Magicians as AGT winners

[Goodheart]

So last night Shin Lim joined Matt Franco as the only magicians to win the competition. I'm happy for him, as I would have been for any of the contestatns.

Except for Howie Mandel, who wears me out with that constant "America has to vote" line, I love America's Got Talent.... the best reality show on TV.

But for my money two magicians is two too many.

I guess it's the skeptic, atheist, freethinker in me. I'm NEVER impressed, ever. As I sit there watching I'm always trying to figure out how they're doing what they're doing, rather than being swept up in the show.

You see, I'm not sure everybody understands what I do: THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS MAGIC.

And, seriously, folks... I'm a generally fun guy to be around.

[JHan]

1. I want to see more magicians :)

[Goodheart]

3. I was pulling for Zurcorah, the dance group, because that would have made the most contestants happy

And the celebration on stage would have been epic.

[JHan]

4. Zurcaroh was amazing.

As for magic, I think more magical acts demystifies what's going on, with magical acts I'm reminded how vulnerable our brains are to suggestion ( I love James Randi because he's made a career exposing the more dangerous types of "magical thinking" )

[Dave Starsky]

12. Johnny Carson was a magician, too.

My aunt and uncle saw The Tonight Show at NBC in Burbank, and they said he would do card manipulations during the commercial breaks. They said he was amazing.

[pnwest]

2. I'm with you, magic acts bore me, no

such thing as magic, and I am always trying to figure out how they do it too. But this guy’s sleight of hand skills were impressive. Of course it’s not magic, but I was super impressed with his skill.

That being said, I totally wanted the female comic to win, she was a riot - or the violin guy.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. I'm Always Good With Sleight of Hand

The big illusion stuff leaves me cold, though. I KNOW the statue of liberty is still there, so like you and the OP, i'm trying to figure out where the mirrors and stuff are to make it look like it's gone.

But, the sleight of hand stuff is a real, in your face, skill. I've seen some amazing tricks done where the trickster and participant are touching one another. I think that's pretty cool.

[cynatnite]

5. I see it as tricks, not magic...

for me, it's fun to figure out how they did it. My daughter is a bit of a kid and she loves thinking of this stuff as defying explanation.

[Goodheart]

8. Well, this is where TV fails us.

And helps the magician. A lot of the slight of hand gets lost when the camera leaves out much of what we could otherwise be seeing.

Last night, for example, there's a point where Mr. Lim surely must have brought a card up to his mouth to swallow, but we didn't see his hand at his face because the camera was directed at the deck on the table, instead.

[Fla Dem]

6. I'd rather see a good magician than another singer. List of all season's winners

Although I would have been happy if either Daniel Emmet and Glennis Grace won as well as Brian King Joseph the violinist. He was fantastic. I liked Vicki Barbolak. She made me laugh. I hope she gets a series.

[targetpractice]

10. Two ventriloquists?!?

Nope.

[Fla Dem]

11. Actually there were 3. nt

[Wounded Bear]

9. But that's the point...

While you're sitting there "trying to figure out how he does it" he's completing the illusion.

TBH, many people like and want to be fooled.

How do you think we got into our current political mess?