Two Prize Winners!

I have received quite a few video submissions this week. Unfortunately, none of them were good enough to go on my Top Ten list. I am still seeking videos for Competition #1. However, I do have a couple of honorable mentions from what has been submitted to me so far.

Standing Triumph Old Market

Jered, I really like your street performing personality. Your scripting could use a little work, and the way that you do the ambitious routine with a card that has “nothing to do with the selected card” is good in theory, but it plays as confusing to the spectators. I really don’t like your version of standing triumph, as you once again move the cards around in a convoluted way. But that comes down to effect selection.

It’s obvious to me that you put effort and thought into your material. Your audience likes you, and most importantly: you entertained your crowd. You kept their attention, made them laugh, and made them enjoy their evening a little more.

Although you didn’t win the Top Ten competition, you did win the material prize that you were seeking. Send me your mailing address, and I will send you a copy of Decks, Lies, and Videotape. There is an in-the-hands version of Triumph on the DVD that would be more suitable for you, and the DVD overall will give you a lot of material for street performing. Oh yeah, I’m also going to throw in a deck of Bikes! Thanks for your submission!

Rating: Two Light Bulbs and a DVD

(This rating is not necessarily as arbitrary as most of the other ones are.)

Amazing Arthur Balloon Dog Trick 2009

Arthur, I like your commitment to the character. You really are into it, you are funny, and you are entertaining. I enjoyed watching this video. There was only one flaw as far as character goes, and that is your attire. You don’t look unique, you don’t look interesting at all. Your overall entertainment value would be taken to a new level if you put some thought into how you dressed for a performance.

Your personality is great for all the kids in the audience, although I was a taken aback that you used a “goose” joke to a married woman, in front of kids. That was bad form. You are funny already, entertaining already, so why put unnecessary crap in your script just for “one more laugh”? It’s unfathomable.

One more thing – poor Kathy. She stayed up on stage for six minutes in front of an audience opening herself up to the possibility of ridicule. And she wasn’t treated very well a couple of times. The “duck” joke – everyone got it, you don’t need to ridicule her simply because she wouldn’t duck. You said to her, “You’re not getting this, are you.” – still bad form, but the worst is yet to come. You shove that balloon hat on her head, she takes it off, and you say, “No, leave it on, leave it on.” And then you have the audience applaud her. But she’s still embarrassed, because she’s still wearing the hat. You wouldn’t let her leave with dignity, and didn’t give her the respect that she deserved, because you couldn’t have done the show without her.

Now it took a long time to say all that, which makes it seem weightier, but these are problems that can be taken care of INSTANTLY. And once you do, you will be at the next level. More perfect, more professional. For your submission, you won the book Magic and Showmanship, by Henning Nelms. Send me your mailing address and I will get it out to you. This may take a week or so, because I have to order it. You’re not getting my underlined, highlighted copy with all my ideas and notes in it!

Rating: One Light Bulb, and an invisible Jar of Peanut Butter.

(Yes, this particular rating is absolutely arbitrary.)