As you will read, David VanVranken is a very gifted writer.His analysis of the Knock-Off problem is thorough and, I think, points out there is no easy answer but there are guideposts.
I imagine this article will stir up the controversy on the subject; but it is such an important topic, it is important that we discuss all aspects of the argument.For dealers, inventors and performers, this becomes less philosophical problem and one of financial life or death.
Will the real “Bad Guy” please Stand up?
In this current round of “Magic Thievery” it’s hard to tell the players without a scorecard.
You have magicians
You have dealers
You have builders
And, you have some that cross the line into multiple categories.
There was a very nice piece in the Jamaica Observer (Jamaica) covering Andre Kole’s performance on behalf of the Campus Crusade for Christ.The article notes: “Kole is widely considered to be one of the world’s finest magicians; but there is a major twist to his presentations. He uses the stage and his abilities to create illusions to spread the word of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
I like the phrasing.Mr. Kole is not being described as “one of the world’s finest Christian magicians” or a “minister who uses magic to entertain and engage his audience.”He is, I think we all agree, one of the finest illusionists, certainly one of the top inventors in our craft and an incredibly effective minister of the Gospel.
I have related in the past that it was Mr. Kole’s show in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the early 1970′s that really encouraged me to learn more about Jesus Christ and His free gift of eternal life that was meant not just for all but specifically for me.Just goes to show that even an Irish Catholic magician (I’m still all three) can be helped and therefore there is hope for all.
The article is complimented by a second story in the Jamaica Gleaner. Mr. Kole’s history in magic and philosophy is detailed along with his response to those who suggest a magician cannot be a Christian.Mr. Kole is quoted as saying that he does not agree that the type of magic we perform for entertainment is Satanic in origin.
“When I became a Christian I heard about the supposed demonic connection to magic. So I began to investigate magic all over the world. I found that Satan works basically in our minds and our thoughts. Satan does not have the ability to give anyone supernatural powers. A lot of people cite the story of Moses and the magicians in Pharaoh’s court. If that really happened, that means Satan has the ability to create… Continue reading Andre Kole Featured in Jamaica
At a very young age, (5-6 years old) I was having kidney problems (renal failure). I was going to the hospital all the time for blood tests. It was so bad that I had to be put in a special class because most of my time was in the hospital.
I knew more doctors and nurses then I had friends in grade school. I would just sit in the hospital room doing absolutely nothing but waiting for my next blood test. One day my parents got me bit by the magic bug. My parents were yard sailing one day and they noticed a used magic kit. It was called “A Hat Full Of Magic”. Man it was the greatest thing.
When I opened the kit I can remember all the good stuff was gone. It didn’t matter to me because it was magic. Any ways my life didn’t change much when my teens came. My high school years were pretty rough.
Back in the early 1970′s Kreskin had a National TV Show and many of the Magician’s I knew followed it faithfully, although they had a tendency to put him down for not admitting he was a magician, they had to admit that he was a talented enough showman to have a national TV audience.
On one show, Kreskin did an effect where after having two cards selected and thoroughly shuffling the deck, and showing the cards well mixed, he squared the deck and divided the deck into two equal piles of cards. After asking for the names of the selected cards, he then proceeded to first turn one card in each pile face up.
One card was black and the other was red, and neither was the selected card. Kreskin explained this was the first part of the miracle as he ribbon spread each pile to reveal one pile was all black and the other all red, except for one card in each pile that was of opposite color.
The kicker came when the red card that was selected, was in the pile amongst all black cards, and the other card selected, a black one, was amongst the ribbon spread red cards. “That’s amazing”!
The next morning I had no sooner opened the Magic Fun Wagon when a half dozen IBM Ring 117 members were at the counter. You have to realize here, that they were all retired, had been doing magic for years, and therefore did not have to be at work like me, so they could be at the Magic Shop early in the morning, no matter what day it was.
After a few minutes of nervous banter, it was obvious that they had all been in contact with each other the evening before, trying to puzzle out the effect Kreskin had done, but they were not successful in doing so. Therefore, they decided to jointly come to see me and pick my brain, or “torture” the secret out of me. I was secretly chuckling to myself and planning to teach them all a lesson.
Okay, I?m an idiot.Often we run the fake Errors and Omissions and make light of how stupid the editorial staff (Kathleen Lakeland, Missy Rochelle and me) are.But in the last week, I have made real errors and omissions and I apologize.
In my article on the ABC News article on Kirby VanBurch?s comments concerning the three stages of anger in tigers, some readers thought I gave the Branson illusionist too much credit.
Mr. VanBurch claimed that even though he was not present at the show and even though he hasn?t seen video of the horrible event, he knew what was going through the tiger?s mind and that somehow Roy Horn improperly handled the event.
This was an important lesson to me.In the still quiet place of my Internet studio here in the Mystic Hollow, Michigan home of Inside Magic, sometimes I figure no one reads what I write.Sometimes I figure people read it but think I am too sarcastic or dry in my humor.
Now I know that I was not sarcastic enough and certainly did not push the envelope of my saber-like (sometimes, butter knife-like) wit.
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