Magic Is Fake

[stanhimself]

For the past 4 years of doing magic and everything, and the past months of 2009 being my biggest year in magic, (tv and stuff), it has been pondering my mind for a while, what people think about your magic.

I have had a handful of people on a daily basis whether it be at school, on the streets, in studios, wherever, there is always that one person who says, "I know its fake, Just a trick, cool."

Now, to me, some people accept that as an answer and say yeah it is. but to me, thats kind of taking away what your trying to express.

I want to know, is there a way to handle these people other than taking a metal bat to there house and smashing up there windows - Or are you able to show them something that changed their mind. Something they won't accuse of being a 'sleight'. Theres always one in the crowd to ruin it for the rest and try to put you down or make you feel like you did it wrong.

Its your call I guess. Thanks in advance if I dont get around to it.

 

[penguincdude]

For me, none of my audience are going to believe that what I do is real. Keep in mind that I perform for high school kids. I'm fine with that. Just because I know David Blaine isn't ACTUALLY magic I am still entertained. I guarantee you that very few popular magicians nowadays pretend to be really magic. I sometimes make jokes about it though. Say someone asks me to do a trick that I aven't got set up, I tell them I need to have my pixie dust for that and I just finished it or something like that.

 

[Spade444]

Sometimes the best thing to say back to them after they say "I know its fake, Just a trick, cool." is "well know its not fake." as sincere as you possibly can be. There are always people that say that to me too, but from my experience ,if you have fun and the other people are enjoying themselves, then that person eventually shuts up.

You could simply show him something like Angle zero, where there seems to be no moves, or a reveal like stigmata. Some of the the best reactions i have gotten are from stigmata because of its organic kind of "that is literally impossible" appeal. The guy who said that had almost the same attitude that the person you are talking about had like the "i know its fake, but i like watching" guy

So its your call, make a joke, or act serious, or just blow them away. Either way, if you have the deck of cards in your hands, then no matter what, you control the experience.

 

[Morgan B]

A couple things:

First, you aren’t “handling” these people, you want to educate them.
Secondly, a person thinking magic is “fake” is not against what you are trying to do.
Johnny Ace Palmer, as well as many others, would tell people it wasn’t real, but was so good that people wouldn’t believe him. He would use it against them.

I am more along the lines of a quick comment.

Magic is fake, just a trick.

When I was young, I look at them and say this depending on my time:

So is a movie, but I bet you money you have laughed, cried, and expressed emotion that made no sense when you realized the actors were paid to say lines on a camera and it was all “fake”. The best part of magic…you get to witness it live, unlike a movie, but you don’t see the cameras, the microphones or the director…just the experience.
As I have gotten older, I realize why guys like Palmer would deny it was real…because if you had real magic powers, would you tell people? Really, would you? What would happen to you? Moreover, any claim of magic will seem ridiculous unless you appear magic beyond your “trick”. You don’t drive a BMW, have 2 women on each arm…dressed in Armani…living the life with your magic powers?! If you do, claim you have those powers.

What I have been doing for years now – let it speak for itself. If you try to argue it, you look defensive, but if you do great magic and they can’t figure it out. This is the experience of magic. Magic is not you having real powers, it is the ability to make people feel wonder and see something impossible. You don’t need people to believe magic is real with your words, do it through your actions. They will see the strength of magic is the art of deception, and allowing them to see something they know is fake…but looks real. The illusion of real magic.
If you want people to think you have real magic powers…I may not do card tricks…in my school…for free? That doesn’t really scream fear me?!
Your best come back at your age may be this – short and sweet.

Magic is fake!

Yep, as fake as your imagination allows it to be. Then fry him.
Don’t take yourself so seriously though, they are just tricks – tricks that allow people to have fun…if you are a miracle worker, how about sending me some magic for this cold and ear infection I have?
Later

 

[William Draven]

My answer would depend on the person I was talking to but in most cases I think pointing out to a magician that magic isn't real is a fairly moot point. Honestly, the mark must be trying to start up a conversation about a topic they don't know much about. I like what Morg said, Just tell them it's as real as they'll let it be. And leave it at that.

Morg: I hear that Pop Haydon has some miracle juice that would probably work for you! I think he's still selling it from his site too. =P

 

[Cliff|Bumgardner]

They're right, magic is fake. It is not your job to convince them otherwise. It is your job to create art that entertains, and let them experience it as they wish.

C

 

[LLin]

Although I agree that magic is indeed fake, I feel the whole point of magic is to let them be amazed and puzzled by what you just did. It is to take away all the possibilities of how you did something magical until the only possible answer left is magic itself.

Simply put, even though people know magic is fake, make them believe that the only plausible way you do something miraculous is by using magical powers

 

[Sherlock]

I'll save my fingers from abuse and just say I second Morgicians post.

 

[visualartist]

A couple things:

First, you aren’t “handling” these people, you want to educate them.
Secondly, a person thinking magic is “fake” is not against what you are trying to do.
Johnny Ace Palmer, as well as many others, would tell people it wasn’t real, but was so good that people wouldn’t believe him. He would use it against them.

I am more along the lines of a quick comment.

Magic is fake, just a trick.

When I was young, I look at them and say this depending on my time:

So is a movie, but I bet you money you have laughed, cried, and expressed emotion that made no sense when you realized the actors were paid to say lines on a camera and it was all “fake”. The best part of magic…you get to witness it live, unlike a movie, but you don’t see the cameras, the microphones or the director…just the experience.
As I have gotten older, I realize why guys like Palmer would deny it was real…because if you had real magic powers, would you tell people? Really, would you? What would happen to you? Moreover, any claim of magic will seem ridiculous unless you appear magic beyond your “trick”. You don’t drive a BMW, have 2 women on each arm…dressed in Armani…living the life with your magic powers?! If you do, claim you have those powers.

What I have been doing for years now – let it speak for itself. If you try to argue it, you look defensive, but if you do great magic and they can’t figure it out. This is the experience of magic. Magic is not you having real powers, it is the ability to make people feel wonder and see something impossible. You don’t need people to believe magic is real with your words, do it through your actions. They will see the strength of magic is the art of deception, and allowing them to see something they know is fake…but looks real. The illusion of real magic.
If you want people to think you have real magic powers…I may not do card tricks…in my school…for free? That doesn’t really scream fear me?!
Your best come back at your age may be this – short and sweet.

Magic is fake!

Yep, as fake as your imagination allows it to be. Then fry him.
Don’t take yourself so seriously though, they are just tricks – tricks that allow people to have fun…if you are a miracle worker, how about sending me some magic for this cold and ear infection I have?
Later

Im with morg on this one.
But alot of the times I see magicians perform its because the magician himself makes it look fake. Or like a trick.
Going through the magic as if its a job or his daily routine. Leaving nothing for suspension of disbelief.
Alot of this problem I see happening is to the people who say they like being themselves when they perform. When I go out with them to watch them perform. Out of 10 performances they get the "thats fake" comment 6 or 7 times.

I myself dont want them to completely believe it or completely think its a trick.
I want them to consider it.
To Doubt.

 

[James Wise Magic]

There are several people whether it be on youtube or at my high school that people hate on magic saying it's fake. And to me I think that is freaking stupid that they say that. That's like hating a movie because it's fake.
"Ohhhh, those actors are soooo fake." To me it's just like, DUHHH!

It's called a magic trick. TRICK.

I really don't understand why people always say it's fake, I mean, obviously it is.

 

[visualartist]

There are several people whether it be on youtube or at my high school that people hate on magic saying it's fake. And to me I think that is freaking stupid that they say that. That's like hating a movie because it's fake.
"Ohhhh, those actors are soooo fake." To me it's just like, DUHHH!

It's called a magic trick. TRICK.

I really don't understand why people always say it's fake, I mean, obviously it is.

There are magicians who can make them Doubt.
David blaine anyone? Cyril?
People doubt with these two performers that its fake/tricks.

 

[Sherlock]

Magic is not fake actually, the tricks and effects we do are not fake. What we make them perceive isn't fake necessarily, but simply an illusion to a greater means.

Just remember that because magic is not some random assortment of tricks and sleights, but a feeling of a miracle of an impossibility.

 

[MillionaireMike]

I agree with Sherlock, they don't actually get what magic really is. We perform magic effects, what looks like magic so, so what if there is a trick behind it. Magic is something that fools you and something that looks impossible and that's what we do.