AGT & My Kind of Magician

[Jester]

There are several fans of America's Got Talent here, and every year I try as well as I can to comment of the show, and as the site's resident magician, on the magic acts. Usually, though, I can only comment so much on said magic acts, as they are invariably stage acts, and I don't do stage work, but rather, close up magic.

For those of you that saw yesterday's episode, you saw the magician calling himself Smoothini, and you saw close up magic. My observations:

--Hate the name. Always hate it when magicians take as their stage name some new and generally uncreative play on Houdini's name. Just a personal opinion.

--Yes, I do know how Smoothini did his tricks. Some of them I do myself, some of them my friends do. None of his stuff was anything I hadn't seen.

--That being said, he nailed it. Not only did he nail the tricks and have presence, he somehow managed to make close up magic work in a huge theater, which is itself a pretty damn impressive trick. Will he be able to do it again? I don't know. But if you've ever wondered what I do when I say I do magic, I do some stuff very similar to Smoothini. Only whiter and funnier, but with less impressive dance moves.

[fireheart]

Speaking of "Got Talent" magicians, there was a guy a few years back on the Aussie version named Consentino. I took great delight in informing my friends that I'd seen him at the Royal Agricultural Show a few years back

He wound up runner-up to the singer -.-

[Jetfire]

Yeah there were a lot of Hits last night, but that Close up Magician was one of the best ones. Very smooth patter, very smooth tricks and a good degree of wow in general. A lot of the tricks were standard and even obvious, but he moved through them so quickly and slickly you don't really notice it.

(And on a side note, even Houdini apparently took his stage name from another magician. But yeah, most say the name has to go.

[Jester]

I didn't find his tricks obvious, if we mean the same thing, and I knew what he was doing and how he was doing it. If by obvious you mean you could see how it was done, I disagree. If you mean you knew where he was going, well, I could see your point. I may not completely agree with it, but I could see it to a degree.

First time I've seen a magician doing my style of magic well on the show. Sadly I've seen a few that bombed. Other than his stage name, I really liked him.

I'm still funnier, though.

[Jetfire]

Some of the tricks are obvious as in it's clear how they were done. Usually they are just filler tricks to move on between the bigger Wow! tricks. I'm not complaining because he did them all so well and was really entertaining in general.

(Some of the ones I found obvious were things like the foam balls, the standard 'pen up the nose' and other quick hand tricks).

Now making the cards appear out of thin air with bare outstretched arms, THAT was mighty damn impressive for me. (And IIRC caught the camera people by surprise since they didn't switch up until the second card I think)

Shifting gears a bit, what did you think of the magician duo last week that managed to take away Howie's ability to read? Another entertaining pair IMO, and I'm curious to see what else they do, and their trick was certainly wowie (slightly less when you realize that Howie is colourblind and that may have been how they fooled him.) Still, all's fair in honest trickery.

[Jester]

Some of the tricks are obvious as in it's clear how they were done.

I didn't think they were that obvious. But as I'm a practitioner, I don't see the tricks the way lay people do. So either you're right, which is certainly a possibility, or you're thinking you're knowing how they were done, but you are mistaken. I've seen both in my time. Definite possibility for either one.

Shifting gears a bit, what did you think of the magician duo last week that managed to take away Howie's ability to read? Another entertaining pair IMO, and I'm curious to see what else they do, and their trick was certainly wowie (slightly less when you realize that...

I was very impressed by them and by that trick, and had not considered you're theory on it, which I should have, because I have the same issue Howie does. So I would think that I'd have the same issue reading the cards he couldn't. Which I didn't. The camera shouldn't change that. Of course, it is possible that my version is not as severe as his, so while I could read it, he could not. Now you've got me thinking. I may have to go back and watch that one again, and see if I can discern any difference at all between the different signs. Did you see any difference at all? If you don't suffer the same issue, you shouldn't. Feel free to PM me about this if you don't want to discuss it in the open.

Of course, once again there's the possibility that you're theory is incorrect, but it is an interesting one. Got me thinking there.

[Jetfire]

Of course some of the fun with Magic (for me at least) is thinking that I've figured out the trick. Since I don't hvae the dexterity to do them in the first place, I could very well be wrong and just think I'm right.

Re: Howie's reading trick

Yeah it's not my theory, it's one someone mentioned on another board. Of course since he could read them after, the assumption is there was some sleight of hand after that to show him he could read again.

The other theory is it's like the Einstein/Marilyn Monroe illusion, where from a distance the words looked one way, but up close something else dominated making it hard to read. I think the key is the over the shoulder shot we had late in the trick; you could make out the card and it still looked readable from that angle.

[Jester]

Since I don't hvae the dexterity to do them in the first place....

You may and you may not. True story: when I first met Magic Frank, shortly after I started dabbling in magic, he proclaimed that I should become a professional magician. "You're funny, your quick-witted, you're good with people....you're a natural!" he said. I demurred, saying, "Yeah, but I can't do all that stuff you guys do with your hands." His reply: "THAT can be taught." My talent in magic has never been the mechanics, but the patter and the delivery. My mechanics have come a long way, due to lessons and practice, but it is still the weakest part of my act. So don't automatically assume you can't do it. I didn't think I could, and I've proven myself wrong.

Of course since he could read them after, the assumption is there was some slight of hand after that to show him he could read again.

I know we're not supposed to be grammar nazis here, but as a magician, this is a pet peeve of mine: it's sleight of hand, not slight. Slight describes one's smaller stature, such as myself, or an insult, be it real or perceived. Example: I have small hands, so technically I have slight hands. With these slight hands, however, I somehow manage to perform sleight of hand.

The other theory is it's like the Einstein/Marilyn Monroe illusion, where from a distance the words looked one way, but up close something else dominated making it hard to read. I think the key is the over the shoulder shot we had late in the trick; you could make out the card and it still looked readable from that angle.

That may also be a reasonable theory, as the camera shot may have still been at a longer distance than what Howie was seeing.

[Jetfire]

Another strong magician last night; a Deck of Cards story teller. I'm not sure what he can do for the next rounds, but he was enjoyable to watch, especially with how smoothly he moved the cards.

Otherwise, a mediocre audition night last night. Too many singers, too many child acts IMO. The Magician, the Hand balancer (One Finger!) and the aerialist were about the best of the bunch.

The impressionist I've heard was good, but I'm so out of touch with Stars that I didn't recognize most of her impressions so it fell flat for me.

[Jester]

The magician was good, and it was nice to see yet another close up magician doing well.

Since I do close up magic, I have to tell you that, yes, I understood his act, and I actually do something similar. It's called Sam the Bellhop, and you can see it being performed by a master of the craft, Bill Malone, right here.

That being said, he was doing the story with the cards thing as good as I've ever seen it done. I am also curious to see what he does next.

[TheSHAD0W]

I happened on the video of Smoothini's act, for anyone curious.

[Jetfire]

Arise Thread!

The Cuts happened this week (didn't watch last night's ep yet) but on Tuesday they focused on the close up magicians. (And one guy who did the standard chop cabinet and had some hiccups in his act, leading to getting chopped).

The 'telekinetic' was interesting in his bottle crushing and can uncrushing. Good pick for the Judge's showcase, but maybe a bit too subtle. Still uncrushing the can was fairly impressive. (I think Howard might have seen through the act though. To me, I'm thinking there were some gas tricks involved). I can't tell on Wiki if he got the nod or eliminated. I'm suspecting he was probably eliminated.

The guy with Desmond was good. He's got a good 'story' to go with his act and he did pull off a fairly neat trick. I'm suspecting he primed Nick on 23 ahead of time perhaps, though I'm not sure how he picked Steve as Howie's name. His act is also visible enough to work on a bigger stage/for a bigger crowd. *googles* This is Mike Super, who apparently won the NBC show "Phenomenon" a few years back too. He did get through to the live rounds.

Mat Franco, the card guy was back with another close up act. His banter was a bit rougher this time, but the trick itself was good, and fun to watch. According to Wiki he got throuhg to the live rounds.

Jester's fave, Smoothini, didn't air, but he is through to the Live show as well. Can't wait to see how he does going forward.

[Jay 2K Winger]

The 'telekinetic' was interesting in his bottle crushing and can uncrushing. Good pick for the Judge's showcase, but maybe a bit too subtle. Still uncrushing the can was fairly impressive. (I think Howard might have seen through the act though. To me, I'm thinking there were some gas tricks involved). I can't tell on Wiki if he got the nod or eliminated. I'm suspecting he was probably eliminated.

Maybe some variation of this science trick?

[Jester]

For obvious reason, I can't give anything away regarding tricks i know the secrets of, but I can say this much....

The 'telekinetic' was interesting in his bottle crushing and can uncrushing. Good pick for the Judge's showcase, but maybe a bit too subtle. Still uncrushing the can was fairly impressive. (I think Howard might have seen through the act though. To me, I'm thinking there were some gas tricks involved).

The bottle I can't comment on. The can, however, I can, and authoritatively. And I hate to tell you this, but you are wrong. And from my experience with audience reactions, Howard was completely clueless, if I read him right.

The guy with Desmond was good. He's got a good 'story' to go with his act and he did pull off a fairly neat trick. I'm suspecting he primed Nick on 23 ahead of time perhaps, though I'm not sure how he picked Steve as Howie's name.

I'm actually rather unsure of how he achieved the 23 effect, but I have what I think is a good idea on how he achieved the Steve effect. Regarding the first part, most magicians I know would have achieved it without any prior arrangement or coaching with Nick, but I can't guarantee he went about it the same way as they would have.

Mat Franco, the card guy was back with another close up act. His banter was a bit rougher this time, but the trick itself was good, and fun to watch. According to Wiki he got throuhg to the live rounds.

From what I remember (it's been a couple days and a few beers), I understand how he did the trick, but he did it really, really well. At least from this magician's perspective.

Jester's fave, Smoothini, didn't air, but he is through to the Live show as well.

Never said he was my fave. Just close to my style of magic. Matt Franco is also of the same style.

Maybe some variation of this science trick?

Nope. And I can say this with authority, because with the soda can trick, I don't have a theory, I actually know how it's done.