I've just watched my first episode of "Criss Angel's Magic with the Stars." It's also my last. Think of this review as a friendly warning.
I just barely know the magician, Criss Angel. He was introduced as the most famous name in magic. Really? "Penn & Teller Fool Us" comes from the Penn & Teller Theater. This show wasn't coming from the Criss Angel Theater. It was from a theater inside a Planet Hollywood restaurant.
The host was Eddie Griffin. Watching him host an 8:00 pm family show was like turning on "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood" and discovering that today's guest host is Sam Kinnison. Mr. Griffin's standup is usally a very deep shade of blue.
The object of the show is that Criss Angel's people would teach stars Angel's signature illusions. They perform them before a live audience (at Planet Hollywood) and three celebrity judges, with their backs to the audience, giving them a score between 1 and 5.
Let's break that down - celebrity judges and, like it says in the title, "Magic with the Stars."
Here are the "celebrity" judges. Loni Love (a comedian who I've never heard of), Lance Burton (a magician who I've never heard of) and Criss Angel (a magician who I barely know). Criss Angel's insecurities seemed to be on full display. Whenever there was applause for anyone he'd leap to his feet, forming the letter "Y" with his raised arms, beaming to those assembled as he soaked in their adoration.
When I hear "Stars" I am thinking of instantly recognizable names and faces. The "Stars" were Corbin Bleu (who apparently starred on Broadway in "High School Musical") and Miles Brown (who was the juvenile lead in "blackish"). There's an old show business saying, "If you got to say who you are, you ain't." These so-called "Stars" "ain't."
One of my favorite moments in the show was when Criss Angel corrected Corbin Bleu after he'd done a close-up routine. He told him, "You've got to be more real." This was coming from a man who had his shoulder-length hair moussed back, paint on his nails and a 4 inch diamond crucifix dangling from one ear. He wasn't exactly the poster-boy for keeping it "more real."
If you get a chance - don't watch it.
I just barely know the magician, Criss Angel. He was introduced as the most famous name in magic. Really? "Penn & Teller Fool Us" comes from the Penn & Teller Theater. This show wasn't coming from the Criss Angel Theater. It was from a theater inside a Planet Hollywood restaurant.
The host was Eddie Griffin. Watching him host an 8:00 pm family show was like turning on "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood" and discovering that today's guest host is Sam Kinnison. Mr. Griffin's standup is usally a very deep shade of blue.
The object of the show is that Criss Angel's people would teach stars Angel's signature illusions. They perform them before a live audience (at Planet Hollywood) and three celebrity judges, with their backs to the audience, giving them a score between 1 and 5.
Let's break that down - celebrity judges and, like it says in the title, "Magic with the Stars."
Here are the "celebrity" judges. Loni Love (a comedian who I've never heard of), Lance Burton (a magician who I've never heard of) and Criss Angel (a magician who I barely know). Criss Angel's insecurities seemed to be on full display. Whenever there was applause for anyone he'd leap to his feet, forming the letter "Y" with his raised arms, beaming to those assembled as he soaked in their adoration.
When I hear "Stars" I am thinking of instantly recognizable names and faces. The "Stars" were Corbin Bleu (who apparently starred on Broadway in "High School Musical") and Miles Brown (who was the juvenile lead in "blackish"). There's an old show business saying, "If you got to say who you are, you ain't." These so-called "Stars" "ain't."
One of my favorite moments in the show was when Criss Angel corrected Corbin Bleu after he'd done a close-up routine. He told him, "You've got to be more real." This was coming from a man who had his shoulder-length hair moussed back, paint on his nails and a 4 inch diamond crucifix dangling from one ear. He wasn't exactly the poster-boy for keeping it "more real."
If you get a chance - don't watch it.