Being Yourself

We don’t make enough about the fact that—after decades of performing magic specials at the pinnacle of the art form—this is how David Copperfield’s final magic special ended.

Feeling the pressure from David Blaine, Copperfield chose to end this special with a non-magic stunt, The Tornado of Fire.

This “stunt” involved—from what I can tell—standing relatively still for under ten seconds.

It’s short enough to gif.

If there was any potential danger to this stunt, it’s not obvious in that four minute segment. He couldn’t even fall into the fire if he wanted to, given that he was being held in place by the guys on opposite sides of him.

At the end of the sequence, David yells, “I’m hot” which doesn’t do much to sell the supposed peril he just faced. He sounds like me on any given August afternoon. Or when I open the oven to see how my stuffed-crust Digiornos pizza is coming along.

Artistically, it was a total failure too. A stunt that lasts 8 seconds where you can’t see the “star” the whole time? That’s what you’re going to end the special with?

The lesson here is: Be Yourself.

Instead of an earth-shattering orgasm, Copperfield’s last special ended with a wispy fart, because he was trying to do what Blaine was doing.

Being yourself is even more important when performing socially. There’s nothing more unsettling when someone starts being a “character” in a casual scenario.

Just be you.

Ah, yes, Andy. I see what you’re saying. Don’t put on some bizarre character when you’re dealing with your friends and family. Just be an amplified version of yourself.

No. Not even that. Not amplified. Just be you. Be your real personality. Let everything feel kind of normal except this bizarre thing you’re showing them.

But Andy, my everyday personality isn’t that interesting. I need to put on a bit of a persona to really make the experience entertaining.

Okay, then you’re focusing on the wrong thing. Work on your everyday personality so that it’s more interesting and engaging to people in general. Needing to play a role and show people tricks to get them to pay attention to you is no way to go through life.