Introduction and Apologies
There are few things in life we enjoy more than attending the South Carolina
Association of Magicians convention in beautiful Columbia, South Carolina.
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| Friendly Magic News from SCAM |
We promised publication of this article/review several weeks ago but for some
reason, we could not find ability to finish the project. This piece is a subset
of several lengthy volumes summarizing, reviewing, and praising the weekend in
Columbia.
We live by two doctrines in our writing: 1) lack of inhibition is not the
same as talent; 2) the perfect is the enemy of the good and the good is a foe of
the adequate.
So while this article is not as long as it has been, it is at least done. If
you are bored, very bored, you can read the following to see how many different
styles and approaches we tried and how poorly we have edited the various
attempts into this final draft. You can also take a big virtual marker and
circle how many times the word “charm” or “charisma” is used.
We’re thinking of converting this article into a kid’s meal place mat for a
chain of family restaurants and what better way to distract a hungry,
sugar-crashing youngster than a good game of find the thematic
inconsistencies?
SCAM is Special – But in a Good Way
When we left Mystic Hollow, Michigan, there was snow everywhere, the skies
were gray and foreboding, ice made driving tricky, and we had just lost our
glass eye in a crooked on-line poker game.
We looked forward to (albeit with lousy depth perception) South Carolina.
Our foster-grandmother used to tell us, “to make a tasty cake, you need to
use tasty ingredients.” Her statement resonates in our horribly damaged soul as
an example of her innate wisdom. While the saying was also used to help prove up
her marijuana smuggling conviction, it never took on the serious second meaning
suggested by the prosecutor. To us kids, it was just a truism.
SCAM, like the special brownies and cakes Grandma Hempina used to make, is
special because all of its components are special.
The folks attending SCAM have a warmth we have not seen since Grandma got the
Chair. Unlike “Old Sparky” in Stark, Florida, the energy is created naturally
from within the attendees. There is nothing fake or insincere in their
friendliness, or their desire to share, teach, and learn. We have yet to run
across a negative or contrary person here at the beautiful Marriott in downtown
Columbia.
Henry Pettit puts on a great convention. The events, lectures, shows, and
sessions are constant but not unrelenting. His choice of performers is similar
to a melange created by a great chef – except without unedible garnish,
everything at SCAM can be devoured and SCAM needs no garnish.
GAZZO the Zelig of Magic
From garnish to garish we move our critical single eye to Gazzo’s significant
role in the weekend.
As we pre-wrote this review of the convention — before even seeing the South
Carolina state-line — we chalked-up Gazzo’s participation as “You either like
his type of humor or you do not. If you do not like the often caustic,…
Continue reading SCAM Reviews – At Long Last
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