The Magic Castle in Los Angeles has been a tourist attraction for decades, where magicians and non magicians alike can watch some of the most spectacular magic acts in the world. Despite its positive reputation, it has been riddled with acts of prejudice.
Like many magicians aspiring to become the next big thing, Ed Kwon, a magician from Seoul, had managed to impress the members of the Castle, and found himself performing there for the first time in 2017. Soon, he found himself ridiculed by some older members of the Magic Castle. From the LA Times article,
“He used his hands to make slanted eyes and [said] the stereotypical Chinese — something along the lines of, ‘Ching hong chong,’” said Kwon, 24. “What he did and said was so out of place, it hit me at a surreal level.”
These actions devastated Kwon, making him feel alienated from a community he has worked all his life to make it into.
Not only were there racist incidents, Terry Lee Lamair, a former bartender at the Magic Castle, filed complaints about sexual harassment to supervisors. However, the supervisor instead joined in and made several inappropriate comments.
This isn't the first time the Magic Castle was accused of prejudice, even one of the most respected, Dai Vernon, was accused of being extremely touchy with many women at the Castle. In communities that tend to have more “old fashioned” ideologies, such acts of discrimination are extremely common.
The most adamant supporters of the Magic Castle have all been older, white males who still adhere to the belief of old fashioned gender roles. Luckily, art forms and the ideals of the respective communities slowly evolve over time in order to better align with the views of the rest of society.
8 comments:
Personally, I find the racist allegations and allegations of sexual misconduct to be jarring, especially within a place meant for magic - something that is meant to entertain, not mentally scar. Like most other business-related allegations, I think the most important thing is that people boycott the business until they acknowledge the allegations and until the courts press charges. It really is an eye-opener, especially after living within our San Mateo bubble, knowing that racism is still prominent throughout the country.
A lot of people in the modern age don't seem to understand that racism is still very much prevalent in American culture in the 21st century, usually due to a misguided belief that because the kind of discrimination and language used 50 years ago is no longer considered okay and justified by our society, then racism as a whole must not exist anymore. However, just because one cannot see racism as easily in regular society anymore does not mean it doesn't exist, as this article shows most of the culture surrounding anti-Asian racism has remained in place in the modern day. The same applies to sexual misconduct - though that is mainly due to a lack of consensus about what qualifies as sexual misconduct and therefore leads many people to believe that all allegations are false and/or overdramatized for clout. It's simply strange to see this many people that deny the validity of these allegations when there is a clear ongoing trend of racism and sexual misconduct stories over the past couple years.
I think that even though this place may represent a place for magic at the end of the day people need to understand the depth of these allegations and the seriousness of the matter. When the people supporting them are white males who still believe in old fashioned gender roles that reinforces the idea that people need to stand strong until they take responsibility similar to what Peter said above. Living in California and more specifically the bay area, I think its easy to get stuck in a bubble and turn our back to the racism and discrimination still happening. I think a big reason for this is also the fact that the civil rights movement photos were shown in black and white when we were younger even though the were color photos, making many people feel like it was longer ago than it really was.
When it comes to things like comedy acts and entertainment, it can be difficult to discern between what is appropriate and what "crosses the line." Joking about race and the appearances of individuals at this time seems a bit insensitive, as there have been many cases of racial injustices in this past year. I think this is just one example of how individuals may not fully understand the gravity of their actions and how harmful it can be towards the Asian American community, or how ignorant they are to respecting different individuals. While there is certainly room for jokes and fun, I don't know if using racial remarks as part of an act is most prudent.
I am interested, though generally unsurprised, to learn the extent to which sexism and racism permeate the arts. It isn't just opera, it isn't just ballet, it isn't just orchestra; it truly makes an appearance in every imaginable niche. Of course magic is no exception. I believe that the inherent (or maybe just pervasive) prejudice is not a reflection of art-- it is a reflection of our society, which is the scary part. These incidents aren't just caused by a few "bad apples;" while not everyone is like this, we are all participating in a system that disproportionately lifts some people and pushes down others. The anecdote from the article, speaking as someone who wants to go into an artistic field, is bone chilling-- to ask for help from an authority figure, only to learn that they are part of the problem, is a nightmare. It seems as though the magic community harbors the old (white) boys' club as much as any other institution.
I totally agree with Peter's viewpoint on this situation and really appreciate the irony of the situation that he touched on. A place that is supposed to be truly one of the most magical and astounding places in the world, is racist and discriminatory. It's rather disappointing that this place that so many aspiring magicians look up to is stuck with an outdated mentality concerning race and gender. We have a huge problem with how easily rich white old men get off in the justice system and I'm afraid that if they were to be taken to court or even just complained about, nothing would happen because they're seen as "prestigious members" of the magic community and therefore their actions are condoned. I think this really serves as a reminder that racism is still extremely prevalent in our society and that we need to continue to work harder than ever to create equality and respect among different races and cultures.
It is definitely disappointing to see racism and sexual misconduct in the Magic Castle, yet like everyone said above, it is not as shocking as some may perceive it to be. Unfortunately, the reality of such inappropriate behavior happens more frequently than it is reported. Over the years, Disney television shows have been called out for racism or inappropriate misconduct behind the scenes, and Disneyland rides are no exception. This past summer 2020, Splash Mountain was petitioned for its racist origins doom the "Song of the South," a controversially racist 1946 Disney Film, claimed to over glorify slavery. Such perpetrations are coming to light with the recent unjust killings of African Americans by police brutality, sparking outrage under the BLM back in June 2020. With more Disney fans and Americans overall seeing their beloved Disney rides and staples in a new light, they are rightfully demanding change. Hopefully the Magic Castle plans on doing the same, and taking accountability for its past of racism and sexism in their workplace.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/disney-fans-say-a-popular-ride-is-racist-and-should-be-overhauled-it-wouldnt-be-the-first-time-disney-has-changed-with-the-times-2020-06-15
It is sad but definitely not shocking to see that racism and sexual misconduct is still a huge problem today in our society. Magic is seen as something wonderful and exciting, and like Peter said, a place where “magic” is performed shouldn’t be a place filled with racism and sexual misconduct. While I haven’t personally faced any racist remarks, I have encountered microaggressions. At times, people do not even realize their remarks sound “racists”, so if we could just better educate people on racism, I truly believe we will see a lower amount of racism in our country. No one is born “racist”, they develop their thoughts overtime. People are influenced by their surroundings and if racism is taught at a young age, people will never truly understand why saying racist remarks isn’t wrong. I hope businesses do a better job with lowering/ending racism and sexual misconduct.
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