Body Crap [UPDATED]

How 'bout hanging this poster in between your Thurston and your Kellar? I mean, "she's magic," isn't she?

The funny thing, of course, about this movie is that, while it maintains the magic motif on both the poster and the cover, a look on the back cover shows that this video is actually about the magic of photography. Go figure.

Also, while we're on the topic of "Body Magic," check out this version of Fearson's Sawing in Half here. It's an interesting presentation with a good message at the end. (Also, check out the cat who walk by as the illusion is being filmed!)



And where does Body Magic, the porn film, intersect with "Body Magic," the sawing-in-half illusion? Right here at - you guessed it - "Body Magic," the website, a website about the sexual fetishism of being sawed-in-half. Man, the Internet is fun.

Video Crap

You're performing at a Bar Mitzvah when all of a sudden, the area around you seems to brighten. Is it a spotlight? Is it the Magic Signal? Is it the first sign of an alien abduction? Actually, it's the bright light from the camera man who just began shooting footage of your performance.

This is important footage - if you can get this footage on to the video of the event and the footage is good, there's a lasting testiment to your skill that your clients will see every time they revisit the memories of their event by watching the video. It's also a slick way to promote yourself - your client will probably be showing this video to all of his or her friends and family. So what can you do about it?

Talk to the camera man before the party. If you can do this without interrupting his or her pre-party set up (if there's anything worse than not talking to him or her, it's pissing him or her off), you can communicate (a) that you'll be footage worthy and (b) that he or she will need to film from certain angles to capture all of the magic. Also, rather than be on the defensive ("Oh shit! The camera man's here - have to make this minute or two count!"), be on the offensive ("[Name of camera guy], come here! This is so cool that you'll be glad you captured it on film!"). You should also consider coaching your audience if you see the camera guy coming by: "Hey, it looks like the camera man is coming by, so I have an idea. Let's make everybody else jealous that they're not here right now - when I do this [raise a card or a finger in the or do any innocuous action], everybody will cheer like this was the most amazing thing you have ever, ever seen in your life. Sound like a plan?" Just make sure that the audience will see this as something they're doing for themselves and not for you.

Be conscious of the camera man and reap the benefits of knowing about the ways you can use him or her to your advantage.

To Do Crap

To do: Lexi Erikson, star of Smoke and Mirrors

To be posted by Saturday:

- Advice on an often overlooked component of close-up magic at special occasions and how knowing about it can vastly improve your image, your reputation, and your rates of getting booked again

Smoke and Crap

What if a magic store that sold this...



actually sent this?



Just an idea, Meir Yedid. Just an idea.

You should really read the description of Smoke and Mirrors (the porn):

Mike is a magician. Lexi Erikssion is his new assistant. You see, Kia, ex-assistant, has disappeared. As in fired. But with Lexi he may yet experience the magic...of lust. This is about illusion and reality...And the thin line in between. Believe...in pussy.

What I love about the descriptin is that it sounds almost legitimate as a regular movie, right up until the last word.

Do you think Lexi Erikssion is a member of Women in Magic?

[Trying to find a copy of Bannon's DVD and stumbling on to this one was a rather humorous process itself. I really hope that any younger magicians trying to find the DVD through Google don't end up where I somehow did.]

Non-Civil Crap

The Magic of Matt Shulien (which is pronounced "Shoeline") by Philip Reed Willmarth is a spectacular book with tons of great material. You should definitely consider purchasing it (and reading it!), as it contains great restaurant and bar magic as well as deep insights from Matt about how he views magic, which is valuable and enlightening reading for any magician. There is, however, this rather ridiculous little paragraph, an excerpt from Frank Everhart's Sponge Rabbit routine on page 154:

After enough of a pause to permit the spectators to see what has happened, Frank picks up the bunies to put them back into his pocket. At this point, he seems to notice for the first time a black baby rabbit among the red ones. He stares at it for a moment then grunts "civil rights!" and puts it away with the rest to another laugh. [All patter is in italics in the book.]

We should keep in mind that this book was first published in 1959, so the concept of political correctness didn't really even exist. It still serves as an important reminder of how we have progressed as a society and how we as magicians have progressed with it.

No Crap

When is a post not a post?