World Magic Awards

[Magic Newswire]

Not currently... I am certain that it will be rebroadcast in the future...

[Kevin Williams]

According to: http://www.worldmagicawards.com/

it will be on THURSDAY
January 1st 2009
@ 8pm

Kevin

[Charlotte Pendra]

Three of the people involved with the show from the start are David Mckenzie, Gay Blackstone and David Martin (agent/manager not the magician with the black and long coat on AGT). They, and a few others, choose who is on the show and what award they get. The process is backwards, the awards are figured out depending on who is on the show. Instead of a constant list of awards every year, we often see awards with titles that are almost meaningless. It would be like seeing a "Best Movie made for less than 50 million in another country" award at the Oscars.

This show dates back to the early 1990s, but wasn't presented every year. Charlotte and I performed/appeared on the show three times. For our appearance we received "Best Illusionist" twice and "Magician of the Year" once. I actually have three of the elusive trophies which are infamously hard to come by. Often the production would hand out the same trophy on camera and then "mail" it to the winner later. I don't know what it is like now, in the past many magicians complained of never getting a trophy. The first year it was presented, Siegfried and Roy received the "Big" award, I forget what it was called. They used the awards (apparently only two trophies existed) for a photo shot right after the show and left with them. The producers and some of the acts were mad, but others, like myself, said, "Go for it."
BOTTOM LINE
It's a magic special in award show format.

With Respect
Jonathan Pendragon

[Rudy Coby]

MaxNY;
The girl's "bottom" walking the table predates Rudy. I know it was used in Dante's show at one time. Lee Grabel may also have used it. Does Lance Burton include it? It's been several years since we went to his show and I do not remember seeing it at that performance.
Jim

This is exactly what people say when people want to take stuff.

"Oh, the three legs was in Vaudeville....the Puppet Boy is a blammo box," etc, etc.

I'm actually in very friendly discussions with certain people working this stuff out and I'm not being specific here on purpose, but when you start talking about how it's okay to do something because it predates somebody else you open up a large can of worms because then other people think it's OKAY to do it at will.

I could be specific here with examples showing certain people weren't inspired by Dante, etc, when they steal the exact DESIGN of my table I worked on for years to get right - but it's a waste of my time.

Saying that, "Isn't it also in so and so's show?" also misses the point. Then it seems like, "Everyone is doing it so it's okay." Well, it's not okay.

I'm writing a new book that talks about this stuff at length.

And, again I'm not calling anybody out here. Yet.

But, it is fascinating that people think that because somebody else takes various pieces that may be old and makes them into something fresh and new, that it's then okay for them to do the new and exciting version because they can reference an old piece of the puzzle.

I realize that that's NOT what you're doing here, Jim, and I appreciate your kind words concerning this (and Max's as well)

But, I'm telling you that there are people reading this right now that think they can go make a robot or my Nikki Terminator getting cut in half from my special because "Dante did it." (A guy was actually SELLING a version and advertised in Magic magazines until I contacted him and he realized I've learned a LOT in the years I've been away on how to enforce my rights.)

This is a different time. I'm back. And, people thinking they're going to get away with this stuff are in for a rude awakening.

Please don't ask for specifics because I'm putting something together right now and the creative people involved that care about this stuff will surprise you.

Fair warning to those who think they're 'getting away with it': you had a free pass for a while, but from this moment watch your back.

ps - Again, I'm not being disparaging to ANYBODY mentioned here. Things are being worked out and I'm surprised by the professionalism of some people who want to make things right for all those creatively involved. I'm specifically calling out people who now have a chance to STOP doing it so I never have to mention this subject again. Last chance to do the right thing.

pps - On a much happier note, it's a sincere THRILL to be back among my Magic brothers. I am honored and humbled by being in such a great fraternity that celebrates creativity. I plan to do my part in contributing to the advancement of this Art that we love so much. I just started my first ever official website yesterday at www.rudycoby.net and I'll be updating constantly with things I think you will enjoy.

"Let's do it!"

[Jim Riser]

Rudy;
Thanks for chiming in here. You are absolutely correct. You have elevated and evolved an older idea (a throw away) into a masterpeice. This unique masterpiece is YOURS and I hope it remains a feature only done, as you do it, by you.

I really should have elaborated on things in my original post. We tend to be too brief on forums and this often leaves out important concepts, considerations, or principles like rights of creaters. Sometimes we just assume that others respect these originalities - not always a valid assumption. What many in the magic community do not realize is there regularly are swaps of effects and/or techniques among pros and because an item might be performed by several magicians does not imply that these goodies are in the public domain. This can not be over emphasized!

Again, thanks for calling attention to this concern.
Jim

[Rudy Coby]

Rudy;
Thanks for chiming in here. You are absolutely correct. You have elevated and evolved an older idea (a throw away) into a masterpeice. This unique masterpiece is YOURS and I hope it remains a feature only done, as you do it, by you.

I really should have elaborated on things in my original post. We tend to be too brief on forums and this often leaves out important concepts, considerations, or principles like rights of creaters. Sometimes we just assume that others respect these originalities - not always a valid assumption. What many in the magic community do not realize is there regularly are swaps of effects and/or techniques among pros and because an item might be performed by several magicians does not imply that these goodies are in the public domain. This can not be over emphasized!

Again, thanks for calling attention to this concern.
Jim

Thanks, Jim, for being such a gentleman and taking my point exactly as it was intended.

This is the kind of thing that sent me running away from the Magic world in the first place. Believe me, that won't happen again - I love it too much and now I know how to deal with this nonsense.