Penn Jillette condemns David Blaine... What do you think?

[Gimmicked XD]

So, in November, David came out with his latest special, featuring his bullet catch stunt . Recently, on his podcast 'Sunday school' Penn, condemned David for the fact that it was violent, and doesn't uphold the true values of magic and entertainment as a whole, by presenting a classic trick as a stunt. What do you guys think about this? The episode is 247
Quote (from YouTube channel вυмвĻεвεε) 'Penn discusses the morality of performing the trick in what he calls a violent perversion of what performance art is meant to be, questioning if it's what fans come to a live magic show to see and asserting that it's what they don't want to see. Overall, he approaches the issue from a somewhat abstract and philosophical perspective, comparing magic and performance art to other forms of entertainment like sports, violent video games, and movies, while contrasting it from careers where there is a mandatory safety risk involved. He claims David Blaine's Bullet Catch crosses over a crucial line beyond what magic should be, which, in his belief, is traditionally an engineered fantasy and celebration of life, the imagination, and skill, separating Blaine's version of the Bullet Catch as a brutish, gladiatorial spectacle.' Once again credit to вυмвĻεвεε for a brilliant summary.

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

I posted about this in the David Blaine post from a few months ago. I think Penn has an interesting point. But David Blaine is not the only one who does "dangerous" stunts and makes them seem real.

 

[Gimmicked XD]

Whoops! Sorry Tyler. Would you like me to remove the post?

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

Haha that's not necessary! It's always interesting talking about Blaine since it makes the conversation so divisive. You will get the old school magic philosophy that despises what he does and then you will get the younger crowd that adores him. Personally, I preferred his Real or Magic compared to his Beyond Magic. But I see what Beyond Magic really was, it was a publicity stunt (the bullet catch) to put butts in seats for his upcoming tour. At the end of the day it worked. I'm currently working with my team to come up with creative publicity stunts for my shows in the future after I'm done with the one in May. It's so much work!

 

[ProAma]

Well Penn is right. But Penn is also a conceited a**hole so I never care for his opinions on things.

 

[Gimmicked XD]

Agreed, and seconded! I used to love Blaine as a magical influence. I thought he was so cool, new and badass. I suppose that he created a bandwagon that brought younger generations to magic. That wasn't necessarily a good thing, as these young magicians had no real originality. They were just being someone no different to Blaine, and I remember people would even go so far as to wear his clothes or use his kind of voice. It also caused people to use simple Blaine effects such as the sandwich, as his popularity spread all over the internet. I suppose you could say the same bandwagon was erected during the golden years of Paul Daniels, but they were magicians, copying a magician. I am British, and read in publications recently about Paul's influence, and I suppose the same is for Blaine, but Blaines genius was that his character was deliberately understated. Oh well, I am rambling on!

 

[Gimmicked XD]

Well Penn is right. But Penn is also a conceited a**hole so I never care for his opinions on things.

Gee, that's controversial! why do you think so?

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

Agreed, and seconded! I used to love Blaine as a magical influence. I thought he was so cool, new and badass. I suppose that he created a bandwagon that brought younger generations to magic. That wasn't necessarily a good thing, as these young magicians had no real originality. They were just being someone no different to Blaine, and I remember people would even go so far as to wear his clothes or use his kind of voice. It also caused people to use simple Blaine effects such as the sandwich, as his popularity spread all over the internet. I suppose you could say the same bandwagon was erected during the golden years of Paul Daniels, but they were magicians, copying a magician. I am British, and read in publications recently about Paul's influence, and I suppose the same is for Blaine, but Blaines genius was that his character was deliberately understated. Oh well, I am rambling on!

Yeah the negative thing about Blaine was all the imitators but the great thing about Blaine is all the cool stuff that happened because of what he did. Street magic, even in a small town where I grew up, is now socially acceptable and people don't give me weird looks when I'm trying to perform for them. Also Strange Travelers is beautiful. If only it was still available on the market.

 

[Gimmicked XD]

Yeah the negative thing about Blaine was all the imitators but the great thing about Blaine is all the cool stuff that happened because of what he did. Street magic, even in a small town where I grew up, is now socially acceptable and people don't give me weird looks when I'm trying to perform for them. Also Strange Travelers is beautiful. If only it was still available on the market.

I agree. I was so blinking lucky too get Strange Travelers under weird circumstances. Where is your show btw? Michigan?

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

I agree. I was so blinking lucky too get Strange Travelers under weird circumstances. Where is your show btw? Michigan?

Yep it's at a small venue (just a little over a hundred seats or so) but I'm hoping to use this show as proof to future clients that I can hold my own solo act for an hour to hour and a half. I'm building to a big stage illusion show in a few years but right now I'm taking all the baby steps like this one to get to that point.

 

[Gimmicked XD]

Yep it's at a small venue (just a little over a hundred seats or so) but I'm hoping to use this show as proof to future clients that I can hold my own solo act for an hour to hour and a half. I'm building to a big stage illusion show in a few years but right now I'm taking all the baby steps like this one to get to that point.

Admirable. Best of luck. Make sure to get someone to film it. Perhaps hire a decent camera, and ask someone close to you to film it. After all, you want to impress potential clients!

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

Admirable. Best of luck. Make sure to get someone to film it. Perhaps hire a decent camera, and ask someone close to you to film it. After all, you want to impress potential clients!

Yep that is already in the works. One of my business partners has a degree in film and video production and he plans on shooting it in 4K. Actually that's the hardest part about this show is getting a 4K camera to run for an hour to hour and a half without stopping and filling up the memory. There will be monitors behind me and in front of me and we want to take advantage of those. I may even livestream it since it will be a free event. Haven't figured out how to work out that technical issue though. This is all new to me.

 

[Gimmicked XD]

I have a little experience in these areas, so if you need any help PM me. I don't want to be rude but, how old are you at the mo?

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

I have a little experience in these areas, so if you need any help PM me. I don't want to be rude but, how old are you at the mo?

Thanks for the help! I'm 22.

 

[Gimmicked XD]

Thanks for the help! I'm 22.

Well, I'm here for that kind of thing after all. This is what the forums are all about! Good age to start out. People won't think you're to old or young!

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

Well, I'm here for that kind of thing after all. This is what the forums are all about! Good age to start out. People won't think you're to old or young!

Haha yeah better late than never I guess! I'm a bit behind some of my magic friends who have been doing this since they were 13 but I'm trying to catch up at my own pace. I'm thinking about utilizing either YouTube live stream, Facebook live, or Periscope. My problem is I don't know how to make the streaming video and the video display on the monitor match. I may just not end up streaming it.

 

[Gimmicked XD]

Haha! I never had friends who did magic at first, so I was safe in the knowledge there would be no rivalries. I was reasonably good, but eventually people started imitating, with those playing cards that you got on airplanes, and a glue stick. God they were annoying! As for the streaming, you will want to plug the camera into a computer, and connect it to streaming software. There are plenty of decent free ones, so have a look out there.

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

Haha! I never had friends who did magic at first, so I was safe in the knowledge there would be no rivalries. I was reasonably good, but eventually people started imitating, with those playing cards that you got on airplanes, and a glue stick. God they were annoying! As for the streaming, you will want to plug the camera into a computer, and connect it to streaming software. There are plenty of decent free ones, so have a look out there.

Thanks! I hope we will be able to work it out. Part of it is just working with the venues equipment as well.

 

[Gimmicked XD]

Thanks! I hope we will be able to work it out. Part of it is just working with the venues equipment as well.

Ahh. Well the thing I've learnt is to adapt not to the venue, but to what your instincts tell you. Control the venue, metaphorically speaking, bend it into shape, be the master. So many magicians tremble at the sight of an awkward venue, but really, just take plenty of time in advance to scout the venue, and think of solutions to make the venue yours.

 

[Mark B.(29)]

So, I guess I'm one of the "copy cats" that Blaine produced (he wasn't the one that made me interested, he's the one that made me obsessed). I loved his tricks and desperately attempted to learn them. Guess what I learned? They aren't Blaine's tricks. He didn't create them. He just does what all magicians do: buys some fantastic tricks, modifies them, and performs them. And guess what? I still love a majority of the tricks that he performed in his original show. So what?! Every magician has a "go-to" effect that holds a special place in their heart. Whether or not a magician is popular or not, this is how any art is done. Originality is actually really quite rare... who cares? Most people just want the credit, which is kind of conceited in and of itself to some degree. Well, heck, guess what? Even the applied sciences are full of copy cats. Do you think that I do anything unique in the hospital? Heck no. I do what I was taught and strive to excel at it... and after so many years of experience, I just may attempt to implement something new. This is how any trade is accomplished: study a master, become the master, be superseded by the next generation.

I think the only legitimate critique that has any weight is with regards to the guys that go off half-cocked and perform a trick half-assed. But, that's not Blaine's fault. Magicians (I'm including myself) are really good at fussing over whatever happens if it doesn't happen just the way we want it to. Face it. Had Blaine not come on the scene, we'd be whining and complaining that magic as a whole was disappearing for the most part. We'd complain about the lack of originality in table work (instead of street work). We'd complain that nobody's interested... yada yada yada. We complain... that's kinda what any artist does as they tend to be perfectionists.

Last but not least. I have NEVER IN ALL OF MY YEARS been derided for doing one of David Blaine's tricks. Matter in fact, most people request them.

Ok... I'll step off my soap box now.