Elmsley joke origin
Elmsley joke origin
Does anyone know who first came up with the joke about the Elmsley DVD set and not seeing the 3rd one but seeing the 1st one twice?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Re: Elmsley joke origin
Yeah, Jason may have been the one. I'd bet on Jason cuz Rawdog wasn't around that much at the time.
Steve V
Steve V
Re: Elmsley joke origin
I first read it quite a few years ago. Not that that helps with identifying the originator, of course. Just making the point that it's not new. And it was about videos, not DVDs, since DVDs weren't around then.
Dave
Dave
Re: Elmsley joke origin
Yes, it dates back to when the Elmsley 'videos' were first released.
Re: Elmsley joke origin
The other Elmsley joke I heard was how Alex Elmsley crossed the road three times but still ended up on the same side.
Re: Elmsley joke origin
Mark Mason had a spin on this joke in his lecture this week at LVMI. He mentioned few people know Elmsley was married 4 times...but he never saw his third wife.
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Elmsley joke origin
It's unfortunate that Alex never married or had children--he might have had a much longer and happier life.
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Re: Elmsley joke origin
I'm pretty sure I once heard Mike Close take credit for that joke. Can anyone else confirm that?
Re: Elmsley joke origin
On another board there is some discussion about jokes being almost impossible to find out who the originator was, unlike magic tricks. This is due to variations upon themes and jokes being around for eons.
However, the Elmsley joke about the videos has a definite starting place (i.e. after the videos came out) so I'm hoping I can find out for sure who first came up with it.
Many thanks in advance if anyone can name names!
However, the Elmsley joke about the videos has a definite starting place (i.e. after the videos came out) so I'm hoping I can find out for sure who first came up with it.
Many thanks in advance if anyone can name names!
Re: Elmsley joke origin
I think John Lovick may be correct re Mike Close. I seem to recall Mike writing that joke into his review in Magic and it appearing new at the time? Or, is this False Memory Syndrome?
Peter
Peter
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Re: Elmsley joke origin
It's not in his Magic review (as a quick scan of the PDF collection confirms).
Take care, Ian
Take care, Ian
Ian Kendall Close up magician in Edinburgh and Scotland
Re: Elmsley joke origin
I first read the joke at Magictalk, so I wouldn't be surprised if Steve is correct. Dig in their archives if they still exist.
/Tomas
/Tomas
Re: Elmsley joke origin
Yup, on magictalk and I'm 99% sure it was one of the LA guys and I'm leaning toward Jason England.
Steve V
Steve V
Re: Elmsley joke origin
I think maybe I first heard this joke in reference to a Magic Convention, one of the big ones with multiple tracks. (Blackpool?) He supposedly skipped the third lecture, and did the first one twice . . .
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Elmsley joke origin
He was stuck taking care of his mother until she died. Never had the chance to get married.
He suffered from depression and drank heavily toward the end of his life. If you saw him at a convention, he often drank so much that he passed out on a couch in the lobby and slept there all night.
He suffered from depression and drank heavily toward the end of his life. If you saw him at a convention, he often drank so much that he passed out on a couch in the lobby and slept there all night.
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Re: Elmsley joke origin
how come most of my favorite magicians are the ones most likely to be "passed out on a couch in the lobby"? :D
-ed
-ed
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Elmsley joke origin
It's a shame so many artists and creative types are bedeviled by addictions of one sort or another, or suffer from depression or other mental illnesses. It seems to come with the territory.
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Re: Elmsley joke origin
In 1990, I sent Alex a trick I had invented that I thought he might be interested in (it used an unusual application of the binary number system).
In 1995, 15 years later, I received a very nice, handwritten letter from Alex, aplogizing for not writing back sooner. He said he had been suffering from depression, had run from all things magicial, and was now writing, "many long overdue letters of apology."
He then went on to give me several wonderful ideas about my trick.
I've worked in the music business for a long time and I've seen my share of these problems. My theory is that a creative artist feels best and most alive creating or performing. The downtime can never duplicate those feelings, so becomes, truly, time to be down. Some artists can cope, some can't.
In 1995, 15 years later, I received a very nice, handwritten letter from Alex, aplogizing for not writing back sooner. He said he had been suffering from depression, had run from all things magicial, and was now writing, "many long overdue letters of apology."
He then went on to give me several wonderful ideas about my trick.
I've worked in the music business for a long time and I've seen my share of these problems. My theory is that a creative artist feels best and most alive creating or performing. The downtime can never duplicate those feelings, so becomes, truly, time to be down. Some artists can cope, some can't.
Re: Elmsley joke origin
I'll drink to that! :cool:
...and a toast to Elmsley! With many thanks!
...and a toast to Elmsley! With many thanks!