I don't like David Blaine, heres why. [Archive]

SquishyDave

22nd February 2004, 05:16 PM

I saw a street magic special of his recently, it had little tidbits of Leonardo DeCaprio talking to him for some reason, but one of his great tricks was telling someone what card they were thinking of, when asked about this by Leo, he said it was the same ability we had as kids to know who was calling when the phone rang, he just developed it.

Also he levitated, both feet off the ground, it looked impressive, but he always pretended it made him tired afterwards, from interviews with the people he was fooling, they were utterly convinced he could float and read minds, and he did nothing to correct them or the TV audience.

Scummy if you ask me, especially as he must know he is fooling them, he does not even have the thin vener of believing he can really do it. :(

Don't like him. Plus he should lighten up, too serious.

Clancie

22nd February 2004, 05:42 PM

Hi Squishy Dave,

Well, I kind of like Blaine, but I have a couple of questions. I know there's a "do not reveal trick" policy here, but is that card thing -definitely- a trick that "magic" people here have done? (Also, if the levitation thing is -really- done, as people explain it, using audience positioning and visual angles plus editing plus a little spectator acting...imo, that's a cheat, not a trick.)

I know Blaine has his shtick and its an okay one to me. But....I'm not sure (from his book primarily) if he actually blurs the line in his own mind between magician and mystic. I'm not sure it's -all- "shtick"....I have a feeling that, if pressed, Blaine really -does- think he's got some abilities developed beyond the "normal" range, abilities that he himself can't fully explain.

I've heard other mentalist/magicians say similar things. What do you think Blaine -really- thinks of this in his own case? :confused:

apoger

22nd February 2004, 05:48 PM

A great deal of "magic" as performed by professional artists is in the presentation. I don't blame him for clinging to the showmanship, as it's part of his act. There are very few big time magicians (like Randi, or Penn & Teller) who are willing to come clean with their audiences.

Mr. Blaines magic is very simple. You can purchase half his tricks off the wall in any magic store. Anyone with an ounce of exposure will understand that he is nothing more than a talented slieght-of-hand artist.

I think you'd have to be extraordinarily credulous to allow Blaines magic to foster a belief in the supernatural. Those that are that disatant from reality have bigger issues than Mr. Blaine.

The guy is just trying to make a buck at his performance art. Cut him some slack.

The real problem is people that tell you that they aren't allowed to watch Blaine's TV special, because magic is the instrument of the devil. These are the people that worry me.

apoger

22nd February 2004, 06:03 PM

>I know there's a "do not reveal trick" policy here, but is that card thing -definitely- a trick that "magic" people here have done?

It is -definitely- a trick.

>(Also, if the levitation thing is -really- done, as people explain it, using audience positioning and visual angles plus editing plus a little spectator acting...imo, that's a cheat, not a trick.)

That implies that some levitators are not "cheating". By all means... lets see just one!

Sorry Clancie, it's all tricks.

> I'm not sure it's -all- "shtick"....I have a feeling that, if pressed, Blaine really -does- think he's got some abilities developed beyond the "normal" range, abilities that he himself can't fully explain.

Sorry, but no.
It takes a great deal of skill and practice to pull off the stunts he does. To do this you MUST know what you are doing. Blaine does not think he's got extra abilities (of the paranormal sort). I assure you of this.

Blaine telling you that he guessed a card by using psychic power, is every bit as compelling as having your mechanic tell you that he reassembled your car engine with similar 'psychic power'. It just doesn't happen that way. It takes practice, skill, preparation, and effort.

What you must remember when watching a magician, is that he is not generating the effect all at once right in front of you. He has detailed plans designed to fool you. He has practiced and refined his techinique. He has props prepared and accomplices ready to help. The perception that it's happening spontaneously is an illusion.

specious_reasons

22nd February 2004, 06:21 PM

His special was on one or another channel today, like TLC. The start of the show, he riffles through the cards, asking you to pick one you see. He then showed the 4 of hearts.

Sorry, it wasn't the one I picked, but the 4 of hearts showed more prominently when he ran through the deck. It was the one he was supposed to pick.

I haven't read his book, except for the first chapter. I do kind of like his schtick, where he sets up the audience with an expectation of failure. "I probably won't do this right...."

Yahweh

22nd February 2004, 06:22 PM

Personally, I like David Blaine.

He is entertaining (in a creepy sort of way), he knows how to put on a good show (its rather creepy).

The levitation trick is something we all know how to do with a couple of volunteers and a bit of effort. The "fatigue" is all part of the show (albeit creepy^2).

Blaine isnt a Uri Gellar or a Sylvia Browne, he's just has a style of his own. There should be no one who thinks David Blaine is trying to pass himself off as supernatural. (Those who believe he is supernaturally inspired dont quite have it altogether to begin with (http://rr-bb.com/showthread.php?threadid=132103)...)

Brian

22nd February 2004, 07:11 PM

Originally posted by SquishyDave

Also he levitated, both feet off the ground, it looked impressive, but he always pretended it made him tired afterwards, from interviews with the people he was fooling, they were utterly convinced he could float and read minds, and he did nothing to correct them or the TV audience.

The editing is lame, but magic is about creating an effect. And you are allowed to lie.
Acting tired serves a purpose aside from creating an effect. You don't have to do it again. Pro's feel free to correct me.

SquishyDave

22nd February 2004, 07:50 PM

I think you misunderstand what I saw on this show, there was at least one person on the street who David Blaine convinced psychic ability was real, they were on the fence before hand, but they now know it for truth, based on David Blaine reading their mind and telling them what card they were thinking of. I don't care about the showmanship, and not revealing his tricks and what not.

Of course for those of you who think psychic ablity is real (I'm looking at you clancie :)) you won't mind so much.

Clancie As mentioned by apoger, I think the dedication required to get his level of excellent trickery would preclude self dillusion, but of course that's my opinion only.

Yahweh. Like I said, he just came right out and said he had psychic ability to Leo's face, it wasn't part of the act, it was just a statement in Decaprio's ongoing interview with him, this is my main bone of contention.

specious_reasons I saw that trick too, it was pretty obvious to me what was happening, I was still impressed he was able to show the top card for a split second without being too obvious, but I knew what was coming.

Apoger I was dismayed at the amount of people who said to him "Are you psychic? Coz I believe in that" and as I said, he seemed to convert at least one fence sitter.

Brian Reading up a little on levetation tricks, I agree with your guess, and again this wouldn't have bothered me so much expect for what I mentioned above, and then they took time out of the show to put on a woman who said that she had read about what Blaine did with the levitating and that he meditated his way up and that he must be really good at the meditation, or words to that effect.

I have it on tape so if anyone wants a transcript of the bits that cheesed me off, let me know.

It seemed to me he was in small ways putting it out there that he is truly mystical, and not just doing the tricks with some deadpan showmanship and pretending to be tired after floating etc.

That's what got my back up.

Clancie

22nd February 2004, 08:02 PM

Posted by Squishy Dave

Of course for those of you who think psychic ablity is real (I'm looking at you clancie :) ) you won't mind so much
Hi Squishy,

Don't look at me! I -don't- "think it's real". I put it in the "maybe something to it" category. (My point about Blaine and others was that, from what I know of some deceivers, so do they. I'm not sure if you and apoger are right that the skill and training precludes them from -also- finding there is "more to it that I really -can't- just explain as a trick". Mark Edwards has said it...Copperfield did, too, (then recanted)....there are others and, I'm not sure that Blaine wouldn't be one of them. Frankly, I think he is.
Posted by Squishy Dave

There was at least one person on the street who David Blaine convinced psychic ability was real, they were on the fence before hand, but they now know it for truth, based on David Blaine reading their mind and telling them what card they were thinking of.
Well, I digressed in my post :(, but I think I get your point. I think its the same thing that depressed/angered Penn about Kreskin and, when he returned to magic, made him want to educate people about deception as -part- of his act.

Yes, I've seen Blaine create the impression that he was psychic (and more). You feel that's morally wrong, right? But...is it a "deceiver's" responsibility to make sure the audience -knows- its all just "a trick"? Does that spoil some of the hard work and presentation?

I admit that some of his tricks puzzle me. Of course, I assume they're all tricks, but some...I can't understand how he did them ...can't even speculate for a couple...and so...it's just baffling.

Is a magician who baffles people doing something wrong? No? Even if he is leading the audience to "fill in the blanks" with paranormal answers?

"Where's the responsibility? Where does it begin and end?"

Was that your question? (If so...I don't know either! )

P.S. Really, honestly, I -do- think Blaine feels that, in addition to his magician's skills, he does have some sort of mystical or paranormal ability. If I have time, I'll find some quotes in his book. Its subtle, but I think it goes beyond "shtick" alone. (Would that still make you angry in the same way? Or in a different way? :) )

SquishyDave

22nd February 2004, 08:17 PM

Originally posted by Clancie

Hi Squishy,

Don't look at me! I -don't- "think it's real". I put it in the "maybe something to it" category. Oops, Sorry, I'll remember your psychic stance for next time :)

Is a magician who baffles people doing something wrong? No? Even if he is leading the audience to "fill in the blanks" with paranormal answers?
OK, what Blaine mostly did on his show was exactly that, baffled them and they already knew psychics were real so filled in their own blanks, this I am not totally fine with, but accept in the interest of live and let live, but like I said, he actually put it forth that he can read minds, in almost as many words, this is crossing the line that exists perhaps only in my mind.

"Where's the responsibility? Where does it begin and end?"

Was that your question? (If so...I don't know either! )

P.S. Really, honestly, I -do- think Blaine feels that, in addition to his magician's skills, he does have some sort of mystical or paranormal ability. If I have time, I'll find some quotes in his book. Its subtle, but I think it goes beyond "shtick" alone..... the responsibility? like I said, letting people jump to their own conclusions must always be allowed, actively saying something that is untrue is bollocks, and he was all over that in this show, as for the grey area that may exist, perhaps I will mull that over.

If he does truly think he can read minds, he is raised slightly in my estimations, but not much.

And for the record, most of his tricks amazed me utterly, and I thought were great, I just wish he would smile more, I much prefer Penn and Tellers style.

T'ai Chi

22nd February 2004, 09:35 PM

Originally posted by Clancie

But....I'm not sure (from his book primarily) if he actually blurs the line in his own mind between magician and mystic. I'm not sure it's -all- "shtick"....I have a feeling that, if pressed, Blaine really -does- think he's got some abilities developed beyond the "normal" range, abilities that he himself can't fully explain.

I've heard other mentalist/magicians say similar things. What do you think Blaine -really- thinks of this in his own case? :confused:

Hmm, interesting question. I'm not sure in Blaine's case, but I've read:

Magicians Who Endorsed Psychic Phenomena._ The Linking Ring, Volume 70, 1990, No. 8,_ August, pp. 52-54; No. 9, September 1990,_ pp. 63-65, 109.

http://www.tricksterbook.com/ArticlesOnline/MagWhoEndors.htm

which is interesting.

Garrette

22nd February 2004, 09:41 PM

I think apoger and Yahweh are about dead on.

There is absolutely no way that Blaine can think he really has any paranormal abilities unless he has a mental illness. The knowledge, preparation, and practice that go into doing what he does preclude it.

Nearly everything he does is basic magic, but I think he presents it well, meaning he presents it in an atmosphere that he knows will create maximum impact; he has tailored it for his audience.

I am not a good magician, but I can perform almost every effect he does well enough to fool people. Of the rest, I know how they're done but haven't practiced performing them. There is only one I can recall that I do not know the (or "a") method for, and that is also one of the mind reading tricks.

Squishy, I think it's alright to give Blaine the benefit of the doubt regarding his presentation. Remember that audience reaction is edited to convey a greater impact than actual (at least in regard to the levitation). Is it not also possible or even probable that his comments are edited to present the most mass market appealing image, even if somewhat inconsistent with how Blaine actually presents himself in person?

I think what he does is in that acceptable gray area; Derren Brown is another example, though slightly less gray than Blaine.

There are people who will believe paranormal abilities even if the disclaimer is shouted from the roof and written in bold letters ten feet high. I have had this happen to me more than once with the most simple tricks; denial of 'being in league with devil' before and after the fact made no difference.

P.S. Clancie, iirc, Copperfield did not actually claim paranormal abilities and then recant; he was misquoted. When Randi mentioned it in his Commentary, he (Randi) recanted in a later issue after Copperfield pointed out the problem; something to do with an interview given a German magazine, I think.

P.P.S. Heavens to Betsy, Yahweh! Those RR people are absolute bonkers!

edited for punctuation

SquishyDave

22nd February 2004, 09:46 PM

Originally posted by Garrette
Squishy, I think it's alright to give Blaine the benefit of the doubt regarding his presentation. Remember that audience reaction is edited to convey a greater impact than actual (at least in regard to the levitation). Is it not also possible or even probable that his comments are edited to present the most mass market appealing image, even if somewhat inconsistent with how Blaine actually presents himself in person?I don't give a flying cat fish's arse how Blaine presents himself in preson, he presented, or allowed himself to be presented, as being able to read minds to the public, and seeing as that is how most people see him, that's really the big issue, again I say he doesn't have to deny being psychic and I for one certainly don't expect him to disabuse this notion, but why flat out say on his show that he is psychic?

crimresearch

22nd February 2004, 09:51 PM

What David Blaine show are you talking about here?

The only David Blaine 'street magic' specials I've ever seen involved showing the exact mechanism of the card and levitation tricks, making sure that people understood that there was nothing supernatural about it.
IIRC, the levitation trick was camera editing and a forklift...how is that magical abilities?
Again, IIRC, this was a few years ago.

I would think after his initial exposure as revealer of magic, that anyone who thinks he is supernatural needs to blame themselves, not the entertainer.

Paul

SquishyDave

22nd February 2004, 09:57 PM

Originally posted by crimresearch
What David Blaine show are you talking about here?

The only David Blaine 'street magic' specials I've ever seen involved showing the exact mechanism of the card and levitation tricks, making sure that people understood that there was nothing supernatural about it. IIRC corectly the levitation trick was camera editing and a forklift...how is that magical abilities?
Again, IIRC, this was a few years ago.

I would think after his initial exposure as revealer of magic, that anyone who thinks he is supernatural needs to blame themselves, not the entertainer.

Paul
I dunno, this show was simply labeled David Blaine Stree Magic. It was him wandering around the streets doing some very nice tricks. It was scattered about with Leonardo DiCaprio of all people interviewing Blaine about how he got into magic and why he enjoyed it and blah blah all the usual crap I never care about, then just after he had apparently read someones mind, Leo asked him about it, and Blaine said something about developing the ability we all have as kids to know when the phone rings who is on the other end calling. This is what has stuck in my throat, and made me more sensitive to the rest of his show, looking for any tiny tid bit that he might be using to make us think we had superpowers.

Garrette I just re-read my post to you, please just chuck in a mental smiley after my cat fish remark :) and it should be good.

Garrette

22nd February 2004, 10:15 PM

No prob, Squishy. I rarely use smilies myself, so I tend to give benefit of the doubt for other posts. Besides, I remotely viewed your actual intent.

I understand your point about Blaine; I suppose any disagreement we may have hinges on the amount of control he has over the final cut.

In principle, I agree that magicians who deliberately try to 'sell' themselves as legitimate psychics or what have you are scum. With Blaine, it's a question of whether he's actually doing that.
You believe so (with lots of valid reason); I'm not yet convinced.

Kevin_Lowe

22nd February 2004, 11:03 PM

Originally posted by SquishyDave
It was scattered about with Leonardo DiCaprio of all people interviewing Blaine about how he got into magic and why he enjoyed it and blah blah all the usual crap I never care about, then just after he had apparently read someones mind, Leo asked him about it, and Blaine said something about developing the ability we all have as kids to know when the phone rings who is on the other end calling. This is what has stuck in my throat, and made me more sensitive to the rest of his show, looking for any tiny tid bit that he might be using to make us think we had superpowers.

It really does not bother me.

The sample patter for just about every magic trick I've ever read contains whopping lies. "I have trained the Jacks in this deck of cards to do tricks". "I can transport a coin through the bottom of a glass using static electricity".

You aren't expected to believe these things, any more than you are expected to believe that the guy playing Hamlet is suicidal.

If he tries to sell books teaching psychic powers or something then he's a fraud. But if he just throws some outrageous lies into his routine to create an engaging performance, he's a good entertainer. While I respect people like P&T who can do a show where they reveal their tricks, I also respect people who just do a show.

Tesserat

23rd February 2004, 01:03 AM

crimresearch

23rd February 2004, 06:49 AM

Nahhh, the Masked Magician is way better looking than David Blaine.

Its the only one of his shows I've seen, and it was a few years ago, so maybe he has switched to displaying his awsome powers without the expose afterwards..I hadn't really paid much attention to him since...I'm a Penn and Teller junkie anyway.

Thanks

Paul

The Mighty Thor

23rd February 2004, 05:40 PM

Originally posted by crimresearch
Nahhh, the Masked Magician is way better looking than David Blaine.

Its the only one of his shows I've seen, and it was a few years ago, so maybe he has switched to displaying his awsome powers without the expose afterwards..I hadn't really paid much attention to him since...I'm a Penn and Teller junkie anyway.

Thanks

Paul

You are probably thinking of the 'Tricks of Street Magicians Exposed' programme (maybe by Fox) that followed the David Blaine street magic shows. They exposed most of Blaine's tricks.

I think he is tapping into the 'New Age' zeitgeist. I guess he would say 'Hey, dude, if you think I'm psychic, that's up to you.'

The suppossed spontaneity of the street magic put a new spin on magical performance for the modern age and for those viewers who had been used to the 'camera trick' explanation for TV magic shows.

Of course, his act was never spontaneous, as has been mentioned above, but carefully rehearsed. His talent is in leaving it open for believers to think he has superpowers, while sceptics usually appreciate the cleverness of the trickery employed.

Neither is his 'street' magic new. Maybe you have seen the medieval painting of the magician performing the 'cup and balls' routine to an enraptured small crowd, while his young assistant (the cut-purse) is surreptitiously relieving them of their hard-earned groats!

So, what's new . . .?

Loki

23rd February 2004, 05:56 PM

From Yahweh's link (bold emphasis added by me)...

Well... I saw him swallow a needle and thread and pull it right out of his eye socket... It was totally sick. I don't think all of these tricks can be explained "rationally" and even if the answer is that he kept a needle and thread in his eye socket... that is demonically inspired.

remember the Egyptians-- they had powers exactly like this...

Exd 7:10
And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

Exd 7:11
Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
Somehow turning rods into serpents is "exactly like" pulling a needle and thread from your eye socket? Anyway, good to see that the fine art of theatrical magicianship was alive and well in ancient Egypt.

That John edwards guy.. I don't watch him. WHy? because the bible specifically says to stay away from people who talk with the dead. Is he for real?? I don't know.. but since I don't know I don't watch him.
Hmmm... maybe the bible's onto something here. Of course, JE is a good Catholic boy, so he mustn't be really talking to the dead, since god forbids it. Which means he's....

scribble

23rd February 2004, 11:32 PM

[i]Originally posted by apoger
I think you'd have to be extraordinarily credulous to allow Blaines magic to foster a belief in the supernatural. Those that are that disatant from reality have bigger issues than Mr. Blaine.

Sadly, as evidenced by Clancie's posts and the link provided by Yahweh, there's a non-trivial number of those people out there.

Personally, I think David Blaine is the worst magician I've ever seen. His patter puts me to sleep, his performance is uninspired, his inability to connect to the audience is unparalelled in the professional entertainment industry.

His endorsement of Uri Geller as the real deal was disappointing. To hear that he's progressed to claiming his own magic is real is no surprise. I can't watch him myself to verify that, of course. I'd fall asleep.

Just to make my opinion extra clear, I also think he's ugly and he has a horrible wardrobe.

Archangel

24th February 2004, 12:34 PM

Originally posted by scribble

Personally, I think David Blaine is the worst magician I've ever seen. His patter puts me to sleep, his performance is uninspired, his inability to connect to the audience is unparalelled in the professional entertainment industry.

His endorsement of Uri Geller as the real deal was disappointing. To hear that he's progressed to claiming his own magic is real is no surprise. I can't watch him myself to verify that, of course. I'd fall asleep.

Just to make my opinion extra clear, I also think he's ugly and he has a horrible wardrobe.

I have to agree with everything you've said here.
I caught a few minutes of the show last night and it was bloody tedious, lets put it this way, flipping channels before hand I caught 10 minutes of Survivor AllStars and Americas Next Top Model and both of them were more entertaining than David Blaine.

Is he on drugs, or is he just a really boring personality? I guess we'll never know for sure. At least Penn & Tellers Bullshi*! will be on DVD soon, (the last special we got of them out here was P&T House Invasion) so we can get some entertaining Magicians to watch.

Clancie

24th February 2004, 12:44 PM

Posted by Archangel

I caught a few minutes of the show last night and it was bloody tedious
Yeah, well, it's true he's not P&T, but I disagree with you that what he does is boring. (Perhaps if you gave it more than a few minutes, you might be able to have a better understanding of his appeal?)

If you know anyone who has the Blaine "Fearless" DVD, maybe you could borrow it and get a better overview, at least, before totally writing Blaine off as a magician....Just a friendly recommendation....

SquishyDave

24th February 2004, 03:37 PM

Actually Clancie, I agree with scribble and archangel, but that's a matter of taste, I don't really like his style, but it's no good discussing taste coz it's so subjective. You like his style, I don't. I hate spinach and peas, but other people like them, it's all a rich tapestry.

I would like to say that I saw another Blaine show last night, called magic man, in it he went to Hiati and there were some guys there who didn't want anything to do with him, it looked like word had gotten around about him and they wanted nothing to do with this guy who could do black magic.

He desperately explained that he was an entertainer, he would use no black magic, and it would be fun. This suggests he does not think he can really read minds, and he was just saying so in the show I mentioned earlier in this thread to boost his publicity, which I don't like.

Archangel

24th February 2004, 10:05 PM

Originally posted by SquishyDave

I would like to say that I saw another Blaine show last night, called magic man, in it he went to Hiati and there were some guys there who didn't want anything to do with him, it looked like word had gotten around about him and they wanted nothing to do with this guy who could do black magic.

Thats the one I saw last night (I take it you have Foxtel as well).

With regards to Clancies comments as to giving it a try, I probably gave it about 10minutes total and he was getting on my Nerves that much I couldnt be stuffed giving him longer (also had seen him on Graham Norton).
His Card Forcing was so blatant as to be unimpressive.

Jaan

25th February 2004, 06:20 AM

I also saw the show he did from Haiti, and I respected him more after that. It was clear that he was trying to convince the people who believed in black magic that everything he did was just a trick.

Let's look at the bottom line ... he does not promote himself as anything other than a magician. So what if he occasionally pretends to have some sort of psychic ability? Anyone with half a brain knows it's all just a trick. It's part of the act, and as long as it's common knowledge that it's a trick anything goes withing the performance.

I see it in the same light as a movie. Take the film Signs for example. It's clear the film is just entertainment. That's different than a pseudo-documentary. There is a line between entertainment and deception and I don't think David Blaine has crossed it.

Anyone who thinks David Blaine has paranormal powers is an idiot. I can feel bad for people who fall under the spell of Sylvia since she is deliberately ripping them off and playing on their weaknesses, but not people who insist David Blaine has powers, when it's perfectly clear he's just a magician.

I read tarot cards myself. I do this to prove to people that paranormal powers do not exist. I explain how it all works ahead of time, and keep reminding them it's all "bull $#!t". Even then, I seem to be so good at it that people try to convince me that I have powers I didn't know about!!! I guess I'm just not as careful as the real tricksters ... I'm pretty brutal with my readings since I have nothing to loose (c:

Undodog

25th February 2004, 07:50 AM

Originally posted by Jaan
I also saw the show he did from Haiti, and I respected him more after that. It was clear that he was trying to convince the people who believed in black magic that everything he did was just a trick.

How does frightening an old woman with a floating leaf convince her that what is basically her religion is a load of codswallop?
You might have to specify which part of that programme was the educational bit.

As to SquishyDave's point, I can specify a part of Blaines show where he makes a girl cry because the name-of-someone-special (who probably died) was written on his arm.
At this point he milked the awkward silence for everything and even put his hand on her chest (indeed!) incase the patronising smugness didnt sink in enough.
I don't mind a card trick or two but thats the equivelant of a John Edward routine.

It's amaz!ng that in this day and age people can still watch a magician do a bit of mentalism and say 'there might be something in it.' :( Stop the world, I want to get off.

---

...and another thing that annoys me about Blaine and some other new magicians is the way they cut in a bit of film of them walking down the street trying to look cool and the voice-over says, "To understand magic.. is to understand the soul."
Kiss my arse!

SquishyDave

25th February 2004, 02:36 PM

I do indeed have foxtel Archangel.

I agree with Undodog, he did upset this person, then put his hand on her chest for ages, I felt uncomfortable watching it, and then just before he walked off he did the old empty platitude, "he's thinking of you" or some such. I didn't care for that at all, she was left looking very upset.

When he was in haiti or one of the other places, he scared a few kids half to death, one in particular seemed very scared of his tricks and ran off. This was not entertaining, it was frightening to these people.

Apart from one group of guys, I saw no attempt to convince these people of anything, he showed them a trick, with no talking at all, they freaked out, end of trick.

DJ Hexadecibel

25th April 2006, 05:33 AM

Don't like him. Plus he should lighten up, too serious.

Serious? He looks and sounds like he's on Valium, totally uninterested and uninspired. The only performer who can pull that style off is the Valium Poster Boy, Steven Wright.

Edit: "I was driving on the freeway and I saw a sign that said, 'Next Rest Stop: 2 Miles.' I said, 'Whoa, that's big.'"

Azrael 5

25th April 2006, 10:22 AM

He oversteps the line with his mystical guru persona.He's a t*t basically.
The levitation that was shown on TV wasn't what those on the street saw,and it was a crane ,I think,not a forklift.He's an average magician who came along at the right time.
I saw spectators in the US scream and run away from just a card trick! But then thats Americans for you! ;)

tomgv15

25th April 2006, 01:16 PM

Great thread. I've watched the Street Magic shows with a mixed response. He lost me after a trick where he revealed the name of a woman's dear friend burned on his belly. The woman was unnerved by his trick, so he faces her with his hand on her chest and stares into her eyes intently. To what? Calm her down? Cop a feel? It seems as if his goal is to blow people away with his "powers" rather than instill a sense of wonder.

Opinions of some of my co-workers : Copperfield : "How does he do that?!"
Blaine: "Can he really levitate?"

Is Blaine a contemporary Kreskin?