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Flash wrote:...Loved the costume too, it was proper tasty.

Almost as tasty as Panache.


Sorry, I'll go away now.

I, too, thought the programme was good entertainment. However, I found it hard to believe that he was placed (3rd) in the competition. Future weeks, for example as a clown, a vent might give a broad common denominator view as to his overall talent in many fields (I'm not exactly sure if he will be competing in these fields, as he was in magic).

If he is indeed competing in these fields of entertainment and does get placed, then OK, I'll have to rethink my philosophy. But at the moment, it looks like a novice with a bankroll can walk into the magic arena and kick butt after 4 weeks.

I find it difficult to imagine anyone doing that in golf, football, any other field. Wonder what Simon Cowell would make of an entry like that in Popstars/American Idol (?)


TI

Thames Iron wrote:(I'm not exactly sure if he will be competing in these fields, as he was in magic).

The trailer at the end said he was aiming to compete, and win, a contest at each event.

I'd have thought Justin is most likely to struggle at the ventriloquists' convention, but we'll see.

I find it difficult to imagine anyone doing that in golf, football, any other field. Wonder what Simon Cowell would make of an entry like that in Popstars/American Idol (?)

I'd have thought that a lot of people pitch up to those competitions with less than four weeks' training.

The 'Faking It' series often trained people to a high standard (admittedly not necessarily good enough to win contests, but certainly not to look out of place) in a wide variety of fields, including magic. Like JLC, they only had four weeks.

I think the point is that, often, the people chosen had some useful background skill or experience. They trained a ballet dancer (who'd be very fit and agile) to be a pro-wrestler, for example. Justin is a performer, so he was already part way there as an illusionist.

Agreed Part-Timer, we all know that magicians guard an empty box (especially illusionists, hahaha) and with an effect like that there's nothing 'knuckle-busting' to learn but a fair bit of choreography. He would have practiced his ass off for the month beforehand and I imagine a load of research went in before the four weeks officially started. All that stuff about him sitting in his hotel room unsure as to how to put the box together and 'last minute' practice in the car park was undoubtedly there to add a bit of drama for the telly.

On the other hand I reckon if he'd had to learn a decent manipulation routine he'd have had a harder time of it and possibly wouldn't have placed as that sort of thing takes a while to build up the muscle memory to do smoothly.

Sorry, Part-Timer, Monday morning and I'm not sure if I understood your quote:

I'd have thought that a lot of people pitch up to those competitions with less than four weeks' training.

If it relates to golf, etc, I have yet to come across a NOVICE with a bankroll (being coached by, say, David Ledbetter for 4 weeks solid) with a competent "caddy" (Zara Mason/Panache) to hold his hand in the competition being placed in the top 3 of even a semi-pro/amateur event.

If it's the song contests, would agree that - obviously - some do indeed turn up with no training - but, signs on, they don't place in the top 3 either.

However, your points, guys, are fascinating especially illusion versus sleight of hand, etc. II once had the misfortune to meet a member of the legal profession at a dinner event and made a fatal reference to "solicitor" somewhere in the conversation.

I AM A LITIGATOR, he bellowed. OK, mate, whatever floats yer boat.

Now, the next time some annoying person corners you and says "I hear you're a magician, do a trick" - you can bellow "I'm NOT A MERE MAGICIAN, I'm AN ILLUSIONIST"

Saves carrying anything around in yer pockets, anyway

bronz wrote:On the other hand I reckon if he'd had to learn a decent manipulation routine he'd have had a harder time of it and possibly wouldn't have placed as that sort of thing takes a while to build up the muscle memory to do smoothly.

Which is probably why Scott Penrose's comments were so valid - and why JLC was even more determined to do the big box stuff .

Thames Iron wrote:If it's the song contests, would agree that - obviously - some do indeed turn up with no training - but, signs on, they don't place in the top 3 either.

I meant the song contests (my comment followed directly on from your reference to Simon Cowell's shows). JLC had four weeks' training, plus a (presumably, I am no expert on him) long career of performing stand-up, so he was hardly relying just on raw talent.

While it's possible for the producers to have 'massaged' the result for a celebrity, we repeatedly saw 'ordinary' people do the same on 'Faking It'.

I have to say after watching last weeks episode...I have I see Justin L-C in a different light. I liked him a lot, he's got determination and I admire that.

I agree with you Sophie

His years of experience on TV and as a stand up will have been an advantage as at least he wouldn't have to overcome stage fright, nerves etc. and could focus on the performance.

It's apparent from the judges comments that personality and likeability is as equally important than technical ability and that's why some of the other performers literally died on stage.

A good series so far me thinks...

Thames Iron wrote:Now, the next time some annoying person corners you and says "I hear you're a magician, do a trick" - you can bellow "I'm NOT A MERE MAGICIAN, I'm AN ILLUSIONIST"

or

"I do illusions...tricks are what whores do for money"

I think dat has highlighted the secret. JLC is a likable sort of chap, big size, big personality, not afraid to laugh at himself and as such he'd be able to perform in almost any of the entertaining spheres. Except possibly ballet . I was fully expecting this series to be a bit of a turn off but I'm enjoying it tremendously and it's great to see the various characters who attend these conventions. OK, perhaps it shows conventioneers as weird but I'm happy with that - as long as you spell weird 'individual'.

What the?!!?!

Having seen tonight's Clown episode I have now developed a deep fear of clowns...

Quite ironic really considering I'm a clown...

Although the only real clowns that featured in this program were Rainbow and Mookey, the rest were just deeply strange individuals in make up...

Wow I was right all along....clowns are evil (apart from Flash whom is jolly nice).
That show freaked me out something rotten.
I'd rather share a night in a cell with a 6 foot high mexican transvesite who insists on calling me Shirley than go to a clown convention.

Mind you I never have liked ventriloquist dummies, mime artists and clowns....far too sinister.

Very weird. The costumes were brilliant and must have cost a fortune, most of the make-up jobs were similarly excellent. Sadly the idea of humour seemed to have been lost in translation but the best/worst part for me was to see them all taking part in a service of worship waving crosses made out of white balloons. No, sorry, at that point it became a farce and I came close to losing bladder control. The picky way JLC was disqualified from the last section may be in accord with the rules but certainly not in accord with entertaining people and a few of those jugdes could have done with some slapstick of the genuinely painful kind.

My TV listings mag suggested that was the last of these programs but the opening credit seemed to infer there were four programmes, one more with him doing an Elvis impersonation?

PS I can see why he prefers to have a beard, his face has far more character when covered in hair.

Part of the problem might be that he's not really peforming at the top level in each sphere, as far as I can see. As a result most of the performers at the competitions he went to probably weren't in the top flight of what they do and subsequently he was able to do pretty well against them with his natural ability. Not to disparage him at all, I think he did a phenomenal job at all three but to be honest the other contestants often made such glaring errors in performance (the guys in the magic and vent competitions who went literally minutes over the allotted time for example) that anyone with some common sense and a big personality stands a good chance of doing well.

The magicians were a bit odd, some of the vents certainly had issues, and the clowns... I know a guy who does clowning professionally and he's genuinely funny and a great entertainer, companies hire him to walk around events just as himself meeting and greeting and drumming up an atmosphere. He certainly doesn't use a phone call from God as the basis for an 'act'.