The Death Knells Of Philippine Radio

.:The Death Knells For Philippine Radio:.

In a span of three months, three different radio stations glaringly reformatted, each successive reformat conspicuously tolling the bells of the slow and agonizing death of Philippine radio. I’ve been trying to find the words to say as all of this happened right before my very eyes, but I’d be lying if I said this had the same emotional impact on me as opposed to when Campus 99.5 was unceremoniously killed over two years ago.

Then again, maybe it’s not that I’m no longer emotionally affected by these drastic changes to our airwaves, or even the obvious fact that I was, with the exception of one station out of the three, never an avid listener of any of these stations at any point in my life, regardless of what incarnation they took. It may very well be that I’m slowly becoming desensitized to the systematic demise of radio as a medium, and the only reason it still stays strong as a medium is that it’s easier to listen to a radio than to watch a television while riding a jeepney. Technology has been kicking radio’s behind for the past decade or two, and internet is being touted at this point (And no longer video.) as truly killing the radio star.

Three months. That’s all it approximately took to turn the radio industry on its head, although one must admit that the seeds were planted for a long time in two out of the three cases, so it wasn’t all that surprising when things panned out the way they did this year. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that the landscape of radio has never looked bleaker, at least to the fans of the old school who don’t mind a bit of the new school, but certainly mind an obvious dominance of only one particular radio format on the airwaves – the masa format, to be exact.

Is Philippine radio dead? Heavens, no. The radio medium is arguably stronger than ever - in terms of lifespan. These reformats ensure that the radio industry will continue to be around. However, it’s safe to say that radio as we knew it is not alive but undead, for in its place is a zombie that would continue to exist, but not quite live on. Perhaps it would achieve more monetary success, even, but for the longest time, radio didn’t have to compromise much of its integrity in order for it to become successful, and now, it almost necessarily has to.

Or maybe I’m just looking at this with rose-colored glasses. After all, isn’t payola now considered a thing of the past, thus meaning radio, as a whole, is far more reputable now than it used to be? Not really, because payola existed in a time where radio was powerful enough to command payola. Now, it just isn’t the case: why would a record label need to pay any radio station for airplay at all? Clearly, radio has fallen at the mercy of nearly everyone else, and has only print and a lack of internet penetration to thank that it’s not dead last in the media landscape.

Through the eyes of a fan of the radio medium, here are the three stories that have changed the face of Philippine radio in ways nobody could have imagined just a year ago.

From Joey 92.3 to XFM to U92 to 92.3 News FM: Hatid Sa Inyo Ng Radyo 5!

Gone, but not... who were you again?

First, the least objectionable shake-up, in my opinion; although at the same time, the most dramatic one among the three reformats.

92.3 as a frequency was, for the longest time, known as one of the least talk-oriented radio stations in the metro. With very light and easy tracks that never fail to calm people down as they listen to it in the middle of traffic, 92.3, and its most popular incarnation, Joey, certainly went against the grain of the 90’s boom towards eloquent talk radio. It was normally compared to other stations like 96.3 WRK and 94.7 WLL, and at some point, 97.9 Home Radio. All four stations had similar philosophies, while at the same time, playing enough recognizable and current songs to not completely fall into being an outright jazz or classical station.

When Joey became XFM in 2007, it was quite a departure from its old easy-listening format, as it became a haven for electronica, house, lounge, and indie music. This was far from the mainstream adult contemporary ways of most radio stations in the upper economic strata markets, and as such, had its own cult following, most of whom were thoroughly hooked enough to not notice that within a year’s time, XFM went back to its old Joey format, just emphasizing more jazz tunes than before. Overall, this stealthy change confused most casual listeners who didn’t have a clue what made 92.3 work for all those years. With the clear lack of direction and reception in a niche it wanted to dominate yet nobody in the advertising world really cared if it did, the X gave way to the U.

U92 was MTV Philippines’s answer to RX, Magic, Mellow, RT, and I guess at the time, MAX. The station, an affiliate of MTV Philippines (Which was also reputedly at its death knells as well, much thanks to Myx.), was composed of arguably the most star-studded lineup of radio personalities this side of the world. While we’ve had DJ’s who became celebrities for one reason or another, U92 hired mostly celebrities to become DJ’s, thus ending up with people like The Brewrats, Pia Magalona, and KC Montero. They also did a number on the programming of at least WAVE, JAM, and RT, since these three stations lost the following jocks when U92 hustled to snap them up: Eri Neeman, Jimmy Muna, Rye, and Mike Potenciano from Wave; Patti from Jam; and Joshua Z, Tado, Angel, and Ramon from RT. There were even rumors that Mo Twister was almost swiped by U92 if Mo didn’t have the foresight to inform Magic of the attempt to pirate him, giving them a chance to make him an offer he can’t refuse to stay on in Radio Partners’ flagship station.

With star power and veteran know-how combined in the new radio station, it seemed like only a matter of time before U92 would start giving Magic and RX a run for their money, being the top two radio stations in their target market. Alack and alas, this never came to pass, and massive overhead costs for a very star-studded on-air lineup were but the tip of the iceberg that sank U92 just exactly 364 days after it set sail.

What replaced it was clearly an angling made to wrestle for media dominance, as exerted by the new powers that be from the Kapatid network, who aggressively snapped up a lot of news personnel from both Channel 2 and 7 in an effort to establish itself as a legitimate threat to the ratings game. As TV5 already had an FM radio station in 106.7, most famous during the time it was known as KOOL 106, the station that was once known as MRS, then Joey, then XFM, then U92, became 92.3 News FM: the first AM radio format to air on the FM band.

With one of my good friends, Michelle Orosa, as one of the personalities in the new station, I actually don’t find the new format objectionable at all, nor do I think it’s a waste of a good radio station, since 92.3’s current format is something that has never been done before and has a lot of potential. Neither would I miss the U92 format, since Magic, RT, RX, and Mellow all still exist to give me more of the same. It's novel in that you have standard AM fare on the FM dial, although the overlap between this and 558 RMN News is a bit telltale, what with key personalities like Raffy Tulfo still performing their duties on that network, last time I checked.

Of course, what I do feel bad about are the people who lost their jobs when U92 folded up, since a lot of them were people I have worked with or happen to be friends with. I honestly don’t have much of an opinion about U92 when it finally kicked the bucket, but I’m sure it couldn’t have been pleasant to know that not only are you out of a job, but if you came from RT, WAVE, or JAM, you probably can’t make your way back there. Neither would you expect to find yourself in Magic or MAX, either. Especially not MAX, since it became...

From 103.5 K-Lite to Heart FM to 103 ½ Max FM to 103.5 WOW FM: Lahveeet!

It *was* the right kind of Lite. Then they found their Heart. And it was screwed up to the MAX. Oh, WOW.

If TV5 was going to experiment with a never-before tried format on the FM band, by golly, the Radio Partners (Current owners of JAM 88.3, WAVE 891, Magic 89.9, 99.5 RT, and WOW 103.5.) were going to experiment with a format they never tried before.

Prior to the current Mr.Fu-centric incarnation of 103.5, many listeners fondly remembered 103.5 as K-Lite, that amazing little radio station that can. It was cutting edge, contemporary, and innovative all at the same time. Arguably the pioneer of modern Philippine talk radio, K-Lite was the brainchild of several radio legends who came together to see a dream come true from the moment of its inception in 1995. I’m not fully aware when the Radio Partners ended up acquiring K-Lite, but I know for a fact that this radio station was, without a doubt, influential to the upper market on so many levels. Only Magic, RX, and RT would have a chance to argue this claim, in my book.

With such a powerful lineup of jocks such as Joe Schmoe and Dick Reese, with these living legends manning the booth, brilliant ideas left and right, what could have possibly gone wrong? I don’t really know, since not only was I not really a huge listener of the station, but my timelines are skewed when it comes to the rise and fall of K-Lite (Although a good friend, Ren Aguila, recently told me what he believes to be the reason, but it's quite a long story, and this post is already long enough as is.). Despite that,the beginning of the end for the frequency itself obviously came the minute they decided to do a drastic reformat that saw K-Lite rechristened as 103.5 Heart FM.

Now, I will tell you one thing about my former boss, the legen... wait for it... dary Joe D’ Mango, and it’s that this man is one of those whom I respect and admire the most in the radio industry despite never having been an avid listener of his during his heyday. His mental acumen and pulse for the radio industry was unbelievably spot-on, and with the level of success he had with WAVE and subsequently, K-Lite’s spiritual successor, JAM, it was believed that he would work his Mango Magic to make Heart FM become a format to be reckoned with.

And then he touted Heart to become the station that would give Mellow 94.7 a run for its money.

With that, you might see where this reformat may not have been the brightest idea of all time, and perhaps the only knock on sir Joe's eye (Or ear.) for the radio industry. Mellow 94.7 is many things, but it was never a target worth aspiring to. It’s a good radio station, but at no point was it the best in anything. I say this knowing two of my friends, Jaybee and Vince G, currently work there. They are great individuals, no question about it, but I doubt they would tell you that Mellow is the number one station in anything, except for catchiest jingle of all time. Because you are the minstrel, and I’m your guitar. And they don't even use that jingle anymore. =(

When the masa-ish 93.9 DWKC (We are family!) became 939 KCFM, they had RX 93.1 dead in their sights as the kind of station they wanted to overtake. That sort of explains why they pirated Chico and Delamar from RX, to begin with. When KCFM became iFM after failing to unseat RX, it was clearly gunning for 101.1 YES FM, which it still has yet to unseat, let alone unseat current powerhouse 90.7 Love Radio in the masa format. When U92 replaced XFM, it was obviously gunning for Magic and RX. It didn't succeed at that, either. Any massive reformat was meant to do one of two things: to compete with an already established powerhouse in a lucrative market or niche, or to establish a powerhouse in an untapped lucrative market or niche. Heart FM, in gunning for Mellow 94.7, was neither of these.

And so the story went that things got so bad in Heart that Sgt. Pepper, yet another legendary jock, had to be brought in to bring back a semblance of order to the flagging radio station. He came in, allegedly (EDIT: And subsequently, in the comments section, debunked by the Sarge himself.) under one condition: that he would never have to answer to, or even work with, Joe D’ Mango. Don't ask me why: I never had the Heart (Pardon the terrible pun.) to ask sir Joe about it. In that desperate bid, JAM, WAVE, and Heart lost their general manager in Joe D' Mango, who ended up leaving the radio industry ever-so-abruptly, and new station managers came in for each of them, with Sgt. Pepper filling in for the 103.5 frequency. With that, Heart FM, after a mere six months, was turned into 103 ½ MAX FM, where some notable jocks ended up at some point, including Kelly of Kellybites fame, Carl McFly, and of course, King DJ Logan.

Max FM: dancing itself to oblivion...

Over the time of MAX FM’s existence, though, it would become known as a revolving door for jocks, as most of them would go in and out of the station for one reason or another, and that sort of explains why KDL and Marf happen to both be in 99.5 well before WOW FM came along, as is Drei Ball jumping ship to 88.3 around the same time, give or take a year. It was a hotbed of competition: a talented bunch of jocks who wanted to protect their spot in a very cutthroat environment, yet almost always dead last in sales when it came to the five Radio Partner stations. Even an attempt to reformat into a more dance-oriented station failed miserably, as MAX never quite shook off the stigma of just being another “Magic clone.”

Whereas 99.5 RT, after a foray into Campus 99.5 then an aggressive retrobranding as the Rhythm of the City, still struggles with the stigma of being a "Magic clone" a bit, MAX, perhaps unwisely, appeared to wallow in the similarities. After all, when Sarge took his classic Magic ideas like Tunog Kalye to MAX, it certainly didn’t strike most listeners as a return to form, but rather (And mistakenly, I might add, since most of these ideas were originally from the Sarge, to begin with.) a blatant rip-off of 89.9.

Was it any surprise then, that it was only a matter of time before this Old Yeller would be put out of its misery back in the barn?

Dahil diyan, close na tayo!

With an attempt at breaking into the masa market dominated by Love Radio and Yes FM (Which are actually sister stations, to begin with!), the Radio Partners turned what was once the pinnacle of thought-provocative adult contemporary radio that became a Mellow clone that became yet another Magic clone into, well, a Love and Yes clone. Do I feel that a great injustice has been done to the once illustrious numbers 103.5? I’ll be honest here and say that Heart and MAX did the job long before WOW came into the scene, and WOW is only the culmination of the metaphorical spit upon K-Lite’s grave. To be fair,though, Mr. Fu, Justin Bibbo, and even Tina Ryan of Magic and RT fame are certainly not lightweights at all, and give this masa station a touch of class that it sorely needs. It’s still not on my speed tuner, though.

It remains to be seen where this new development would take them, because hey, at least, the Radio Partners didn’t go for yet another Magic clone, right? And what's one more masa station? It's not like another institution in radio would finally cave in and end up becoming yet another masa station, right? Wrong.

From NU 107 to 107.5 WIN Radio: Pinag-iisipan Pa Ba Yan?!?

In loving memory...

And now, more egregious than a Christmas concert by 1:43 in Araneta Colliseum, comes Exhibit C: the proof in the pudding. The reason why I’ve heard “Philippine radio is deeeeeaaaadddd!!!” at least five thousand times in the past seven days.

NU 107 was in a league of its own, and rightfully so. Only one other station ever came close to capturing the magic NU had during its 23 years of existence, and that was LA 105. This was also the only time in my life where I was an avid listener of NU, although I was an avid radio listener for this time, period, and NU/LA were among the radio stations I was listening to all the time back then. I couldn’t ever forget that in the same time period, I heard the multiple callers on DM 95.5 and 97.1 DWLS FM sniping at DM’s Hitman and LS’s Triggerman, respectively. But I digress.

It was during this time where I heard Parokya Ni Edgar's "Lutong Bahay", Grin Department's "Magbati Na Kayo", and a band whose name I forget, imploring you to "Drive My BM(X)", while the Eraserheads were going on "Overdrive". Switching from NU to LA was a lot of fun for me, because I really liked these particular songs, and kids today, in the age of Limewire and music not even worth downloading like Callalily, wouldn't have that very low-tech experience of waiting for your favorite song to air, and then setting your radio to record the song while it's playing, all the while praying the DJ doesn't talk too soon and lets the whole song play untarnished from start to finish.

Upon this rock, a station was built, and NU 107 was representative of the kind of cutting-edge music that led to a band renaissance in the mid-90’s that saw Rivermaya, Eraserheads, Parokya ni Edgar, Yano, Siakol, even Grin Department, as just a healthy sample of what it meant to have great music at a point nobody expected there to be any. Of course, there were some indie names that only a few hardcore fans would be able to recognize, but I’m writing for the mainstream here, so I have to drop the recognizable names when I do a roundup.

Nonetheless, the station was held in very high esteem by some of the most fanatical listeners a radio station could possible hope for. With successful events like the annual NU Rock Awards and some of the most influential OPM acts owing their fame and very existence to NU 107’s willingness to play them when no other station would dare to, the station became an institution, and, with the demise of LA 105 for reasons I never quite understood, the only genuine rock station on the airwaves. RJ and UR don’t even come close to what NU stood for, and, for all intents and purposes, are not in the same niche at all. NU became one of a kind, and though some people feel that the deadpan jocks of the radio station had all the emotion of a dead fish, you knew that there was an underlying passion in what they did. In fact, any lack of passion people may have accused them of having was easily debunked on the final week where the jocks of NU said goodbye, more so when the final hour tolled, and almost all of them said their teary goodbyes to a 23-year legacy that could only be marked as phenomenal.

NU was never the top radio station in terms of ratings, but it was the best at what it did, and what it did was to rock out with their something-that-rhymes-with-rock out. It loved the niche, and the niche it cornered loved it back, no matter how many people claimed it “sold out” or watered itself down. That one moment where Diether Ocampo called everyone at an NU event “jologs” still stands out as something that killed people’s interest as quickly as a documentary on XLR8, yet it only emboldened the listeners to uphold the true rock lifestyle, no matter how NU itself may have faltered at being the trailblazer for it at times.

NU truly had a devout fanbase that may lash out at it at times, but never in a million years would have considered turning their back on the station. Even if I haven’t been an avid listener of the radio station for years, I respected the format and the institution that it was in Philippine radio. That’s sort of why I didn’t accept the job offered of me two years ago, when they asked if I was willing to be the “image consultant” of sorts to the home of NU rock. I came from WAVE 89.1, a hip-hop station, and felt I had no business tinkering around with the image of a station that is almost the exact opposite of hip-hop. It didn’t feel right, so I declined it in favour of Campus 99.5, which was a format I was more at home with. Turns out, either choice I had in 2008 wouldn't have carried me through to 2011, since both stations are gone now, although Campus Radio Online lives on.

I guess when the news started to unfurl about NU 107 being sold and eventually reformatted, a lot of people who took the station for granted began to realize they were on the verge of losing something that was big, important, and at this point in Philippine radio – the only one of its kind. The radio station many people have simply dismissed as “selling out” or “watered down” suddenly found a bunch of closet fans, or even bandwagon fans, and naturally, some hardcore fans took exception to that. Let me tell you this much, though: if you’re a station worth bandwagoning on, you’re definitely worth something, no matter how vestigial all those efforts may have been.

That fateful night at Emerald Avenue, home to several radio stations, about five hundred or more people came together to pay their last respects to NU 107. And while I’d be the first to crack jokes about the demise of NU once and for all proving that NU (the university) doesn’t exist at all, there was something surreal about the crowd that came together that night, all singing along non-stop to every symbolic song NU played on its final night.

In my time of being involved in radio, I have never seen a sendoff for a radio station the way NU got. It was heartwarming, if not envy-inducing, considering how many other radio stations just went out with a whimper. NU went out in the proverbial blaze of glory, and what a glorious blaze it truly was. As a great song once said, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”

Unfortunately, the new beginning? Nothing much to write home about.

The latest incarnation of the 107.5 frequency is known as WIN FM, with the very blatant Love Radio-esque slogan, "Pinag-iisipan pa ba 'yan?" Personally, I don’t actively despise masa stations, and I believe they have a purpose in the radio landscape. Hades, I'm even a fan of Mr. Fu, Chris Tsuper, Nicole Hyala, and Papa Jack! The thing is, there’s a lot of them already running around. You have 90.7, 91.5, 93.9, 97.1, 101.1, 101.9, 102.7, and 103.5. I’m not sure about 95.5 nowadays, but that marks eight radio stations with essentially the exact same format. Now, WIN 107.5 becomes the ninth, while NU 107’s format? It has zero representation in today’s airwaves.

If RX 93.1 decided to go away tomorrow, I would be arguably the saddest person you would ever find: I love RX, I love the people there, and I don't just mean the on-air staff: from sales to traffic to management, I've known them for years, and they know that if for some reason they ever needed me on their team, I would drop most everything I'm doing in a heartbeat to help them any which way I can. Despite all that, I would know that the format lives on in Magic 89.9. Same jocks? No. Same off-air staff? No. Exactly the same playlist? No. Same format? Indubitably.

When NU 107 went off the air the final time and that national anthem played, thus displacing "Ang Huling El Bimbo" from being the station's last song ever, where do you think their loyal listeners would go to now? I'll tell you where: YouTube. Their iPod. Frostwire. Anywhere but the desolate wasteland of Philippine radio, which no longer has a home for rockers, unless they're old enough to appreciate RJ 100, or hipster enough to pretend to like UR 105.9. In fact, the only good thing that could arise from all of this is if UR decided to really fill in the void left by NU, because hey, they're LA 105's spiritual successor, and they have both the on-air staff and the musical chops to pull it off. Then again, we don't have any UR Rock Awards, do we?

That a unique radio station is killed to make way for yet another masa station is a great travesty. That a station that gave rise to some of the best rock acts of the past two generations is now gone, and a ninth radio station churning out bubblegum music and encouraging mentally challenged K-Pop wannabe acts without caring for the long-term results upon the music industry is a grievous mistake that we sadly have no power to correct. NU may have been a niche station, but it was a notable enough niche, and it dominated its niche, competition or no competition. Personally, I believe that if you have the best product in anything, it should already sell itself, but then, I’m not really privy to the sales practices of NU 107, so I couldn’t speak for their efficacy or anything of the sort.

I’ve said this a million times and I’ll say it again: I love radio. I practically grew up on the medium. I was a frequent contest winner in 93.9 due to my vaunted speed dialing skills. I loved 94.7 and 96.3 because their DJ's spoke so little, I could record songs I requested from them with impunity. I loved 97.1, 106.7, and 95.5 because they had daily countdowns. I loved 105.9 and 107.5 because they were the only station playing Grin Department. I loved 93.1 because Chico and Delamar trained me in Radio 1 and I followed their career from RX to KC then back again (I'm still a loyal Rusher to this very day.). I worked in 89.1. I almost worked for JAM and NU. I worked (For free!) for Campus 99.5. And now, I regularly guest on 99.5 RT on weeknights with the Disenchanted Kingdom. In high school, I was even on an AM radio program called "Anak... Gabay Mo," a CMMA hall of famer that was never once supported by its own radio station (You go, DWXI!) despite espousing good values and positive influence on the youth who listened to us.

That’s exactly why when I had to choose between WAVE and QTV-11 in 2006, I chose WAVE instead of embarking on a TV career, albeit most likely behind the camera. To this day, I figure I’d still have done the exact same thing.

Now you know why it took me this long to write about this. It was difficult to take a long, hard look at the history of these three radio stations then to take a conflicted glance to where they are now. One story was almost inspiring. The other was interesting. The last one was downright depressing. Even a professed non-devout listener to NU 107, such as myself, was affected to the very core by the loss of the station. I could only imagine how the real fans felt, especially when the collective faces of the NU flock were spat on by the smug face of Tim Yap, as he found himself inside the station on NU's farewell night. It wasn't bad enough that he almost ruined the night the Eraserheads came back for a concert for the ages by pretending to be a fan, yet not even knowing the words to "Toyang," but did he have to do more of the same in Emerald Avenue?

November 8 will remain to be a very dark day in Philippine radio. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, this was the day the (rock) music died. And for that, I light a candle in fond, hopeful yearning for better days for Philippine radio. Hindi na kailangan yan pag-isipan pa.

Do not go gentle into that good night...

Project 365 (318/365): James Hydrick

.:318/365: James Hydrick:.

One of the most popular pretenders to the throne of psychic abilities was the infamous and oft-ridiculed James Hydrick, who looked more like a serial child molester than a genuine psychic, and the pornstache matched with the McDojo costume certainly didn’t help things one bit.

A con man who decided that telling everyone he came from a Chinese master that taught him the mystical arts of telekinesis, Hydrick found himself quite the object of attraction in the now-defunct television show “That’s Incredible!” Here, he moved phone book pages just by gesturing towards it, and did more of the same with pencils and toothpicks. It seemed pretty impressive to anyone, to say the least, but when he found himself one on one with the great debunker, James Randi, he quickly folded, as you will see in this particular video.

Quite a waste, really. He could’ve just went ahead and become an entertainer, rather than an out and out fraud. And when I look at how he could’ve avoided this mess by doing just that, he’d probably be in a better place and his reputation in less disarray than it is now.

You see, when people ask me about my mentalism, I only tell them a few things, namely that it’s not a power, anyone can learn it, and there’s a science behind it. These are all genuine answers. If people ask me if I’m pulling their leg when I explain how all of these things work, well, I have to remind them that first of all, I’m not trying to start a religion, and second of all, I don’t expect anyone to believe my explanation. Thirdly, if there were some diabolical secret behind what I do, do you really think I’d casually tell you what it is?

Seriously, there’s an epidemic of fairy-killing going on, and it’s a tad disappointing.

Project 365 Smorgasbord (315-317)

.:315/365: Cold Reading:.

Cold reading seems to be that phenomenal thing where someone just manages to tell you so many things “you couldn’t have possibly known.” Despite that, isn’t it funny how it mostly relies on vague words and minimal details rather than elaborate messages? If one could really speak to the dead, why are they mumbling?

I don’t know, really. Cold reading is a skill I’ve picked up, but one I’m not fond of utilizing to its fullest extent. Despite that, trust me when I say that cold reading in the hands of an expert could yield countless hours of entertainment and amazement, to say the least.

.:316/365: Dowsing:.

What if you can find water by using two rods and their frequencies would just answer the questions for you?

What if it were all just a big, fat lie? Well, it only takes a simple blind test from one James Randi to find out, eh?

.:317/365: Graphology:.

Psychoanalysis based on how a person looks, acts, and writes have been utilized with varying degrees of success, but graphology experts have always claimed accuracy in the face of heavy criticism. What makes graphology seem paranormal is that it can claim to know how a person acts and thinks just based on their handwriting, which I personally find hard to believe, in all honesty.

Regardless, James Randi goes on yet again to see if this phenomenon is testable and observable, and the results are... disappointing, to put it mildly.

P-Pop? More Like P-Poop, Amirite?

.:P-Pop? More Like P-Poop, Amirite?:.

Reading Ade's, Rico's, and Jepoy's scathing commentary, I couldn't help but take a closer look at all the hubbub.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to a new age in Philippine pop music (I dare not call it Original Pinoy music...): P-Pop, following in the tradition of K-Pop and J-Pop, is becoming quite a trend, and while the few acts composing the P-Pop scene are still sparse and not quite yet there in terms of overwhelming popularity, it’s still a trend to take note of, nonetheless.

I’m sure it’s easy to just handwave all of this and say that it’s just business as usual of Filipinos ripping off “foreign” and “superior” products, but you see, it’s always possible to adapt something well, and clearly, that’s not what they’ve managed to achieve here so far.

The thing I noticed with K-Pop is that while there are some distinct qualities present in all their popular acts, the whole concept is still very broad and very varied, and it seems that our take on P-Pop is limited by the equally limited viewpoint we have of K-Pop. It’s like we took a snapshot of one particular facet of the genre, then spun ourself off of only that snapshot of the tapestry.

I suppose this is the pot calling the kettle black, because I’d admit I use the same tactic when I try to channel my inner Colbert and Tsao when I write for The POC and now, Filipino Voices, but it’s best to be self-aware when you do these send-ups rather than act as if you’re suddenly a magical authority on the genre just because you’re aping it.

As a guy who has a wide range of taste in music, I can’t say I absolutely detest XLR8, although their new competitor, 1:43, what with their deliberately mangled Taglish, gives the term “indie music” a whole new meaning. In the words of the great Mike Unson, “indie yan music.” But I digress, because I recognize it’s a matter of taste. And I’m glad I have enough of it to just stick to less pretentious genres within the world of OPM.

For the life of me, I’d never understand how the local music industry works and survives the way it does. It seems to thrive off of remakes, novelty acts, Willie Revillame, and bandwagons, and yet at the same time, genuine genius in the likes of Eraserheads, Itchyworms, Juan dela Cruz, Gary Valenciano, Francis Magalona, Gloc 9 all still have a place in the industry. It’s easy to dismiss bubblegum pop as fluff that nobody will remember in five years’ time, but it’s here to stay, so I guess I’d just count my blessings whenever I see some of those acts slip through the cracks. Maybe as P-Pop gets more refined, we’d finally have a distinctive pop sound all our own, but for now, it’s just really badly mangled Taglish, and I can’t be bothered to support this kind of music.

And, oh, just because their frontman is still doing that stupid exposure show, can I just register my disdain for Callalily’s music? Yes, I’m biased. No, I don’t care.

Overall, watching this music video really made me facepalm. I think I’ve worked in the radio industry long enough to know that this doesn’t even remotely qualify as good music...

You hear that sound? That’s the sound of my soul dying juuuuust a little. It’s as if I looked at the face of the Other and tried to extend my kind gaze to her in a way that would make Levinas proud, then the Other promptly got up, smiled back at me, then swiftly kicked me in the ‘nads. It was just aggravating to listen to the song, and as much as I want to restrain myself from being overtly opinionated and blasting something I dislike without trying to be fair about it, this one made me want to tell this hidden “gem” of an act to please, please, stay hidden.

Lately, it feels like anyone who has a CD Burner, a Mac, and Autotune could come out with the latest and hottest “indie wonder” album. Somewhere out there, the Einerlei bares its ever-expanding maw, to consume one and all as we find ourselves deeply entrenched in a morass of mediocrity and bandwagoning.

Way to go, 1:43! You have set the bar lower for succeeding acts, and everyone else is going to look like effing Tchaikovsky right next to you! Thank you for rendering this great service to the music world.

Recently, Korean actress Lee Da Hae made apparently disparaging comments about how Filipinos speak English, and there was a mild furor over the whole issue. Once again, another celebrity has joined the Alec Baldwin's, the Chip Tsao's, and the Adam Carolla's of the world. She has subsequently apologized, but as per schedule, more than a few Filipinos still demand some retribution, some payback, if you will.

Filipinos looking for vengeance, look no further. 1:43 is the musical equivalent of flipping the bird at the Korean people.

Less vindictive Filipinos, on the other hand, would like to apologize to the Korean people for this travesty. Then again, we don't really know if we could forgive ourselves for this, to begin with.

On first look, 1:43 may seem like a bad ripoff of K-Pop minus all the talent. But don't be fooled, 1:43 is a bad ripoff of K-Pop minus all the talent.

Project 365 (314/365): Psychic Surgery

.:314/365: Psychic Surgery:.

Aaaaand this month just took a weird turn into “debunking psychic chicanery bullcrap” instead of just out and out paranormal magic, but hey, that’s a welcome change of pace.

Psychic surgery is the often-hyped ability of certain people to use only their hands to extract cancerous organs and the like. It’s supposedly painless, supposedly effective, and supposedly doable through the grace of God-given powers as done by individuals like Jun Labo, and as experienced by the late Andy Kaufman.

Imagine paying through the nose to be cured of cancer through someone just fumbling around inside your body, and then removing what does appear to be a cancerous organ that you apparently won’t ever miss.

And then you find out that it was all an act, and at best, you were given a most convincing placebo. Does this still sound the least bit justifiable to you?

Well, that’s how psychic surgery works, and when you abuse basic magic principles to substitute for genuine medical treatment, then you’re being quite a douchebag, to say the least, magic code or no magic code...

An Exclusive Interview With Demi Lovato!

.:EXCLUSIVE Interview With Demi Lovato:.

Now, we reveal the truth behind the mysteries!

And because I take my music snark very seriously, I actually managed to secure an interview with the currently embattled Demi Lovato, who recently checked herself into rehab due to still unclear reasons.

Here’s a transcript of how the interview I conducted turned out, what can only be termed as a veritable clash of titans between a superstar of unimaginable proportions, and Demi Lovato.

Me: Hi, Demi! I know you don’t have much time for pleasantries, so I’ll go straight to the questions – is it true that the main reason you checked into rehab not because of your breakup but because of an eating disorder you wanted to curb once and for all?

Demi Lovato: This is real.

Me: Is this picture (See above) of you true? Or is it a doctored photo?

Demi Lovato: This is me.

Me: How do you feel about this situation you’re in? Do you have any regrets?

Demi Lovato: I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be now.

Me: Once you get out of rehab, what do you plan to do?

Demi Lovato: Gonna let the light shine on me.

Me: Thanks, Demi! I’m glad that now you know who you are!

Demi Lovato: There’s no way to hold it in.

Riveting stuff, isn’t it? Well, I wouldn’t have believed any of this either if I didn’t hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. We wish you a speedy recovery, Demi!

Project 365 (312/365): The Seance

.:312/365: The Seance:.

There’s something so eerie about séances. I should know, because I conducted one myself.

It was about two years ago, shortly after a particular student in ADMU took his own life. Fr. Bulatao, being the way that he is, decided to ask me to conduct a séance, and while I knew the motions of performing one, skeptic that I am, I never believed that any of the motions would ever lead to anything. It was a room full of Psychology graduate students and even professors, and I was the only Philosophy student in that room.

Since the person who committed suicide was a former classmate of mine, I was apparently the only guy in that room who actually knew the person. This would prove to be very important later on when I started doing the motions, and achieving what appeared to be the downright paranormal.

To this day, I look at this event with a healthy dose of skepticism, and just assume that the other students in the room actually did a bit of research on the person, but failing that, there was no logical explanation for how two people who apparently have never met or known the person could suddenly describe in complete detail how the person looks, what the person normally wears, the person’s demeanor, and a host of other things only someone who actually knew the person on a personal level would have known.

As I knew the person, I was the only one who could verify the facts that they were throwing around. I know the tenets of cold reading. Hades, I use them myself. But there was something so eerily accurate about their comments and descriptions, and it just really took me aback, to say the least. While I’m still not a believer in the paranormal, it does give me cause to think every now and then.

The séance has often been used and misused in the entertainment world by performers in an attempt to generate very raw reactions from audiences. Magicians have had their share of staging séances, and it’s really a practice I generally frown upon, if only for the fact that it’s very exploitative of people who obviously have no way of defending themselves.

Project 365 (311/365): Swallowing Razor Blades

.:311/365: Swallowing Razor Blades:.

Please don’t try this at home, but if you ever would, can I just please, please, please suggest that you use dull razor blades? I know for a fact that Paul Potassy uses sharp razor blades to do his act, but there’s no reason to risk it, and even if the blades are, in reality, dull, I’d rather that a performer not lose his tongue just to prove that he can do it the hard way. Seriously.

Project 365 (310/365): Walking On Coals

.:310/365: Walking On Coals:.

Walking on glass raised to the tenth power. There’s just something so visceral about this, and some of the top fakirs in the magic industry have taken to mastering the art of walking on a bed of hot coals, no question about it.

Film Review: Till My Heartaches End

.:Film Review: Till My Heartaches End:.

It’s as if I went on pilgrimage!

Till My Heartaches End
Misspelling your title is only the first thing wrong about this movie...

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Last weekend, I decided to pass up on an M:TG tournament because I had a more important thing to do, and that was to watch a Kimerald film with one of my best friends, Clair Ching.

You see, when I caught Paano Na Kaya earlier this year, I have come to expect a certain level of quality from Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson, acting-wise. It’s not like I was searching for FAMAS-worthy performances from the two, but I was expecting that my suspension of disbelief wouldn’t be shot down in flames while watching their story unfold.

Prior to the movie being released, there was a major controversy going on when Gerald Anderson and Bea Alonso both received death threats because the former finally admitted that he is in a relationship with the latter, thereby proving once and for all that the Kimerald pairing is purely a professional pairing now, and there is no actual relationship between Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson. Bizarre, possessive fans that the Kimerald fans are, they practically demanded that the two people get together – or else. Whether this does or does not play a role in the success of the movie is beside the point, but with all of this going on behind the scenes, I couldn’t help but look at the movie through a less rosy pair of glasses.

First of all, even if it has ended up becoming acceptable usage to say “till” when you mean the contraction of “until,” I still find it incredibly jarring because the last thing I expect to do with a heartache is to take after it with a hoe. When the story opened with a not-so-subtle attempt at eliciting “creativity” by being non-linear akin to 500 Days With Summer, I was already wary, because this was one particular movie that did not need to be told in a non-linear fashion. In fact, doing so only enhanced what was clearly a paltry attempt at artistic value, and what little of this the film had going for it was quickly squandered as the story continued to unfold.

This was the tale of an illegitimate son with daddy issues in Powie, and a province girl trying to find her way in the big city in Agnes. While I would have to admit that the fact that the Agnes character was a nurse leaves a very nasty taste in my mouth (Those who know me would know why.), what was really appalling about this story was that while their interactions and the way the whole thing played out was plausible from start to finish (As opposed to their first official vehicle film, I’ve Fallen For You.), the film was so rote, so predictable, that it was boring. There was nothing about the film that made you want to see how things would pan out: there was nothing about Powie’s telegraphable desire to make himself rich and Agnes’s clinginess to Powie and Powie’s subsequent... well, indiscretions that made you think “whoah, what a shocker.” When you watch the film, it was just a romantic story by the numbers:

1. Boy meets girl.
2. Boy and girl fall in love with each other after a montage of kilig-inducing moments.
3. Conflict arises.
4. Parental issues with one of the characters is addressed.
5. Conflict appears to be resolved.
6. A third party makes the conflict irresolvable.
7. Boy agonizes over leaving the girl because he feels responsible for her.
8. Boy finally leaves girl.
9. They get back together because true love conquers all.
10. Number 9 doesn’t happen because you want to pretend that this film isn’t a romantic movie by the numbers.

The romantic drama has been played out so many times before, but at some point, either some stellar member of the cast, an exceptionally memorable line, or a fresh spin on the rote concept would be trotted out and save the film from complete mediocrity. Unfortunately, this film never once attempted to draw that out. In an eidetic reduction of what it means to be a romantic drama film, they boiled everything down into the core things you expect to find in one, then made it as blasé and as routine as was humanly possible. There was no saving this movie even if Kim and Gerald decided to break character in the middle of the film and propose marriage to each other before returning to the story at hand: this film was so archetypal, and yet it was also bereft of any sense of urgency or heart.

When I saw Paano Na Kaya, even if the best friends as lovers trope has been overplayed to the hilt in the past, the film just clicked not just because of the memorable lines but because the film, overall, felt like it had heart. It had a story to tell. It was a film that new how to tug at the hearstrings, and played to the strengths of Kim and Gerald. Till My Heartaches End took a step in the wrong direction by expecting to get stellar performances from the ill-fated loveteam, only to realize that their limited skill could only take a flimsy storyline so far. The film, for all intents and purposes, was a skeletal outline that required a lot of improvisation to work – a skill neither Kim Chiu nor Gerald Anderson ever possessed to begin with. What we were left was a story you can’t hate, you can’t love, you can’t feel a thing about, because it was just an outline playing itself out in running time, and nothing more.

The best thing about Paano Na Kaya were the memorable lines they had in the film ("Shinota mo ang best friend mo, Bogs!" being the most popular.). This film didn't have anything near that level, although the "Hindi lang tayong dalawa ang tao sa mundo!" elicited a chuckle from me, since I did catch some episodes of that teleserye...

The romantic drama has taken a lot of twists and turns in the countless decades it has been utilized on film. No matter how good or how bad, the memorable ones always knew that there had to be a kind of conflict that felt so urgent and so necessary to deal with that the relationship hung in the balance because of it. Instead, we were met by real life, and we realize that yes, real life is rather boring. The little things that add up to drive a wedge between lovers? It’s as real as it can be. But nobody cares. It’s like having an action movie without throwing a single punch. Or a horror film without a single spine-tingling moment. Or Willie Revillame without a shred of sleaziness in his body. It just felt so toothless and bereft of a message.

As a huge fan of both Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson, I do wish them well now that the mystique of their loveteam has been shattered to pieces. Despite that, I cannot in good conscience say that I liked this film. Other than the open ending, this film just really left me cold, and I know they can do so much better than this because I’ve seen better from them, slurred speech aside. As it stands, this film was an uninspired dreck you’re better off missing out on.

Fun Rating: F
Critical Rating: D+

Random Thoughts While Staying Up Way Too Late Before Going To A Company Thing...

.:This Is A True Magician:.

Ummm.... yeah.

.:Demi Lovato’s In Rehab!:.

In what appears to be a pattern for Disney stars, Demi Lovato of Camp Rock fame entered rehab recently. Compared to other Disney/former Disney stars excluding Hillary Duff, this is pretty tame and actually laudable as Demi did this for her own good and before things truly got out of hand, but one does wonder what’s going on in Disney’s tinseltown that so many of their talents/former talents get pretty messed up for one reason or another.

One hopes that Demi Lovato does recover from this ordeal, but right now, she’s exactly where she’s supposed to be now.

Project 365 Smorgasbord (306-309)

.:306/365: Thomas Medina:.

Often considered as the premiere geek magician, Medina’s repertoire involves some of the freakiest routines you will ever witness, and once you check him out, you’d insist that this Rick Moranis lookalike is not human at all. From eating razor blades to chewing broken glass, Thomas Medina is a veritable goldmine of visceral effects designed to elicit the most primal of reactions from people.

Needless to say, his brand of magic, known as “geek magic,” has inspired a very (thankfully) small group of performers to take after him: doing things that are either too freaky or too creepy to just explain and to witness one after the other, but powerful because more often than not, they just do these things as it is, and prove that they’re just made of sterner stuff than you and I, really.

A more flattering title for some geek magicians would be “fakirs,” but when you watch them, you might want to refer to them as geek magicians all the same, lest you accidentally blurt out some decidedly un-family friendly words when referring to the “amazing fakir” performing right in front of you.
‘
.:307/365: Tony Andruzzi:.

Tony Andruzzi, also known as Tom Palmer, was both a comedy magician and the father of modern Bizarre Magick, performing some of the grisliest and most visually astounding effects you will ever see. This is how Max Maven would be if he out and out decided to utilize the occult as part and parcel of his persona, and his looks alone would tell you that.

The late and great Tony Andruzzi was certainly a character that just managed to draw out vivid responses from everyone around him. As a performer, he had absolute command over the mood of the audience. He knew what it would take to push their buttons, and in doing so, he managed to create a larger-than-life aura for himself. He was not a magician: he was a sorcerer, taking you on a journey into the occult. His whole look and onstage persona was geared towards upholding this mystique and assuring himself that he would go down in history as a person who would never fail to leave a lasting impression on anyone who crosses paths with him.

.:308/365: The Bicycle Ghost Deck:.

While special Bicycle decks tend to make spectators scream “faaaaaake” faster than you can do an invisible pass, the Bicycle Ghost Deck is often excused because of the eerie way the deck looks, and how this becomes a way to enhance a freaky effect or two.

These cards are easily found in Cutting Edge stores in malls everywhere locally, and they do last long. My Ghost Deck is actually two years old already and I can still use that deck on occasion. That’s value for your money, folks! :p

.:309/365: Mother Fakir!:.

Project 365 (303/365): Ghost Vision

.:305/365: Ghost Vision:.

Creepy effect, isn’t it? Well, it’s one of the earliest effects I learned, but it’s strictly a street magic routine. Despite that, it’s powerful, and definitely can get people talking. Who knows? Maybe I’d be able to perform it again if the opportunity ever presents itself.

Project 365 (304/365): The Spirit Cabinet

.:304/365: The Spirit Cabinet:.

This is the Spirit Cabinet, as performed by the recently departed Glenn Faulkenstein and Willard.

A true classic, hailing back arguably even before Houdini’s time, this involves having a restrained woman inside a cabinet, and having the most ghastly of things happening while she’s clearly bound. The mystery is how these things happen yet once the curtains or cabinet are opened, the woman is still clearly in the exact same position as we left her before we let her out of sight.

Pretty amazing stuff, to say the least, and certainly one of the best “ghost” effects you could ever hope to see, as it’s handled by two great performers who came together to really present a marvel of ingenuity.

Granted, back in the day, the Spirit Cabinet was used to elicit realism, as it was insisted that the spirit within the cabinet was very much real, but thanks to Harry Houdini’s unrepentant myth-busting, this kind of aspect quickly faded into the background, albeit some people still do go around places to perform this as if it were the real thing.

Project 365 (303/365): November Is The Supernatural Month

.:303/365: November Is The Supernatural Month:.

Whether or not you believe in it, there have been more than enough stories about the supernatural to tide us all over for the rest of our natural lives. It permeates the very core of our being when we hear an exceptionally scary story, and we don’t quite know how to make heads or tails of it, but it’s like ice cubes running in our backs: the feeling is eerie, and it’s impossible to shake off.

As a skeptic, I’ve never been a huge believer in the supernatural, even if some of my experiences appear to point towards it. Whether it was that infamous séance I conducted two years ago, or the uncanny coincidences that have occurred around me, I’ve always just attributed them to just that: coincidences, and freaks of chance. I’m willing to suspend disbelief when watching a performance, sure, but for me to suspend my disbelief when someone offers to contact my dead relatives for me? That’s quite a stretch.

Regardless of whether or not you believe in the supernatural, there are countless things that we still don’t understand in this world, and that’s a given. This uncertainty, this inexplicability, is precisely the charm and conceit of magic: we can’t explain something magical, thereby, it’s amazing how our eyes are fooled, or how someone plays voodoo with our mind in that manner. Magic has always played up on this uncertainty, and in the context of a magic act, they wouldn’t shy away from toying with the audience’s imaginations through the immense resources they have at hand.

This month attempts to chronicle some of the more impressive bits of the supernatural in the context of magic. Whether it be a magic act that uses ghosts, geek or fakir, bizarre, or even phenomenon often associated with magic, I’ll try to discuss them here, whether at length or in brief, as is my always mercurial tendencies when it comes to this Project 365. Hopefully, this month will prove to be interesting to magic fans all over.

Project 365 Smorgasbord (300-302)

.:300/365: Joker Lam’s Parasol Production:.

A personal favourite of mine, parasol productions are among the most elegant of routines in magic. Considering how parasols just keep coming out from thin air in rapid succession, this particular effect is certainly one of the most popular segments of a stage magician’s repertoire, especially in the case of a silent act.

.: 301/365: Rannie Raymundo’s Dislocator:.

The Boss is one of the best coin magicians you will ever witness. Here’s proof. ‘Nuff said.

.:302/365: Cyril’s Cigarette Magic:.

And just because it’s that worth it, let’s close this month off with Cyril performing his signature cigarette manipulation routine. Considering how well he does it, I’m just flat-out impressed by the man’s approach.

Next month, being November, and post-Halloween, we get into supernatural topics for magic. This ought to be fun.

Project 365 (299/365): Magicians On AGT We'd Rather Sweep Under The Rug

.:299/365: Magicians On AGT We’d Rather Sweep Under The Rug:.

If Kevin James made me proud to be a magician, these next few guys actually do, too. No, really.

You see, except for one particular act in that video that was just flat-out terrible, these magicians are all actually good to excellent performers, except they didn’t quite know that the playing field is massively against their favour in a short attention span program like America’s Got Talent. If you haven’t got something absolutely unbelievable going on with your magic act in the first ten seconds, then you’re probably not going to make the cut by sheer virtue of the wham-bam, thank you, ma’am nature of television.

Quite sadly, these talent shows won’t ever really catapult a magician to stardom. Unlike singers and dancers, magicians really are a seasonal thing, and savvy as the organizers of these competitions are, they won’t throw in their marketing machine on what could only be a fleeting success. At best, the lifespan of a fully marketed magician in this country would be five years at best, and even if they have continued success such as Erik Mana, you can rest assured that they won’t achieve the same mainstream appeal that a Sarah Geronimo would. It is what it is.

Project 365 (298/365): Kevin James Audition On AGT

.:298/365: Kevin James Audition On AGT:.

I’m a huge fan of new school magic packaged in an old school manner, and this is really what Kevin James managed to achieve in his audition for America’s Got Talent. It’s an illusion I have never seen performed the way he has, but the way he conducts himself and the way he sets everything up feels just so old school that the charm of the whole thing really makes one pause to think for a while.

I think that in terms of style, this is the way I like to perform full-on stage magic: something new dressed up as something old, playing on everyone’s expectations while you’re doing it.

Project 365 (297/365): The Mind Of David Berglas TV Show

.:297/365: The Mind Of David Berglas TV Show:.

This video is a work of art: David Berglas, international man of mystery, once had a TV show that featured some of his best work. From the opening of the show to everything else, this program was really quite an eye-opener, and made for excellent television. Berglas is always a wondrous sight to behold, and his timeless appeal just oozes out in everything he does.

The Weekend, In Brief Yet Again

.:A Weekend For The Ages:.

In shorthand, here's what happened:

Friday - went to the Goldilock's awarding event. Ran into an undesirable, but also ran into Kcat, who won the iPad that evening. I was pretty surprised to see her win, but it was good to know that my dear batchmate (She's from Don Bosco Sta. Mesa!) has been on quite a roll lately. And yeah, we met Elise and Brad today, which was pretty cool.

Saturday- quite a loaded day, but instead of going to Tali beach, we just headed out to take Elise, Brad, and another friend to Mall of Asia, where we just took in the sights and sounds, then had a hearty lunch at Dampa. Elise stepped into wet cement, which got a rousing ovation from the entire wet market. Carlos over-ordered and we ended up having food meant for a group twice our size. Afterwards, we drove around Greenhills, they got massaged in The Spa, then we had dinner at Chickboy, where they had Cebu lechon liempo and sisig. Unfortunately, the liquor ban hit us in the middle of their drinking spree, so Brad and Elise were majorly disappointed. :P

Sunday - wow, just wow. Richard led us to an awesome Japanese place for lunch (I forgot the name of the restaurant. I'll fill it in when I post again.), and he then joined our ragtag group on a walking tour of Intramuros, conducted by Carlos (Celdran) Palma. It was here that we decided to make "official Filipinos" out of our guests, but only Brad had the guts to chow down on balut. After that, him eating isaw and tenga didn't seem nearly as impressive. We did a tour of Greenhills this time, and they definitely looked shocked at the low prices they were treated to. Wait 'til they get to Divisoria. Dinner was in JT's Manukan at Ortigas Home Depot, and desert was at Razon's.

They're probably back in Singapore by now, but that was quite a weekend. Hope we get to do it again, and next time, I hope the Nuffies aren't sick!

Project 365 (296/365): We Interrupt Your Regular Programming...

.:296/365: We Interrupt Your Regular Programming...:.

No magic secret is safe on TV 5’s piece of crap.

Well, hello there, magic community! Welcome the newest bunch of jackasses who just can’t seem to help but want to look like they’re so smart so they go right ahead and “expose” the secrets of magic for everyone to see.

Yeah. Sure.

When Valentino pulled this stunt some time ago, many magicians were frothing at the mouth and all but wanted to murder the guy: under the guise of “forcing magic to evolve,” Valentino revealed the secrets behind some of the best illusions performed by magicians over the decades, and in one fell swoop, destroyed the honor and prestige of being a magician like it has never been decimated before. From that day on, an interview with any magician could never be completed without some reporter asking how the magician feels about Valentino’s actions.

Many magicians, solely because of the “Breaking The Magician’s Code” expose’s , found themselves in need of a new career. Their popularity flagged because *gasp* apparently, magic wasn’t real. It seemed that many people took delight in running across rooftops and shouting to everyone who would care that nobody has genuine magic powers.

I tried that once, actually: I went around school, telling everyone that Hugh Laurie wasn’t really a doctor. I can’t believe nobody was shocked, let alone gave a damn.

Newsflash: the deception of magic is an implicit contract of willing suspension of disbelief. We didn’t go here to start a new religion or to regale you with our extraordinary abilities. We went here to make a living. When the formula of a stupid softdrink is considered worth dying for because Coca-Cola’s secret formula equates to a multi-billion dollar company’s well-being, then is it any wonder when other magicians feel deeply offended when their trade secrets are being aired out for all to see, considering that it jeopardizes their livelihood and casts a very condescending eye towards the industry at large?

Why is it that these TV producers seem to think that they know what’s best for the magic industry? Who died and made them the people who can declare that “we’re not doing this to denigrate the art, but to force it to evolve?” Why is it deconstructionists seem to have no idea how to be reconstructionists, and leave the mess to the very same people they already castrated? And why is the Philippines copying an already tired trope and then trying to pass it off as “good” for an industry they have nothing to do with?

I’m one of those magicians who has never been directly affected by exposure. As a comedy mentalist, I always make it very clear that I’m not out to make believers when I perform. I’m merely there to entertain, and surely, there is nothing wrong with doing that. Despite that, every single magic or mentalist performer has been indirectly affected by exposure, because exposure has made it seem like magicians maliciously hide their secrets, rather than them hiding their secrets much the same way any business tycoon would never let you have a franchise of their successful business model if you don’t compensate them properly for it.

Magic is an art, but it is also a business. If you can’t respect magic’s business practices and instead decide for yourself that they should reveal how they do everything, then it’s pretty obvious that you’re not doing this to “evolve” magic, but because you take abnormal pleasure in killing people’s sense of wonder for no other purpose than to make you feel better about your own pathetic existence. That you had to destroy other people’s livelihoods to do it just makes it all the worse.

You’d think a musician like Kean Cipriano would be more sensitive towards respecting people’s intellectual property, yet surprise surprise, it turns out that we’re just going to have to remind everyone that YOU CAN DOWNLOAD CALLALILY’S DISCOGRAPHY HERE. Remind me never to catch Callalily’s gigs again.

I am outraged at the kind of disrespect that the producers of this show have demonstrated, all after the buckets of business one of their Talentadong Pinoy Hall-of-Famers, Wanlu, has brought to the table for them. I am outraged at the condescending tone that they take against magic, encouraging people to treat magic with disdain rather than as a source of entertainment. We all know that actors aren’t the characters they portray. Why can’t people get it in their heads that magicians are simply more of the same?

Fuck you, TV 5. And fuck you, Kean and Empoy.

Project 365 Smorgasbord (293-295)

.:293/365: Aldo Colombini’s Oil And Water:.

Ah, yes. The Oil and Water routine is a classic magic effect that emphasizes how for some reason, the red cards and the black cards in a packet never seem to mix together, just like oil and water. Aldo Colombini brings his flair and panache to the effect, and it will never be the same again if you ever take a good look at how the man does it.

.:294/365: Daryl’s Ultimate Ambitious Card:.

The ambitious card has always been a classic effect of magic, but Daryl stepped up the ante by making the effect absolutely impossible and stupefying like only he could. Catch him do the ambitious routine countless times, each iteration more impressive than the last, then see his grand finale that just boggles the mind. It seems like every possible handicap has already been levied upon him, yet he still manages to pull this off with aplomb.

.:295/365: Michael Ammar’s Topit DVD:.

The Topit is one of the tools a magician uses that achieves seemingly impossible results just through sheer skill and old school know-how. Michael Ammar is arguably the best professional using one, and watching him perform his Topit effects is just such a treat, because the Topit effects normally cap off other magic routines while he’s at it, so you get to see him perform at length, then see one of the best vanishes in the realm of professional magic.

Project 365 (292/365): Matt Marcy's Thumb Tie

.:292/365: Matt Marcy’s Thumb Tie:.

Well, this is pretty good escapology, and it happens right in your face. Looks like I have something new to study, as the whole comedy routine fits in perfectly well with anyone who wants to do relatively simple escapes with relatively miniscule props, but played big for the entire audience.

Funny, simple, and elegant: this routine has it all for a good six-minute performance.

Project 365 (291/365): Terry Fator In Action

.:291/365: Terry Fator In Action:.

Just thought I’d show this one off, considering how fun a ventriloquism act Terry Fator really is. While he doesn’t necessarily fall under magic per se, I do believe this act is “magical” enough, for the most part.

Project 365 Backlog (286-290)

.:286/365: Paul Daniel’s Chop Cup:.

If there’s one routine that never fails to amuse me for how good it is and how simple it is at the same time, it’s got to be the chop cup. Watching the great Paul Daniels perform it certainly enhances the experience, as there’s no question that he is one of the best people to watch in action.

The Chop Cup script is very simple: a ball appears and disappears under a singular cup, and it becomes seemingly more impossible than the regular cups and balls routine because there’s significantly less objects to keep track of, yet it just really makes the routine all the more impressive when you think about it that way.

While Cups And Balls is definitely more well-known than the Chop Cup, don’t count the latter out. Ever. Combination routines are awesome, too.

.:287/365: Chris Capehart’s Miser Dream:.

Worth watching considering that Chris Capehart is arguably one of the most popular children’s magicians in the industry, his version of Miser’s Dream is very effective and is hard to beat, barring using any sneakier sleights. When it comes to patter, presentation value, and his sheer ability to hold his audience in the palm of his hand, which isn’t easy to do with kids.

The Miser’s Dream is a coin-production routine that relies on both the conceit of the clinking sound effect made by coins on a small metal bucket and the apparently endless supply of coins he is producing from thin air.

.:288/365: Geoff Williams’s Heads Up:.

Quite a mind-boggler when you consider the apparent setup to the routine, but overall, watching it emphasizes exactly why I think very highly of Geoff Williams, who performs top-notch magic, and then does criminally underrated comedy while he’s at it. Overall, this guy is worth every single penny.

.:289/365: Brad Christian’s Crash Course In Card Magic:.

Brad Christian’s mode of instruction is clear, methodical, and leaves nothing to question. In all honesty, whether or not you like Brad, this fact is undeniable, and is the main reason why I would always point to him if anyone ever wanted to know how to get started in magic. Ellusionist isn’t perfect, but when they produce quality, boy, do they produce quality. Crash Course is one of those stellar pieces in their arsenal.

.:290/365: Lance Burton’s Dancing Handkerchief:.

Ever seen Lance Burton at work? Well, you know how smooth he is as a performer. The fact that he’s performing one of my favourite routines (that I never personally do) is just gravy.

The dancing handkerchief is a crowd-pleaser, because it just really is pure eye candy, watching the handkerchief go non-stop. Lance Burton adds his unique flair to it and makes it all the better for it.

Project 365 (285/365): Dean Dill's Revelation

.:285/365: Dean Dill’s Revelation:.

This is more of an effect than recommended viewing per se, but I suppose I can’t let it slide, since it’s just wonderful.

Just watch the video. And find your mind boggled at how good he can pull things off. There are no words to describe how powerful this effect is, and I’m glad I took the chance to reserve a copy for myself. Worth every penny.

Project 365 (284/365): Ted Leslie's Cabaret Mindreading

.:284/365: Ted Leslie’s Cabaret Mindreading:.

The late and great Ted Leslie showcases his charm and wit in a very good compilation of mentalism effects that he performs superbly and explains very clearly.

The main reason I love this video set is because of his “Spectator as Mindreader” routine, where in a role reversal, he performs an excellent sucker routine that makes people believe he’s teaching someone a mentalism effect, yet in reality, he’s still actually every bit the performer based on the conceit that the spectator has no idea how he is achieving a genuine feat of mindreading.

Ted Leslie is one of the greats of the magic industry, and he will forever be missed. It’s a good thing some of his best output is immortalized in video, making it hard to ignore his genius.

So...

... the first result for whenever I Google my name and the company I work in together is a negative post that reminds me why I should never, ever handle Helpdesk again.

I love how people are just so cavalier about throwing names out like that. I'm still very much a private individual, and am less than thrilled to find that negative blogging has reached trigger-happy levels instead of doing the rational thing like, I dunno, addressing things privately first?

I never liked the shoot first, ask questions later mentality of blogging ever since the whole Bambi dela Paz blogger issue. Being on the receiving end of something I have disliked this much? Doubly frustrating.

The Sira-Buhay Gang strikes again.

FML.

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.:282/365: Richard Osterlind’s No Camera Tricks:.

In an obvious jab at Criss Angel, my favourite mentalist, Richard Osterlind, came up with a video series lovingly entitled “No Camera Tricks,” emphasizing that mentalism can and should be performed au naturelle, without using any paid actors, stooges, or special effects when doing things legitimately is very much feasible thanks to the performer’s ability to catch the crowd’s attention with ease.

Richard Osterlind covers some of my favourite material here, including the blindfolded rubik’s solve, the 20-card test, the acid test, Digital Feedback Extraordinaire, and of course, the Dracula book test, coupled with a Seafire kicker that only a man named Richard Osterlind can hope to pull off. He also performed the Pegasus Page, which is just like the Wizard Manual, only less better. :P

Watching Osterlind in action is really a thing of beauty. The way he talks to his audiences, the way he has everything under control, and his very stern demeanor against people messing around with him tends to really underscore how good he is at performing under pressure situations. It takes years upon years of experience to really gain the kind of confidence he has, but you get insights into what it takes particularly in these videos, especially once you see how he can hypnotize his audience with a high success rate.

.:283/365: Michael Finney’s Card On Forehead:.

This video, in all honesty, practically reveals the secret to the persons watching the performance, but see, the whole idea of the routine is how long Michael Finney can successfully misdirect the volunteer without him realizing what’s going on.

This is a true master at work, and while this is featured on his Live at Lake Tahoe Video in L and L form, watching it here on YouTube is every bit as satisfying, especially with his offbeat quips that you know he came up with on the fly.

Personally, after watching him and Mel Mellers at work, I’ve developed a flair for coming up with suitable one-liners in the middle of performances, and they go very well with the scripted lines you already are supposed to have. It keeps you from ever having dead air while doing stuff, and allows you to perform as a motormouth, which is the style I have chosen to utilize for myself.

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.:279/365: Jay Scott Berry’s Symphony Of The Ring And Ribbon:.

Sheer poetry in motion. Most contemporary magicians are not fond of silent performers, but there are big exceptions. Jay Scott Berry is one of them.

I actually have the video and the tutorial, but I never bothered learning the actual routine. I was forever stuck at watching him do his stuff, because once I looked into how to do the moves and everything, I couldn’t imagine how long it must have taken him to make all of it look so graceful and suave. I’m about as graceful as a cow on ice, so looking at him do those moves without even breaking a sweat? Respect, Mr. Berry. Respect.

.:280/365: Penn And Teller’s Off The Deep End:.

Out of all of the TV specials Penn and Teller have had, this, by far, was their most ambitious one, and I really enjoyed watching every minute of it.

The entirety of the special is on YouTube, and you’d find how crazy Penn and Teller were, to practically reveal every single routine they performed during the special. It was offbeat, it was unique, and there was something just endearing about doing magic underwater and then blowing all the secrets just because they can afford to.

I feel that it’s very hard to top something of this magnitude, and I’ve watched a lot of TV specials already, but nothing done by anyone not named David Copperfield seems to come even close to what Penn and Teller have pulled off with this one.

.:281/365: Max Maven’s A Fabulous Monster:.

A documentary of sorts on one of the pillars of mentalism, A Fabulous Monster follows Max Maven in a very inquisitive manner, all the while leaving the most important question, “is what Max does for real?” unanswered. As you watch Max at work, you feel a strong affinity for his very endearing qualities, and how affable he can actually be despite looking like Satan most of the time.

Watching this seems like a constant battle of wits between Max and the crew following him around, and all the time, it feels like Max holds all the cards in the equation. Check it out, and learn precisely why Max Maven is just an absolute charmer, no doubt. I guess it becomes understandable why people think that Satan is more charming than most people assume him to be, because that’s exactly how Maven comes off here.

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.:276/365: Aldo Colombini’s Impromptu Card Magic:.

Card magic tends to lose its sheen after doing five straight “pick a card, any card” routines, so it’s always good to have more options when performing. Aldo Colombini’s instructional video is one of the best out there because he covers a wide variety of effects one could utilize with a regular deck of cards.

Colombini’s humour and unique approach to magic has taken him places, and it’s good to be learning from one of the best. Don’t let his quirks distract you from the fact that he is one of the most accomplished performers in the world. He has earned his right to be quirky like that.

.:277/365: Bill Goldman’s One For The Money:.

Bill Goldman performs one routine, and it’s a strong routine, at that. While I wouldn’t recommend to you to buy the actual DVD, I believe just watching his performance and his subtleties would already give you enough of an idea how effective this particular impromptu bit of mental magic happens to be.

Bill Goldman does come off a tad creepy in this particular performance, but overall, the nice touches he puts on “One For The Money” really makes for a great routine that one should be able to use in any given show. With very basic moves necessary to make this work, there’s next to no reason anyone couldn’t master the dexterity bit of this routine, and then just go nuts with every other aspect of it when they figure the rest out.

.:278/365: Cyril Takayama Does Spider-Man 3:.

Pretty awesome stuff. Hardly even counts as magic. Just watch and enjoy a true master at work. The whole “routine” required 5% technical skill in magic and 95% acting chops. Thank goodness his 95% was every bit as good as his 5%, or else that would’ve just seemed like a hammy, cheesy way to end the show.

I don’t even know if Cyril’s magic is combined in the form of a special, or if it’s a semi-regular series.

A Call For Holy Disobedience

.:A Call For Holy Disobedience:.

Dear fellow Catholics, fellow Christians, believers in other faiths, agnostics, and atheists,

We cannot deny that the Philippines is statistically a Catholic nation. With 80% of the country’s citizens representing the Catholic church, there is no ignoring the kind of influence the church exerts on everyone within her sphere of influence. This is true. This is incontrovertible.

However, politically, the Philippines is not a Catholic nation. You see, we are a democratic country. Democracy is, at its purest form, a government by the people, for the people, and is as all-inclusive as possible to all sensibilities housed under this melting pot we call the Philippines.

The Philippine Constitution is the highest law of the land. Emphasized in it is the separation of Church and state. This state does not have an official religion. As such, any attempts by the Roman Catholic Church to pressure the state into going its way or the highway is only every bit as valid as the attempts by other groups to pressure the state into going the exact opposite way. The Roman Catholic Church, by virtue of our democracy, has a voice. What they are forgetting, though, is that those of us who do not agree with their opinion also have a voice. Furthermore, this alternative voice is every bit as valid as the church’s in the political plane.

If you are still reading after the cursory introduction to my main point, then you know you’re about to hit the good part of this whole thing.

In recent news, the Roman Catholic Church (Henceforth merely referred to as “church,” with no prejudice aimed towards any other churches of any other religions.) has been more than mildly vocal against the Reproductive Health Bill, all the while emphasizing that only abstinence and the rhythm method should be used for family planning. In a hilarious example of slippery slope logic, they believed that it was only a matter of time before abortion would then be legalized.

Even more hilarious is the fact that more than a few of the people against the RH Bill have never even read the bill in question.

As a response, the church has made a call for “civil disobedience” in case this law were to ever see the light of day. They want all the good Catholics out there to actively break the law of the Reproductive Health bill to protest that *gasp*, finally, we would have a basic attempt at actually giving people the option to plan their families.

In case the church hasn’t been paying attention, the RH bill was not designed to promote rampant promiscuity with no regard for the consequences. It was designed to help families plan their families. The spirit of the law is very clearly aimed in this direction, and not to cater to the worst fears of the CBCP.

Historically, the church has been notorious for preventing progress. From Galileo, to outright lying that condoms don’t stop aids, to what is going on at present, one cannot help but stare blankly at how anti-poor the church has been, all for this vague concept of “moral ascendancy.” Like the fear-mongers that they are, they claim that the RH Bill will destroy the very moral fibre that holds this nation together.

Really, CBCP? Pray tell, exactly how will this happen? What countries, upon adapting so much as basic reproductive health legislation (Which, make no mistake about it, is precisely what the RH Bill is: a basic piece of legislation.) suddenly fallen into the gaping chasm of Satan’s pit? Or have we simply ignored the fact that people would still have sex whether or not there are condoms, so the least we could do is make them aware exactly what happens when they have sex?

Worse, there’s even the implicit threat of excommunication being levied against the president. R-ight. Did the Italian president get excommunicated by the Vatican when they legalized abortion? Nope, didn’t think so, either.

Stop with the knee-jerk moral crusade, and get acquainted with the facts: we have a population control issue. A poor family with eleven kids will not magically stop being poor if they had a twelfth kid. The gift of life should come with the gift of a liveable life, and without the RH Bill in place, that’s obviously not going to happen.

Do you even know the history of your own leadership? Did you even realize that had he not died less than a month into his papacy, Pope John Paul I would have made sweeping changes to how the church would accept and understand hot-button topics like contraception? If even a Pope could have that kind of opinion, then surely, contraception is far from the all-damning evil that the church has been making it out to be.

So if you’re a person who doesn’t believe in how our Catholic Taliban is trying to run our country for us, and if you’re a person who doesn’t think that (supposedly) celibate men should be telling us lay people how to get laid, then I call upon you to act out our holy disobedience. Obviously, Carlos Celdran beat us all to the punch, but yes, we must stand against this act of bullying being carried out by the church.

A holy disobedience is every bit as valid an act of protest as the kid who refused to pledge allegiance to the flag until gays have equal rights. After all, where is this “liberty and justice for all” if gay rights are still being trampled upon?

Similarly, whenever the priest tells you to “believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church. The communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting,” then you are morally imposed to not respond “Amen,” because it is not so. Where is this forgiveness? Where is this resurrection? Where is this peace that we supposedly give signs of? And in fact, if 90% of the priests out there will just use their homily as a chance to do political commentary, why even bother going to church when you can get better political commentary from The Professional Heckler? Pushing a political agenda is not part and parcel of what the church was set up to do. Pushing a political agenda also ignores the fact that not everyone is a catholic, and not everyone who is a catholic follows the CBCP’s line of (il)logic.

CBCP, why do you have such a huge grudge against progress? Worse, why do you have such a huge grudge against women, who stand to benefit the most from the RH Bill? Has it ever occurred to you that the only reason you feel it absolutely unnecessary to have an RH Bill is because unlike women, altar boys don’t get pregnant?

We have no desire to be stripped of our choices and our rights. What the church would have us do is to waive our choices in order for us to become morally upright people, never mind the fact that only a clear, conscious, and informed choice can be construed as a truly moral one. When your spiritual leaders tell you that “It is morally incorrect for people to decide right and wrong based on their needs,” then you know that they are seriously out of touch with reality now. What is right and wrong is perfectly determinable by the individual, and that the government will not stand in the way of what is not illegal should also imply that people who wish to be “moral” would have every chance to prove that they are because the other option is right there for the picking.

Or is the CBCP trying to say that when a “morally incorrect” option is presented to their average believer, then they are more likely to choose it than the morally correct one, which would be the only conceivable scenario where the “thorough moral degradation of the Philippines” is even remotely possible?

Well, if it is, then it only goes to show what kind of character the church has been building within its flock. Perhaps they should tend to it more than they tend to politics, which they shouldn’t have a say in, since they aren’t even paying any taxes.

We want our right to choose. The right to choose to do the right things. The right to choose to do the wrong things. The right to know what these choices entail, and the right to determine which choice is which.

In case the church has forgotten, God Himself gave us that right to screw up. Who are we to challenge His own design?

So dear CBCP, yes, you can call for "civil disobedience" if you so desire. However, this also means that we have every right to call for a "holy disobedience" as an appropriate response to your asinine and backwards beliefs that we wouldn't have had a problem with if only you didn't shove it down our throats.

(No penis metaphors were intended in the previous paragraph.)

Remember, Remember, The 29th Of September...

.:Memorable:.

So I ended up doing two shows, guesting on 99.5 RT, getting stuff done in the office, and being greeted by so many people I practically lost count before I even had lunch.

I have to say, this was a pretty stacked 27th birthday, to say the least. My head is still swimming in details, but overall, I was stoked about the whole day from start to finish.

Woke up pretty early that Wednesday to head out to RT and join the Disenchanted Kingdom, and boy, it was a really fun show. Met Ken for the first time, and there was a lot of fun to be had as we just ran with the show from start to finish. It was too bad Lu was still absent, although when I dropped in on Friday and caught him singing Tagalized Christmas carols, it was just as hilarious as it always would’ve been.

Immediately after the show, I headed to the office, and I decided to try my luck with Dang Dee and have them deliver ten bento boxes to the office for the team. I have to say: Dang Dee’s 78-peso bento boxes are a steal considering how great the food is and how affordable they are, all the same. From there, I had to start doing my shows, as I did a table-hopping show for a make-up brand. Overall, it was a fairly simple and quiet performance, and I was a bit disoriented because the venue was in close quarters. Still, that didn’t stop me from giving them their money’s worth.

Afterwards, I set foot in Votre bar and closed that night’s open mic comedy show with a full-fledged magic show where I actually went ahead and tried something new: the torn and restored newspaper routine, which, while new to me, is admittedly pretty old for most other people who have seen magic before. Despite that, I used it, if only for the ability to have a sucker finish, and capped the whole night off with some hypnosis and then some metal bending.

After the performance, I managed to kick back with the people in Votre, and there was a lot of fun to be had. I was pretty happy that my potential client actually checked out my show and was sufficiently impressed.

It wasn’t a momentous, earth-shattering night, but it was memorable, if only for the sheer number of people who actually remembered me. It was much-appreciated, and while yes, I’ve had better birthdays, it certainly turned out to be far from the worst.

For me, that’s enough.

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.:272/365: October Is Recommended Viewing Month:.

The Youtube videos are back, and that’s going to be the entire point of this month: videos I recommend for people to watch to appreciate magic. Whether it be excellent sleight of hand, or a performance or instructional video of note, I’m going to cover it, and give a brief review of every vid I can get my hands on. If I can find the whole thing on YouTube, provided it’s not an instructional video, rest assured you’ll also see it here.

Due to time constraints, I’m just going to do a slew of posts covering all the way ‘til Monday, so I don’t have much of a problem racking my brain for what to do by then.

This video is one of my favourites. Penn and Teller explaining sleights in this manner is nothing short of entertaining and enlightening. He wasn’t really doing any magic per se, so the exposure in this sense was purely a performance art, and not at all wanton revelations of magic’s best-kept secrets.

273/365: Bill Malone On The Loose:.

A compilation of some of Bill Malone’s best working routines, all three volumes of this masterpiece make for a total must-buy. We already know that Bill Malone is one of the funniest, most engaging performers of our time. Now, in this set of videos from the man, Bill Malone teaches his secrets, while at the same time giving would-be magicians the most important thing about this whole package: a firsthand look at Malone’s unique style that is bound to inspire anyone who would witness him at work.

Overall, I wholeheartedly recommend this video, considering the wide range of effects Bill teaches here, and the kind of humor that he employs in order to really attract people to him. His razor-sharp wit truly comes to the fore in this particular compilation, and you don’t want to miss it.

.:274/365: Keith Barry’s Extraordinary:.

Keith Barry is an Irish mentalist whom I featured during mentalism month, and most of the routines that he has made himself famous for can be found in one amazing package: Extraordinary.

This video features multiple feats of mind-reading and stunts performed by Keith Barry for various celebrities. From terrifying Nicole of the PCD by driving blindfolded to forcing Wilmer Valderama into coming up with a mental picture of a painting he had yet to see, Keith Barry really captures the imagination of the average viewer, and emphasizes how powerful mentalism can be for television if they gave him ample time and material to work with.

His finale in this show was the hangman’s noose stunt, which he obviously survived. That particular stunt certainly had an air of danger all throughout, and no question about it: Keith Barry knew how to milk the situation for what it was worth.

.:275/365: The Magic Of Paul Potassy:.

That Paul Potassy performs the exact same routine for so many decades cannot be denied. That this one routine he performs is simply excellence in execution is equally undeniable.

Watching this video and not bothering with the instruction part is every bit a valid option, considering how his entire routine has allowed him to travel across the globe with the smallest of luggage for magical props. His old-school demeanor suits him well, but it’s his ineffable charm and sense of humor that shines through in a way that only he can get away with.

From his torn and restored newspaper sucker routine, to swallowing multiple razor blades in his mouth to string them all in his mouth and then pluck all of it out after the end of the routine, Potassy’s show is a masterpiece worth watching again and again. I highly recommend this to people who want to see what it means to be old school but undeniably cool. Paul Potassy has it in spades, and he’ll tell you in eight different languages exactly how awesome he is.