing a great book on the subject of expanding your horizons of where to work.

To say to him to get out of magic is just not well thought out as a position.

I agree with BDC. There I am not banned.

The Masked Magician is a magician. But he's also an actor who is acting badly to disquise his identity.

Look, I did not say I was in favor of wholesale exposure. I'm in favor of moving our artform in new, exciting and creative ways.

Yes, Steve I chose a period. Not because it had never been done, but it is part of who I am and what I like. And you are right that in my book, I do not provide any "new" magic. What I hoped to impart is a new way for magicians to look at magic and hopefully encourage them to create presentations that magic the magic uniquely their own by giving them solid examples.

Would I openly expose a magic trick? Probably not, but I don't fret about it because I know the real secret isn't the mechanics.

By the way guys, I do a Super X Suspension. It's the most exposed levitation/suspension ever. Guess what? Audiences still cheer and stand to their feet.

It ain't the trick, charley.

Thanks Richard! You are RIGHT!!!
Hey Agent 61 and BDC, it's OK to invent new effects but it never gives you the right to write stupid comments like "LONG LIVE THE MASKED MAGICIAN"!!!!
I cannot believe a magician writing such words! And agent61 that says that he couldn't agree more...
Go say these words in front of Copperfield who had some of his effects shown...Try it...Meet him after a show and tell him you agree with the Masked Moron...Come back here and tell the guys what he told you...OK?!
I once heard Copperfield mention (in a show) "if you are the MM, kiss my A--".

Agent61 and BDC will certainly come here and tell the people that they KNOW magic...Hide in your closets instead...Please.