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I wasnt sure wether to post this here or in the 'Magicians Hall of Fame', anyway I opted for here. This is part of Paul Daniels online 'Tales From The Shed' series. I found this episode particularly interesting. Hopefully it will get some of you thinking http://www.youtube.com/user/thepauldani ... 0b4M2gPVo0

Paul's great. I always agree with what he says. (In terms of magic and performing mind ).
However if it's out there, published, it's out there. Obviously you have the right to do it the same way as the creator, but if you do, that's a pretty stupid thing to do. The electric chairs thing though I don't think was published though, and so obviously, is not for someone else to do. Was he talking about Stephen Mulhern?

You know, thats who popped into my head aswell. I dont actually know for certain though, did Stephen do the routine ? I havent seen it.

jim

jim ferguson wrote:You know, thats who popped into my head aswell. I dont actually know for certain though, did Stephen do the routine ? I havent seen it.

jim

I'm not certain, but I do remember Paul Daniels saying something about Stephen Mulhern doing a version of 'something' using stooges. I fairly sure it was the electric chair routine though. Don't quote me on that though

Yeah, Mulhern did the electric chairs during the ITV saturday night show he did a few months ago - and yeah, it was bad

I think Paul has a point there - if a magician is still working and is famous for a stage routine it's only polite if you're also a working magician to not also do it, but where does it stand with close up?

It's a tricky one, if you ask me

phillipnorthfield wrote:Paul's great. I always agree with what he says. (In terms of magic and performing mind ).

QFT.

I did find it amusing when Paul admitted he stole it from Maurice Fogel in the first place and then complained that this other fellow had pinched it from him.

It actually has been published by various people. Well, three anyway. Once by Eddie Burke, once by Edwin and finally the best and most comprehensive description by Ricky Dunn in his book "Zapped"

In fairness to Paul I think he was the best exponent of it. It is actually an old but little known bit. It was used extensively by Johnny Aladdin for example.

Oddly enough I do it too in my hypnosis show but my method is actually genuine hypnosis. Not that I believe in hypnosis mind you. I often use it as a finale to the show. When I wake everyone up they are all stuck to their chairs. Then I say "hot" and they all jump up with a yell. I do it as a post hypnotic suggestion.

If it's a performer's signature effect then it's definitely not nice to do it, especially if it's not done well. OK, perhaps it's because Paul is no longer on TV like in the old days but even so, there are thousands of other effects and routines to do so why nick one which is so strongly associated with another performer? Next thing they'll be doing his chop cup routine!

Mandrake wrote:If it's a performer's signature effect then it's definitely not nice to do it, especially if it's not done well. OK, perhaps it's because Paul is no longer on TV like in the old days but even so, there are thousands of other effects and routines to do so why nick one which is so strongly associated with another performer? Next thing they'll be doing his chop cup routine!

There was a "magician" on britains got talent who did do a slow version of pauls chop cup routine patter and all (59 seconds onwards). He was buzzed off pretty quickly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KROS9MYLv0

greedoniz wrote:

Mandrake wrote:If it's a performer's signature effect then it's definitely not nice to do it, especially if it's not done well. OK, perhaps it's because Paul is no longer on TV like in the old days but even so, there are thousands of other effects and routines to do so why nick one which is so strongly associated with another performer? Next thing they'll be doing his chop cup routine!

There was a "magician" on britains got talent who did do a slow version of pauls chop cup routine patter and all (59 seconds onwards). He was buzzed off pretty quickly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KROS9MYLv0

Strange how they didn't know or mention PD. Everyone has to know that's his surely?

phillipnorthfield wrote:Paul's great. I always agree with what he says. (In terms of magic and performing mind ).
However if it's out there, published, it's out there. Obviously you have the right to do it the same way as the creator, but if you do, that's a pretty stupid thing to do. The electric chairs thing though I don't think was published though, and so obviously, is not for someone else to do. Was he talking about Stephen Mulhern?

the routine as Paul does it has NEVER been published Its become well known because Paul has been doing it for a long, long time.

I've definitely seen an electric chairs routine published, in a pre-War text, although I can't quite recall which one and where at this moment in time. But I think the important point that Paul Daniels was making and his issue with it was not that someone else performed the trick, but that someone else performed it badly on television, meaning the illusion has been destroyed and it is harder for people who perform it before a live audience to maintain that there is some real magic going on because that poor performance has revealed certain aspects to a very wide audience. It is that it was performed badly is his complaint.