No Class "Competition"

[Jolly Well]

A local street festival here brings in some variety of clowning and magic. A few friends from Norh Carolina come in to perform, (A balloon-artist who is there on pay, her husband a magician/juggler who hangs out "off the clock."), and a couple more of us met up to enjoy the festival.

The hired Magician was "okay." An award winner and all, but his show never hit either end of the great/lousy spectrum. His ego went off the chart however.

Anyway, fast forward to a rain storm that sent many of us to a sheltered area where we did some improv performance. My friend went to show someone a Card on Ceiling trick, and the hired Magician starts talking it up and telling how the trick is going to go. Even stepping in at one point wanting to do the trick instead, like we just ordered out first magic prop online and wanted to show it off for the first time.

Later on, he tries to set up station right beside the line for the Balloon lady, without consideration for stealing tips or slowing down the line.

For a professional, this guy had zero class when it came to professional courtesy. The magic world is a small world, Elitist stuff is crazy, and I can't imagine why anyone would let ego get in their way this much. Fortunately, I don't think the Festival committee is going to have him back next year - I can't say I'll miss him. He's the first performer I've met here, I am happy to see get on the interstate on the way out of town.

[Scruffy]

I understand, Jolly.

"Everyone makes us happy. Some when they come, others when they leave."

[Darrell]

It sounds like the guy may have known some magic tricks but not how to entertain people. Maybe he needs something that will help his performance; like a personality.

Darrell

[Goober]

Sounds like the only trick he could do to make people happy is to make his act disappear...

Ego gets in the way of a lot of otherwise great preformers. I once saw a yo-yo/holahoop act at a summer program I went to, and while some of the things they did were pretty impressive, they acted like they didn't need to be there. Truthfully, I think we all would have prefered that- even I felt awkward from the lack of the group's usually defaning applause.

[Jolly Well]

To be fair, some of his stuff was ok. He had some okay sleights and pulled off sme well known illusions pretty well. He bills himself as a Gospel Magician, and in that element - he's probably pretty good. He's won some awards for a couple of routines - so he has to have some talent somewhere - He just didn't bring it this weekend.

The spectators seemed to enjoy the show, and that's great. Street festivals are about the audience and not petty squabbles, but it's hard to get past someone this rude to people in the same circle. Encroaching on space and lines, exposure, and basically trashing props and gimmicks like everything he did was original and not a variation of something else on the market - He uses rubicks cube props in place of sponges or chop cup balls, etc - but basically the same thing.

[axedaclown]

Well, in my opinion, professionalism isn't just about your skill and appeal to the audience. It's also how you deal and work with your fellow entertainers... I've been a magician for quite a while and despite 'knowing' a trick or doing it a different way, I just sit back and enjoy the performance. If I'm performing with or near other performers I do my best to respect them. Sounded like this guy had no clue about that...

[halfpint]

Hey Jolly Well,

Boy did this hit a nerve. Back in January (New Year's Eve) Grand Forks sponsored a "First Night". There were all types of performers. Some good, some bad, some in the middle. My family and I were volunteering at various stations, but had a couple of acts we really wanted to see. We co-ordinated our schedules to check out a juggler.

The performer, who shall remain nameless, was a terrific juggler.His bio listed lots of clowning & juggling experience as well as teaching. I was duly impressed by his performance. He was able to juggle objects of varying kinds, weights and types effortlessly. Unfortunately his people skills were less impressive.

Several audience members lined up after the show to tell him how much they enjoyed the performance, to ask for autographs, etc. He was an absolute #@!8" to everybody.

Too bad talent isn't always packaged with kindness, tact or humility.