Jesus, what’s with the aggression? I started this thread in a pretty lighthearted way and stated up front that I’m just a fan of magic who’s paid attention over the years.
I didn’t mean to say stooges are “very common.” I mean the trick itself is something I’ve seen many times before. I don’t know how common stooges are.
Really, dude… Did I hit a nerve or something? You’re responding as if I’m an asshole who thinks he knows everything and expects the magician will bow down in thanks and “confess.” No, not at all, and I think any reasonable reading of this thread will show that’s not what I suggested.
Geez, I try to be self deprecating and you even take that the wrong way.
We’ll disagree on what I thought I saw. Fine. Doesn’t mean as much to me as it seems to mean to you. Sheesh…
Alas, not the SDMB’s finest trait. You see it often in IMHO when people ask for advice on boyfriend troubles or how to care for a sick cat. Some jasper is, sure as apples are apples, gonna pipe up with a nasty bit of cruel snark. “Maybe if you actually cared for your boyfriend/cat you’d be properly attentive.”
FWIW, I thought you brought up a completely valid point, in a helpful and constructive fashion, and I’m eager to hear what answer you get, if the magician in question ever actually does write back.
But how could he write back to you, without “incriminating” himself?
You’ve already sent an unsecured email revealing the magician’s trade secret.
If he writes back and acknowledges you,(or even just says “thanks for your advice”)---- he would be seen as publicly admitting that you are right. And he is putting that information in the public domain, with his name attached.
My sincere apologies to all for the uncalled-for snarkiness in my last post. I differ with Dingbang on what he saw, but I have no justification or excuse for being so rude.
I don’t think he’d mind getting a letter, but I fully agree with someone upthread who pointed out that most non-magician guesses about how tricks are done are usually way off, especially when they involve “obvious” things (stooges; peeking through a blindfold; having a marked deck; trapdoors…) My vote is on it having been a genuine audience member. Having not seen the trick, I’m only basing this on the (very high) frequency with which tricks that look like they use stooges actually don’t, and on the very strange non-professionalism it would be for an actual stooge to do anything other than return to his/her seat.
In their Vegas show, Penn & Teller make a joke about this. I can’t remember the exact wording, but they say something like, “We never use plants in the audience, because it would be expensive.”
I’m not expecting anything like that. If he replies at all, I expect it would be just a polite “thanks for writing, glad you enjoyed the show.” My point was to tell him what I saw (okay, what I think I saw) in case it’s helpful to him.Where does this idea come from that I’m looking for a confession or for him to “incriminate” himself?
Pasta, I appreciate the point. But this illusion is not unique to this magician and it isn’t all that complex. I honestly have no idea how common stooges are, and if you have better knowledge then I’ll accept that they’re rare. However, that doesn’t mean they’re not used and it doesn’t mean one wasn’t used here. I don’t know if we want to get into speculating about other solutions, but I’m pretty sure if you saw the illusion you’d come to the same conclusion. Especially if you’re a magician or a magic fan. (I enjoy the Penn & Teller thread here because we discuss how the tricks most likely were done, while thoroughly appreciating the magicians’ skill and ingenuity. But I understand not everybody likes that way of looking at magic, so I’m not opening up that discussion unless you guys want to.)
And the “very strange non-professionalism” was one impetus for me wanting to give the magician a heads up. Kind of a “ummmmm, dude, your stooge screwed up and the way you drew attention to the back of the room made it visible to a lot of people.” Except I said it in a much nicer, very flattering way.
