Why I Like Magic (and you should too!)

I don't remember the first time I saw a magic trick. Maybe it was when I was really young and there was a magician on TV. Maybe it was at church one Sunday night when they brought in a preacher that used magic to bring home his message. Maybe it was the first time I saw someone magically remove their thumb (you know what I'm talking about). But I know that I've always been interested in magic.



I think that most people see a good magic trick and say, "How'd he do that?"  Even when they're talking about it a week later they are still saying, "I don't know how he did that!" Me, on the other hand, along with many magicians say ,"How'd he do that? I'm going to find out."  Let me give you a, for instance.  Richard Osterlind is a great mentalist.  I saw a video of him solving a Rubik's cube blindfolded.  I said ....... well you know what I said and I got the DVD where he explained how to do it.  I got to the explanation section of the DVD and sat on the edge of my seat as Osterlind said, "First of all you have to learn how to solve a Rubik's cube." I said,"Oh..... WAIT........ WHAT?!"  Yes folks, I now know how to solve a Rubik's cube!  But I'm rambling.  Back to the topic.  What was it again?  Oh yes, Why I Like Magic (and you should too!)

There are three things that make me like magic and makes it attractive.  It's creative, it's entertaining and it's graceful.   Let's break them down one by one.

1. It's creative.  Let's face it.  We've all had a friend or a crazy uncle show us a card or coin trick.  Sometimes it may have amazed us and that's great.  The point is that there are thousands of card tricks and people are still creating more.  I am amazed at the things that magicians still invent today and totally blow my mind.  I'm sure that each of you have seen a magician that was creative.  Pushed the envelope.  Made you go, "WOW!"  I want you to close your eyes and think of someone that gave you that emotion.  Go ahead, close your eyes and think.  I'll wait.
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   Who'd you think of.  WHO? Criss Angel?  CRISS ANGEL?! By the way Criss, Cindy Brady called, she wants her lisp back!  I'm so frustrated right now.
2. It's entertaining.  Now depending on who you're watching perform it, a great magician can make the pulling your thumb off entertaining (you know what I'm talking about) and a terrible magician could ruin the best card trick in the world (you know who I'm talking about!) I was blessed to get to see Doug Henning live twice. I saw him in Cleveland and Warren, Ohio.  He made magic entertaining.  His presentation was fantastic.  He made you believe in magic.  David Copperfield has great presentation.  He really makes you enjoy the show.  It's never boring.  Penn & Tell, Criss Angel ...... WAIT!  Did I just say Cris..... I can't say it again.  But yes, they wouldn't have a show in Vegas if they weren't entertaining.  And we all love being entertained.
   
   
   
   
   
3. It's graceful.  I've got to tell you, there is nothing more impressive than watching a magician who has mastered a routine.  It is like listening to a symphony, watching a ballet or professional ballroom dancers.  Maybe you've never seen a magician that performs their magic so gracefully.  I would encourage you to click on the links that follow or go to YouTube and look up some of the following magicians.  Richard Ross and his beautiful linking ring routine.  Norm Nielsen and his phenomenal Miser's Dream. Let's not forget The Professor, Dai Vernon and his great cups and balls routine.  These performance almost bring a tear to your eye to see how beautiful they perform them (or maybe it's because I'm up so late).

So sit back, take some time and go to YouTube and watch Ricky Jay throw some cards or search some old Doug Henning clips.  Check out Dai Vernon or Slydini.  Albert Goshman or Derek Dingle.  And don't forget Bill Malone, BILL MALONE, B-I-L-L M-A-L-O-N-E!  After watching all of these you will truly see why I like magic (and you should too!)

4 Misconceptions about Ventriloquism

My life has been ventriloquism. Since I was 7 I was interested in it and started performing in front of live audiences at the age of 12. There are many interesting things I have learned through the years by going to ventriloquist conventions and hanging out with ventriloquists both, in person and online. Today I'm going to give you 4 misconceptions of ventriloquism.

1. You are born with the talent to talk without moving your lips - this is a misconception of the older crowd really.  I don't think anyone now a days believes this but at one time people actually believed that ventriloquist's had two throats or that their mouth was formed differently than "normal" people.  During my early years of performing I actually had adults come up and say to me, "I wish I was able to do that.   You are lucky you are born with that talent."  I was thinking, "Born with it?  I had to practice my butt off to learn this.  And, guess what, I'm still learning everyday."  Maybe instead of being called a performing ventriloquist we should all be called practicing ventriloquists. The great thing about ventriloquism is that anyone committed to learning it can do it.
   
   
   
2. The best ventriloquist's have the best lip control - Now if I was to give you a list of my top ten when it comes to ventriloquism, Edgar Bergen would definitely be in the top five.  As a matter of fact, if you ask most professional ventriloquist's where Bergen would rank they would most likely say in the top five.  How was Bergen's lip control?  Well, I've heard it said that when he performed in vaudeville it was fantastic!  The only thing is, I never saw him on vaudeville, the only time I saw him was on film and TV and let me tell you, his lip control was not top notch.  But that was by choice.  You see, Bergen got his big break in, of all things, RADIO.  Now I know what you're thinking, "A ventriloquist on the radio?" But that is where he got his start.  His attitude was, "I would rather the thousands of people listening to me and Charlie over the radio understand what I'm saying than the few that are in the studio watching the show not see my lips move."  Guess what, his manipulation with Charlie was so great that Charlie became real to the people.  He took their attention from his lips directly to Charlie.
   Now don't get me wrong, I believe that ventriloquist's need to do their best to talk without moving their lips.  If you call yourself a ventriloquist you need to practice that.  If not, your a puppeteer not a ventriloquist.  And when your not good at manipulating a puppet OR talking without moving your lips, your just fooling yourself.
   
   
3. Ventriloquist's are Psychos - Yes we've all seen how Hollywood wants ventriloquist's portrayed. If you've ever seen the movie Magic or any of the Twilight Zone shows about ventriloquist's their all nuts.  They're not playing with a full deck.  They're a few fries short of a happy meal.  They're a few bricks short of a full load.  OK, enough of the cliches already.  But there's something about a person with a dummy that makes thing all a little creepy.  Especially if they think the dummy is real.  What if it get control of you, becomes you and even makes you kill someone.  The truth of the matter is this.  To be a good ventriloquist you have to be a good actor because when you're on stage you're playing two rolls, the ventriloquist and the dummy (I'm sure at this point some are upset I'm using the work dummy and not figure, get over it!) So when it is so believable that the dummy is real that is just the ventriloquist doing a great job.  Does it mean we believe that he is real?  No.  Do we pretend he's real?  Absolutely. It adds to the illusion, the magic.  It's probably best to say that a ventriloquist is a magician with his voice and dummy creating the illusion of life, but not believing the dummy is alive.  That being said (yadda, yadda, yadda) I have met some very strange ventriloquists in my day.  Would I call them psycho?  No, but I would say some are a little strange.
   
   
   
4. Ventriloquist's have split personalities - I don't want to talk about this. You have to talk about this. But I don't want to. You have to!  You have no choice.  I'm not going to tell you again!!  Just talk about it.  WAIT......... where was I.  Oh yeah, split personalities.  Thank God I don't deal with that.  As I said before, good ventriloquists are good actors.  So you may think that he deals with a split personality but he doesn't (at least for the most part, I'm sure there are some exceptions out there). We, ventriloquists that is, are just normal people with a love for a crazy art form.  We aren't freaky, we aren't unusual, we don't belong in a mental institution. We are having fun and just want to entertain you with the characters we have created.  We don't talk to ourselves when we're alone (unless we're practicing).  So if you think that we're like one of those people on the street corner that has a nervous twitch and yells at themselves, we're not.  We put on an act when we're on stage.  That's it.  No split personality.

So there you have it.  4 misconceptions about ventriloquism that have now been cleared up.  I hope everyone enjoyed this and if you have any questions or comments please email me at danieljayrobison@gmail.com.  What's that?  Well, I have to go, Ziff's calling me. He's got a new joke!  I can't wait to hear it!!  I'LL BE RIGHT THERE.