Magician’s flawed logic
So I have a confession to make. The only thing that gets me through the day is to watch kids ruin the name of magic. It’s like watching someone torture a turtle. I don’t like it, but I sure hell would watch it. For fun only of course.
Ever since Dan and Dave Buck came out with two card transpo trick Tivo, there has been a shit-load of “variations” from kids trying to make it better. They don’t. Which comes to the topic for today. Why do these kids think that their variation is better, more visual, and more magical? Roll film.
LINK DEAD.
I won’t go into all the little things he is not doing well since it seems like he is a beginner. The major things that stand out is the construction of the trick itself.
After the first insertion, he does a DL but uses a KM move to get the card in place.
Besides using the KM move at the worst time, the logic behind it is just plain horrible. There are much better ways to get the card into position for the change. This is a case and point of a magician doing something different for the sake of difference so he can call it his own. If it doesn’t add anything to the effect, its not worth it.
After the transpo, he takes way too long to reveal the card has changed places.
Did the kid forget where the card transported to? The fact that he takes more than 10 seconds to turn over a card is enough to say that this method is poor. Is it really that hard to turn over a card? I mean, can’t you just turn the fucking card over? Instead, you pull it out while holding the double, then put the card back on top of the deck putting the double card back on top, then thumb off the top card to show the card that was in the middle? I mean watching this guy makes more sense than the method of this trick.
The only reason this kid made this variation was that he wanted to be “original” and get praise from the chat groups. In fact, many kids put videos on solely for this purpose. It is amazing how these kids even think that their variations are improving the original method.
I will leave you with a post that the creator of this video wrote. It says it all…
"Yes it is a simplified tivomore cleaner though"
To quote from the show Boondocks, “Bitches love the smiley face.”
Comments: 16 Comments.
cool music! 
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Ben Pratt is a douche. Come out behind that Anonymous wall!
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I thought I was the only one that loved watching horrible performances.
Some times they are even more entertaining than exceptional ones.
These kids are in a massive state of denial.
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Hehe, you know we love to watch these. At the same time, I remember when I was little I’d come up with whatever version I could of a trick, even if the variation was really really bad. It made it “mine”. Some cases, it would make more sense (but not better, in retrospect) like when I’d see someone to a trick and the sleights were totally out of my hands. I’d try to come up with easier ways to do it.
Even so, even if I made a trick “mine” by fucking it up so I can do it doesn’t mean I’m going to video tape it.
Also, one thing I’m noticing… an easy way to tell beginners between more advanced dudes is if their shoulders fucking tense up during an action like dribbling the cards. Seriously now. Dudes need to relax.
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Gary, they also like to lean forwards over the cards to cover and prep for moves. Thats a pretty dead give away also haha
While I do like this post, I would argue that the kid made this variation not to simply post it and gain praise, but rather because he simply couldnt do the original handling.
I must say though…I that was brutal. Nice post, keep em coming.
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Lucas,
I would say that you have a point, but there are MANY 2 card transpo tricks that are easier and even more powerful effect wise. “Rabbit Transit”(?) from Royal Road to Card Magic comes to mind. A simple something extra and 2 DLs does the job and its in the spectator’s hand. To make something “easier” isn’t a reason enough to do it.
I mean would you do Ambitious card with a one-way deck? It is easier but you lose many other things that would lessen the effect, for example, the ability to hand out the deck.
-T
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@ObvPratt – douchebag.
@Lucas – Oh Lucas, you have no idea how funny that observation is to me and a few people I know. There’s a certain someone we know who does that whenever they do a dribble pass to the point of shoving it into the spectator’s face. Heh heh.
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I once met this guy at a chatting place. His name is Son, 12 years old and says he has been doing magic for 2 years. Yes, 2 years.
Now Tony. I like you and your blog and of course these performances are awful, but what is the reason to put the videos on your blog saying how horrible it is? What he does wrong and stuff. I personally think it’s a really bad thing to do.
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So what you are saying is we should be nice to magicians who are bad? Listen, I’m not doubting he is a beginner. I was that bad too. But why in the NAME OF GOD would you put the video on the internet? Wouldn’t you at least work on it and not show the whole world?
Is it wrong for us to critique people’s work? Are you telling me its okay for magic videos like these to be on youtube so easily searched by laymen? Is it okay for the image of magic (how fragile it is) to be put down into the dirt?
If you saw a magician’s show and it was fucking horrible do you say anything to him?
You can ask all my magician friends. I am really blunt when it comes to critiquing magic. There is no point of saying “oh that’s nice” when you see him flashing every move he does. That doesn’t further magic, and if the creator is offended then good! It will make him do 2 things. 1.) make it better and prove us wrong. or 2.) Quit magic. Hopefully he does the 1st.
Listen, I don’t hate the person. I hate the fact he wants to put magic on that is half baked. there is NO POINT to that. Its like showing someone a movie that is half done. Is THAT okay?
And if you don’t believe me, Dai Vernon used to bash beginners to the point that they quit magic. Or make them stronger… Which is it.
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@ Tony, Hey man great job with the blog and everything.
@ Morten, Being a beginner has nothing to do with respect and practice. If this kid really respects magic he should understand his flaws and take criticism. And plus ask Tony, I have been doing magic for a little over 2 years and I (hopefully) treat the art with enough respect and practice it deserves. Now if you think hes being harsh on the kid, he is not, he is giving a reality check. I do understand that getting criticized feels like shit, that is probably what stops 80% of hobbiests from pursuing the art deeper, but once you can take the shit you can grow as a magician and better yet as a person.
Tatanka
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Yeah guys… i can take critism.
I hope you know i’ve improved alot since that video,
and yes it was a little too harsh to bash me like that,
i would have accepted a “you suck go practice somemore”
better then what you did comparing me to some fat guy with a gun.
I created this variation to make it easier for ME not for YOU
and by EASIER i dont like to do the ending of tivo 2.0 where you take the card out of the middle.
Bye
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Also … just to let you know what i did in those 2 years….
i sucked though half of those years.
i began doing card magic for 1 year basically after sucking.
and in half of that i took my time learning the basics.
and the last half of course started learning tricks.
I know i suck… im trying my best to get better 
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Son, thanks for replying.
That’s great to hear that you are getting better. Like I said, I was where you were at when I began. Doesn’t mean I am any master by any means right now. What I was talking about in the post was how we all as magicians think by making a variation it makes the effect better by default. All I ask anyone when making something “better” is really think about it.
Try this please. If you could do real magic and for some reason you are doing card tricks, how would you do this trick? Do you really take that long to take the card out of the middle? Just because it’s easier doesn’t mean it makes the trick better. By the way, if your reasoning for not learning tivo 2.0 is because it is hard… then you are in the wrong hobby.
Sorry if I’m harsh, but I am harsh to anyone who shows me things I think looks bad. Its not because I am some person on the internet, ask anyone who knows me in person how blunt I am about criticizing people’s work. I am blunt because it gets to the point, which is to work on it till you get it RIGHT. There’s no reason for me to be nice about it. It doesn’t help you grow as a magician and it doesn’t help magic as a whole. People take it personally, I don’t. You shouldn’t either
What I would love to see you do is send another video about how you improved since this video. This blog is mostly about helping people who WANTS it. Take the critique however you want it. There is a reason I am saying what I am saying
Take care
P.S. come on. that fat guy shooting the gun was funny.
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Yes that fat guy was funny…
tivo is not that hard for me but at the end i dont like the taking the card out of the middle part.
so i changed it a little,
oh and if you wanted to see a video of me improved ill do it when i get home from school.
Cya
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I already know how to do tivo 2/0 ….. just dont like the ending
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