Where to start (since we all now know that Im just talking out of my ass).
By P.T. Murphy
Dustin in fairness to Dee...just because you don't understand the argument does not mean that somebody, in this case Dee, is arguing just to argue.
Dee in fairness to Dustin...you ARE just arguing to argue! Even if your argument makes complete sense!
Well, I like a good debate too (it must be true, it says so on my profile), so Im guilty as well: The pot calling the kettle black in this case.
However, Dee has proven in other threads that she will continue to argue about things she knows nothing about. (Although I suppose its possible that she is also an intellectual property attorney who doesnt understand her field. She also appears to be an amateur psychologist since she knows when someone can be diagnosed as a borderline sociopath.) So in this case, she had precedence working against her when I made my comment.
I
do understand Dees primary argument. In fact, I would agree that, in some cases, when the soul of an artist becomes part of a presentation, that creation cannot be passed on (and perhaps shouldnt be). But I have come to discover that this is rare in magic; much rarer than I used to believe. Dee insists that the whysexcept in rare instancescannot be passed on, and that is just plain wrong. She says that, in music, Sinatra was a rare exception to this rule of hers. Well, perhaps magic is more easily interpreted than is music.
I would completely agree that
Character cannot be passed on, and maybe
thats what Dee really means to be saying. But a good entertainer can take a piece of magic, apply his/her character to the same lines and it
will work. Ive seen it too many times now to know that its not a coincidence or just luck.
Her celebrity laughs argument (and P.T.s further embellishment of it) is pure nonsense. I have seen Bob Hope, Robin Williams, Steve Martin, Dave Letterman, Jay Leno, George Carlin, and many others bomb: No laughs, zippo, nada, crickets in the room. If her theory was even partly true, they, and every other celebrated entertainer, would never bomb.
I will concede that there is
nervous laughter, such as that generated by the creepy Impregnating a Woman Onstage. I dont think anyone can make this work in front of an audience as diverse as DCs. Some people think its funny while others think its blasphemous and others are mortified that they brought their young kids to the show. Its the same thing as if DC had Andrew Dice Clay do a guest appearance: Only a quarter of the audience is the right group.
By DeeBrennan
Since you seem obsessed with providing "examples" you refuse to cite.
I do this because they are still out there working. They are friends or acquaintances, and while Im not exposing deeply hidden secrets, these facts are not common knowledge so theres no reason to bring their names into it on an Internet chat site.
But I suppose that having David Alexander, a man with many decades of professional
show business experience under his belt supporting my arguments is meaningless to you Dee, but its not to me or anyone else paying attention. (Thank you David!)
By DeeBrennan
Good writers can write for those unique voices, as with Jack Benny. There's nothing startling about that revelation.
Point taken. Yes, in this case the script writer is very good at his job.
By DeeBrennan
No, what's tiresome are the pronouncements you, who have never made your living performing, endlessly make regarding somthing [sic] about which you have only theoretical knowledge.
One does not need to make a
living at performing to be a performer. All I will say is that I do have practical experience. I dont talk about my performing experience much because its not in my nature. And, as far as I am aware, the only magician who has ever seen me perform (that is, do a scripted set, not just a card trick or two) is Steve V. and that was because he happened to be in the bar at the right moment (and that was about ten years ago). I do not,
will not perform for magicians. I learned that lesson a very long time ago. And besides, Steve V. had gained my trust at that point, so he got a pass. I will leave it to Steve to say, if he cares to, whether or not I can perform well or not, and thus my ability to put theory into practice.
But right now, I have to go earn a living.
Dustin
