How'd you do that?

Ok,

So part of the fun of magic is not knowing the secret. I touched on this a little bit in the last blog, but there is no such thing as magic, and magicians are just people who know a few tricks.

That being said, the reason magicians are so hush hush is a couple fold.

1) It's boring. If you know how something is really done, it's either really technical (hold a break second from the top then do a double undercut), or you may think less of us for the work we put into something to make it look impromptu.

We do put a lot of work into making it look smooth and amazing you. Sometimes there are lots of arts and crafts involved for 30 seconds of amazement. Trust me though, it's worth it!

2) Showing you a trick and then telling you how it's done robs you. As much as you might want to know, trust us, it's not as fun. Ignore the man behind the curtain. However, it should be "that's not possible" not, "How did you do it?"

Any magician who presents it as a puzzle for you to figure out, or even worse, as an unintentional challenge to see if you can catch how it was done is acting in bad form.

The above is just a preface to the point of my post. That is exposure for exposure's sake, and exposing stuff that is not yours.

The masked magician was offered a lot of cash to tell how certain tricks were done. Magicians got upset, and the public at large wanted to see what all the upset was about. Magicians gave the show ratings. By decrying it. Simply stupid.

The tricks exposed could have been found in many books in the library, and some used VERY outdated props, and were effects you don't even see anymore. That having been said, Mr. Mask said he wanted to show audiences that it is the performance, not the tricks that make a good show.

If that's true, then a) give back the money and b) why not teach effects not just expose them?

I teach magic with every objects at various community centers. Teach...not expose. All of the students are taught in step by step directions how to do magic for their friends, and they are given the resources and know how to do so.

Lesson: Teaching magic to someone is ok as you are granting them a new skill set. TEACHING is good. Exposure just for exposure's sake is WRONG.