Lest anyone think the world of magic is all fun, games, and neat props; The Dallas Star-Telegram gives us the depressing nit and grit of the working magician’s life.
We usually refer you to the stories we find but this one may be too intense. Please, do not read the article if you have any doubts about your role in the fun world of Magic. Even then, read it with a buddy so you can thwart any attempts at self-injury or worse.
The article purports to be a profile of the working magician in these times of video magic. It is not an upper.
We are introduced to three magicians working and working it. One of the three is changing his name to fit his new character. James Veltrop is a salesman at Dallas’ Magic Etc. and is quoted as saying he hasn’t met someone working magic full-time in his eight years at the shop.
Performers change their names to fit market niches that may or may not exist in a desperate attempt to be booked. The reporter notes:
Names are ephemeral in the incredibly shrinking community of working magicians. Professor Moon, who also goes by Gran-Da-Dee, knows he has to be willing to change his name, his act and his whole approach to magic to appeal to kids in the Age of Harry Potter. The 72-year-old Arlington native has tried to make a full-time living as a performer ever since he left Tandy Corp. in 1985. But it hasn’t been easy.
“Not too many can manage that, and we all do just about anything legal,” Earl Warren says, chuckling. “When I have to, I even do singing telegrams. At various times I have as many as 15 agents looking for business for me. You really have to be constantly on the lookout for work. It doesn’t just come to you.”
Okey Doke. Hang on while we get this noose fixed up good and tight.
The blame lies not on magicians per se; but the world in which we practice. At least that’s the article’s hook.
For a generation of kids raised on Harry Potter and David Blaine, sophisticated special effects and video games, not to mention TV specials that spell out how tricks are done, the old-time magician is becoming as pass? as, well, pulling a rabbit out of a hat. The fraternity of dyed-in-the-wool magicians is being forced to change with the times — or simply fade away.
And yet, amidst the nuclear winter, a flower grows. The article describes with what seems to be a pitying tone Ken Stewart’s decision to go into magic full-time.
“A couple of months ago, I had something almost like a revelation,” he says. “I’ve worked as ‘Uncle Ken & Topper’ — Topper is my bunny rabbit who lives in a top hat — and I thought, ‘Uncle Ken doesn’t have any punch.’ Working here, I’m around wigs and costumes, and I started trying on hats. I thought I’d remake my act to have a different hat for each trick. I’ll be ‘The Magical Glad Hatter.’ ”
Lest anyone think the world of magic is all fun, games, and neat props; The Dallas Star-Telegram gives us the depressing nit and grit of the working magician’s life.
We usually refer you to the stories we find but this one may be too intense. Please, do not read the article if you have any doubts about your role in the fun world of Magic. Even then, read it with a buddy so you can thwart any attempts at self-injury or worse.
The article purports to be a profile of the working magician in these times of video magic. It is not an upper.
We are introduced to three magicians working and working it. One of the three is changing his name to fit his new character. James Veltrop is a salesman at Dallas’ Magic Etc. and is quoted as saying he hasn’t met someone working magic full-time in his eight years at the shop.
Performers change their names to fit market niches that may or may not exist in a desperate attempt to be booked. The reporter notes:
Names are ephemeral in the incredibly shrinking community of working magicians. Professor Moon, who also goes by Gran-Da-Dee, knows he has to be willing to change his name, his act and his whole approach to magic to appeal to kids in the Age of Harry Potter. The 72-year-old Arlington native has tried to make a full-time living as a performer ever since he left Tandy Corp. in 1985. But it hasn’t been easy.
“Not too many can manage that, and we all do just about anything legal,” Earl Warren says, chuckling. “When I have to, I even do singing telegrams. At various times I have as many as 15 agents looking for business for me. You really have to be constantly on the lookout for work. It doesn’t just come to you.”
Okey Doke. Hang on while we get this noose fixed up good and tight.
The blame lies not on magicians per se; but the world in which we practice. At least that’s the article’s hook.
For a generation of kids raised on Harry Potter and David Blaine, sophisticated special effects and video games, not to mention TV specials that spell out how tricks are done, the old-time magician is becoming as pass? as, well, pulling a rabbit out of a hat. The fraternity of dyed-in-the-wool magicians is being forced to change with the times — or simply fade away.
And yet, amidst the nuclear winter, a flower grows. The article describes with what seems to be a pitying tone Ken Stewart’s decision to go into magic full-time.
“A couple of months ago, I had something almost like a revelation,” he says. “I’ve worked as ‘Uncle Ken & Topper’ — Topper is my bunny rabbit who lives in a top hat — and I thought, ‘Uncle Ken doesn’t have any punch.’ Working here, I’m around wigs and costumes, and I started trying on hats. I thought I’d remake my act to have a different hat for each trick. I’ll be ‘The Magical Glad Hatter.’ ”
We received a press release from Mac King’s people announcing his participation in the inevitable media-frenzy tomorrow night. Mr. King put together a show to coincide with the release of J.K. Rowling’s latest novel about the young wizard.
Mr. King will begin the show promptly at 11:00 pm at the Barnes and Noble in Las Vegas. He’ll need to be done within 59 minutes, however. At precisely 11:59, the long-awaited tome will be on sale.
The Washington Post had an interesting article today about the Harry Potter parties set to take place tomorrow night in advance of the 11:59 release. “While bookstores are largely relying on huge late-night launch parties complete with sorting hat competitions offering iPods and signed books as prizes ahead of the midnight release, supermarkets and online retailers are trying to cast their own spell.”
Amazon reports it has over half a million pre-orders from the UK alone.
The US publisher, Scholastic Books, will print approximately 10 million copies.
We’d love to see Mr. King’s performance tomorrow night. Unfortunately, it is well-past our bedtime and we’re in Michigan. If a loyal reader has a chance to swing by the bookstore, we’d welcome the chance to publish a review here.
There are two ironic aspects to the story. First, the publishers and booksellers are spending so much to promote a book likely to sell over 12 million copies in its first printing. Second, that the star of the afternoon shows in Vegas, will be working a midnight show for kids.
Call us brilliant but we were thinking maybe magicians could take advantage of this whole Harry Potter thing. Imagine doing a show that some how incorporated the young wizard theme or performed tricks similar to the ones the young wizards learn in their special school.
You’d have to be careful not to infringe on the copyright or trademarks of Ms. Rowling, but it might just work. We are working on a routine where we play the dunce of the wizard school. We have a dunce cap instead of the Wizard’s hat; we use a squeegee instead of a magic wand; and make everything turn into toothpaste and McDonald’s Ketchup packets.
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