Social media has created lazy performers. They crowdsource their research without doing the most basic research first, or worst they crowdsource their show!
Here’s an example of a post recently in a magic group:
First of all…pulling a condom from the ear????? Without context that wouldn’t fly in the USA.
Now let’s get to the meat of what they are saying, they want to put together a list of bits that magicians use. Here’s what’s wrong with that, most of the bits magicians consider “stock” are simply lines that have been stolen over and over again and no one thought to look for the joke originator for permission.
Here’s a publicly posted video from the magician that made that post’s FB page:
Do you think he wrote that joke?
No, he heard someone else say it and he put it into his act. I know the defense is that “it’s so old, no one knows who came up with it“. That’s not true, with a little bit of research the history of that specific joke can be found, it’s a little murky as it has evolved, but some of the history is out there.
That’s all for today, I’ll get off my soapbox.
-Louie