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Blaine: Magician of the Year

Posted: January 3rd, 2003, 3:41 pm
by Jon Racherbaumer
I'm told that the Academy of Magical Arts and Science is giving the nod to DB for 2002.
How refreshing.
I wonder if he will attend the ceremony?

Onward...

Re: Blaine: Magician of the Year

Posted: January 3rd, 2003, 5:06 pm
by Guest
I just want to be the first to say

"Oh my God! What do they think they're doing! It can't be true! It's the end of magic as we know it! Have they all gone mad? If Blaine can get it then who's next, Valentino? Oh the Humanity, the Humanity."

Not that I mean any of it, I just wanted to be the first to say it.

Congratulations Mr. Blaine.

Re: Blaine: Magician of the Year

Posted: January 3rd, 2003, 7:33 pm
by Guest
Just curious. You cite the Academy of Magical Arts and Science. Bill Larsen Sr founded the Academy of Arts and Science. After his death sons Milt and Bill Jr revived it as the Academy of Magical Arts. (My mbership in the older organization dates from the early 1950s; my membership in the later dates from 1962 - we had to wait until Jan 3 1963 to have a clubhouse -- the Magic Castle.) I have been away from Los Angeles for lo, these many years. Did they resume the earlier name?

Re: Blaine: Magician of the Year

Posted: January 3rd, 2003, 7:59 pm
by Dustin Stinett
No, it is The Academy of Magical Arts, Inc. Adding "Sciences" is a common error by us old guys.

Dustin

Re: Blaine: Magician of the Year

Posted: January 3rd, 2003, 8:03 pm
by Dustin Stinett
Oh, and I HOPE the AMA names Blaine Magician of the Year, and I HOPE he accepts it and I HOPE he comes to receive it and I HOPE the AMA markets the hell out of the opportunity!!!

Dustin
(Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth.)

Re: Blaine: Magician of the Year

Posted: January 4th, 2003, 10:10 am
by Dustin Stinett
Originally posted by Jon Racherbaumer:
I'm told that the Academy of Magical Arts and Science is giving the nod to DB for 2002.
How refreshing.
I wonder if he will attend the ceremony?
MAGIC is reporting this to be the case. The magazine is also reporting that all of the special awards (AMA Fellowships) will be presented at the WMS in Las Vegas. As an AMA member, I'm not sure how I feel about this. What's wrong with handing them out at the AMA Awards ceremony? Of course, the upside is AMA exposure among nonmembers. So again, I'm conflicted in my feelings. But I think that I would rather see the Castle have the spotlight when/if Mr. Blaine receives his award.

Dustin

Re: Blaine: Magician of the Year

Posted: January 4th, 2003, 4:37 pm
by Richard Kaufman
When I received my Literary Fellowship from The Academy of Magical Arts, it was the usual gala black-tie affair with celebrity presenters.
There were about 400 people.
Last year they held the ceremony in the Palace of Mystery at the Magic Castle and sold a mere 40 tickets.
This year the non-voting awards (fellowships and the like) are being given out during the World Magic Seminar in Vegas next week, however it is not listed as an event in the convention schedule on their website and there is nothing about it on the Magic Castle's own web site (that I could find).
The voting awards will be given out, apparently with some sort of minimal ceremony, at the end of March.

Re: Blaine: Magician of the Year

Posted: January 4th, 2003, 5:47 pm
by Steve Bryant
The WMS schedule continues to be updated. The Magic Castle awards are listed at 1:00 PM on Wednesday along with the WMS awards.

Re: Blaine: Magician of the Year

Posted: January 4th, 2003, 5:52 pm
by Dave Egleston
I'm sorry if I'm asking a question that is obvious to everyone but me - But 40 tickets!?!?!

Is there a reason, other than poor planning and marketing by the AMA? - Is this an affair that is exclusive to AMA members? - Did they hold the ceremony during the Superbowl? Or is it the age old rut we seem to love and loathe - politics?

Holding the presentation during the WMS may actually help the AMA with exposure - Though Blaine is not my particular favorite - (I prefer to watch a trick being performed with out the camera being turned off while the "magic happens") - I can see why he's this year's choice - Who else was more apparent in the general public's eye?

Even my 17 year old daughter, who is studiously oblivious to everything, said, after watching Copperfield do his "street" segment, "Who's he think he is, Mumbles?" (Her name for Blaine) "You guys (magicians) copy everything you see, don't you?" So, he's made an impact - evidently, even on Copperfield

The main difference between Blaine and Copperfield audiences are, 100 people might watch Blaine - but only two of them can afford the cars advertised during the show - Copperfield may have 75 people watching and probably 10 of them can afford the same car. That's why a show like TRL on the music channel is successful - but wouldn't last a month on network TV - Same demographic, different affluence level

Anyway - Congratulations to Blaine

Dave