talkmagic.co.uk

Lot of useful analysis here. But it does seem to be a single comment out of the blue. As said previously, this hasn't come up before. You handled it well. After a few, I'd have asked her to perform HER own particular party piece. Bit of karaoke, Marcel Marceaux (sp.?) impression, eat a number of hard boiled eggs, a la "Cool Hand Luke", anything. That usually shuts 'em up. If you worry about what some jerks think of you, you'd never get outa bed in the morning

There are a lot of people who don't like puzzles because they cannot follow or solve them. So the defensive attitude comes in. You made them feel stupid so now they are going to get you back. So be warned about puzzles.

I don't like puzzles, and I don't present magic that way so its not an issue. Of course if you are a smart *rse in life and you don't adopt a different character when performing...well you see where this is going.

I am a smart *rse, I'm also very sarcastic and it comes very naturally to me. However when I'm showing an effect, I turn that off, the magic is enough.

This reminds me of Derren Brown's books. In one of them he talks about realising he came across as smug when he performed and so he decided to make an effort to tone it down. My reaction was to wonder how smug he must have looked before he made this decision, because he often comes across as very pleased with himself on TV.

I must point out that I rate Derren very highly as a performer and love his work.

Anyway, my view of Grimshaw's incident has pretty much been covered already. Either you do come across as smug, in spite of your best efforts (as I feel Derren sometimes does), or this woman couldn't figure out how you had done your tricks and therefore labelled you as a smart-@rse because in her mind you were acting cleverer than her.

Some people will always view magic as a puzzle, no matter how you present it; it's just that actually presenting it as a puzzle greatly increases the chances of this happening!

I agree with everything that has been said before. There are always people who don't want to be entertained/don't like someone else getting the attention/just don't like magic( ). Don't worry about it too much.

Part-Timer wrote:This reminds me of Derren Brown's books. In one of them he talks about realising he came across as smug when he performed and so he decided to make an effort to tone it down. My reaction was to wonder how smug he must have looked before he made this decision, because he often comes across as very pleased with himself on TV.

In one of his stage shows he said he knows he often seems to be a smug git on TV but assured everyone that he isn't. His show went on to prove he was very human and what a great performer he is.

I would say that because you had booze on board andyou REALLY didnt want to perform, you may have even hurumphed before going into your routine, this may have give the impression that you were bored with your own brilliance and therefore came over as smug.....

Its that or you just appeared smug as you are a class 12 mage with honours.

OR.........................Before attending the party her boyfriend/husband may have said "Yes.........yes your *rse does look fat in that!" In which case you were never going to win.

Chin up i say, who listens to one person out of what im sure are thousands of happy specs!!!

Keep smiling,

Best wishes, Alec

I appreciate everyone's comments regarding the whole 'puzzle' thing.

Perhaps when i say i present it as a puzzle, i mean to say that i don't dress in a long black trench coat and stare at people in a funny manner pretending i have special powers. If you're performing to grown ups, i think you're off to a downer before you begin with that presentation.

In the past, i think people were more open to all things mystical, but i feel agnostics and atheists are more common these days. I think people are more grounded about spooks and poltergeists, and this is all just my opinion, but i think people will respect you more if you don't treat them like kids. As in, "Ooooo, look at me having these special magical powers and stuff".

They don't buy into it, and why would they?
So, rather than trying to come over as a wizard, i like to present tricks as something more earthly. I think that when you do this, if something genuinley weird / unexplainable does happen, then it hits harder.

Maybe puzzle was the wrong word. I don't simply say "Okay people, try and work this one out..." before i launch into an effect. I appreciate that in magic, as in life, you can't be liked by everyone and you can't please everyone all the time.

If people don't like magic, then that's fair enough. I was just concerned that i was becoming the kind of performer i didn't want to be, and portraying myself in an unpleasant manner. I have performed for people since, and happily it has gone very well indeed.

If your last sentence is true I should forget the whole thing and not give it another thought.

I am mindful of the fact that some people don't like magic and the perception that some magicians seem very pleased with themselves. I enjoy using ESP cards that make the spectator belive that they have successfuly transmitted a thought rather than me being responsible. I then praise them rather than waiting for applause myself.

Perhaps the addition of consumption of booze to the routine changed your patter? Its certainly known for making those who are shy and retiring more confident, so with a performer (who must already be confident to want to perform sober) the effect may be amplified, hence appearing like a smart *rse.

Either way, thats one comment out of x hundred folks youve shown magic to... Forget about it.

Weigh it up with the number of spectators youve had who heckle or try to get on your nerves or say "yeah, he did this then that and then the other and thats how it works" etc and this will help you care less about her comment