No Wow Magic on Wow-Wow-Wee
If you find me mean today, it’s because I’m upset. Despite my vaunted self-control, I will not control myself from writing some harsh words about fellow magicians in the Philippines.
I can hear the coming recriminations. When Philippine magicians and guardians of the integrity of the magic art in the Philippines come together to dissect the Wow-Wow-Wee episode last week, a few will not speak highly of TV host Willie Revillame. I’m sure of that. I’m not a psychic for nothing.
But Willie is the last person I would blame for the fiasco (that’s one of those harsh words I said I would write) . Sure, he exposed the Coin Bite trick, but exposing it was not his fault. He was merely doing his job, which was to make his audience laugh. His job was to entertain both the live and TV audiences, not to protect magic secrets. That job fell on the shoulders of magicians, who were supposed to have sworn to safeguard magic secrets but failed to do so.
Remember this: if a magic trick is exposed, by designed or by accident, on TV or any entertainment medium, the fault lies on the magicians. They are supposed to train long and hard and practice incessantly, so that the magic they performed don’t get exposed.
The bright side of that sorry TV appearance (sorry for the art of magic) was that one of the contestant-magicians won more than half-a-million pesos.
Congratulations to him. I know him personally to be in need of money (who isn’t?), so the windfall was indeed a blessing.
However, I could hardly watch the show (actually I walked out in middle of the program, went upstairs to my room to read Angels and Demons).
The program’s portion where they had magicians performing, on past days with other guests, usually comes out as one of the most entertaining portions of the program. With a little egging from Willie, amateur performers like lead-footed dancers and tone-deaf singers would show their lack of talents but somehow would always get uproarious response from the audience.
Alas, when the magicians went in front of the cameras last week, Willie couldn’t seem to get the portion to lift off the ground. The magicians just simply were not funny, not entertaining and not amazing.. ..especially not amazing.
How could magicians be amazing if they exposed tricks with gay abandon? Why would anyone manipulate cards a la Jeff Mc Bride while completely surrounded by the studio audience is a brain teaser that could come down in the archives of unsolved mysteries as intriguing as UFO sightings.
All throughout the supposedly magical performances, Willie was wearing the pained look of a person suffering from constipation. The magic that day devastatingly bored him and totally underwhelmed the audience.
Congratulations to the winners, but no thanks for the exposures. It was not a glorious day for Philippine magic. I doubt the quality of the performances gained for it public respect.
There. I’ve said my piece. I shall henceforth keep my mouth shut on this matter and leave you guys to enjoy your windfall money.
Stay magical,
Leodini
Kuya Leo,
I was with my father while watching the show that very day, I was embarrassed even watching the segment.
Why in the world will he ever let the comedian hold the coin??? He could have done something about it on that moment. (switch it or make it disappear! something like that) And for God’s sake, why will you ever do a card manipulation in that set-up?? Haven’t he read any magic 101 book?? Not to mention, he has a logo on his shirt that he is very proud of.
I have a chance to be with Willie before. Yes he could be an ass sometimes, and yes he could insult you if he wanted to, but the guy can totally understand if the clown/magician told him that he could not let Willie hold the prop because it’s our job at stake if any secret will be reveal on national TV.
Every lay audience outraged with happiness with what they saw. But in the magic community, NOBODY’s laughing!
Some people took pride in what we do. Unfortunately, some just use what we do to show off or make a living out of it. Those guys could quit doing magic and work somewhere else, but what about us? The people who try to uplift magic in the country. The people who made magic their life.
In a nutshell, it could have been a very different afternoon if magicians are conscious enough on how to act and react in a particular situation. Since what’s done is done, afterall, there’s no use crying over spilled milk, in the future, let’s seek help, extend our hands to others who needs help, share our opinions to our brothers who is out of place or out of line. Most importantly, let’s share to these guys the responsibilities of being a magician.
This is the time to pull ourselves together.
Thanks kuya Leo. I know exactly how you feel. I hate not being there. Next time, let’s join. At least two guys won’t be exposing any act. he he
Have a nice day.
Slydon
TV is a powerful technology that can help us spread the appreciation of magic.
However, it is also a cruel medium that can put magic in a bad light. Magicians should be wary about this medium.
There is a lesson somewhere that can be taken to the heart from the Wow-Wow-Wee guesting of magicians last week. And that is, magicians going on TV should choose their material carefully. One can’t just appear on television performing tricks they perform for YouTube.
Stay magical,
Leodini
Magandang araw,
Alam ko na mali ang aking ginawa! at nai-hingi ko na ito ng paumanhin sa kapwa ko salamangkero sa inner magic club,saksi ang ilang kasapi ng magician foundation inc. at akoy patuloy na humihingi ng paumanhin sa kapwa ko salamangkero sa buong mundo!
Ang totoo po nito ay meron akung talagang nakahandang piyesa na itatanghal sa madla,subalit hindi ito pinahintulutan ng mga taong may hawak sa mga kalahok sa programang nabangit, kung alin anya ang ginawa mo sa audition ay yun din ang ipapakita mo sa telebisyon! Sa pagkakataon yon ay hindi ko na alam ang aking gagawin sapagkat unang pagkakataon ko palang sa ganuong pangyayare, hindi ko alam ang aking isa-sagot, sinabi ko nalamang na pag yun ang aking ginawa kawawa ang salamangkang gagawin ko dahil sa ayos ng mga manu-nuod! pero hindi parin sila pumayag kaya pikit mata kung ginawa ang akingpalabas! Sana ay maunawaan ninyong lahat, tayo ay mga tao lamang a nagkakamali maraming salamat po!
Sa kabilang banda! aking nabasa ang kumento ni ginoong slydon! na ako ay taas nuo pa daw na nag mamanipula ng baraha sa ganuong ayos ng mga manunuod na may pangalan pa ng aking kinaaanibang grupo ang aking damit!
Mawalang galang na sa iyo ginuong slydon! yuon ay pikit mata kung ginagawa! kung nakita mo na parang ganado akong magpalabas, eh nag papaka propesyonal lang ako! alangan naman na ipakita ko yon na parang hindi ako kumain? at sa harap pa ng tetebisyon!Tungkol naman doon sa paglalagay ko ng logo sa aking kasuotan talagang akoy taas nuo! pero hindi dun sa ginawa k! lahat tayong mga tao ay nagkakamali kaya wag sana nating idiin ang isang tao na animo ay nakapatay ng tao!
Kahit ikaw ginuong slydon ay nagkakamali din! At alam kung alam mo yan!
MARAMING SALAMAT PO!!!
would like to comment regarding sa clown who did his coin bite effect! hope next time carefull sya sa mga ginagawa nya. bawat pagkakamali sa paglalabas ng Magic either t.v or corporate Shows. or any Shows That involved magic acts.sana po ay iingatan natin ang Exposure.masakit po para sa mga Magicians na Magic ang hanapbuhay.wag na nating dadagdagan ang mga ginagawang pagkakamali ng mga Mask Magicians.thanks leo for this Blog.sana matatauhan sila..
Kent,
I know how you feel. You are one of the victims of the Pinoy Masked Magician.
Stay magical, nevertheless.
Leodini
i got my coin bite from sir kent, and you know what, i treasure that a lot because it was from a master magician, i didn’t perform that for now because the heck revelation of the gimmick was done, and if i will perform it,the spectators would probably say i know that already because willie shows it, kmzta nmn poh un, pano n poh kming mga pasimula palang sa magic at wala pang pangalang nagagawa eh nasisira na dahil sa mga lintik n nagrereveal na yan.. please naman poh be carefull next time, professional magicians n poh kau, wag nyo pong sasabihin na tatalunin ko poh kayo sa pagtatago at pagtanggi kung sakaling may audience na mambubulilyaso sa tricks nyo, alam nyo nmn poh cguro ang false transfer diba????????
That event in wowowee is a real disaster to us magicians. I am in Mindanao but I traveled a lot just to perform magic but then everytime I perform street magic I ask my spectator first if he happens to watch wowowee when the segment invited magicians. When they say no, then I can show my coinbite. But the sad thing is that most of them watched it and can even explain to you the gimmick. A great effect has turned into a piece of reject. That is because of our fellow magcians who are careless about their performances, ibinigay ba naman kay willie young coin??? tanga talaga! saan na yung pagka magician mo? perhaps you dont know the basics of coin palming tapos nag coin kapa??