Does anyone mind if I change the subject back to the topic of this thread? Hope not!

I don’t know about the rest of you subscribers but I am really eager for April's offering! Knowing some of the folks who are either involved in Real Secrets or strongly endorsing it, I am completely confident that we will be getting something very special for at least the next two years - and hopefully longer!

As a "lowly" hobbyist who doesn’t perform professionally, I have spent a lot of money on magic effects, books, and some DVDs over the last few years. All of the books I have purchased are excellent; most of the DVDs have been educational and helpful; a lot of the effects are great, though a lot were also.. well.. not so great. But I have a strong feeling that this subscription to Real Secrets will possibly be the best money I have spent on magic. I know that many subscribers are confident because they know personally some of the people involved, and some others who don’t know those people are a bit wary of committing this amount of money. Me? The people I know of who are involved give me a good solid feeling about this and as complete confidence as anything else I have spent on magic! (And I don’t have any special, inside information; I am talking about info that is publicly available in posts and articles at The Café and the Genii forums, as well as reports from Blackpool).

I feel like a child on Christmas Eve, waiting impatiently for Santa to arrive. Maybe I can go back to sleep till April is here?! lol!!

Jim

Part of the problem here is simple: Whether or not Real Secrets is a 'scam' or not is not at this time provable or disprovable. My own, personal, I know some of the folks involved, right now, knowledge leads me to 'personally' believe that it is not a scam. But, all anyone here can do at this time is to assert that it is or is not. The proof will in fact come to light 12 months after if starts. If all 12 months are delivered as promised, then logically the basic assertions of the folks involved will be proven accurate.

I believe enough in it to have plunked down my $144.

The other question is whether or not the material supplied for $12 per, will in fact, be as good as promised both implicitly and explicitly by the ad copy. Again, there is no way to argue sensibly for either position! I may have all the faith in the folks involved that you can have after 42 years in the same business, but heck, maybe every item they send me will be great to everyone, BUT me! I have no way of knowing, so in fact there is an element of risk here.

But, there is an element of risk in many magic purchases. How many times have we (and right in there with the rest of you) read a description of something only to find that it just did not deliver? So 'secrecy' as such isn't all that of an argument one way or the other. If you can buy something that is supposedly "fully exposed" in description and have it be dreck, etc. then .....

The trick here for those of us who have signed up is whether or not we trust the folks we already know are involved: Steve Brooks, at least to point of promoting it and I've known Steve a long time. He's freakishly honest. Mike Weber I knew as he grew up in the magic shop I ran in Los Alamitos. You have Gaeton Bloom, Max Maven, etc. They are all involved in some fashion or they would have denied it already.

I don't logically know of any reason why they would be involved in something that would cause harm to their reputations.

That's all. Come the first of next month we'll "know" if we are happy with our investment or not. If not there is nothing keeping us from saying, "Hey got the first offering and although I can't tell you 'what' it is, I can say it did not meet my expectations on these levels......, etc." Or, the opposite, "Nah, nah, nah, nah, nahhhhhhh, nah...." Or, something equally adult and adulatory. LOL

Best,

It basiclly comes down to personal choice. But, if all those who oppose the marketing and secrecy behind realsecrets stop posting here, the thread would be rather boring. There might of been maybe 1 page of posts and that's it if it wasn't for the controversy. Realsecrets would not even be talked about as much as it is right now. Most of the reason why realsecrets is getting so much attention is because of those "naysayers" who keep the topic fresh and alive.

Regardless of what is said, there will be people who will subscribe. It's not any different outside of the magic world. Marketing in general is created to entice your curiosity, and take advantage of impulsive buyers.

A cougar will spend time stalking and studying it's prey. It will look for the weakest, not the strongest to take down. Same in the world of marketing. It's about making money, and in the magic industry it's hard to make a lot of money. It's a small community where most have to cater to hobbyist because they are the large percentage of buyers. There is nothing wrong with catering to hobbyists, (we were all one at a time). I would say that I am more a hobbyist than professional performer.

As long as people are talking about realsecrets, then there is money to be made. Otherwise, this topic would of been dead 11 pages ago.

Richard Kaufman signed up, Brad Burt signed up....and others we know. They may not know who is behind it...but their instincts tell them it's safe and worth their professional time and money.

Real Secrets isn't a scam. Is it going to be worth $12 a month? I think it will be.

Clarke

I have a question to Real Secrets. Can I get the Gold Membership for 3 months and then if I do not like it cancel it ? or in its case if I love it upgrade to the Platinum ?

I think the 3 months tryout with option to cancel/upgrade will give offer a peace of mind to some of us.

If the effects are so good then I do not think they should worry about people canceling. This will be more of a win to win transaction. Very fair. Try it , like it , upgrade or cancel.

I hope they answer.

Hey, what about me? What am I, chopped liver?

Wait a minute... I am Spartacus!

I mentioned you. You're "and others"

:sun:

I'm Spartacus!

I don't want to be saved! I like being thickheaded. My impulse buying or fantasy purchases are not your problem.

I just can't help reading your posts and hearing Dustin Hoffman's voice.
"What Real Secrets wants most to keep "secret" is that "$12 month" is actually $288 for 2 years." $288, $288, Real Secrets, 2 Years.

or this;
"Equally as tiring as the blind support for a blind product from the Real Secrets blind magicians bandwagon" blind support, blind product, blind magicians bandwagon blind blind blind blind magicians bandwagon.

Just try and not hear Dustin Hoffman as Rainman saying all that.
James

Will Mr Kaufman be a future contributor, I wonder?

Good luck to those who invest in this, I hope for you it is marvellous.

The comments on how reasonable the price is reflect the pockets of the commentators. I'll stick with creating my own humble stuff, using the excellent books I have as reference points.

I predict that none of the subscribers improve one whit as entertainers through this subscription.

Tom

Happy annuities, chaps.

James, your posts seem just as obsessive as anyone else's.

True, but you have to admit, that last one was pretty funny.

Here's what I have to say. The Real Secrets team, whoever they are, have alleviated any minor concern I might have had. I am not going to say how, but they have given me all I need to believe this is going to go on for at least a year. No, I still don't know who they are so don't ask. No, I am not going to say what they have done so don't ask. Yes, I am a veritable nobody in the performing world so I don't expect anyone to take my word. But for those that do know me, I now have complete faith in this endeavor.

And that's all I have to say 'bout that.

-J-

Is it just me, or does this sound like the penumbra with gimmicks and a few less card tricks?

Even if all 12 months are not delivered as promised, that won't necessarily mean it's a scam. I have opted for the cautious, wait-and-see, let-other-people-take-the-risk route 'cause I'm not comfortable with the fact that the Real Secrets people don't want us to know who they are -- but if Real Secrets should fall apart for unforeseen reasons, despite the best, most sincere efforts of whoever's behind it, I hope people won't rush to label it a scam.

If the principals skip the country with the loot, ripping everybody off and embarrassing the contributors, then sure -- it's a scam. But if it's just a case of These Things Happen, then hopefully the skeptics will have sufficient class to avoid saying "I told you so."

Well...that was helpful.

*mumble, mumble, mumble* (something about Judah being special and the majority being chopped liver)...

Yes, I agree. What is your point?
James