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Have any of you guys ever approached a table and used an opening line like 'Have you seen the magician David Blaine on the T.V.'?

I am not a professional performer but have performed to friends. While peforming I get all the usual questions like "Have you seen David Blaine or Derren Brown". "Can you do any of their tricks?".

I have always wondered if comparing yourself to another magician is a wise idea. Does it have any disadvantages?

A vast many. The massive one in my opinion is, if someone wants to hire someone to do a Derren Brown style show they hire Derren Brown, not someone who claims to be like Derren Brown.

I wonder how much it would cost to hire Derren for a couple of hours. Probably more than I earn in a year. Before tax. (Always assuming, of course, that he could find a window in his schedule for a pleb like myself).

His website does mention private bookings somewhere, I'm sure it's more than affordable for lots of corporate businesses.

Two obvious drawbacks are, that you might come across as a clone, and that you might set their expectations too high.

If they make the comparison, I would probably suggest saying something like "Yeah, I know him, he's pretty good." and keep it at that. In mentalism I think "I apply some of the same techniques that he do" is allowable, and definitely much better than "Yeah, I can do some of his tricks."

It makes you sound less like a rip-off, IMO.

- CB

Why would you want to clone someone else? Be yourself and have your audience remember you for who you are and not as a copy of Derren.

I hate it when I'm compared to any another magician, I'm not Derren and I'm not David Blaine. I don't look like them and I don't act like them, I make an effort to be different, to be myself. And it's that which I hope people remember me for.

If I'm going to do "Extreme Mental Effort" I'll sometimes say "This is a trick that Derren taught me". This is a true statement. What I won't says is it was by me watching his "Devil's Picturebook" DVD.

TheStoner wrote:If I'm going to do "Extreme Mental Effort" I'll sometimes say "This is a trick that Derren taught me". This is a true statement. What I won't says is it was by me watching his "Devil's Picturebook" DVD.

do you not think refering to it as a "trick" weakens the entire premise?

For sure.

IAIN wrote:

TheStoner wrote:If I'm going to do "Extreme Mental Effort" I'll sometimes say "This is a trick that Derren taught me". This is a true statement. What I won't says is it was by me watching his "Devil's Picturebook" DVD.

do you not think refering to it as a "trick" weakens the entire premise?

Argh - yes = very good point! The power of words. Replacing "a trick" with "something" makes all the difference. Cheers!

Holding a martini with a green olive impaled upon a cocktail stick, you approach a table wearing a dinner jacket, having had aforementioned beverage shaken but not stirred some moments ago:

"The name's Brown.... [pause]

James...

Brown."

And the sound of "I Feel Good" with an impromtu medley of "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" cues your classic dancing cane rendition...

Also, rather than using "trick" you could try a "psychological experiment" taken out of, ironically, the WHSmith bestseller: Tricks Of The Mind.

Having said this, I am counting down the days till receipt of the Mind Reader Wallet to try some faux / psuedo Derren Brown / Luke Jermay style "suggestions"...

During my 20+ years of playing in bands, I was a huge opponent of being a clone of the 'flavor of the month,' especially given how quickly the flavor changes in the public's eyes and ears. Unfortunately, I lost that battle more times than I can count.

As far as magic and mentalism performances go, whoever's unlucky enough to be in front of me is going to get me, for better or for worse. Granted, I'm sure experienced magicians will see bits and pieces of others in me. To me, that's almost to be expected...to a certain degree. I personally don't make any comparisons to other performers - although it's only a matter of time before someone else points it out, and they of course are welcome to their opinions.

If asked, I will point out who I admire, although that's about as far as it goes. I'm not exactly sure I could give an accurate representation of who I'm similar too, even if I was in favor of doing that.

Rufio wrote:Holding a martini with a green olive impaled upon a cocktail stick, you approach a table wearing a dinner jacket, having had aforementioned beverage shaken but not stirred some moments ago:

"The name's Brown.... [pause]

James...

Brown."

And the sound of "I Feel Good" with an impromtu medley of "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" cues your classic dancing cane rendition...

You've seen me working haven't you!

James 'get on up' Brown