I admit that I’m late on this Criss Angel/ashes controversy that arose last month. But after reviewing the Scorpion UV system, which made me recall work that I had done with D’Lite’s Stampede system and the ash trick, I got to thinking again about Angel’s “lesson” and exposure versus education. Angel recently taught “ashes on the palm” on his well-watched television show. Was this blatant exposure of magic? Or was it education-teaching an effect to those who are interested in learning magic? I feel that Angel’s lesson was exposure and here’s why.
Exposed
To start, one has to define exposure and education. Blatant exposure occurs when the secret of a magic trick or illusion is explained to lay people. Furthermore, the explanation is not designed to teach an effect to those who are interested. The idea is to blow a magician’s cover.
So when a magazine article or television show displays the inner workings of Robert Harbin’s Zig-Zag illusion, for example, a popular target for explanation, it’s exposure. Viewers are not given plans on how to build the device, nor are they offered suggestions on how to perform the illusion. The box is opened-up on camera and dissected so spectators can understand its inner workings.
Magic Bashing
Blatant exposure is mean-spirited and designed to bring down magicians. These explanations imply that magicians are unskilled performers who only rely on secrets and the fact that they know something that audiences don’t.
Exposure doesn’t take into account that good magicians have to understand psychology, be superb presenters, have excellent stage presence and in the case of illusionists and formal stage magicians, make use of sophisticated lighting, music, choreography, costuming and more to entertain. Magicians are depicted as nerdy, insecure performers who only have their secrets to hide behind. Without secrets, in the minds of those who expose, magicians are nothing.
Education
With magic education, on the other hand, an effect is explained, and the student is offered suggestions on building props, if necessary, as well as taught moves and shown how to perform and present the effect. Education becomes exposure when it’s shown to the wrong people-one doesn’t have to look far on the internet for examples of this.
When teaching magic, one has to assume that the information is being provided to those who truly want to learn magic and are responsible members of the magic community. When a casual television watcher, for example, is given a magic lesson when he or she had no inclination to learn an effect or perform it, it’s exposure.
Given these definitions, Angel should not be teaching magic on his shows because most of his viewers are tuning-in to watch cutting-edge magic, not to learn magic. Thus, any lesson or “Mindfreak” that’s explained becomes exposure to the masses of Angel fans and magic enthusiasts.
