Neil,

Are you referring to your show at Excaliber? Or do you have something else in the works?

I'll be rootin for ya!

Thanks!

Yes, it's a promo for "Supernatural Chicago," my show at Excalibur nightclub. (www.SupernaturalChicago.com)

By the by, I'm filming today with The Travel Channel, which is doing a feature on hauntings at Excalibur. Guess I'm in the right place at the right time!

Best,
Neil

P.S. David, where are you located that you can watch the WGN Morning News? I thought that was only viewable in the Chicago market (the "Superstation" shows other programming during that time).NT

Hey Neil, I think Superstations are available in certain cable packages. I get WGN here in Toronto, I just have to pay a little extra outside of the basic Cable Package. I'll have to remember the date and watch this or tape it or something. 7 to 8 am is CST right? So that means it would be 8 to 9 am here in Toronto.

I get WGN also, I am only about 4 hours away from Chicago. I have been trying to convince my wife for us to take a few hours off on a Friday and come see your show. How long is it running for Neil? I will definitely be watching on May 6th.
Wade

neil, i get wgn via comcast in Michigan.

Hi Wade,

It's playing every Friday night in an open run (so as long as people come, they'll let me keep showing up).

Drop me a PM when you have a specific date nailed down.

Best,
Neil

Neil you just broke a rule your not allowed to ask people to Pm you i think.

How do you know Neil didn't come out with the trick more than 3 years ago, and that man bought it? There are alot of tricks that are very similar. Dosn't mean someone cant sell it. Many of Penguins ID's are tricks that have been around for years, but they sell it.

Matt

yea, penguin instant downloads are the biggest rip off in magic. and I am not the only one with that belief. IMO, they have no right selling any of those classics.

David, though you have a right to share your opinion, you may want to research a little before you make such a bold post.

Let me start off with the "right" to sell the effects. As long as the effect is not EXACT, it is not against any rules or laws. It may not seem ethical to some, but in reality it is not breaking any laws.

As for being a rip off. You are 100% correct. FOR YOU! But for a new person, just getting into magic, they can be invaluable. They are a great learning tool for beginners.

Just my opinion.

Furthermore, it seems to me that the only thing which makes it ethically wrong to sell an effect you didn't create is that you're depriving the creator of the money they could otherwise have made from it (this is the same principle behind patent and copyright royalties). But in the case of the old classics, the people who created it are long since dead, and in many cases we don't even know who they were. RRTCM (to name just one book that there hasn't been a fuss about) teaches lots of moves and whole routines that certainly aren't the original creation of the authors.

you guys have no idea how many top working pros irk at seeing out of this world being sold at $7.95 without any variation to the routine, or why matrix reminted and jazz aces were taken down, or why stuff like quantum bandits are exactly crazy man's handcuffs with a different name and being sold here. it is unethical and should not be promoted. let the beginners pick up RRTCM or the original manuscript for OOTW.

and i have researched enough and dont consider that a bold post.

What's the difference between RRTCM teaching an unoriginal routine and a penguin instant download teaching the same routine? Or are you trying to tell me that every sleight and routine in RRTCM is the original work of the authors?

I'm well aware that quantum bandits is the same as crazy man's handcuffs. I'm aware of that chiefly because it's clearly printed in bold text, right after the title of the trick. If you already know crazy man's handcuffs, or you don't think that it's worth the money, then don't buy it - who exactly is being ripped off by this?

I'm not saying that none of their instant downloads are ethically dodgy (although they seem to have taken down the worst offenders). If they are distributing a trick that the creator could still make money from, then they ought to get his / her permission and pay him / her royalties. But other than that they have a perfect right to decide what they sell and at what price.

everyone has their own personal views. Let's get back to the topic at hand. Neil, good luck at Excaliber. I hope your show thrives. If I get the time I will try to make it to Chicago one friday afternoon.