Bound And Gagged!

.:127/365: Three Card Monte:.

Ladies and gentlemen, here’s a classic.%0

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

.:126/365: The Svengali Deck:.

In the hands of a beginner, the Svengali deck can create quite a head-scratcher for the average layman.

In the hands of a veteran, the Svengali deck is a veritable miracle-worker.

Imagine giving your spectator a chance to pick a card, and then repeatedly plucking that card from all over the deck, all the while shuffling, mixing, and cutting the deck to her heart’s desire. The routine can go any which way you wish to take it in, because the Svengali deck’s applications, like any deck of cards, whether gimmicked or ungimmicked, is literally limited by your imagination.

Ambitious card routines done easy? You got it.

Card duplication feats? Check.

Card location divination? Absolutely.

This particular gem is a massive hit among beginner magicians who don’t want to learn the basic sleights of card magic because it allows them to do so much while investing time in developing their own patter and their own routines that go well with the deck. Svengali decks are amazing because they are an excellent gateway into card magic, although personally, I’m more inclined to teaching people how to do magic with a regular deck of cards first, before anything else, as it gets them acquainted with the foundations of good card magic.

To be honest, I find that the Svengali stunted my growth as a magician because I didn’t have anyone to guide me back then. It was a nice gateway, but I never had the resources or the wherewithal to actually pursue more magic, and relied mainly on gimmicks and the like when I should’ve been schooled in the basics back then. I was a late bloomer in card magic, and that explains why I rarely bother using card magic in my routines: I simply feel that it’s nowhere near as developed as the other facets of my performances.

So to anyone who wants to get into magic and wishes to do cards, while the Svengali deck is an awesome jumping point, make sure you continue learning, because without really spoiling anything, if the Svengali deck ends up in the wrong hands, let’s just say that there go your chances.

Project 365 cards, magic, magikel, project 365 2010

.:125/365: The Card Stab:.

Well, here’s a leftover from comedy month: a gem of a card routine from Penn and Teller. There’s practically nothing here they didn’t expose, in all honesty. From explaining a key move in card magic to actually visibly palming a card, the Card Stab routine here was just insanely done and meant to irk a lot of magicians.

But once again, Penn and Teller get away with it. Hard to imagine that they’ve built a career that has spanned about three decades already, and it’s been all about playing mean tricks on each other while interspersing genuinely good magic in between, but there you go.

The routine is very simple: pick a card, and Teller will find it by stabbing a knife across the card, while blindfolded. Except for the fact that Teller ends up stabbing Penn’s hand instead, and the card is actually right under Penn’s hand. Simple, fast, easy, but definitely gets reactions across the board because of the sheer shock value of seeing something that unexpected happen.

I like the Card Stab because it’s funny and it gets the point across of what Penn and Teller as a tandem are all about. It’s hilarious and well-done as a routine, and it’s hard to imagine anyone pulling it off the way these guys do.

Yes, I’m such a Penn and Teller fanboy. How’d you know?

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

.:124/365: Michael Ammar:.

When you think of “card magic”, it’s hard to imagine any experienced magician not include this man’s name in their shortlist of people they have studied. Ask ten good cardicians you know if they know Michael Ammar, and I’d be surprised if any of them said they didn’t.

Many believe Ammar to be a “magician’s magician,” and the only other guy I’ve heard call that was Daryl. He has taught magic to arguably more professional magicians today than anyone else ever has (No, Brad Christian teaching you how to do 2CM mediocrely does not count.). His resume as a professional performer is thick, and his renown in the magic industry is top-notch, as he has managed to rise through the ranks as an amazing performer, having been trained by the best, including the late great Dai Vernon himself.

Why I chose Ammar as the first card magician to discuss should be rather obvious. He is the man responsible for one of the biblical resources for cardicians out there, “Easy To Master Card Miracles”. The man is all about simplicity and style, and doesn’t rely on knuckle-busting sleights performed at breakneck speeds. You want that? Look for Dan and Dave. You want elegance, class, and jaw-dropping magic at the same time? Michael Ammar is your man.

Just by watching his video here, you already get an idea why he’s a big deal. His version of the ambitious card routine is definitely basic, but his smooth execution, deliberate timing, and his economy of movements has been nothing but remarkable. Furthermore, his deck vanish at the end is one of the cleanest, most amazing things I have ever seen.

Although he is not exactly a pure cardician, Michael Ammar’s body of work and contribution to card magic is extensive and important. Before you fall all over your Daniel Garcia’s or your Wayne Houchin’s, do yourself a favour and treat yourself to a classy classic. Michael Ammar is bound to astound you and impress you, and is an exercise in contrast to all the flash and pizzazz of the new generation of magicians out there.

News and Updates

.: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