Reading these threads never gets old.... but where is Sirbrad with his input on this topic? He always had the best things to say on these threads. Sometimes I'd wade through these threads just to read his bashings of Criss.
Mainly I despise the mans ego and feel his attitude reflects badly on magicians. I remember being intrigued in season 1 of mind freak but I honestly don't care anymore.

Agree with his style / technique, lack thereof or whatever...Criss Angel's popularity has been (mostly) a good thing for magic. Thanks in large part to the popularity of his show, magic is getting a lot more attention now. That's good for all the people that perform, either as a hobby or as a profession. I don't always agree with the methods, but the net result is that more people want to see magic.

As to Cirque being involved with his show Believe; it has been a co-production from the start. Having attended the show, I have to give it a lackluster review. I love Cirque du Soleil, and I also enjoy Mindfreak...but Believe is neither. There isn't enough Cirque for it to really shine, and the magic is not what you get in an episode of the show. That fact alone makes it difficult to understand. I think if you skewed more one way or the other it would be a stronger show in total. I do respect that he's the first performer to ever have single billing on a show associated with Cirque. That's a pretty big achievement in and of itself.

I was just watching a documentary about the history of the levitation effect. It seems Criss has become a modern day version of The Great Lafayette.

Well, Criss Angel has not died in a stage fire. To my knowledge, he hasn't tortured lions. And he's not the highest paid magician in 2011, (compared to Lafayette - 1911).

I happen to be a huge admirer of the Great Lafayette; he achieved celebrity status without television; he did not use camera trickery or other shenanigans to show his talent or creativity. It was all live, on stage. Criss' show is consistently listed has one of the top 10 worst things about Las Vegas. The best thing he can do is sell popcorn...

I see absolutely no similarities between Christopher Sarantakos and Sigmund Neuberger. Just as there is none to Harry Houdini; another magician Criss Angel seems to liken himself too. Who, by the way, was a dreadful magician, but excellent showman.

David Blaine is closer to Houdini than Chris.

-ArchAngel_G

Well at least Harry had one of those two traits.

Technically, Criss is telling the truth. He doesn't use editing software, but he does trick the camera.
How is is levitation any different from David Copperfield vanishing the statue of liberty?
My biggest criticism of Criss Angel is that he isn't much of a showman. He's a bit deadpan, he should try to be less of a David Blaine.

Fair points, I wasn't trying to compare them in their methodologies it's only the idea that The Great Lafayette was (according to said documentary) hated by many of his peers for his ego much in the same way Criss is. I'm in no way trying to imply that they are in the same place creatively or technically.

You are correct - There was a professional jealousy amongst magicians because Lafayette was popular, well-paid and did not socialize with the magic community. His only magic friend was perhaps Harry Houdini. (Harry Houdini, to some degree, was disliked by the magic community as well, since he was a bully and despised competition).


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