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In the late ninties a show called Breaking the Magicians' Code: Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed was a big network hit. In a later show, the Masked Magician revealed himself to be Val Valentino. I know he used to work Vegas but is he still there? What has he been doing lately? If you know, post comments here. Also, if you have any good clips from the Masked Magician show, post them here or a message that you are posting them in the file sharing forum.

mostly living off the money he made doing the shows. His career is pretty shot now. He has not been playing the casinos in Las Vegas. If he could get a gig there it would be some kids 3rd year birthday party at best.

photius wrote:mostly living off the money he made doing the shows. His career is pretty shot now. He has not been playing the casinos in Las Vegas. If he could get a gig there it would be some kids 3rd year birthday party at best.

Not only is this highly inaccurate information it is rude and very much uncalled for.

Val has been working steadily since the "ordeal" but primarily well south of the U.S. Borders where he's been received quite well and in a rather positive light... in fact, most of the world isn't nearly as bent over what happened in those shows as we find here in the U.S. and some portions of Europe. Especially when you consider the fact that a huge percentage of what was "exposed" on those shows came nowhere near close to the truth or else employed methods that were so out of date and impractical no one was using them... there were a few very limited exceptions but in all truth no real harm was done with what Val did compared to the original Masked Magician (Hal Marquat) who has likewise maintained a working career as a magician working doing cruise ships out of Asia.

I have known both gents and still talk with Val upon occasion. Too, for your info, he didn't make all that much money doing those shows and what he did make went directly to the IRS to cover back taxes for the most part.

Please, if you want to state something about someone, try to get as many of the facts as you can straight.

*arrives late, 'cause that's what happens when you rely on Google to inform you of Val-related posts on message boards*

Also, don't take the comments on his MySpace page as gospel proof of what he does for a living. Yes, there are thank yous in the comment area for appearing at dinners, open houses, etc., but I would think that he's just there as a guest and not as entertainment.

And yes, he does occasionally perform for children (I base this on a comment his best friend made a few months ago), but I believe he still does it on an educational basis like he did many years ago. (And if you didn't know about that, it's in all of the biographies I've written about him and I believe it's in the biography on his website as well, so now is the time to get educated!)

I hate to tell you all but far from being washed up I have heard a rumour as yet unconfirmed that there is going to be ANOTHER "Masked Magician" by Fox TV featuring Val! And it is suppposed to be coming up fairly soon.

If Craig knows him perhaps he might ask.

I am no fan of exposure but if Fox TV called and offered half the money I would of course do it and so would everyone else despite hypocritical bleating. I would also do it without the mask but I am afraid I might frighten the children at home.

I don't know how much Val was getting but if it were a hundred grand or so I would certainly do it and so would virtually everyone else here unless they were independently wealthy. Money talks and everyone has their price.

The fun of irritating magicians the world over would be worth it alone. Come to think of it I might pay to do it!

mark lewis wrote: The fun of irritating magicians the world over would be worth it alone. Come to think of it I might pay to do it!

You don't have to pay, Rev. You're doing just fine...

mark lewis wrote:I hate to tell you all but far from being washed up I have heard a rumour as yet unconfirmed that there is going to be ANOTHER "Masked Magician" by Fox TV featuring Val! And it is suppposed to be coming up fairly soon.

If Craig knows him perhaps he might ask.

I am no fan of exposure but if Fox TV called and offered half the money I would of course do it and so would everyone else despite hypocritical bleating. I would also do it without the mask but I am afraid I might frighten the children at home.

I don't know how much Val was getting but if it were a hundred grand or so I would certainly do it and so would virtually everyone else here unless they were independently wealthy. Money talks and everyone has their price.

The fun of irritating magicians the world over would be worth it alone. Come to think of it I might pay to do it!

Val is developing a show but it will not be like the Masked Magician shows of the past as I understand things... he's actually introducing some newer, more innovative people so as to kind of punctuate the fact that magic has changed and moved forward since he made his controversial challenge.

He was working on a special late last year/beginning of this and a buried alive event (I assume those were supposed to be two separate events--I never asked), but those were shoved to the proverbial back burner when Virgin and Nash came up with the graphic novel. (Anyone have any idea when that's coming out, by the way?)

To be honest, I've never asked why he sticks with the Masked Magician persona...guess I've never cared. But to put it in comic book terms, I can see where it would be more fun to be Batman than Bruce Wayne.

(Would've said "more fun to be Spider-Man than Peter Parker", but I was trying to pick a superhero closer to Val's actual age. )

Craig Browning wrote:

mark lewis wrote:I hate to tell you all but far from being washed up I have heard a rumour as yet unconfirmed that there is going to be ANOTHER "Masked Magician" by Fox TV featuring Val! And it is suppposed to be coming up fairly soon.

If Craig knows him perhaps he might ask.

I am no fan of exposure but if Fox TV called and offered half the money I would of course do it and so would everyone else despite hypocritical bleating. I would also do it without the mask but I am afraid I might frighten the children at home.

I don't know how much Val was getting but if it were a hundred grand or so I would certainly do it and so would virtually everyone else here unless they were independently wealthy. Money talks and everyone has their price.

The fun of irritating magicians the world over would be worth it alone. Come to think of it I might pay to do it!

Val is developing a show but it will not be like the Masked Magician shows of the past as I understand things... he's actually introducing some newer, more innovative people so as to kind of punctuate the fact that magic has changed and moved forward since he made his controversial challenge.

Ya it has made huge strides! Look at all the TV specials we have now, all the touring magic shows and all the new innovative illusions. LOL! Hell, I still have people tell me how to do tricks based on what they saw from that show. What a great job at taking the wonder out of magic.

And who is Criss Angel? Chopped liver? O.o

Being that the 9th anniversary of the final special was Monday, I took the time to reflect on whether or not Val's wish has come true. After a bit of consideration, I determined that if there is anyone who has fulfilled the desire Val expressed on October 29, 1998, it has been Criss. I am sure that there are plenty of other magicians out there who have helped the ideal along throughout the last nine years, but Criss is the most outspoken and most visible presence in the media at this moment. I don't know how any of his pieces are done and I'm sure that there are hundreds (if not thousands) out there who would tell you the same thing.

~)~

A Side Note

If you don't think that the ideal should have been fulfilled, I don't want to hear about it. There has been more than enough squabbling over this subject in the last nine years and I'm sick of it. Tell someone who cares. (I have a list of people if you don't know enough already.)

Also, to follow up on Craig's April 12th post, Val is currently in Brazil (or was earlier in October) and is headed to the United Kingdom next.

(I would've have just said "overseas", but what do you call Brazil [since it's underneath the U.S.]? "Underseas"? )

If you don't think that the ideal should have been fulfilled, I don't want to hear about it

Is that suppose to be "idea" and not "ideal"?

If it is idea than I would have to say there were other ways to do move magic ahead rather than blowing everything up like he did. Also, he stated that he did it for the children so that they would love magic more. It has been my experience over the years that if the child knows how it is done it does not provoke that feeling of "wonder and amazement".

Also, to make changes, major changes like Val had wanted takes money. And some of those new great changes that you refer to are camera tricks, levitations done on the computer. Is that where Magic is going?

Ask yourself. After every magic/illusion trick you do at a show, would you then show everyone how to do it?

Trinity wrote:Ask yourself. After every magic/illusion trick you do at a show, would you then show everyone how to do it?

He's not the only one who has difficulty keeping secrets.

But that's why I'm "behind-the-scenes support"--choreography, set design, that sort of thing.


Of course, just because you can keep secrets doesn't mean you're scrupulous. Look at David Kesterson (Val's so-called best friend). He pretends to be all buddy-buddy with Val, yet the you-know-what went behind his back and contributed to an article that made suggestions on how to deal with the "aftermath" of the specials--and quite possibly spawned the World Alliance of Magicians.

Not revealing the secrets of magic doesn't make you a perfect person, Trinity.

~)~

And don't bother posting some snarky reply.

We're getting into the sort of conversation I said I didn't want to have. Therefore, this discussion is over! (And if I were a moderator, I'd make it permanently so by closing the topic.)

I repeat: Tell Someone Who Cares!

Before we get into another "what if" scenario about "how magic works" and "all the exposure" let's look at a few facts.

The majority of the public has known for decades how the Sawing a Lady in Half Illusion basically works, even the nice sleek Thin Model and yet it remains one of their favorite effects to see presented WHEN IT IS PRESENTED WELL.

My rendering of the effect has given me countless accolades by layman and magician alike and typically I am using one of the least deceptive cabinets going... an Abbott made Thin Model Sawing and yet, it works... WHY?

It has nothing to do with the mechanics behind the illusion but rather the ability of the performer and their team to transform the "trick" into something that is fun, engaging, and ENTERTAINING.

Val saw a lot of the innovations that were on the horizon long before he did the Masked Magician shows... he hung around our shop (Creative Illusions) as well as Bill Smiths shop and saw some of the cutting edge ideas that were about to hit the scene. He also noticed what others, like Rand Woodbury, Franz Harary and even some of the (then) up-starts like this Criss Angel kid that was doing a sub trunk switch that mad the Pendragons look slow. So he chose his words wisely when he made his comments because he knew what was on the horizon.

Magic has progressed on many fronts since those days, not all of them positive in that we have lost some of the yesteryear disciplines that I personally believe, we need to bring back. Nonetheless, good things have happened because young people HEARD what Val was saying and came to the call.

EXPOSURE does not hurt the "Magician"... when I say that, I'm not talking about the guy or gal that knows how to do a few dozen tricks I'm talking about the consummate artist that know how to transform the mechanical into something altruistic, be it a Levitation routine or something like the Zombie such as we can see in Jerome Murat.

I've NEVER had a single bit of the exposure that we've seen over the past couple of decades, hurt my shows or my reputation. The reason is very simple, I KNOW MY JOB! If I put an effect into my act I know more than one way of doing it... this is especially true when it comes to close-up material in that I may have to repeat it and if I do I want to take a different approach each time so I through the curious and rude off my trial.

I've mentioned this before... we has a kid here I believe, it was about two years ago... wanted to buy an Asrah Levitation and asked if it was as good a trick as it sounded. Well, the first question that must be asked is if or not it is a practical effect for your personal market as well as your "style" of performance? Are you working the kind of venues where this type of effect can be presented? Is there an method that would accommodate you vs. the more tried and true versions? Who makes the best version of the one you want?

The Owen Gossimer system is fantastic BUT, you have to repair the form after nearly every performance... if ego isn't in your way there's a less well known version made by Bill Wizard that is superior all the way around and far more durable at about a third of the Owen price. But you wouldn't know that if you just let your CUPS kick in and lead down the path... that is what the hobbyist does vs. the artist.

I know of people that take two or three years to research an effect they like and another year or two of "playing with the methods" before they start easing it into their acts. The results are usually phenomenal... this is when Magic become "real" instead of a trick.

I can't count the number of pros out there who've addressed the exposure by exposing it yet again in their act, only to use that very method in a routine and have the audience totally mesmerized and feeling it an impossibility. This is what distinguishes the wannabes from the real deal folks... the real workers don't sweat the small stuff, they just find a better way of making things work that neuters the publics perception as to what "might" be the answer... and trust me when I tell you, there are tons of answers to most any impossibility you can imagine but, you must know your art and understand how to navigate those twists & turns.

The more you all scream about exposure, theft, etc. the more of an issue it will remain. Invest your energy and your anger into taking such things as a personal challenge to do better and to "hide" those methods when you do rely on them and/or find alternatives that get you to the same place. It's really that simple.

Craig, thanks for your input! It is nice to see the perspective of a builder and not just a performer. I have seen many performers reveal the secret just by giving a poor performance, so I too agree that the Magician needs to be artistic and he must practice, practice, and practice some more. Alot of the methods can be hidden or misdirected to change how the audience perceives the illusion.

Dryelle--

Not revealing the secrets of magic doesn't make you a perfect person, Trinity.

I don't recall ever saying I was perfect? And why the personal attacks?

And don't bother posting some snarky reply.

I really don't think any of my replies have been "snarky".

We're getting into the sort of conversation I said I didn't want to have. Therefore, this discussion is over! (And if I were a moderator, I'd make it permanently so by closing the topic.)

How about we let the moderator determine when a topic should be closed, I don't feel it has gotten into that age old Masked Magician bashing. I think Craig posted some very good comments and we would never have heard them if it was closed.