On Jul 29, 2014, Martin Pulman wrote:
I know you were sandsjr,

Enjoyed your links. Well, enjoyed maybe not the appropriate term! Music was my first love( I feel a terrible song coming on!) but any musician who cared about their credibility wouldn't be caught dead anywhere near those talent shows.

And I don't think you can really compare music to mentalism. Mentalism is on TV so infrequently that it behoves performers not to cheapen its image when they get a chance to perform it for that wider audience. Just my opinion. You may say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one.

On Jul 28, 2014, Mind Guerrilla wrote:

Quote:

On Jul 28, 2014, Martin Pulman wrote:
Every time some fame hungry wannabe tries to shoehorn a "mentalism" routine into a 90 second slot on an amateur TV talent show, a little bit of the art dies.

Mentalism is not more valuable or better than any other form of art, singer, dancer etc. Our art is for entertainment and I agree with Bob, we may not like what the artists do but AGT is essentially pro as it is in France.

On October 14 and 15, 2007, after winning America's Got Talent, Fator took the stage of the Las Vegas Hilton (formerly the International, the same stage that Elvis Presley performed on for many years). Both shows were sold out to standing room only. Another show was added for December 3 to satisfy the demand for tickets.

In early December 2007, Fator signed a contract for $1.5 million with the Las Vegas Hilton to do three shows a month from January 2008 to May 2008. Fator also performed a 6 p.m. early family New Year's Eve show on December 31, 2007.

In 2007, Fator became an official supporter of Ronald McDonald House Charities and is a member of their celebrity board, called the Friends of RMHC.[18]

On March 17, 2008, Fator appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show along with American Idol Judge Simon Cowell. To the amazement of Oprah, Cowell referred to Fator as one of the "two most talented people on the planet." Fator performed with three of his dummies; country singer Walter T. Airedale performed a Garth Brooks song and Winston the impersonating Turtle sang a Bee Gees song. Julius performed a Marvin Gaye song; Julius was a favorite when he appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show.[8] "As soon as I brought out Julius, she had this look on her face, wondering what I was about to do," Fator said.[8] "Once I started into Marvin Gaye, she fell out of her chair."[8]

On May 13, 2008 it was announced that Fator had signed a five year, $100 million contract to perform nightly at The Mirage in Las Vegas.[19] He replaced headliner Danny Gans and the theater was renamed the Terry Fator Theatre. Reportedly, Fator's deal is one of the largest entertainment deals in Las Vegas history.[20]

On Jul 30, 2014, Martin Pulman wrote:

But no singer, dancer or comedian who wanted to be taken seriously would touch it with a barge pole. Nor should any mentalist who cares about the art.

On Jul 30, 2014, Joe Atmore wrote:

Quote:

On Jul 30, 2014, Martin Pulman wrote:

But no singer, dancer or comedian who wanted to be taken seriously would touch it with a barge pole. Nor should any mentalist who cares about the art.

Martin:
Have you ever been to Las Vegas?.

On Jul 30, 2014, Martin Pulman wrote:
Well, I hadn't actually heard of Terry Fator before, but he appears to be a ventriloquist with a singing puppet. Exactly the sort of act that BGT and AGT were designed to find. Dance troops, plate spinners, vent acts, tramp acts, eccentric dancers, magicians. All perfect for a talent competition. I don't happen to believe mentalism belongs in that company.

On Jul 30, 2014, mastermindreader wrote:
Personally, I'd perform in Hades if it let to a long term contract headlining at the Mirage. Whatever your personal opinion about Las Vegas, it remains the entertainment capitol of the world.

On Jul 30, 2014, Martin Pulman wrote:
We clearly just have a fundamentally different view on the art form.

But no singer, dancer or comedian who wanted to be taken seriously would touch it with a barge pole. Nor should any mentalist who cares about the art.

On Jul 31, 2014, IAIN wrote:
As an aside, over here with the whole talent show thing...i hate the way they focus on the people with very apparent mental health issues, and parade them out in the first couple of episodes - not in a healthy "everyone is equal" kinda way, but just for very cheap jokes and general ridicule... I've even complained a few times and got very glib responses...over here, the first few episodes are just modern day carnie freakshows, but without the camaraderie and care amongst the performers...

i think though, it takes big brass ones to put yourself up for such a show...so if only for that - good luck to 'em for going for it...you never know where it might lead...

On Jul 31, 2014, Martin Pulman wrote:
RNK, how brave of you to agree with Bob. But let's be clear. I made no comment on magicians appearing on talent shows. Magic and mentalism are two related but distinct fields. Magic lends itself to situations that mentalism doesn't - table hopping for one. I don't believe magicians performing magic on talent shows hurts magic in the slightest.

Iain, I quite agree with you. The way Cowell exploits clearly vulnerable people on those shows for his personal gain is, to be polite, unfortunate.