The sky is falling!
May 15, 2008
No matter where you go on the internet to find your news and community, sooner or later you’ll see someone talking about how this or that is killing magic.
But is it?
Is magic *actually* dying?
With an unprecedented number of new magicians entering the art, some magicians with what you might call ‘Old fashioned values’ claim that magic is becoming watered down and hijacked, becoming nothing more than a fad.
Whilst this may be true for some, what negative impact does it actually have on the community?
I’ve read on a number of forums, how “All the kids want to do is learn the secret and then expose it on the internet,” and whilst this is undoubtedly true in a small number of cases, in many others, it’s because those new magicians haven’t yet learned any better.
It’s up to *US* as a community to band together and look after the beginners, to teach them the right way to learn, to teach them the power of the magic club or society, and finding a trusted friend with whom to practice.
I have no doubt that reading this entry will be a huge mix of skill levels and experience, from professional to just beginning.
To the beginners, please, be patient with your progress. You might think that one day you’re getting nowhere, and another you’re ready to go out and perform for the world, but please, be patient and brutally honest with yourself.
To the professionals, I beg of you - be a little more lenient and patient with the “kids” who are just beginning. All they want is to learn the right way… Teach, don’t preach.
Others say that the prevalence of magic websites such as www.ellusionist.com are to blame for the proliferation of new magicians. Again, now it would seem that a magic store is only ever a google away - but how much easier is that for us?
The closest real magic shop to me, the one I visit most often and would love to hang out at every day, is a hundred miles away - and I’m sure I don’t have it as bad as some.
A few years ago, we would have had to make that journey every time we wanted to pick up a new deck of cards, pick up some refills for our lotions and potions or replace the thumbtip that the cat ran off with. (Don’t laugh, I swear one day I’ll find a dozen or more hidden away somewhere.)
Now, we click on the right name in our favourites and a few moments later, the order is placed and being processed.
Some may say that this takes away a lot of the human contact associated with a visit to the magic shop, but if you’re in a rush… Well, honestly - how many of us were ever able to just nip into the brick and mortar store, purchase the one or two items we wanted and walk out again?
How about the prevalence of magic on TV with shows like Celebracadabra, showing how Celebrities can learn magic quickly? *Surely* that’s to blame for the downfall of magic? The fact that you can tune in almost any day and find a show with magic on it, that the tricks are being performed by a variety of skill levels, cluing our spectators and audiences in when performed badly.
The fact of the matter is that when Penn & Teller can’t kill the Thumbtip by exposing it on international tv, and the efforts of all the Masked Magician’s shows put together can’t keep us down, will the next show that features no exposure do us any bad?
Yet other complaints have been based around custom cards, and the manufacturer’s website being emblazoned across the box. I can honestly tell you that the magician behind one of the top rated effects so far this year has exactly that to blame for hooking him in to magic. If it hadn’t been for a deck of black tiger cards, and seeing “More Black Tiger Gear available from www.ellusionist.com” on the bottom of the box, his entire magical output so far and in the future would never have existed.
That may be just one story - but that’s the first story that springs to mind.
Cards, like anything else, are a tool - they’re like the mechanic’s spanner or the painter’s brush.
They do what the artist chooses to do with them.
That’s right, it’s up to *you* to make them make sense, it’s up to *you* to create a web of mystery surrounding them, or fashion a reason for using them.
Some say that they shouldn’t have to do that - but hey, if we were all the same, we’d all like musical theater…
Penn offers guided tour on ebay…
April 15, 2008
Not content with stealing the limelight on the first few episodes of Dancing With the Stars, Penn Jillette (of Penn&Teller) has hit headlines again, this time as he auctions off a tour of his home “The Slammer”, followed by lunch with him.
According to the ebay auction (which you can find here), highlights of the tour include…
- A framed tattoo on real human skin!
- A koi pond shaped like a Goldfish cracker!
- Stunning artwork by Chicago artist Tony Fitzpatrick!
- See a unique sculpture by avant garde artist Jose Alvarez!
- A real fire pole!
- Secret rooms in his home which Penn will reveal to you!
- Liza Minnelli’s panties!
- And more!
After the tour, the lucky winner will then have lunch with Penn, over which Penn will divulge stories of his time in Showbiz (and, undoubtedly remain his quiet and understated self…)
At the time of writing this article, the auction stands at $1,201 - a mere snip for this once in a lifetime experience…
Taken from http://itricks.com/news/?p=3582
Dancing With Penn Jillette
February 22, 2008
Earlier this week the new celebrities were announced for the ABC show Dancing With The Stars. Penn Jillette is one of the stars appearing on the show.
Searching dancers forums we couldn’t find any dancers who were upset a magician who isn’t a dancer is going to dance on national TV. Searching magic forums, we did find some disgruntled magicians who are upset celebrities are going to perform magic on Celebracadabra. Hmmm.
Good luck Penn!
Happy Birthday Teller
February 14, 2008
Teller is 60 today. Here’s a video, with commentary of Teller’s signature effect - Shadows:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un1pNtmYguA[/youtube]
Celebracadabra Star Appears At Rio Grand Opening
January 31, 2008
More Celebracadabra gossip!
Entourage star Kevin Dillon hosted the star-studded grand opening of McFadden’s Irish pub restaurant saloon at the Rio resort casino. Celebrity magicians also appearing at the red carpet gala opening were Penn & Teller, Nathan Burton who appears in Comedy Magic at Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile, and Murray Sawchuck, one of the magic coaches on VH1’s new reality series Celebracadabra sponsored by Ellusionist.
Murray is one of the veteran magicians coaching the celebrities for performances in front of tough crowds who will ultimately judged by a panel of master magicians who determine which celebrities get to advance to the next challenge.
The celebrities appearing on the show are C. Thomas Howell, comedian ANT, Hal Sparks, Chris Reid (Kid from Kid n’ Play), Lisa Ann Walter, Carnie Wilson, Kim Wyatt from The Pussycat Dolls.
Currently, Celebracadabra is slated to debut on Sunday April 20 and run 9 weeks.
Teller Speaks!
January 29, 2008
You’ve all heard Penn speak. It’s rare you get a chance to hear Teller. The usually silent Teller gave a talk for the Mind Science Foundation and he speaks, there is a lot to listen to.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5×14AwElOk[/youtube]
A Tour of Teller’s House
January 15, 2008
We stumbled across this video on YouTube of Teller giving a tour of his Las Vegas house. The video is from a Bravo Profiles show about Penn & Teller. Enjoy!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoksoGBtpJ0[/youtube]
Penn Jillette is on Crackle!
January 10, 2008
Penn Jillette signed with Sony for its Crackle entertainment website today in Las Vegas.
The original series titled ‘Penn Says’, the first unscripted series created specifically for the Internet, will feature Penn Jillette delivering rants to Crackle four times a week in one- to three-minutes videos, which will also be syndicated by Sony Pictures Television.
“Penn Jillette has exactly the type of raw, edgy and honest voice we want to present on Crackle,” said Tony Liano, vice president of content and programming at Crackle. “Crackle is about giving audiences content that pushes the envelope and entertainment they can’t find from other sites or traditional media. Penn will shepherd in a new form of entertainment for to respond.” our audiences, one that is active and engaged and challenges our audience.
Sony supplied several HD cameras to Penn. He has a couple at his house, one in his dressing room at the Rio Hotel & Casino and another in his car.
“Big badass Crackle has given me the chance to talk directly to you about anything I want, anytime I want. I mean anything. I mean any time. When something gets my goat, or I want to get someone else’s goat or other farm animal, I’ll flip on my camera and rave about it. Half-cocked, from inside my head, electronically to inside your head in minutes. No script, no thinking, so I might be wrong. I’m counting on you to keep me honest with videos right back to me,” said Jillette.
You can check out Penn’s video rants here on Crackle’s Website. Don’t look for Teller on this one.
Penn & Teller’s Show up for WGA Award
January 2, 2008
Penn & Teller’s Showtime program, B.S! has been nominated for a Writer’s Guild of America Award in the comedy, variety or talk series category.
The WGA will be presented Feb. 9 in Los Angeles and New York.
B.S.! has been previously nominated and has won several awards in different categories:
Awards won
- Writers Guild of America: Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series (2004)
Nominations
- Writers Guild of America: Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series (2005, 2006)
- Directors Guild of America: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs (2006)
- Emmy Awards
- Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single-Camera) (2006)
- Outstanding Reality Program (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
- Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
- Outstanding Main Title Design (2003)
- Outstanding Main Title Theme Music (2003)
(Source Wikipedia)