Originally Posted by joethemagician

OK, Ive said it before, but Criss Angel is NOT A MAGICIAN. He is a stuntman and a show man and an escape artist, but he is not a magician. I have never seen any of his effects use sleight of hand, even his close up segments. It's always a gimmick, or done by means of a confederate. Now, I'm not saying that he's NOT a good stunt man, show man, and escape artist. Although now that I think of it, I've never seen any of his effects where he does an escape in the pure sense of the word, although that may just be that I dont watch MindFreak very often. His escapes that I've seen, at least, are all mechanical and gimmicked.

Criss Angel could be a reason people get into magic, just like the Spice Girls could be a reason a kid would get into singing. He's cool if you don't know anything about it, but once you do, there are way better people out there who get way less recognition. Even David Blaine is better, because he at least uses some slight of hand in his show, and does 'close-up magic' as opposed to 'gimmicked and confederated magic'. Ok, well Blaine does use accomplices and some gimmics too. Crap. lost my example. But he at least does SOME slight of hand.

Just my $0.02 worth. Feel free to criticize me and my personal beliefs.

Joe