I had posted this in an obscure section on the Café and thought it fit better here:

I am frequently troubled and bothered by when TV magicians perform tricks that are available on the market. (But I DO hippocritically purchase some effects I see on TV).

I cannot count how many times I read Café members claiming we each have a duty to be original and not copy, etc. So when David Blaine performs an effect, does it become off limits? I can see how a race between big magicians can ensue to be the first to televise an effect. With so much magic on TV, are we really expected to remove an effect out of our repetoire? I am at a loss. I want to be original, but I also don't want to limit myself. I suppose viewing magic specials as catalogues from which to borrow effects is ethically frowned upon, but does anyone else feel deflated when a favorite trick is performed on a large scale? Are we simply to live by the words, "live and let live?" To each their own and magic is open to perform (within the bounds of the law)? However original we wish to be, we should be? I was planning on putting some routines on YOUTUBE. This problem has kept me from doing it. One solution is providing a credit section to discuss the names of effects and magicians who have performed it. Does that kill the magic? is it exposure?

Puzzled.

As you are in the US, consider: 7.7 million viewers watched Blaine's last TV Special (Dive of Death), that means roughly 296.3 Americans did not. If you were to do a trick that Blaine had done you still have a large pool of 'virgins' to draw from. Factor in youtube exposure (what does the average video on youtube get, a couple thousand hits at most?) and you still have plenty of fresh eyes left.

Your numbers may vary in other countries. Member FDIC. Not valid in Tenn.

Personally, if you are already doing something then someone does it on TV it's just coincidence. My one gripe is seeing the immediate sharks circle the tank when they see an effect done on TV and want to know where to get it and how it's done.

With so many effects out there why would you need to have the TV be your source of material? Most of the time the effects done are rehashes of things that can be found in books.

There's this mentality that watching a show on TV, or a clip on YouTube or a live show, is some sort of lecture where you are there to learn (read: steal) new effects. What you should be doing is learning about how each performer applies his unique style and presentation to the effect. You should also be asking yourself as you watch, "Wow, I never thought of that! I wonder what other hidden secrets are out there in books, lecture notes and DVDs? Maybe I should get up off this chair and do my own research and find effects no one is currently doing? I bet there's a lot of them."

And you would be right.

Greg

Most of the time when I perform tricks for someone that say David Blaine or Criss Angel did, the people react like "Wow. I watched David Blaine do that. You're good." So I guess I like it when they say I'm like David Blaine.

Also from a layperson's eyes its kind of cool "OH WOW he can do that thing that Blaine does! HE must be good!" Especially the femailians.

No you shouldn't.

Perhaps you don't have to stop doing a trick someone does on TV, but certainly don't start doing a trick because you saw someone do it on TV.

Depends on what you want.

What Greg said.

Excellent thoughts. Thanks so much.

Think about the limited number of actual magic effects there are, and then how many variations there are on the same basic themes.