Influence

Sam X

Most magicians that came to magic of their own accord have certain magicians that influence them. As your time in the magic community increases are their any magicians whose style has influenced your performance?

Kevin McMahon

Honestly speaking, any magician I see performing will influence my performance. I have seen so little. Seeing Jay Sankie at Blackpool was very refreshing, I loved his stuff. Doc Eason had a gem of wisdom too that I immediately noted down. "People don't remember what they saw, they remember how they felt." Every time I perform I want to make the audience feel good, as well as amaze them. I also watched magicians at Blackpool that I didn't take to but they also influence my act in a positive way.

Obviously, Nigel Mead has a big influence on me. He is my mentor and close friend. And ultimately what I aspire to be. However, I think I'm too cheesy to be as cool as Nigel but people like a bit of cheese every now and again, as long as you don't take yourself too seriously.

Did you have any interest in magic whatsoever?

Dante

The programme seemed to suggest that you had no interest in magic before you started Faking It. Is this true?

It's just that I wonder if you'd done, say, Faking It as an artist, you might have gone down that career path. Seems like quite a few Faking It people have gone on to take up a career in the discipline they were mentored in.

Do you think Faking It can encourage anyone to become anything or was it just a lucky coincidence that they hit upon a passion in you that had previously lain dormant?

Kevin McMahon

I'm sure that when Faking It are looking for a faker, they want someone who has a fighting chance. They will look for a stereotype with character traits that will help pass the test. If it was faking it as, say, an artist, I'm quite sure that I wouldn't have been chosen. It just so happened that the producer saw a little bit of a performer in me during the interview and thought, 'I can work with that.'

I think it was very lucky that I auditioned for this particular show. This has inspired a renewed belief in fate! If I hadn't injured my ankle playing football, I would never have had the time to audition. If I hadn't renewed my Institute of Physics membership they would never had gotten in contact. The list goes on.

I did have a Paul Daniels set when I was a kid. I did have a small interest, and that continued into adulthood to a certain extent. I would record Derren Brown when he was on the telly and I would tune into David Blaine whenever he was on too.

Faking?

Flowmo

My video recorder stopped recording near the end so, did you pass off as a fake or did they spot you?

Kevin McMahon

I performed well enough at the final test to fool all the judges and pass. Yay!

General ponderings

Wildmagic

1-Have you thought of trying to get your own TV special?

2-How much do you practice a day now?

3-On the show we saw that your confidence grew with women. Do you still go and chat up women or have you got a girlfriend now?

PS I loved the show by the way.

Kevin McMahon

1) No. I'm under no illusions (excuse the pun). I am still a beginner; I have nowhere near enough material to attempt that kind of venture and, if I did, I would need that much help that I wouldn't feel that it was me doing it. If you know what I mean!

2) I have a dial up connection and waiting for pages to load I try and change a fiver into a fifty and then back again in that time! I try not to overload on tricks. If I see one that I really like, I will work on it and build patter around it and then try it out. When I'm not tutoring (maths and physics) I practice between 2 and 8 hours depending on my mood. This is either physically practicing or writing patter and developing misdirection.

3) I'm single and skint but I've received a lot of emails from female fans after the show. I do find it easier to chat to women, yes. If I have cards I may do 'out of this world'. The emphasis is totally on the participant. I'm still a geek though - don't be fooled!

PS Cheers!

daleshrimpton

I have to say, going by some of the questions I suspect people are forgetting that you have only been doing it for 6 months or so.

stephenmagic

I agree with Dale here. Kevin seems to know that overloading on new effects is a bad idea. Best to learn a few good ones and then move on the next and more advanced ones.

Maybe Faking It could do a follow up documentary so we can track his progress.

Damien

LOL This guy is class!

Jonathan B

Or failing that, how about being the next Dr. Who now that Christopher Ecclestone has hung up his sonic screwdriver?