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Pop Haydn Inner circle Los Angeles 3691 Posts |
I worked as a street performer in New York in the late Sixties and early Seventies. At that time, the only other magician doing street performing==that I was aware of--was Jeff Sheridan. A wonderful magician named Presto Johnson, who had worked the dime museums and the streets many years before gave me tons of advice and help. Street performing, like street cons, come and go in cycles. If I went up to someone on the street in NYC and asked them, "You want to see something?" The response I would get is pretty much guaranteed to be unprintable. Only the camera and crew behind Blaine made that okay. |
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tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
As that well-known New York street magician said:
“Patter is essentially fictional and so they tend to go along with it: “Some real things have happened lately but this isn’t one of them,” is fictional. The question "You want to see something?" on the other hand is factual, that is to say, it calls on the rationale for a decision.” -Tarquo the Great’s Big Book of Magic
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9981 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 11, 2019, tommy wrote: Not sure where you got that notion from. Yes, in SOME cultures folks pretending to have special powers were persecuted - not all claimed to be magicians. Expanding on what I noted above, during the Spanish Inquisition only people haven taken the Nicene Creed could be prosecuted for heresy, and charges had to be brought by the public and not a "theologian." The infamous courts also never executed anyone. They proclaimed imagined guilt or innocence and turn the matter over to a civilian court. Torture was sometimes used to get a confession, but often the heard cries and screams were faked. The objective was often confiscation of wealth rather than any concern over religious bias. No "hounding" of any one. Greedy people, yes - theologians, no. In lands along the Silk Road and Amber Road there is no evidence than anyone was ever persecuted for performing magic for entertainment. So, a "streetwise" magician just avoided, France, Holland and Spain. England in the Middle Ages was confused as to laws and attitude as you must know. Most of the world's population in the Middle Ages was in lands under Mongolian or Turkic control. Theology was not part of their religious view, not is the persecution of magicians for any reason. But, you seem to have some knowledge of this "key." Please explain further. What country? What culture? What type of magic performance? A key to what?
"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 |
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tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
The Silk Road takes us to China, where the cult of Chairman Mao declared magic deceitful, where and when a great many were persecuted for performing magic for entertainment or for any other reason. The CIA in the Cold War promoted our magic and any other modern art the communists did not like. As for the key, it remains classified.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9981 Posts |
Considering the vast number of trashy magic trick knockoffs coming from China, I would suggest they do not distain magic, just the intelligence/taste of the American buyer.
I might agree that I am being persecuted by watching what many consider to be magic today. If it is Chinese plot it is working. At least the magic tricks China exported centuries ago were of better quality than that being offered today. If they don't like magic, they sure like going to the bank.
"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 |
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tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
You know, for somebody who calls himself funsway you really sound way grumpy today Ken. Ok, just to cheer you up, I will tell you what the secret key is: the secret key is juggling. When the wise magician is being chased by the theologians with fire and sword; stake, gibbet, and cross, whether they are carrying little black books or red, he gives up magic and juggles instead. Nobody persecutes jugglers. Then when the reign of terror is all over, one can carry on with magic until next time.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
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Tim Snyder Regular user Chicago, IL 112 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 13, 2019, tommy wrote: That is true! Everybody loves a good juggler! Unfortunately, I mostly just juggle my finances. |
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Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
The juggler usually does not claim that the objects are haunted. It's open demonstration of skill. Puppeteers don't claim the puppets are vehicles for supernatural beings. Usually. Ventriloquists usually take credit for any other voices presented in their acts. "Old school" evolved over the millennia.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
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Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Quote: Which is why so many important decisions and laws are discussed and then signed in public ... ?On Jan 14, 2019, tommy wrote:
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
Which is why in China there are more acrobats than magicians.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
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Senor Fabuloso Inner circle 1243 Posts |
As times change so do we. Some of us will take advantage of all he modern technology and so called improvements in magic. While others will stick to the past learning from books, tacking cash payments and sticking to the classics in magic. There is no right or wrong, just personal preference. What's the issue?
No matter how many times you say the wrong thing, it will NEVER be right.
If I'm not responding to you? It's because you're a TROLL! |
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tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
Unless one is performing for TV one cannot see there is much profit in street magic, which may not be an issue for the amateur but the professional must take such matters into account. Good art is driven by the pursuit of money. Greed is good.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9981 Posts |
NO TIPS (you can’t openly solicit tips in Knoxville)
there was this guy down by Kroger’s yesterday, just sittin’ on the curb pluckin’ a guitar – ‘cept it only had three strings and him wearing gloves with his fingers sticking through, but was middlin’ good fer al o’ that. could a been old er young – couldn’t tell though scraggly beard and cap pulled low, but most tunes were from “way back” I guess, for most folks gathered ‘round – cause one guy shouted, “Can’t you do somethin’ else?” this fella put his guitar down and flopped around to get on his knees and grabbed this can that was sitting on a stone and shook it to prove it was sadly empty. he performed a sort of Miser’s Dream of catchin’ coins from strange places, including bitin’ one to test its reality – and pantomimed examining a bill. all of these he pretended to drop in his can and from his moves I’d say he’d performed a magic trick or two back when – and then he went back to pluckin’ – maybe because his hands were cold. I didn’t have any change or cash – just my Mom’s credit card, so I topped my grocery bag with a sandwich and soda, and set them down beside him, for which he nodded without stoppin’ – and I noticed his can was full to overflowin’. I think I know understand magic a bit better now.
"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 |
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