Bound And Gagged!

.:122/365: Criss Angel:.

I would always give my props to a magician, especially a successful one.

Criss Angel is a different story because he may be successful, but he sure as hell ain’t a magician.

The favourite target of the notorious “Trickbusters” on YouTube, Angel’s performances have been rife with criticisms for years and years, none ever directly confirmed, but irreparably damaging the perception of television magic as a legitimate avenue for performers.

As this is the last day of comedy magic month, let me just say that as far as I’m concerned, Criss Angel has turned magic into a joke with the way he has treated it on his television specials. When you can achieve the seemingly impossible only because of camera tricks, editing, and paid actors, you’re no longer doing any magic at all: you’re just turning it into a special effects extravaganza.

In short, if this is your idea of magic, what’s the point?

Why would we allow Criss Angel to tear down the institution of magic on television that has been established for decades upon decades of hard work and legitimate skill? Why would we praise him for achieving feats in magic no magician could possibly achieve in front of a live audience? It’s deplorable, to say the least.

I have a lot of respect for magic. This is precisely why among all the magicians out there, the only one I would have nothing good to say about would have to be Criss Angel, because for all intents and purposes, this guy is not a magician. If a live show exposes the man as disappointing (and that’s being charitable), then it certainly means that he simply does not deserve to be considered a magician, when he needs those “little advantages” any magician worth their salt should never even touch with a ten-foot pole. His treatment of Perez Hilton is also deplorable and unprofessional. Leave the Hilton-bashing to the Will.I.Am’s of the world.

Did Criss Angel take magic in a new direction? I empathically say “no”. The only thing he had over David Blaine was that he had more TV shows because he produced a weekly one, and not a TV special ala Blaine.

Did Criss Angel revolutionize magic? Definitely not. Nobody is doing routines and saying this is “as popularized by Criss Angel”. Blaine was levitating before Angel did. Copperfield was doing it even before that, and doing it better and onstage. Anything “special” Angel came up with, was something nobody could legitimately approximate, much less duplicate, because it required special effects and paid actors in the audience.

Did Criss Angel get people talking about magic? Yes. Unfortunately, he emphasized how “fake” magic can be more than even the Trickbusters have, thanks to his machinations. It’s also very hypocritical of him to act like everything he does is real then expose Jim Callahan in a heartbeat (Although that whole thing seemed pretty scripted to me.). That the magical community has become so apathetic of him speaks volumes about him as well.

With all this in consideration, how can I possibly give any praise to Criss Angel? He has set the entire industry back by destroying the legitimacy of television magic, and all for the sake of feeding his own checkbook and his own ego. That is selfishness at its worst, and it is arguably even worse than what Valentino has done to the art because of “Exposed”.

So with all due apologies, I have zero respect for Criss Angel as a magician. He aptly caps off comedy month for April because quite frankly, he’s a joke. A sick, twisted joke and a slap to the face of the magic industry.

Project 365 comedy, magic, magikel, project 365 2010, vituperation

.:121/365: Magician Zero:.

Let’s take a break from all the American performers for now and head on to Japan, where an affectionate parody of the famous Japanese magician Cyril Takayama, exists.

Played by actor Takuya Kimura, magician Zero seems to be a bumbling but well-meaning magician who not only looks suspiciously like Cyril, but even has the same mannerisms as Cyril does, which results in a lot of hilarity from time to time. There seems to be a running storyline where Zero is following a single mom in hopes of winning her over by doing his unique brand of magic, which, contrary to most magic parodies, isn’t actually overplayed (Like the Blaine parodies.) or repeatedly screwed up (Like Tommy Cooper’s style.). Zero’s magic is actually effective and well-done, and this affectionate parody was something Cyril liked so much, they eventually had an inevitable showdown on television.

What I like about Zero is that he is really good at doing an impression of Cyril. Whenever he looks at the screen and says “surprise,” I sometimes forget I’m watching a parody and not the real thing. The fact that he does legitimately good magic while he’s at it doesn’t hurt at all, either.

Look for this guy’s videos all over the net. And if you’re so inclined, look for his crossover with Cyril himself, as that was an epic meeting, to say the least.

Project 365 comedy, magic, magikel, project 365 2010

.:118/365: Brad Manuel:.

I’m sure the man has plenty of fans and is very well-known in the industry, but I am rather unfortunate in admitting that I have no idea who he is, although I wish I did, because he is extremely funny and his “instant magician” bit is made of sheer genius.

If Mr. Manuel is reading this, I humbly apologize for not knowing you as well as I should, but just know that I have nothing but sheer respect for your craft. You’re very funny and you’re very good.

Project 365 comedy, magic, magikel, project 365 2010

.:117/365: The Amazing Jonathan:.

The man known to others as John Edward Szeles, the Amazing Jonathan, is arguably the most successful solo comedy magic act of all time. Yes, that includes having a more profitable career than stellar acts like Michael Finney and Tommy Cooper.

The Amazing Jonathan’s schtick is fairly interesting in that he is really more in the realm of comedy, much like Michael Finney, who actually has a pretty good pure standup comedy set himself. Jonathan is also a member of the all-star group, “The Madmen of Comedy and Magic,” finding himself in the same league as Michael Finney in that particular group.

With a gimmick that appears to owe a lot to Tommy Cooper’s distinct look plus bumbling style, the Amazing Jonathan appears to be a very interesting spin on that established archetype, since unlike Cooper, he had Las Vegas as a venue to ply his trade in. While Tommy Cooper’s long TV career may have brought him a lot of fame over the years, not only is Jonathan finding that Vegas is arguably more rewarding for him, he also has far less personal demons to contend with than Tommy cooper had to.

This man has made his mark in comedy and magic, and his really brazen style of performance is something I admire and am very impressed with. For any budding new aspiring magicians, I hope these small features on various people has you taking notes and considering people who could inspire you to become even better than you already are.

Project 365 backblogging, comedy, magic, magikel, project 365 2010

.:116/365: Penn And Teller: Bull$4!7:.

Okay, I’ll level with you that this isn’t really comedy per se on Penn and Teller’s part. Still, I wanted to discuss this since this television show is one of the most thought-provoking programs you will ever find on television.

Is the show so obviously slanted towards a particular agenda? Yes.

Is the show so obviously biased? Yes.

Is the show based upon flimsy rhetoric and strawman arguments? Yes.

Does this invalidate the questions the show raises? Absolutely not.

This show is one of those shows that makes you squirm at the sheer brazenness of their ideas and their conviction as they say it. It’s certainly not for the faint of heart, and definitely makes for an intimidating proposition as almost all belief systems have already been challenged, and even atheists will find things to dispute when Penn and Teller tackle their pet scientific study. Some might say Penn and Teller do this to get a rise from people in general, but I’m more inclined to think that they want people to simply be more critical-minded and not simply open to anything and everything.

No matter what these guys do, they definitely challenge our sensibilities. And thank God for that. Even if Penn and Teller don’t think He exists.

Project 365 comedy, magic, magikel, project 365 2010, television

Before I keep up to pace and wrap up my backblogging, let me just say “thank you” to the great Jasper Blakeley, aka Kockov, who took the time to respond to my entry about him. It feels good to know that my personal heroes in magic and mentalism notice the meagre efforts of one of their most avid followers and practitioners.

.:114/365: Blast Off!:.

This is my dream routine. Something I really wish I had the resources to assemble and perform. It’s just awesome because it has everything I’d ever want in a comedy magic routine: visual gags, room for witty commentary after the first half of the trick, and of course, silly dancing! What more can you ask for, really?

Penn and Teller start it off like a traditional illusion: a slick performance that boggles the mind as Teller is apparently cut in three pieces while his three pieces eerily show signs of life despite being far from each other. It’s an amazing illusion, and looks very convincing if you’re not the sceptical type.

But this is Penn and Teller. They can’t just do something like that and leave it at that. They had to do it again, only this time, in full view of everyone how it was actually done. That’s right: they exposed yet another magic secret.

The fact that the song is sooo catchy doesn’t hurt, either.

Project 365 comedy, magic, magikel, project 365 2010

.:113/365: Teller Gets Run Over By A Truck:.

The grand finale of the show entitled “Don’t Try This At Home”, This routine gave Penn and Teller their amazing notoriety because they performed the stunt so well, yet at the end of the whole thing, they actually revealed how they did it.

In all honesty, I was overwhelmed by the logistics of this routine because if I were Penn, I’d still be scared silly of the possibility of the truck still murdering me as its tires go over my chest. It doesn’t really matter how well-conceptualized the routine was, it still boggled my mind how it’d work out, and I’d have wanted them to test it on something else before I willingly put myself under a truck for the sake of entertainment.

Throughout the show, Penn made it a point to highlight the fact that this was going to be how they would end the show. It was a crazy idea: can you run a man over with a truck and have him survive it? How is that even possible? Penn and Teller achieve the seemingly impossible, and they do it with irreverent style that amazed and annoyed other magicians at the same time.

As you will continue to notice with Penn and Teller, it’s a very recurring pattern for them to expose magic secrets whenever they see fit. Whether it be their film or certain tricks they perform where they actually talk about taboo terms like “palming” and the like, you just know that Penn and Teller are loose cannons who give plenty of magicians fits as they go through their performances. This is part of their appeal, certainly, but this also means they have burned quite a few bridges in the magic community thanks to their antics. Penn and Teller couldn’t care less.

As my favourite comedy magicians, though, there’ll be even more instances where I’ll be citing their performances as inspiration for me. Up next, I’ll end up discussing a particular routine that I truly dream to perform in the near future.

Project 365 backblogging, comedy, magic, magikel, project 365 2010

.:112/365: Penn And Teller Get Killed:.

This black comedy is a feature-length film starring Penn and Teller that really caught people by surprise. It was a film filled with twists and turns, and really made for a bizarre but thoroughly interesting film to watch, to say the least.

When I watched this movie the first time, I didn’t quite know what to expect. It was a film that I was definitely curious about, but I had no idea what it was going to be about, and what they were going to do. It didn’t take long though for me to realize that the film was a wild ride from start to finish. Penn and Teller prank each other, and the one-upmanship gets to a point where it spirals lethally out of control.

It’s a very interesting premise for a movie, in all honesty. It’s something that people may not find very funny, but only because it focuses on dark humor to get its laughs. It’s one of those typical “black comedies” that were in vogue during the late 80’s and early 90’s, and while it may seem formulaic, Penn and Teller as lead stars in this film are stellar.

Give this film a watch if you ever find the chance. It feels odd watching people smoke in airports and do similar shenanigans you’d never expect post 9/11, but it’s all good.

Project 365 backblogging, comedy, film, magic, magikel, project 365 2010

.:111/365: Gregory Wilson:.

Someone requested that I discuss the merits of this man, and I was all too happy to oblige. Gregory Wilson is funny and has an amazing character to boot, which really works excellently for him, as he can base his whole show around his zany but likable character.

As a brilliant entertainer with excellent sleight of hand and a slick mouth befitting a con artist, Gregory’s stage show is fast-paced, hilarious, and relies a lot on the fact that his con-man persona will carry him through an assortment of well-connected routines that tend to flow into each other excellently. As he continually gyps people throughout his show, establishing himself as quite a smooth operator, Gregory disarms his audience with the realization that his magic is not only excellent, but it tells a continuous narrative: here’s a con-man. He will probably rob you blind before the end of the show, but you will love every single minute of it.

I think what really sets Gregory Wilson apart as a comedy magician is the fact that his character is not only consistent, it’s not over the top, either. Kockov’s character is consistent because it’s so brazenly rambunctious, it’s hard to break the pattern you sort of expect from that kind of a wild personality already. Penn and Teller are consistent, but nobody would say that their act constitutes a genuine pair of characters insomuch as it’s just simply Penn and Teller doing their thing. Gregory Wilson plays his role very naturally and everything just falls right into place from the moment you lay eyes on the man.

I can see how many magicians of our age could grow to idolize or at the very least respect Mr. Wilson’s contributions to the magic community. He is funny, he is witty, but ultimately, he is such a cad. It’s hard to not like the guy and how arresting his personality really can be.

If you ever have the chance to get to know the man, be sure to shake his hand and keep an eye out for him. He’s going places, and he’s going to keep getting more and more popular as time goes by and his honed act becomes more and more well-known.

And while you keep an eye out for him, keep an eye out for your wallet, too. You never know with this guy, really.

Project 365 backblogging, comedy, magic, magikel, project 365 2010

.:110/365: Funny IS Sexy!:.

Yes. Take it from Kring.

Project 365 backblogging, comedy, magic, magikel, project 365 2010