It’s great to see people passionate about something. Especially something i didn’t know people were so passionate about (like the Pac Man article I read recently).

I had been thinking about whether or not revealing magic tricks was a bad thing or not. When you watch movies and they do crazy stunts/FX and you go “WOW, How’d they do that?” and then there’s a special feature and they show you how they did that, sometimes you feel cheated. “Oh, that’s how.” But sometimes you go, WOW, seeing them do that was just as cool as seeing the final product (I felt this way about a lot of the stunts in the Bourne Ultimatum). Is magic the same way? Where you learn how someone does and you just marvel that they can actually do it, or that they do it so well? I guess it depends on the viewer. There are some tricks where I’d love to know how it’s done, and some where I think I’m better off not knowing (that there actually two ladies in the box or whatever). I’m 3 quarters of the way through the Gopnik article, and I’m sure I’ll have something to say about it.

Until then, good day.

I say good day!

The article by Adam Gopnick, already mentioned is quite good, and sheds magic in New York in a fun, enriching, and very positive way. I guess its only fair that we have another article, that is the complete opposite.

And by the way, if Mr. Stone can reveal his act publicly, one can only wonder how he got into the “Olympics of Magic” FISM, which is given the utmost respect.

I would hate to think what he performs in any show for any audience after reading that article.

Further, magic is not about how hard it is, but the message that we send to our audiences and allowing them to dream and watch something that is against what they know already, and therefore creating and illusion in their mind about what is really taking place.

I think I’ve made my point. I don’t mean to be so negative, I feel however, I must take a stand and voice my opinion,

“Now gooday”(A quote from “that 70s show”).

As for this post itself, I’ve been wondering why it had gotten so many views lately…I didn’t realize I had jumped into a controversial topic! I had no idea about Mr Stone’s credentials or lack thereof. And, since I have no reason to doubt Todd Robbins’ comments, I’ll assume that he’s telling the truth. I’ll have to check out that New Yorker article now for comparison. Thanks for the recommendation!

I don’t know why he wrote the article, except to make a quick buck or because he has an act to grind. The bigger question is why Harper’s would run such an article.

By the way, so much of the methods he put in this article are just plain wrong. Alex Stone is completely clueless and has no idea of the methods used.

His greatest trick is getting this article published.

If you really want to read a great article on magic, Adam Gotnick wrote one in the New Yorker a few month ago.

Todd Robbins