talkmagic.co.uk

It's an interview with Jerry Sadowitz, obviously. http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/nov/09/jerry-sadowitz-interview

Even though I am a psychic reverend and holy man of the cloth that cannot abide profanity and the sort of humour that Jerry Sadowitz indulges in I have quite a bit in common with him. I am also a Scottish Jew from Glasgow who is as miserable as sin and can do card tricks. Mind you, I can do the Notis Cascade and he can't. I tried to teach him it in London but they went all over the place in his hands. Then I took his cards and found they went all over the place in my hands too, which I suppose proves I indeed have something in common with him. Then I used my own cards and found it worked perfectly. I suspect the reason he can't do it is because of his bloody cards. I bet if he uses Waddingtons cards instead of that daft American bicycle deck he will get better results.

Regarding his career I think he should do something completely different in the entertainment field. Possibly become a -horror of horrors-magician! And nowadays there are more opportunities for professional close up card magic which he is very good at. After all, "if you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always got". I think it would give him a new lease of life! Can you imagine the shock if he started to do kid shows! I bet he would love it too since kids are not judgemental in the same way adults are. Mind you, they are still judgemental but in a different way. I have a shrewd suspicion (call it a gut feeling) that he would actually relate very well to kids. Alas, he would have to mind his language a trifle.

You can read a very interesting book and get to a very interesting page. But you can't keep reading the same page. Sooner or later you have to turn the page and go forward. I think Jerry should do that. Something fresh. Something new.

I got an eye opener once from a comedian. My whole life I considered magic to be the lowest rung on the entertainment ladder. However, this comedian told me that he was actually jealous of magicians. He told me that magicians have more venues to work and can earn consistently more money. He admitted that you have more chance of becoming a big star as a comedian (although still difficult) but from a steady work point of view he pointed out that magicians are far better off. He said, "I can't do my act at a children's birthday party. You can. I can't do my act strolling in cocktail parties, restaurants and corporate bookings. You can with close up magic. There are less venues available to me and less money too"

That opened my eyes quite a bit.

mark lewis wrote:Alas, he would have to mind his language a trifle.

Have you seen any kids recently? He'd probably be offended by them!

I've just read half of the article and it's completely changed my view of Sadowitz.
Before I didn't think much of him, but he's gone WAY up in my opinion. Sometimes you're just wrong. I thought I had him figured out. I was wrong.

Cracking interview.