The Big "Street Magic" Controversy

Ever since David Blaine first hit the airwaves with his televised magic show, which he unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) entitled "Street Magic," there has been a controversy brewing as to just what constitutes a true "street magician." Rumors have swirled that hundreds of young magicians are taking to the street with a gorilla styled magic that attacks an unsuspecting spectator or small group with the oh so original line, "hey wanna see something cool?" They look into their prey's eyes with a blank stare and say things like, "Did you see that?" "Pretty Phat Huh!"

There is an old saying amongst magicians, that goes like this "I asked him to show me a card trick, he did twenty." That is what my opinion of walking around with a deck of cards hoping to impress someone with your clever patter of "Hey wanna see something cool?"

Blaine did a magic television show. His approach was original. The "hundreds of wannabes" who copy his style and proclaim it "street magic" are not.

There have been street magicians for many years before David Blaine decided to do a televised close-up magic show. Yes, that is what he really does. He is a walk-around or "strolling" magician. A guy who does close-up magic while standing up with a limited sized audience. And you know what, people do hire magicians to do this type of magic all the time. It is popular at weddings, barmitzvas, parties, and even some trade shows. Some magicians have a negative opinion about a "strolling" magician, saying that they are somehow less polished or substantial than a stationary performer. To me magic is magic. I think it should amuse, entrance or astonish the audience and at the same time satisfy the paying customer.

When I was just a young boy, I read "Street Magic" by Jeff Sheridan. And I believe that Jeff personifies what a "street magician" is today. Simply put, a street magician is a magician who can use magic to make a living by performing on the street. That's it plain and simple. Now if you run up to a single person and ask to show them a trick. Chances are that you are not a street magician, just some guy doing a trick for someone. If you make enough money to justify actually performing, I'll say that yes, you are indeed a street magician. If you want to read more about street magic then visit my web page on the subject.