Why is it that a select few of our members have to work so hard and give so much of themselves in order to keep this club alive? When was the last time the vast majority of this club's membership got fired up about something, about anything? That wasn't a rhetorical question people, I'm really asking Is that your final answer was, "The Masked Magician Specials", then you've just won a answer? If your million dollars. I've never seen such a call to action in this club. People wanted to right letters, boycott products, to picket the television station airing the specials, to just plain get involved. It was discussed and debated at almost every gathering for months. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that energy and passion could be directed toward club activities in general?

So what was it about this event that inspired us. Simple really, CONFLICT (and by extension, Controversy). These specials presented us with a conflict of interest. The first thing I was taught as an actor is that the essence of drama is conflict. Every movie, television show, or novel is based on conflict (and hopefully its resolution). It is this conflict, and watching the characters deal with and try to resolve it, that keeps our interest and our attention. If the characters on our favorite TV show always agreed with one another or never had any problems to solve, they would soon find themselves with nothing to do but sit on the couch and talk about the weather. Conflict creates interesting dialog and causes the characters to take action to attempt to resolve the conflict.

And with that said you now know the point of this column. My monthly diatribe will endeavor to serve as slight thorn in your side in an attempt to get our membership to discuss varies issues and to take some action (at this point in our club any action would be welcome). I plan to talk about issues concerning club events, performances, the theories of magic, and the state of magic in the world today. In other words anything and everything dealing with magic that can be controversial will be fare game.

This however is not intended to be a one way soap box for me to ramble on endlessly (that's what my shows are for). It is designed to get you involved, to make you write letters to or articles for this publication. This is your publication folks, take advantage of the opportunity to be heard and to help make this organization the vibrant, interesting, fun gathering of magicians that it used to be. St. Louis has always been blessed with a great deal a magical talents, and knowledge. As a member of this club you are entitled to take from this vast database of experience, but you must also give back to it as well. Through your participation or lack of participation, each and every one of you are responsible for what it is today. You are also responsible for what it will be tomorrow. It is exactly what YOU make it. So get involved! Being a player in the game is infinitely more fun than just sitting on the bench.

But that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Let me know what YOU think!