Even a Ranting Libelling Fool Can Get a Good Review

[Richard Kaufman]

This guy thought that Jerry Sadowitz is funny. Some folks.

http://www.thedailydust.co.uk/2011/08/0 ... sychopath/

[AJM]

I find the title of this thread questionable to say the least.

Andrew

[Richard Kaufman]

I genuinely believe Sadowitz to be mentally ill, but I'll change it if you like.

[El Mystico]

I'd query the new title.
Ranting, sure.
Libelling, OK, maybe...
But - to call a fool someone who has developed the magic Jerry has? Hmm....

I'd add that every review of Jerry's shows I've read have been hugely positive. (I'm sure there are negative ones, but - they must be in the minority)
I'd also add that I have a feeling Richard knows this....

[Richard Kaufman]

Yeah, in my opinion he's a fool.

And, yes, he's committed libel against me more than once.

No, I've seen his show and don't think he's the least bit funny. I think electro-shock therapy would do wonders for him.

[Jon Racherbaumer]

Wretched excess ends wretchedly.

[Bill Mullins]

Wretched excess ends wretchedly.

Oscar Wilde: "Nothing succeeds like excess."

[El Mystico]

I know we'll never agree.
But, on some specifics:
Like I say, a fool wouldn't come up with the magic Jerry has created.
OK, you might not find Jerry's show funny. Humour is personal. I find him very funny: So what. Of relevance is that there are UK national newspaper reviews that praise his humour. And that his shows get sold out.

[Magic Fred]

His comedy is hit and miss for me. Straggling mediocrity to side splitting hilarity. He'd probably say I don't understand him.

His magic, though, is second to none. In every way.

[Oli Foster]

Yes, I didn't want to be the odd one out, but I'm afraid I agree with the review. I saw his show in Bath about 5 years ago and still think he is one of the best.

By the end of the show, he had offended everybody in the room, no minority or majority was left unsavaged by his unwavering obscenity - and yet, everyone loved him for it. There was some discomfort at first but by the end of it all, everyone left just as depraved and all the better for it. I think people call it schadenfreude or guilty joy and, as long as everyone's in on it, you can go to extremes and it'll be funny and liberating rather than just plain sick.

And his magic is fantastic, precisely because he throws it away and soils it with indecency. It's the contrast that frames it perfectly and the pretence at not giving a damn when you realise he most certainly does, to bring it all together and fool you, with that still being the least important element of his show.

Perhaps there isn't room for excesses of personality in magic, psychotic and libellous as they may be (what did he write that was libellous?)...

[Richard Kaufman]

All opinions are valid: obviously Sadowitz has an audience for his comedy or he wouldn't still be around.

[Richard Kaufman]

Oli, I guess you've never read the Crimp. Or looked at the question you have to answer to access Sadowitz's website.

[Rick Ruhl]

All opinions are valid: obviously Sadowitz has an audience for his comedy or he wouldn't still be around.

Deaf people?

[Oli Foster]

Oh, I knew I recognised you from somewhere Richard! ;) He's said worse things about cancer patients and canadians, I'd take it as a compliment - or sue him! :)

The one thing that slightly narks is he always seems to be on his high horse about other people ripping off his material. All I can say is 'really'?!...

Ah well, just off out for abit of looting if anyone fancies anything...

[AJM]

Hi Richard

There is a question I've always wanted to ask.

Richard
Given the longstanding mutual, erm, respect (?) between your good self and the gentleman in question, I wondered how you came to own a complete file of The Crimp (I'm sure you've mentioned it previously).

I've often wondered:
A. Why you would want to subscribe and / or read the magazine.
B. Why the gentleman in question would wish accept a subscription request (if there was one in place) given he is well known for being selective with his potential subscribers. (No, I'm not a member of that auguste group).

Just wondered.

Andrew

[Magic Fred]

"...I just had a meeting with Richard Kaufman, while he was in London on business. Not having met him before, I thought he'd be like 'your average American.' Wrong! He's one of the nicest magicians I've ever met: very down to earth and extremely talented..."
- Jerry Sadowitz, The Crimp issue 23

[Richard Kaufman]

I subscribed to the Crimp from issue one onward because I enjoyed his cardwork.

At some point after that, I met Sadowitz near Finchley Station on the Metropolitan line and we spent a few hours talking. Can't remember if we did any card magic or not. He seemed nice enough, particularly compared to the bizarre ranting in The Crimp.

I'm not sure exactly when Sadowitz flipped out, but he started slagging me off shortly thereafter. I do remember that he went ballistic over the idea that Gene Maze had stolen something. I haven't read it in so long that the exact sequence of events is unclear.

[Magic Mike]

I'm Canadian...and I like his comedy...and his magic...

[El Harvey Oswald]

the review isn't a lot more informative than the criticisms in this thread. but as between someone genuinely liking a performance and vague allusions to the performer being "offensive," i'll trust the former.

[El Harvey Oswald]

""...I just had a meeting with Richard Kaufman, while he was in London on business. Not having met him before, I thought he'd be like 'your average American.' Wrong! He's one of the nicest magicians I've ever met: very down to earth and extremely talented..."
- Jerry Sadowitz, The Crimp issue 23"

that does appear to have been superseded by this:

http://www.jerrysadowitz.com/pages/magiconlymain.htm

[El Harvey Oswald]

and i'd just add that, although my first impression was that R.K. was engaging in hyperbole with the claim that Sadowitz "has committed libel against me more than once," there are two or three potentially actionable, defamatory statements in that entry question, and it's not clearly parody

[Donal Chayce]

Yikes!

[Richard Kaufman]

Yes, and British courts take a far less liberal view of libel than do American courts.

[El Harvey Oswald]

"Yes, and British courts take a far less liberal view of libel than do American courts."

true; and i'd imagine you'd be able to establish standing/a viable claim in britain. you'd probably be a "public figure" in the US - but even then he's potentially treading close to the hard-to-establish "actual malice" threshold

[El Harvey Oswald]

i did successfully enter his "magician's only" section, and while he's sort of intriguing, he isn't quite litigation savvy, seemingly chasing around operators of torrent sites to reign in whatever the barely measurable infringement on his works is. my guess is that he'd default on a defamation suit and never pay the judgment.

[Richard Kaufman]

He used to work at the International Magic Shop and live with his mother because he had no money (not too many years ago). I have no idea if this is still the case, but I haven't seen any evidence that stardom and riches have come his way.

You can't get blood from a stone.

[El Harvey Oswald]

you appear to have a sound perspective on this

[Richard Kaufman]

It's hardly ever worth the effort to sue someone, even if libel is self-evident (both false and malicious). Considering all the nasty things that Sadowitz wrote about me in The Crimp, proving malice wouldn't be an issue. But who can bother with an imbecile like that? Nobody takes him seriously anyway.

[Magic Fred]

Considering the style of the Crimp, and his notoriety as a comedian who will say anything to get a laugh and further his persona, I'm sure he could claim satire if it came down to it.

Whilst it's usually pretty obvious when there is genuine sentiment behind his attacks, he has also targeted people that he clearly has respect for, like the Professor.

Personally, I used to trust his perspective on things implicitly. His misleading comments regarding the phantom notebooks blog have changed that. Not that it's important, but he has demonstrated how quick he can be in jumping to false conclusions, and sticking with them no matter what.

The quality of his magic, however, can not be doubted by any reasonable person. Whether they like his style or not. He is not only a prolific creator of brilliant tricks, but the most skilled and natural performer I have ever seen.

He is quite simply a master of timing, delivery and misdirection and he executes the most difficult of sleight of hand sequences with ease and in an entirely natural manner.