I am in Vegas right now working. At night I go out on the strip and walk through the Casinos. Of course there are a lot of magic shops and every shop I pass the magicians are performing UFO. I asked one store how many they sell in a day and he told me they sell over 150 every weekend.

With that being the case and every tourist that is half interested in magic buying IT. Isn't IT actually one of the most known props? Everybody in Vegas is walking around floating something.

Do any of your feel like IT is getting a little to well known?

Just came back from Vegas. You're right. Forget the trends in Vegas. Better work with cards and coins, wich you can find everywhere! and people are more interested in games, you would show somethings they are used to see!

Cheers and don't loose all your dough.

I can't cheat in Vegas, so I don't play in Vegas. J/K

Last time I was in Vegas not only was everyone floating things they were also walking around with flashing red thumbs.

Of Course everyone had a d'litefull time there.

kOnO

D' lite is the second most sold item in Las Vegas. People are swallowing and farting red lights all over the place.

I think you are correct as far as this application of IT is concerned. It seems everywhere you go you see someone spinning a card in the air.

This never really impressed me much from the outset. Most lay people will logically assume it's a T anyway because the effect is simply too long and overdone.

I would not abandon the use of IT thought because of the misuse of it on one effect. Just find different and creative ways to use it.

Allan

I have a freind that went to Vegas and returned with of course IT and
D'lite. As he could not make them work effectively, however, he assumed there was more to it and the magic shops ripped him off so he gave up. So there is still hope for those of us willing to become magicians rather than one trick wonders. I bet you could fool him with IT even now if you did it right.

There is nothing wrong with IT. Yes, people know when you are using it. Give me a break! There are very few (apart from kids) that really believe that you have the ability to suspend gravity!

You aren't looking to start a religion with you as the Grand Hoopla. You are wanting to entertain. Your spectator (normally) wants to be entertained. Sounds like a pretty good relationship to me. Your task, besides putting together a good show, is simply to give the spectator those "How did he do THAT?!?" moments AND thrill them with the skills that you have spent many hours practicing.

As for UFO, I'm not familiar with it but I've been doing the Hummer for the longest time. The late Fred Donaldson taught it to me. When he first did it I wasn't too impressed. I thought, "Pretty, but I'm not going to buy it. He has thread hooked to his hands." Then he sent it all the way around his body. My jaw hit the floor. Oh, I still knew it was thread, let's not be silly. I couldn't figure out how in the world he did it. That was enough for me to buy the effect. I was thrilled not be his mystical abilities, but by his skill in presenting an effect that was beyond my ability to readily understand.

There are many other IT effects though that are magnificent and always will be. My favorite has always been Nite Flite.