I recently posted a paragraph on my website - www.chipper.tv, and several friends & associates also suggested I post one here as well regarding the recent 'blurb' in Wired magazine.
I consider myself a little savvy when it comes to working with or dealing with the press. You have to constantly be on guard somewhat whenever you agree to an interview regarding yourself or an upcoming performance. The road is a two-way street, as the newspaper or magazine gets a fun article/interview out of it with a cool picture or two that is unique enough to pull attention, while the performer gets some publicity out there and brings awareness to his next series of shows or tour dates.
While I'm sure there were probably no real "bad guys" in this case, Wired was the one who approached me and not the other way around. They were wishing to present a small "How To" section in their magazine and wanted to involve me as the "expert" who was teaching their readers some fun and easy magic tricks. This "How To" section was a monthly column and this particular issue was going to be all about "Magic". (As it went to press, the editors changed it into the "Mystery" issue.)
We get a few calls each month from publications wanting to do a story on me or my shows, especially if I'm touring in their neck of the woods. This seemed like another innocent request and I agreed. But by the time the actual piece was run, they had omitted any and all information about me, my entertainment background or details about where I would be performing, etc... They even nicked the phrase "Comedy magician" and went for straight "Magician" when labeling me in the piece. Then the words that pretty much made me cringe: "Spills the secrets!..."
What the H-E-double-toothpicks????
I'm assuming that by the time it got to an editor and out of my hands, they decided on their own to change up the tricks being presented and SLANT the piece to give it a little more flavor...."Teaching" was gone and "Spills the secrets" was suddenly IN, to help add injury to insult.
I was pretty upset and immediately wrote to the magazine's writers and staff who I had corresponded with. Again, I don't think this final slant of the column or changes in it was intentional on their part, as they don't make a living as a comedy magician so I'm sure it was pretty unimportant to them. But once in print, it's....well, in print. And for a "Mystery" themed issue, you could at least hope for some disappearing ink on some of those pages.
The Guest editor was J.J. Abbrams who was the creator of the hit series "Lost", and there's also a piece about Teller (of Penn & Teller) using stage tricks to help present the "Neuro-Science Of Magic". The article comes complete with step by step details of how Teller manipulates a cigarette for appearances and vanishes, etc..., along with diagrams of each "move" to follow along.
I enjoyed the magazine itself and even Teller's piece. But sort of found it strange that the words "exposed" or "reveals" or "spills the secrets" were never used. I'm guessing as long as it's considered "science" of some kind, it gets a pass. And let me state I'm not blaming Teller at all. Rather I'm blaming those writers and editors who literally 'throw' together a magazine to get it out the door without really understanding the topics they're supposedly covering. Newspapers get it wrong all the time, but for a magazine that has months to get it right as they travel along their pipeline to final product -- well, that's kind of sad.
In the end, the magazine people and I had a nice chat and as a first step, they quickly removed a tagged link found on the online version of their magazine that had my name and a direct connection to my website. I'm not a publicity hound, and I appreciated the initial gesture from them.
We'll see how the rest of this all turns out. But I will admit that my guard is way UP nowadays and I'll certainly make future writers and editors jump thru a few hoops before I agree to sign on to anything where my name is mentioned.
Lastly, a GIANT thank you to those who wrote to me and added their support and kind words on the topic. I've been entertaining for 20+ years and this particular 'bump' on the road has NEVER come up. I'll probably laugh at it in a few weeks, but for right now....well, there's a bit of cartoon steam coming out of my ears.
Thanks!
Chipper : )
Check out Chipper on FACEBOOK and "add a friend"!
email: chipper@chipper.tv
I consider myself a little savvy when it comes to working with or dealing with the press. You have to constantly be on guard somewhat whenever you agree to an interview regarding yourself or an upcoming performance. The road is a two-way street, as the newspaper or magazine gets a fun article/interview out of it with a cool picture or two that is unique enough to pull attention, while the performer gets some publicity out there and brings awareness to his next series of shows or tour dates.
While I'm sure there were probably no real "bad guys" in this case, Wired was the one who approached me and not the other way around. They were wishing to present a small "How To" section in their magazine and wanted to involve me as the "expert" who was teaching their readers some fun and easy magic tricks. This "How To" section was a monthly column and this particular issue was going to be all about "Magic". (As it went to press, the editors changed it into the "Mystery" issue.)
We get a few calls each month from publications wanting to do a story on me or my shows, especially if I'm touring in their neck of the woods. This seemed like another innocent request and I agreed. But by the time the actual piece was run, they had omitted any and all information about me, my entertainment background or details about where I would be performing, etc... They even nicked the phrase "Comedy magician" and went for straight "Magician" when labeling me in the piece. Then the words that pretty much made me cringe: "Spills the secrets!..."
What the H-E-double-toothpicks????
I'm assuming that by the time it got to an editor and out of my hands, they decided on their own to change up the tricks being presented and SLANT the piece to give it a little more flavor...."Teaching" was gone and "Spills the secrets" was suddenly IN, to help add injury to insult.
I was pretty upset and immediately wrote to the magazine's writers and staff who I had corresponded with. Again, I don't think this final slant of the column or changes in it was intentional on their part, as they don't make a living as a comedy magician so I'm sure it was pretty unimportant to them. But once in print, it's....well, in print. And for a "Mystery" themed issue, you could at least hope for some disappearing ink on some of those pages.
The Guest editor was J.J. Abbrams who was the creator of the hit series "Lost", and there's also a piece about Teller (of Penn & Teller) using stage tricks to help present the "Neuro-Science Of Magic". The article comes complete with step by step details of how Teller manipulates a cigarette for appearances and vanishes, etc..., along with diagrams of each "move" to follow along.
I enjoyed the magazine itself and even Teller's piece. But sort of found it strange that the words "exposed" or "reveals" or "spills the secrets" were never used. I'm guessing as long as it's considered "science" of some kind, it gets a pass. And let me state I'm not blaming Teller at all. Rather I'm blaming those writers and editors who literally 'throw' together a magazine to get it out the door without really understanding the topics they're supposedly covering. Newspapers get it wrong all the time, but for a magazine that has months to get it right as they travel along their pipeline to final product -- well, that's kind of sad.
In the end, the magazine people and I had a nice chat and as a first step, they quickly removed a tagged link found on the online version of their magazine that had my name and a direct connection to my website. I'm not a publicity hound, and I appreciated the initial gesture from them.
We'll see how the rest of this all turns out. But I will admit that my guard is way UP nowadays and I'll certainly make future writers and editors jump thru a few hoops before I agree to sign on to anything where my name is mentioned.
Lastly, a GIANT thank you to those who wrote to me and added their support and kind words on the topic. I've been entertaining for 20+ years and this particular 'bump' on the road has NEVER come up. I'll probably laugh at it in a few weeks, but for right now....well, there's a bit of cartoon steam coming out of my ears.
Thanks!
Chipper : )
Check out Chipper on FACEBOOK and "add a friend"!
email: chipper@chipper.tv
