Magic News

“Cute Factor” and Rejection — One Magician’s Saga

Award Winning Alan Duncan

Alan Duncan is an accomplished magician in Scotland, a member of the Glasgow Magic Circle and is the past winner of the Max Raskin Cup for Children’s Magic. In 2000 he entered, performed and won.

He was, at the time, nine years old and competed against adult magicians. Alan began his still young career at the age of five performing for friends; at seven, he joined the Magic Circle and competed at the age of nine.

But this year, the Scottish Association of Magical Societies has decided the minimum age for entering is now 16. Alan offered, “I’m very disappointed I can’t enter the competition I won in 2000. I don’t understand why they changed the rules.”

His father, president of the Glasgow Magic Circle shares his pain, “He wanted to take part again and feels his age shouldn’t discriminate against him. If he’s good enough he should be able to take part.” But the Scottish Association of Magical Societies worries that judges will be swayed by the wrong factors. “When Alan entered in 2000 he brought the issue to our attention and we met to discuss it. It is very difficult when you are judging adults against nine-year-olds because the judges can be swayed by the cute factor.”

His dad, however, argues against the “cute factor.” (I should point out that I have never won any awards despite my incredible “cute factor.” Or maybe it was just jealousy of the non-cute factor possessing magicians that kept me from the top. I don’t think it could be that I’m not cute).

Alan’s pop points out, “The professional magicians who judge this won’t just vote for him out of sympathy. I think perhaps people are scared to compete against him because they know he’s too good.”

Until he hits 16, however, cute or not, he’ll have to compete in the Young Magician of the Year Contest. Good luck, Alan. We’ll look forward to your continued success.

Read the full story in the Glascow Evening Times.



Award Winning Alan Duncan

Alan Duncan is an accomplished magician in Scotland, a member of the Glasgow Magic Circle and is the past winner of the Max Raskin Cup for Children’s Magic. In 2000 he entered, performed and won.

He was, at the time, nine years old and competed against adult magicians. Alan began his still young career at the age of five performing for friends; at seven, he joined the Magic Circle and competed at the age of nine.

But this year, the Scottish Association of Magical Societies has decided the minimum age for entering is now 16. Alan offered, “I’m very disappointed I can’t enter the competition I won in 2000. I don’t understand why they changed the rules.”

His father, president of the Glasgow Magic Circle shares his pain, “He wanted to take part again and feels his age shouldn’t discriminate against him. If he’s good enough he should be able to take part.” But the Scottish Association of Magical Societies worries that judges will be swayed by the wrong factors. “When Alan entered in 2000 he brought the issue to our attention and we met to discuss it. It is very difficult when you are judging adults against nine-year-olds because the judges can be swayed by the cute factor.”

His dad, however, argues against the “cute factor.” (I should point out that I have never won any awards despite my incredible “cute factor.” Or maybe it was just jealousy of the non-cute factor possessing magicians that kept me from the top. I don’t think it could be that I’m not cute).

Alan’s pop points out, “The professional magicians who judge this won’t just vote for him out of sympathy. I think perhaps people are scared to compete against him because they know he’s too good.”

Until he hits 16, however, cute or not, he’ll have to compete in the Young Magician of the Year Contest. Good luck, Alan. We’ll look forward to your continued success.

Read the full story in the Glascow Evening Times.

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.