Quite a question, huh? Ok, I really don’t think people hate magicians…at least not everybody. However, I sincerely believe that there’s a stigma about magicians that has really hurt the industry. Thankfully, it’s started to fade away, thanks to shows like Fool Us, The Carbonaro Effect, and the 2014 season of America’s Got Talent, where Mat Franco became the first magician to ever win in the history of the show.
The Stigma
This picture is pretty much it. Now, is there anything wrong with this picture? ABSOLUTELY NOT…if he’s performing for children. As far as a children’s magician is concerned, there couldn’t be anything better than what’s in that picture. Balloons, a rabbit, a colorful suit, top hat and a magic wand. I would’ve loved that as a kid. However, I grew up, as do most people. Surprise! The problem is, people still think of magicians as what you see in that picture. You know what the bigger problem is? A lot of the time, they’re right.
Material
You know what? There’s really nothing wrong with the way that guy is dressed. He may sincerely be an incredible entertainer for adults. It all comes down to one very important element…material. Does the material respect the audience? Understand that I’m not just talking about “being polite” respect. I’m talking about “don’t insult the audience’s intelligence” respect.
Are you being real?
For example, let me tell you something you already know…the tooth fairy is not real. Shocked? Probably not. Well, guess what? Unless I’m talking to a child, I don’t seriously reference the tooth fairy in my day to day life. So, when do a magic trick for adults, I don’t reference “sprinkling magic dust” on the coin to make it disappear. Adults like to see something cool, just as much as kids do. However, magicians need to keep it at an adult level and I don’t mean off-color. I’m saying that using terms like “disappear” is maybe not always the best approach for adults. I knew by age 7 that things don’t disappear. Now, at the age of over 21, my views haven’t changed. Any sane adult knows that I don’t make a coin disappear or sprinkle magic dust, so why would act like they don’t know any better?
Respect and Honesty
Penn & Teller talk about keeping a level of honesty with the audience and celebrating the fact that it’s just a trick and I don’t think a magician could do a nicer thing for their audience. Talk to people with respect and honesty and they will love you for it. Don’t let disrespect be a reason that people hate magicians!
“I think everyone would love magic if they didn’t have to deal with magicians.” – Bryan Saint
The purpose of performing magic for an audience is to entertain. The first rule of entertainment is: Know your audience. Too many magicians assume a routine that entertains kids will also amaze adults. However, magicians like Harry Anderson and Penn & Teller that are entertainers first can be fun to watch. Learning magic tricks is easy. Entertainment is hard.
Perfectly said! Know your audience! Harry Anderson and Penn & Teller are the greats. Period!