I tend to give any decent magic shows an easier time as I enjoy them. But I think structurally the show is a problem. While they don't reveal the trick, they say enough to ensure that the contestant understands that they know how they did it. I'm not sure that the audience gets an appropriate pay-off: "That was a good trick, but Penn and Teller know how it was done. But it sure looked good to me, and I don't know how they did it. Oh well..."
I suspect that the producers put a few people in with commercially available tricks - but who's presentation was slick - just to ensure that they got some decent magic out of it. The problem with the format is that a dumb trick might "fool" Penn and Teller because it's just not smart enough for them. Indeed I'd love to know how one particular guy went down in Vegas when he got through. It's perhaps not surprising then that the show didn't return for a second series. I'm also not sure how deep the pool goes for magicians to appear on the show. Adam On Fri, Aug 8, 2014 at 4:45 PM, Pete Ahles <[email protected]> wrote: > I don't understand the objection. > > Penn & Teller are only looking for original tricks, so an amateur > performing a known trip from a book will always lose unless P&T have never > seen it. > > They are skirting a fine line with the "Magician's Code". They just show > that they know how the trick's done. They never said that they would tell > the audience how it's done. > > > Pete > > > On Fri, Aug 8, 2014 at 11:16 AM, Tom Wolper <[email protected]> wrote: > >> On Thu, Aug 7, 2014 at 11:04 PM, Kevin M. <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> Yeah, I know. On his podcast, Penn has been talking about the edits CW >>> made to the series (to make it less British), and said he was told by CW's >>> powers-that-be that if the series does merely OK, they will give the go >>> ahead for a second (American) season. >>> >> >> I've watched two episodes of the show on the CW. It's a decent summer >> diversion and put together well enough, though Jonathan Ross can become >> annoying. I find the premise fishy, though. >> >> I think they started with an idea of doing a talent show for magicians >> with celebrity judges assessing the acts in a competition. I don't know if >> Penn & Teller were part of the show throughout its development, but they >> make good judges and offering winning acts a chance to open for them at the >> Rio is a good enough prize to attract top talent. When they see an act they >> like they proclaim themselves fooled, even if they know how the trick is >> done. For those who have not seen the show, when P&T are asked if they know >> how the trick is done they don't reveal details. They will use a phrase >> from magicians' jargon and the contestant will own up or dispute it. So a >> magician who uses a trick from a shop or book is at a disadvantage to one >> who creates an original trick. >> >> -- >> -- >> TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "TV or Not TV" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected] >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "TVorNotTV" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > -- > -- > TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "TV or Not TV" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "TVorNotTV" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TVorNotTV" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
