Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

A place where beginners can participate, ask questions, and post their views. However, beginners typically ask a lot of questions about sources, tricks, books, and so on. In fact, all magicians are interested (or should be) in the provenance of tricks, ideas, and related matters. This department will service these needs.
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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 8th, 2015, 10:19 pm

I think I will stick to my svengali deck method. I am sure it is just as good. I actually invented it in about ten seconds or so while I was pitching the svengali deck while thinking about something else.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby MagicbyAlfred » September 8th, 2015, 11:00 pm

Thank you for your comment JH. But are you suggesting that in a more formal, less "truncated" setting, David's open arrangement of the deck on stage in front of an audience, after both card and number have been named, would get by without detection?

And Mark, do you really believe that more "chatter," as you put it, would cover that which is plainly visible to anyone with the gift of sight, be it magician or laymen? I think laymen are a lot sharper than you give them credit for. As you say, they might not know what to look for, but when they see it, they know it's there.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 9th, 2015, 6:11 am

The stage is not the correct place for this trick in my view. It is a close up trick and I do have my doubts about the practicalities of it. That is why I prefer my own versions which require no set up or outs and get to the point a hell of a lot quicker. After all, I have to work in the real world.

However, on the other side of the coin my experience working in the real world can assure you 100 percent that Berglas will get away with that brazen move in front of LAYMEN. I have done things like that many, many times indeed. Think about it. They don't know what is coming next. They have no reason to question what seems to be a random action. Then time misdirection takes over. They will forget very quickly that little action.

As for the sharpness of laymen I shall merely say that I have sold 487 badly cut poor quality svengali decks with dubious instructions in one day. I don't suppose even three out of that 487 ever used the deck. If even that.

No. Laymen aren't that sharp. Mind you magicians are even worse.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby JHostler » September 9th, 2015, 6:52 am

MagicbyAlfred wrote:Thank you for your comment JH. But are you suggesting that in a more formal, less "truncated" setting, David's open arrangement of the deck on stage in front of an audience, after both card and number have been named, would get by without detection?


I'm suggesting that it doesn't always look like what you saw. Again, watch the Berglas DVD.
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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 9th, 2015, 10:39 am

Indeed. From what I understand of his method there are times he does not have to touch the deck at all.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Jonathan Townsend » September 9th, 2015, 10:45 am

@ jh

re: "...I wanted to ask if anyone here knows about Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN. Apparently, 6 years ago at MindVention 2009 Jeremy performed his version of ACAAN several times, and from what I heard..."

what does someone's gossipy post about a trick they have not seen, don't own and don't know have to do with real people doing tricks for real audiences?

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby MagicbyAlfred » September 9th, 2015, 12:14 pm

On May 22, 2011, here is what Jeremy (I am assuming it was him from the username "jeremysweiss") stated on the Magic Cafe:

"So, here is the deal....a while ago a certain famous someone performer asked me to 'consult' on a project of theirs. He wanted a secret that I have that isn't for sale. (It is something of my own devising so, no one else has it and I have never given it away; so it is exclusive to me.) So, I started trying to figure out what that secret is worth--not in a philosophical sense, but in a real-world sense. What is it worth--for a performer --a REAL performer with a Vegas or Broadway stage show (or a movie), as opposed to 47,400 of the 47,561 users that we have here, to put my effect in his show? An effect that nobody else could have, because I wouldn't give it to anyone else. EVER!

So I go to my friend, who actually does this kind of consulting for a living (a guy like Steinmeyer, for example)--they bring him into movies and stuff....and I ask my friend, 'What is an idea like this actually worth in the ENTERTAINMENT business?.' He says, 'Oh, that idea?! Well, an idea like that would be worth about [X] number of grand depending on if the idea was used for a one time TV special never to be aired again, or a show like on the Discovery channel that would air over and over, or if it was for a theatrical show).'

So now I think I have a much more reasonably educated idea of how valuable a secret is actually worth in terms of its rarity, its quality and how it will be used.

Let me say, that $2,400 for my original ACAAN or for ACAAN 2: Holier Than Thou, is worth it. it is priced exactly right.

People like ---------- are just ticked off that they can't (and won't) have it. (For the rest of you, I am sorry it is so expensive.)

Anyways, forget asking Danny Archer...if I am there [Mindvention 2011], I will perform it in the hallway at least once....maybe twice..."

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Leo Garet » September 9th, 2015, 1:38 pm

Well, that's told me, I suppose. :?

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 9th, 2015, 3:50 pm

I have sent a message to Bob Cassidy concerning all this as per the advice of "Inquisitive". As yet there has been no reply.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Inquisitive » September 9th, 2015, 4:46 pm

performer wrote:I have sent a message to Bob Cassidy concerning all this as per the advice of "Inquisitive". As yet there has been no reply.


Thank you!

When he replies, let us know.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 9th, 2015, 11:19 pm

There is evidence that he has seen my message. As yet there has been no response. However, I guarantee that human curiousity means that he has seen this thread. Since he has not given any response whatsoever I am going to assume that he knows perfectly well that you are talking a load of old cobblers! Unless you are he of course!

Anyway, I am going to give away my second method of doing this trick. It is very similar to the svengali method but it is done with a regular deck. You simply fan a deck of cards in the reverse direction. A pressure fan that is. In other words the indices will not show and it will appear to be a blank fan except for the bottom card. You then do the well known (to older and wiser magicians anyway) stunt where you ask someone to think of a card and keep it to themselves. You say, "think of any card you see. Don't move a muscle, don't say anything-just think of one"

Of course they will think of the bottom one as it is the only one they can see. Shuffle retaining the card on the bottom. Deal to any number named and when it comes to the correct number just bottom deal the bloody card and have done with it. This is my most impromptu method and it saves a hell of a lot of time piddling about with stacked decks and trying to figure out the outs on the spur of the moment especially when your brain is old and tired like mine.

Yes. It does use an instant stooge. However, my third method doesn't. And remember you ask a spectator to name ANY card. This is based on a principle I invented about 40 years ago and the only one who ever took any notice of it was the late Martin Breese who mentioned in three lines or so somewhere or other.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Richard Kaufman » September 10th, 2015, 3:35 am

The video of Berglas on YouTube is pirated from the DVD in my book. I will have it removed shortly.

What the IDIOT who posted it doesn't seem to understand, what is not understood in this thread (by anyone other than Mark, apparently) is that I purposefully left the shot of Berglas cutting the deck in because it's an instructional DVD! NO ONE IN THE THEATER SAW HIM MOVE THE CARDS. Everyone was watching the pretty girl he asked to come up on stage as she made her way from the center seats all the way to the left and walked up the stairs. That is showmanship, misdirection, and method: the work of a master performer, not an amateur.

And if you want to know how David Berglas does The Berglas Effect, I suggest you buy the damn book and learn the thing as it is explained. There are almost 100 pages devoted to it, and you can watch him do it numerous times on the DVDs which come with the book.
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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 10th, 2015, 7:17 am

I didn't realise that video was part of your DVD. Now that I know it is I hope you DO get it taken down if you can. I detest the comments made underneath by various idiots and stupid teenagers and the lack of respect to an old master.

I have always regarded David Berglas as a great magician. Not a perfect magician but a great one nevertheless. There are faults in his work as there are faults in everyone's work. But faults don't matter. It is when there are a lack of virtues that you have something to worry about. Again perfection is a lack of perfection in itself.

Again that cutting move will NOT be noticed by a single soul. A layman soul that is. Why would it? Have you all forgotten the standard basic rule of magic? Never explain what is going to happen before it happens. Same reasoning as "never do the same trick twice". If an audience has no idea what to expect why would they place any importance to what seems to be a very casual action before the trick seems to have even started? Or barely started?

Magic is more than sleights. I have always said that a basic knowledge of human psychology is just as, if not more, important than all the sleights in the world yet I hardly see it mentioned in magic literature. Anybody can manipulate cards with enough practice. A great magician manipulates the PEOPLE!

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Inquisitive » September 10th, 2015, 7:20 am

performer wrote:There is evidence that he has seen my message. As yet there has been no response. However, I guarantee that human curiousity means that he has seen this thread. Since he has not given any response whatsoever I am going to assume that he knows perfectly well that you are talking a load of old cobblers! Unless you are he of course!

Anyway, I am going to give away my second method of doing this trick. It is very similar to the svengali method but it is done with a regular deck. You simply fan a deck of cards in the reverse direction. A pressure fan that is. In other words the indices will not show and it will appear to be a blank fan except for the bottom card. You then do the well known (to older and wiser magicians anyway) stunt where you ask someone to think of a card and keep it to themselves. You say, "think of any card you see. Don't move a muscle, don't say anything-just think of one"

Of course they will think of the bottom one as it is the only one they can see. Shuffle retaining the card on the bottom. Deal to any number named and when it comes to the correct number just bottom deal the bloody card and have done with it. This is my most impromptu method and it saves a hell of a lot of time piddling about with stacked decks and trying to figure out the outs on the spur of the moment especially when your brain is old and tired like mine.

Yes. It does use an instant stooge. However, my third method doesn't. And remember you ask a spectator to name ANY card. This is based on a principle I invented about 40 years ago and the only one who ever took any notice of it was the late Martin Breese who mentioned in three lines or so somewhere or other.


If he really has seen the message, and still has not replied, I guess there is a chance that this may be a 'hoax' as you previously said.

By the way, in your third method you said that the spectator names *ANY* card. Other than a 'force' of some psychological sorts, I cannot imagine another method. Plus, you said that you invented the principle, and only one person ever took notice of it. I guess that's perhaps the reason why I cannot think of such a method, since it's basically unknown.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 10th, 2015, 7:44 am

All magic is unknown, my boy. That is until you know it. Once you know the secret there is no interest or wonder anymore. That is why I detest all this you tube exposure and internet access to secrets. All the wonder of magic is disappearing. I am glad I shall be disappearing too soon and will miss all this horror. And I have been contributing to this horror on this forum by chattering about secrets to the linking rings. I should be ashamed of myself but at this late stage I can't be bothered fighting the trend any more. Every bloody layman is a magician now. I yearn for the days when magic was a secret art.

I see that you are virtually admitting this bloody Jeremy Weiss nonsense is a hoax. Mind you it wasn't exactly rocket science to figure it out.

I was going to reveal my wondrous secret of getting people to name the card I want but nobody seems to be interested in it so I shall keep it to myself for the time being. At the moment only I and Martin Breese know the secret and alas Martin is no longer in a position to give the game away.

Incidentally before Martin passed away he told me a secret which would help me get rich. He informed me that it made him rich too. I asked him why he gave me this secret. He said it was because of something I told him in a psychic reading many years ago and he never forgot it.

I have never done anything about this secret. Alas it takes work and I am not sure I have the energy. Perhaps I will before I drop dead.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Inquisitive » September 10th, 2015, 4:27 pm

performer wrote:All magic is unknown, my boy. That is until you know it. Once you know the secret there is no interest or wonder anymore. That is why I detest all this you tube exposure and internet access to secrets. All the wonder of magic is disappearing. I am glad I shall be disappearing too soon and will miss all this horror. And I have been contributing to this horror on this forum by chattering about secrets to the linking rings. I should be ashamed of myself but at this late stage I can't be bothered fighting the trend any more. Every bloody layman is a magician now. I yearn for the days when magic was a secret art.

I see that you are virtually admitting this bloody Jeremy Weiss nonsense is a hoax. Mind you it wasn't exactly rocket science to figure it out.

I was going to reveal my wondrous secret of getting people to name the card I want but nobody seems to be interested in it so I shall keep it to myself for the time being. At the moment only I and Martin Breese know the secret and alas Martin is no longer in a position to give the game away.

Incidentally before Martin passed away he told me a secret which would help me get rich. He informed me that it made him rich too. I asked him why he gave me this secret. He said it was because of something I told him in a psychic reading many years ago and he never forgot it.

I have never done anything about this secret. Alas it takes work and I am not sure I have the energy. Perhaps I will before I drop dead.


You seem like a wise guy. And just to let you know, I am interested in your third method. I don't know about anyone else, but I certainly am. If you don't want to post your method here, because you feel others aren't interested, feel free to shoot me a PM anytime since I am definitely interested.

Thank you!

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 10th, 2015, 4:31 pm

"Wise guy" can possibly be taken in two possible ways you know!

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby MagicbyAlfred » September 10th, 2015, 5:28 pm

MARK, I AM DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN YOUR SECRET.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Inquisitive » September 10th, 2015, 5:38 pm

Performer, if I may ask, who are you? I mean since you seem to know all these famous magicians you probably are a 'known' magician yourself.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby MagicbyAlfred » September 10th, 2015, 5:48 pm

OMG M - - - !!! He asked your name! Even I have never done THAT!

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Inquisitive » September 10th, 2015, 6:15 pm

MagicbyAlfred wrote:OMG M - - - !!! He asked your name! Even I have never done THAT!


Well you called him 'Mark', so you know his name. I thought perhaps he's a known magician, that's why I asked.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 11th, 2015, 12:03 am

Inquisitive wrote:Performer, if I may ask, who are you? I mean since you seem to know all these famous magicians you probably are a 'known' magician yourself.


I am indeed terribly well known. However I am interested in who YOU are? In other words I am inquisitive about inquisitive. So who are YOU?

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Inquisitive » September 11th, 2015, 7:23 am

performer wrote:
Inquisitive wrote:Performer, if I may ask, who are you? I mean since you seem to know all these famous magicians you probably are a 'known' magician yourself.


I am indeed terribly well known. However I am interested in who YOU are? In other words I am inquisitive about inquisitive. So who are YOU?


I am just a regular high school kid (17 years of age) living in Canada. Who are you?

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 11th, 2015, 7:49 am

Canada? I have heard of the place. It is a rather large country I have been led to believe and dreadfully cold. I have reason to believe that I may have been there at some point. It does sound somewhat familiar.

Whereabouts in Canada?

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 11th, 2015, 7:56 am

If inquisitive really is a 17 year old high school kid his original post here makes a lot more sense. Perhaps he is an innocent child after all and is not in on the hoax if indeed hoax it is. And I think it is.

One more thing. On surveying my surroundings just now I have reason to believe I may actually be in Canada at the moment. Still, I have just woken up and feeling a little fuzzy so I may perhaps be wrong.

I shall see how boring the populace are when I get out and about and then I will know for sure. If there are no bullets flying at least I will know that I am not in America.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby observer » September 11th, 2015, 1:51 pm

performer wrote:I shall see how boring the populace are when I get out and about and then I will know for sure. If there are no bullets flying at least I will know that I am not in America.



[performer steps outside, verifies absence of flying bullets, smiles approvingly to self, turns to go back inside, and is promptly devoured by a polar bear]

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 11th, 2015, 4:31 pm

I am afraid that there are indeed a few bullets flying about although not quite as many as I expected. However, on enquiring further I discovered that I was actually in Toronto which is not short of bullets flying about although nowhere near as many as there are in American cities. However it appears they are are American bullets flying from American guns which are smuggled into Canada from the Excited States.

I have been assured therefore that unlike America shooting people in great quantities is considered socially unacceptable in Canada and occurs far less. I think it shouldn't occur at all particularly as Her Brittanic Majesty is in charge here. Shooting people is not the British way of doing things after all. Knives and broken bottles are considered more appropriate in Britain as befits a more civilised society.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Inquisitive » September 11th, 2015, 5:40 pm

I actually live about 45 min away from Toronto (60 min tops).

Also, I just wanted to let you know that I am still interested in your third method.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Smurf » September 11th, 2015, 5:54 pm

Inquisitive,

I'm sure you know who Lord Voldemort is. Well, it is sorta like performer is a close relative of LV, and performer is another he-who-must-not-be-named. But keep looking on other threads and you will find out.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 11th, 2015, 6:41 pm

Inquisitive wrote:I actually live about 45 min away from Toronto (60 min tops).

Also, I just wanted to let you know that I am still interested in your third method.


Alas by confessing your age it has discouraged me somewhat from revealing the method. If I knew for sure that you would be doing magic in a serious fashion in 5 years time I would be inclined to let you in on the secret. But alas my psychic vision concerning this matter is a little clouded. I know nothing about you, your level of interest or skill. Or your passion. I could give you a valuable secret and in a years time you could have given up magic and the secret will have gone to waste.

I shall tell you my dilemna. I am terribly old fashioned and I believe that magic is a secret art and should remain secret. Alas nowadays with all this internet easy access to secrets there are in this day and age thousands upon thousands upon thousands upon thousands of horrible teenagers taking up magic in droves.

That is fine as far as it goes. Even in my younger days young people took up magic in the same manner but with one vital difference. Secrets were harder to come by. Nowadays all these horrible kids with their awful flourishes and dreadful you tube videos get all the very valuable secrets of magic with no effort expended. They go to those awful magic camps and find out more things they shouldn't know about and then what happens?

After their initial enthusiasm and life takes over they lose all interest and go on to something else. They chase women, take drugs, or take up stamp collecting. However the interest in magic fades except for one thing. They know how all the bloody tricks are done! They know valuable secrets like the Linking Rings, the cups and balls and other classics. They know the secrets of card sleights.
They know things they should not know. They are no longer magicians. They are just laymen who know how the tricks are done. Everything has been EXPOSED.

Magic Mike Segal who runs that magic camp in Northern Ontario admitted to me that the kids there probably won't be doing magic in future years. So that means the secrets have been exposed for no reason. Sure, a few of those brats will no doubt go on to become serious students of magic but the key word is "few". What about the rest of them? They know how the bloody tricks are done and they SHOULDN'T know them. I think they should all be drowned in Lake Ontario but people tell me that solution may be a trifle harsh.

I find too many laymen know how the tricks are done nowadays. Too many teenagers know secrets they shouldn't know when they won't be doing magic in future years. And too many magic shops are selling valuable secrets to anyone who walks in the door. They won't hesitate to sell an invisible deck to some bloody layman who shouldn't even know such a thing exists. It actually happened to me yesterday. I was performing and a layman actually had a deck of these with him yesterday and even knew the name of the bloody trick. I have overheard laymen in public places talk about purchasing "Run Rabbit Run" from a magic shop just to show it to their kids.

And even worse they can buy all this stuff online. Soon there will be no secrets or laymen left and so called "magicians" will be reduced to "entertaining" each other.

And of course we are all talking about secrets openly here and that alas includes even me.

I hate the way magic is going. I am glad I'll be dead soon so I don't have to witness magic dying along with me.

And now a 17 year old wants to know one of my secrets? I shudder at the very thought.

Still, my young pup. All hope is not lost. Convince me that you deserve the secret. Convince me that you will still be doing magic in five years. Convince me that you will honour the art. Convince me that you will treat it as an art. Convince me of your passion, your talent and above all your commitment.

Convince me.

I need to know more about you. You say you live 45 minutes away from Toronto. I have been performing every Thursday night in a town 45 minutes away from Toronto. There are two Thursdays left. I am doing close up magic in the street. Not as a busker and am being paid a fee to do this. It would be quite a coincidence if you live in that town.

No need to disclose your identity here. Just tell me which town you live in that is 45 minutes away from Toronto.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 11th, 2015, 6:54 pm

I am now getting a horrible vibe that this "teenager" may be Paul Pacific in disguise. He has gone on the Magic Bunny forum in the past pretending he is a high school kid for some reason which is quite beyond my comprehension. It does seem an odd coincidence that our new member appears here soon after I informed him of my presence. If it is he wasting my time I will be gravely displeased over the matter and would advise him to find gainful employment and stop amusing himself so much. And put some bloody shoes on.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Inquisitive » September 11th, 2015, 9:26 pm

Hi Performer,

To answer your question about the city- I live in Hamilton, Ontario.

I understand everything you said. However, I assure you that I am quite serious about magic. Yes, there are times when I end up leaving magic temporarily (even up to a few months at a time). The reason for that could be a temporary loss of interest in magic, or not having enough time for magic, etc. But, I *always* end up coming back. I have been doing magic since I was 12, so it's been 5 years. Of course, during this 5 year period I took breaks (up to months) from magic due to various reasons, but I always ended up coming back.

Now, when I say I took 'breaks' from magic, I don't mean I stopped researching, reading, and learning magic. I mean I stopped performing magic for others (during that break). However, during that time period (break period, if you will) I still researched about magic; read about magic; learned magic; etc. I basically did everything except for actually performing magic during these break periods.

So, I am quite confident in saying that during this 5 year period (the 5 years I have been in magic) I didn't quit magic altogether. Yes, in terms of performing magic I went on and off, but in terms of researching about, reading about, and learning magic, I was quite consistent. I am being as honest as I can be here.

I have a deep interest in magic, and this interest has grown over the 5 years I have been in magic. I am quite confident in saying that I will never leave magic for good. Yes, the temporary breaks will continue, but I will never leave magic permanently (my interest in the field is such that). I am at least confident in saying that. If I won't perform magic, I will still continue reading, researching, and learning magic.

All that being said, I should also talk about some negative aspects (in terms of me and magic). I have never bought a magic effect in my entire life. I always have looked around the internet for secrets for free: 1) By joining magic forums (where there are open discussions about secrets), and 2) By looking on YouTube. I have also used torrents to download many magic PDFs and videos (again for free). Part of the reason I've done this is because I've never had money to buy any magic effects (since I haven't had a job), and the other part of the reason is that my parents would never buy me magic effects (now that's a whole different story). Due to this I resorted to all these methods to get magic secrets for free (forums, YouTube, torrents, etc.).

So, here, in short I given you my background in magic. Hopefully, this will help you to understand more about me and magic. If there is anything else you'd like to know, feel free to ask me.

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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 11th, 2015, 10:44 pm

It seems that you are not Paul Pacific after all. Paul would never go to the effort of typing all that out.

You should not have mentioned the torrents here. It doesn't bother me in the slightest since as a svengali pitchman I have always believed that to be successful in life it is essential to know how to lie, cheat and steal. Alas however, they are a far stuffier lot here and will not approve of your frankness.

No. I am not performing in Hamilton although I am there frequently. There is a psychic fair coming up there in coming weeks at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and if you visit you will see the aforementioned Paul Pacific exhibiting as a psychic reader. Unlike me he is very sociable and a great mentalist. If you make yourself known to him he will be very friendly to you and if he has time he may discuss magic with you. I suggest visiting him on the Friday evening after school when he will be less busy. I will not be exhibiting at that particular fair but everyone there knows me.

I do know there is a magic club in Hamilton and I believe they are quite a friendly bunch. Perhaps you should check them out. I have no idea where to contact them but I expect the universe will provide the answer.

Now you don't need money to learn magic. You don't need to buy tricks. You seem to be able to express yourself in a reasonably literate manner and unlike most Canadians seem to be able to spell properly so that gives me hope for you in one important area anyway. The odds are that you are the sort that is not afraid to read a book. After all, people that are reasonably literate probably fit this description. So I would advise you to devour books. And if you can't afford books then go to the libary. The REAL secrets of magic are not on the internet. They are in books. That is the secrets of presentation, showmanship and the psychology of deception. You would be hard put to find this on the internet among all the crotch you tube videos.

And it is close up magic that you should learn. Show the tricks at school. You need PEOPLE to become a good magician. Show the tricks everywhere and anywhere. That is how you learn. Show them on the bus, show them in the park-show them everywhere. However, do not approach people with this "street magic" nonsense. Especially if you don't have a camera crew with you. You are in a position of weakness when you do that. And Canadians are very boring and will take fright at the effrontery of it and scurry away in great horror. In the US they might shoot you so don't try it there either. There are ways of getting people to approach you. Alas I haven't the energy to describe them.

Get a deck of cards. I expect you have already done this. And study card magic. With a deck of cards you can entertain for a long time and it is easy to carry around with you.

But keep clear of the complicated sleight of hand. Go for the easier stuff and put the time saved into learning how to PRESENT the tricks in an entertaining manner. Remember ENTERTAINMENT comes FIRST! The mystery is always secondary to the entertainment and ignore anyone who tells you otherwise. Especially daft people on magic forums who know as much about magic as I do about the care and breeding of Japanese butterflies. Especially avoid advice from "magicians" of your own age. They, as magicians, couldn't make the contents of an empty box disappear.

No. I am not going to tell you my secret. I am not convinced you are ready for it. Besides the secrets of presentation will be of more value to you than my secret anyway.

I wish you luck.

Larry Horowitz
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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Larry Horowitz » September 11th, 2015, 11:48 pm

Performer,

One of the best posts you've written. Great advice for the young man.

(And yes, I know exactly who you are)

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Richard Kaufman » September 12th, 2015, 1:49 am

Inquisitive: If you've never paid for any magic in your life and get everything from torrents, you should be ashamed of yourself because you're a thief. And we don't welcome thieves here.
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RobFromNZ
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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby RobFromNZ » September 12th, 2015, 5:02 am

Inquisitive: I get what it is to have little money, and find magic pricey. There are no magic shops in New Zealand, just one or two online outfits - and buying online can be expensive here. So here's a hint: go to the library.

If you go to your local or school library you'll find decent magic books for sure. It's not trendy, but it's better than watching pirated stuff off the net.

Because of these limitations, I generally buy cheap ebooks online (I enjoy old magic journals from Lybrary.com - heaps of effects in something like "Magigram" for as little as $4USD). And I tend to look for tricks using everyday objects, since special magic equipment breaks the bank.

Forget $2400 tricks that may not even exist, or cruising the net to see if someone has stolen a video from your favourite magician.

performer
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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 12th, 2015, 6:10 am

Inquisitive. Unlike Richard I welcome thieves providing of course they don't steal from me. But then I hail from a different background where one has to be a little wicked to survive. Still, I must not lead you astray and after all I did warn you (after the fact of course) that it would be unwise to confess your sins here. This is not the Catholic Church and I rather think that Richard would not be a terribly good father confessor. So perhaps it would be best to keep your wickedness quiet.

I have never partaken of this torrent business because I am terrified of viruses and suchlike. Alas I do not understand this dreadful world of computers. Besides I suspect the knowledge you get from those torrents aren't doing you a lot of good anyway.

One problem with the library suggestion is that very often the choice of books there is quite limited. But you know at your stage of the game I think you only need two books anyway. There are many, many wonderful books for beginners (and you ARE a beginner despite the length of time you have been doing magic) but I think it would be quite splendid indeed if you were able to purchase somehow or other these two.

I highly recommend in your situation that you somehow obtain The Royal Road to Card Magic and Harry Lorayne's The Magic Book which I am studying myself at the moment oddly enough. I have already studied it in the past but I am going through it again as I regard it as one of Harry's greatest books and the only one he has written for the public on magic. A REALLY good book for the beginner.


But not on a torrent site please. You need a hard backed book anyway. Something solid. You need to get away from learning magic on the internet to some degree.

I expect you know there is a magic shop in Toronto called "The Browser's Den of Magic". Make use of it when you are able to. After all magic shops are sadly becoming a dying breed because of the internet so you should make use of this valuable resource while you can. I know your funds are limited but there is nothing to stop you visiting.

I would advise you to learn about 5 good tricks and learn them to perfection. Do those 5 splendid tricks better than anyone else. By all means amuse yourself and piddle about with other tricks for your own amusement and fascination but your priority should be to really learn just a few tricks so well that audiences will associate you with those particular items. When you have achieved this (and it will take a little while) then by all means learn another 5 tricks and do the same thing again.

But you must PERFORM these tricks for real human beings. Or alternatively Canadians. Magic is PEOPLE. Never forget that.

You know Mississauga is even nearer than Toronto. There is a somewhat brilliant magician there that might be of assistance to you in these matters. He is there only at weekends and not every weekend either. He is there this weekend but not for the two weekends after that. Some chap here called Widdle or some such name posted a video of where he can be found. Here it is again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjxPA3IPRbs

I am equally as brilliant as this chap and can be found in Oakville performing on Thursday nights from 6 until 9pm in the street for the next two weeks only. And of course Oakville is even nearer to Hamilton than Mississauga.

If you impress me (and I expect you won't) then you may learn my card trick secret. However, that is only a minor secret. I have other secrets in magic that have nothing to do with the tricks themselves. They are far more valuable. I may or may not teach you them depending on what mood I am in. However, I am in a good mood very rarely so don't hold your breath.

Oh, one more bit of advice before I go. Don't mention torrents here again. If you must commit sins do them in secret. Magic and torrents should have one thing in common. Secrecy.

Leonard Hevia
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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby Leonard Hevia » September 12th, 2015, 2:26 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:Inquisitive: If you've never paid for any magic in your life and get everything from torrents, you should be ashamed of yourself because you're a thief. And we don't welcome thieves here.


Hear, hear. Lesson #1 for Inquisitive: You work hard and sacrifice for your art--not the other way around.

performer
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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 12th, 2015, 2:49 pm

He is only 17 years old. I would be inclined to cut him some slack. Alas this is what the kids do nowadays. I don't think he will do it again.

performer
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Re: Jeremy Weiss' ACAAN

Postby performer » September 12th, 2015, 2:58 pm

Richard welcomed one thief here. I still remember visiting that old rogue Murray the escapologist in hospital. The first thing he said was "It is nice to see this thief here!"

A most wonderful compiment which I have always treasured.

Lest you think I am telling a tall tale a member of this forum was a witness to the event.


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