Magicians, why do they hide?

Arts & Entertainment Forum

Why do magicians hide? There are some really big names in the magic world, such as Michael Anmar, Jeff McBride, Daryl, and Greg Wilson.

But i'll bet if you walk into the average Americans home and ask them who any of those people are they will stare at you, but say the name David Blaine and bingo! you have a hit.


Why is David Blaine so successful? The answer is because he markets himself well doing ''tv specials'' and other odds and ends, if these other magicians were to get out there and show there stuff more they'd have alot more fame, and alot more money.

But hey, i don't know maybe they want to stay underground....

The names you mentioned are names of magic educators, so yes, they probalby want to stay fairly underground.

If they marketed themselves, they would be sooo famous. I mean... Blaine sits here and does a two-card monte and gimmicked coin-byte - McBride could pull a deck of cards out of his stupid coin gimmick.

Great topic!

You are right about Blaine been marketed better than the other great magicians. It just shows you haow some simple tricks can get a great reaction by creating a build up and some hype.
David Blaine has revamped some old faithfuls and given them a modern rework by updating patter and location. The workings of some of the simpler tricks go back to basic magician techniques and can be picked up quickly by people .

See the answers to a lot of the secrets at http://goodtricks.net/streetmagic.html

I have also seen on this site , a magic tips and hints page which gives some pointers on enhancing tricks and routines. Its worth a look.

Blaine is not popular because he "markets himself better."

Blaine has made his namely popular by creating a magic speacial that was not about magic. His speacials concetrated on the laymans reaction to magic in a attempt to boost the credibilty or even the quality of an effect. The fact of the matter is that David Blaine is still a long ways from being an accomplished, skilled magician. Look at the street magic special, every second trick relied on the use of a confederate. I consider this poor magic practice. Blaine is also popular because he has put a different twist of the overdone escape. Instead he uses a large scale illusion to appear to have supernatural endurance. I personaly don't enjoy this. I like the close of sleight of hand skill, which blaine posses a mediocre ability at best.

Blaine has not become popular by marketing himself better, or being a great magician, he has become popular is because he approached the idea of a television magic special differently than everyone one else. Whether I think it is good magic is irrelevant, The fact that he has put a new twist on presentration is.

what's a speacial?

Anyway, I think Blaine is partly marketing, partly stupidity.

And there you have it, a popular magician.

and dedicated if he can last 40 days in a box without eating...in BRITIAN

Goodbuddy, nice post. You are right indeed that Blaine revolutionized TV magic by focusing on the audience reaction. But he does market himself more than any other magician. Think about it... all the publicity he gets from sitting in a box - THAT's what funds his next special.

BTW... Blaine focusing on audience reaction is quite cheap, since many of the reactions he shows aren't actually for the tricks he shows... stupid. It's not magic... its simple televised busking.

well put

WEll those magicians who are real if any hide because some ppl out there throw stones at them and torches and stuff who think it's devil magic

The topic Spud originally raised was that of talented illusionists not marketing themselves as much as they could... it is very important to differentiate between *real* magic (pretty much always associated with some kind of witchcraft), and the magic of *illusions* - that is, giving the appearance and experience of magical circumstances using practiced skills and sleights designed to 'fool' the audience.

They have to hide so people don't see that they're actually giant hacks.

interesting...whho know...maybe they need to trade their souls to the devil to be just as good?

bcuz they don't remember where they put the rabbit

hahhaha


almost 3 years on and this thread still gets posts. Unbelievable.

hahah it is

Watch "the prestige" and find out.

The movie looks amazing and the trailer looks like there's going to be a good bit about magic in it. Always a plus.