Bigotry in Magic Terminology

Unalienable · 6th October 2007, 02:26 AM

Have you ever considered how non-politically correct some magician terms are?

• What makes us think that a Mexican can't be trusted to honestly turn a card over?

• Why do those Hindus shuffle their cards in such a deceitful way?

• Why do those naughty Frenchman drop things so deceptively?

Hehehe... that's the real reason why magicians want their knowledge kept secret. If the public knew all our terminology they'd realize how un-PC we really are. ;-)

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have it any other way.

aofl · 11th October 2007, 03:27 PM

To say nothing at all about Chink-a-chink. The less said about that, the better.

A

ihaunter · 11th October 2007, 08:31 PM

The Hindu shuffle is a perfectly legitimate shuffle, nothing deceitful about it. It's just easy to do "interesting" (read deceitful

) things with it. And the story is, that it was named such because that was the way the fakirs would shuffle their cards.
This could be an interesting study: The origins of magic terminology. I'm sure someone has already done a lot of research on it. Great, now I really want to look these things up. As if I didn't have enough things distracting me from work.

A pox, I say! A pox on you all!

Dinsdale Piranha · 11th October 2007, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by Unalienable

• Why do those Hindus shuffle their cards in such a deceitful way?

Several years ago I was doing some card tricks for a family originally from India. I asked the father to shuffle the cards and that was the method he used. I'd never seen anyone - other than magicians - shuffle like that and haven't since. I guess the fakirs started the trend and passed it along to non-fakirs.
Oh yeah....and his daughter was really hot.

firecoins · 14th October 2007, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by aofl

To say nothing at all about Chink-a-chink. The less said about that, the better.

A

David Roth now calls it the Chinese coin assembly.

greymatters · 14th October 2007, 10:47 PM

This reminds me of MAJOKE magazine, when they printed a list. It was called:

Top 10 Magic Tricks Which Sound a Whole Lot Better Than They Are

10. Snapper

9. Stripper

8. Jap Box

7. Zig-Zag

6. Hot Rod

5. Gozinta Boxes

4. Blooming Bush

3. Red Hot Momma

2. Chests of Mystery

1. Snake Nut Can

6th October 2007, 02:26 AM	#1
Unalienable Critical Thinker Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 293	Bigotry in Magic Terminology Have you ever considered how non-politically correct some magician terms are? • What makes us think that a Mexican can't be trusted to honestly turn a card over? • Why do those Hindus shuffle their cards in such a deceitful way? • Why do those naughty Frenchman drop things so deceptively? Hehehe... that's the real reason why magicians want their knowledge kept secret. If the public knew all our terminology they'd realize how un-PC we really are. ;-) Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have it any other way.
	Last edited by Unalienable; 6th October 2007 at 02:29 AM.

11th October 2007, 03:27 PM	#2
aofl Critical Thinker Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 306	To say nothing at all about Chink-a-chink. The less said about that, the better. A
aofl Critical Thinker Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 306	__________________ Have you ever considered the cesspool of your minds? The best thing is not to be born. But who is as lucky as that? To whom does it happen??!! An evil mind is my only consolation! - Theodore When you're out of slits, you're out of pier. - Crow

11th October 2007, 08:31 PM	#3
ihaunter Undead Skeptic Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Middle of nowhere, Iowa Posts: 352	The Hindu shuffle is a perfectly legitimate shuffle, nothing deceitful about it. It's just easy to do "interesting" (read deceitful) things with it. And the story is, that it was named such because that was the way the fakirs would shuffle their cards. This could be an interesting study: The origins of magic terminology. I'm sure someone has already done a lot of research on it. Great, now I really want to look these things up. As if I didn't have enough things distracting me from work. A pox, I say! A pox on you all!
	__________________ "Omne ignotum pro magnifico" (Everything unknown passes for something splendid) - Publius Cornelius Tacitus "No two humans are created equal. They're like snowflakes with a 250° C combustion temperature." Freefall comic

11th October 2007, 08:54 PM	#4
Dinsdale Piranha A cruel man, but fair. Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: In the conversation pit. Posts: 842	Originally Posted by Unalienable • Why do those Hindus shuffle their cards in such a deceitful way? Several years ago I was doing some card tricks for a family originally from India. I asked the father to shuffle the cards and that was the method he used. I'd never seen anyone - other than magicians - shuffle like that and haven't since. I guess the fakirs started the trend and passed it along to non-fakirs. Oh yeah....and his daughter was really hot.
	__________________ "Don't hit me with them negative waves this early in the morning." Oddball from Kelly's Heroes. "I almost had a psychic girlfriend, but she left me before we met." Steven Wright

14th October 2007, 04:53 PM	#5
firecoins Illuminator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Nyack, NY Posts: 3,065	Originally Posted by aofl To say nothing at all about Chink-a-chink. The less said about that, the better. A David Roth now calls it the Chinese coin assembly.
	__________________ NY Paramedic, skeptic, 9/11/01 Reality-ist. I am both right wing nut and left wing lunatic. Deal with it.

14th October 2007, 10:47 PM	#6
greymatters Muse Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 751	This reminds me of MAJOKE magazine, when they printed a list. It was called: Top 10 Magic Tricks Which Sound a Whole Lot Better Than They Are 10. Snapper 9. Stripper 8. Jap Box 7. Zig-Zag 6. Hot Rod 5. Gozinta Boxes 4. Blooming Bush 3. Red Hot Momma 2. Chests of Mystery 1. Snake Nut Can
	__________________ Grey Matters: Blog \| Videos \| Mental Gym \| Presentation \| Original Products \| Recommended Products Train and Strain Your Brain to Entertain!