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BAGWIZ Loyal user San Francisco Bay Area 234 Posts |
Maybe it is just me, but I am SO tired of hearing magicians say,
"Is that fair?", or "Fair?", or "Seem fair?", or "Look fair?", or "Isn't that fair?" By asking such a question I think it is subliminally implied to a spectator that something just happened which is absolutely not fair. In his book "Designing Miracles", Darwin Ortiz writes that "The riskiest moment for trickery is the time between the audience's last view of the initial condition and their first view of the final condition." (p. 45) Ortiz refers to this period of time as the "critical interval". The goal is to minimize that time as much as possible and/or draw attention away from it. To me, "Is that fair?" and all its variations, draw attention to the critical interval. |
Ronin Loyal user Martinez,CA 216 Posts |
Here's a discussion on the topic:
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......m=106&18 In short: yes, asking the question could draw attention at a bad time (or just sound annoyingly obvious), but there may be times when this is what the performer wants, or when the line can be used for different effect. But "is it fair" lines are probably used badly more often than used well.
David Hirata
www.thingsimpossible.com "Life is a combination of magic and pasta." --Federico Fellini |
BAGWIZ Loyal user San Francisco Bay Area 234 Posts |
Thanks for the tip on the other thread. I suppose one could argue there might be an appropriate use for these kinds of phrases, my thought is that such instances are few and far between. Just yesterday I was in a local magic shop and a fairly regular magic castle performer was showing someone some card magic. He must have used the phrase "Is that fair?" at least three or four times in each trick he presented. Maybe that performer feels the phrase is appropriate, who knows? My perception is that this phrase (and others like it) are crutch-phrases that get over-used to the point where they become meaningless.
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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
Methinks it is proper to query, "Would it be fair to say that there is now a single ball under each cup?" The use of the word "fair" to imply a choice between alternatives or even an equal split is fairly recent, ;-)
Like many words in common usage, this useful term has been reduced to meaning nothing but a substitute for "uhhhhh."
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
MagicJuggler Inner circle Anchorage, AK 1161 Posts |
I would think that the most appropriate time to ask if something was "fair" is near the end of the trick while reviewing the conditions that the trick was performed under, leading to the reveal of the final condition. Asking if something was fair immediately after the act is just asking for trouble. Kind of like palming a card out of the deck while the audience is focused of the deck, you're just asking to get caught.
Matthew Olsen
I heard from a friend that anecdotal evidence is actually quite reliable. |
Lawrence O Inner circle French Riviera 6811 Posts |
I like the way Daryl uses the word in question form and with humor
[Deliberately placing a coin into a purse or a cup] "Is it fair?" and when the spectator confirms, Daryl says in an semi embarrassed laugh "Yes, I know"
Magic is the art of emotionally sharing live impossible situations
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panlives Inner circle 2087 Posts |
Which performer uses these lines?:
“Is that fair? I don’t want you to think I'm cheating. I AM cheating – I just don’t want you to think I am...”
"Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?"
"To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time." "The dog did nothing in the night-time." "That was the curious incident," remarked Sherlock Holmes. |
kal Regular user 111 Posts |
I use these lines with tongue in cheek. My gambling routines are built around the audience knowing I'm going to fool them. Me knowing they know. And them knowing I know they know.
There's no confrontation involved, it's more a demonstration, so by the end of it these phrases just seem silly, as I have the people repeat them again and again.
I'm always honest about when I'm lying. And I'm always lying...
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harris Inner circle Harris Deutsch 8812 Posts |
I believe it was Eason who talked about using "ly" in your words spoken while sharing your magic.
Harris Deutsch aka dr laugh
drlaugh4u@gmail.com music, magic and marvelous toys http://magician.org/member/drlaugh4u |
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