That was hashed and rehashed and ultimately, the staff had to admit they were wrong, that it was NOT copyrighted material, and they were not justified in trying to shut down threads on “how this trick is done.”
What would happen to you if you did tell? Would they take your pointy hat away?
You’re welcome. And that’s Ms Marvelous Fascist Fuck to you.
Michael: So, this is the magic trick, huh?
G.O.B.: Illusion, Michael. A trick is something a whore does for money. Or cocaine.
Pretty clearly unless you are copying straight from copyrighted instructions, it is not a copyright violation to describe it. It is, however, incredibly rude, worse than demanding to see another poker’s players hand after you have folded.
Magic is entertainment. It is a smile and a wonder to see a trick (oh, alright, “illusion”) performed well and wonder “how’d he/she do that”. That feeling, which is fleeting, is the payoff, the same as an audience member feels laughing at a comic telling a joke well. Anyone who doesn’t know how the trick is done can experience that feeling. But you cannot have that experience if you know what is going on, you can only admire the skill of the magician in performing it.
The more people who know how a trick is done, the bigger the chance that some audience member will blurt it out and ruin the fun. The kind of jerk who would blurt it out correlates highly with the kind of jerk who is insulted if you don’t tell them how it is done. That’s because most people know that magic is a trick and are okay with it, that is, being tricked. Smarty pantses are not okay with it.
Remember, all stuff that looks like magic or psychic stuff is a trick. It’s a trick!! Enjoy it, don’t get taken.
Yeah? Well, it ain’t over yet, Loblaw. You spelled fascist wrong! Where do you get off treating the English language with such disdain? I turn up my nose in your general direction!
Oh, here’s pie.
Next time he tries to pull a rabbit out of his hat, all he finds is the head.
Kind of a hijack, but the most interesting thing about stage magic to me has always been the “how” of it. I mean, I know it’s a trick, so that sort of blows the whole “sense of wonder” out of the water. Seeing a magic trick without the explanation is missing out on the best part of the entertainment, to me.
Mmmm. Thank you, I shove pie now in my face, ist goot. Next time come back, you bring more pie!
Personally, I feel cheated - I thought his post in that thread was lame and incomplete; it’s supposed to be done like this:
Impressive trick, isn’t it? Of course, as a magician I know exactly how it is done; I won’t tell you how, but I can tell you that all your speculations are very, very wrong. You’d all kick yourselves if you could see how far off you are.. (then, optionally) Mwuhahahahahaaaah!
Yeah I sure there terrible consequence if you share on msg. board. :rolleyes:
And if you really not allowed to share, just no post. No need to put on superior act ass.
Okay, Tarzan.
I suspect you’re wrong, here. I mean, sure, there’s a chance that someone will blurt out a trick if they know how it’s done (especially if your audience is like eight years old), but what evidence do you have that the blurters correlate with those who are insulted if you don’t tell them how it’s done?
And even then, only Tarzan up there is insulted at your refusal to share. Most of us are very curious about it, but not about to blurt out the answer. We just enjoy the how of the trick, as Miller said.
Daniel
Well one consequence is that we get a social separation: mature people understand and the assholes separate themselves out like howling monkeys that have been tricked out of their banana. Those howling monkeys might have otherwise remained concealed as normal adults, but the power of magic tricks reveals them to all, and especially their dates, as freaking assholes, thus saving great time in the dumping process.
“Put on superior act ass.”
I like that.
Superior Act Ass
Band name.
Um, will someone please tell me that* Smart * :rolleyes: guyville’s first language is not English. Please?.. Anyone?
If no learn good grammar, then no post, doofus.
I think that was a good explanation and an erudite post. Thanks for clarifying, Bob, and I will attempt to interpret…
What Bob Loblaw say you no wan magician group stick it to you ass.
i burning your dog.
Somebody set up us the bomb! You have no chance to survive make your time.
All your base are belong to us.
I agree.
Bob Loblaw, I’m sure you don’t mean for it too, but the your post that Miller quoted post smacks quite a bit of you telling us what’s good for us.
Sure, seeing a woman sliced in half is neat and all, but those of us who tinker with every setting on the computer and dismantle and re-build radios for the hell of it want to see how the trick is done. That’s what would entertain me. Making something appear to be what it is not, without the benefit of Photoshop or ILM, and performed in front of our very eyes is quite impressive, so we are naturally curious to see how it was done. The payoff is the satisfaction of having our curiosity alleviated.
I always thought it was weird how it’s become more acceptable for acts to admit that they are simply acts (see the WWF calling itself “sports entertainment”), but magic tricks- pardon- illusions still have this protective, defensive bubble around them. Lighten up, Magician’s Alliance!
Troy, my boy, there is the joy of normal people being fooled who don’t care how it’s done quite so much, and then there is geek. Geek would be very disappointed to not figure it out himself/herself. It is not rocket science. If I simply told you, you would kick yourself for not getting it because it is so insanely obvious once you take the theatrics out of it. You get a warm smug feeling if you get it yourself. By the way, a 30 buck kids magic set will demonstrate all the principles that the big stage pros use.
Let’s take the pass through glass trick. Nobody here is under the impression that anyone really passes through the glass, right. Of course not. They pass through an opening. We call that a window. That’s why the paper is put up to obscure it, because it wouldn’t be worth your time to watch a guy climb through an open window. Your mind goes along with the fantasy, and you imagine the fella going through the solid. Isn’t happening, but the trick your mind plays is fun.
You also referred to the lady cut in half in the box with a lot of variations. To quote Penn Jillette (father of Moxie Crime Fighter Jillette), “ITS A TRICK!!!” The lady is not being cut in half. Duh. So assuming that, how would you do the trick?
You are my hero.
Something funny about 1920’s style death rays here