Criss Angel is not a rip off Houdini but a tribute artist. Or, something like that. Despite lending “Believe” its name, I doubt Houdini could have mustered the concentration to sit through the show at Luxor.
There is a funny blog item from Phoenix New Times about Criss Angel’s escape a few days ago from a box in a lake (another Houdini original):
“Criss Angel, the over-dramatic, often-shirtless ‘magician’ and star of A&E’s Criss Angel Mindfreak, performed a ‘death-defying’ stunt in Lake Havasu on Saturday, and, as we predicted last week, nothing too cool happened and Angel’s still alive — despite ruthlessly pimping the danger element of the stunt.”
According to the local newspaper fans who came to watch the stunt were also disappointed.
One watcher: “It was not worth it and we’re still complaining.”
And, another: “Really? This is it?”
Pretty much like an audience at Believe.
In fact, things went like clockwork enough for Angel to make it back to Luxor to bore that night’s audience in Believe.
As with all things Angel his success is the magic and his talents the illusion. Yet, very impressively, both magic and illusion are still going strong for him. (Photo: Lanie Crossman)
A simple 30 second spot commercial where I work takes 2 hours to shoot so they didn’t realize how these things go
I almost spat my coffee onto my monitor with that headline
What does Criss Angel need to do to redeem himself again? It is so sad to read all these negative things about him. He didn’t start out this way.
What happened?
Sad (the commenter above), the answer to that question, without holding anything back, is the BeLIEve show at Luxor sucks. It has sucked in its preview, after the grand opening, still sucks now and is projected to suck well into the future.
Also, Criss Angel has not helped his case any by being a total horse’s ass ever since he’s been in this town by threatening to blind a one eyed entertainment reporter for the Las Vegas Review Journal; then for a total of six months refusing to acknowledge it happened; then at the six month mark coinciding with the grand opening of BeLIEve he finally apologizes to Mr. Norm Clarke; then he shouts out obscenities at another reporter during one of his show, all while children were in the audience; then Cirque du Soleil backs up their star headliner, playing off his behavior, thereby aligning themselves and also being labeled douchebags from uttering this nonsense; then at another show during one of his magic stunts, he chooses the word that is supposed to be guessed at the finale a word that is totally offensive, offensive not only to the audience, but to the people who work with him on stage. We all breathlessly await further, and continuing, examples of his constant douchebaggedness.
So, you see, Criss Angel, ever since he’s been in this town, he’s been a complete and utterly no talented dick.
And, from all indications, this dickeheadedness, along with the fact talent shows absolutely no ability to improve, this suckiness will continue steadily.
That’s kind of what’s going on in a nutshell. He’s blown it for himself here in Las Vegas. No one to blame but himself. But he refuses to acknowledge that. He prefers to hide behind his horse-with-blinders devoted zombie like fans.
OK ColinfromLA what would you do (seriously) if you were in Criss Angel’s shoes right now.
I’m a big fan of his and I truly believe there is a great guy in there who just let his ego get to him. I admire all his talent I just wish he would hide his girlfriends like he did his wife lol. He is now dating a girl that looks like she is 17 years old.
what makes Criss Angel a great illusionst? His ability to edit shots? It only makes him a great Director. He should do tv epidosdes
Sad (commenter above) asks: “…what would you do (seriously) if you were in Criss Angel’s shoes right now.”
Nothing.
He’s got it going good right now. He rakes in the money. Not only from his TV show, but the stage act at the Luxor.
Things are good for Criss Angel.
Now.
But there is a guarantee that he continues along with a continually failing show, exhibiting absolutely zero talent, no ability to have a rapport with a paying audience and demonstrated ability to not be able to put together a show on the famous Las Vegas Strip that does not flow or wow an audience…the worse the backlash will be later.
If you don’t believe me, go to Yelp dot com and query his show in Las Vegas. As of this writing, there are over 150 reviews of BeLIEve by people who went to his show at the Luxor. It rates only 2 out of 5 stars still…way below average. Comment after comment by people who expected to see something, but instead ran the gamut from falling asleep to being totally and completed disgusted with him and Cirque du Soleil for presenting a substandard show. A substandard show that is advertised falsely in order for Cirque du Soleil to take out their horribly bad business decision on the paying public…rather than doing the right thing and closing it down and taking the loss.
He has basically destroyed all press release abilities in Las Vegas based on his persistence in borderline criminal behavior to carry on with that “bad boy douchebaggedness” personae he has created. He can’t fix that. He pursues this angle non-stop and he is pretty much shunned right now. Shunned because he does absolutely nothing to fix it. He just chooses to only appeal to those goth dressing, outlaw following type of audiences. It is so bad and prevalent, that I have heard tourists hate to go to the Luxor at all…because of the element of followers he attracts…they don’t want to mix with them at all.
In other words, there’s nothing he can do but…roll with it. Time is on his side. Now. Rake in that money and continue to fleece money from tourists and not entertain them.
As every day goes by though, he ruins his reputation more and more and more. He cannot (and probably does not want to) appeal to the general viewing public. This will eventually kill this show.
Besides that, I have made sure that I tell tourists the truth about this dumb show so they don’t waste money. And I know many others who do this also up and down the Las Vegas Strip. Because we all know, in the end, if you don’t tell tourists the truth about things, they will end up not coming here anymore. Las Vegas is about tourists…trying to get them to come here time and time again as their tourist destination…not running away from here screaming and vowing to never return. Basically, Criss Angel BeLIEve is a show that is an embarassment and should not even be mentioned in the same breath along with other shows on the world famous Las Vegas Boulevard. It’s as simple as that.
Eventually, he will end up only with his television show with its camera angles, stop motion, deflection, tricks and paid shills to act astonished. That’s how he started. And he’ll end like that.
Might not be the answer you are looking for, Sad, but to say anything else would be a lie.
I think that is a real shame that journalists and I use the term loosely find it necessary to always bash people,it used to be that everyone loved photogs, and came down on the paparazzi, now they are all one in the same, and the media has become poison.
How do you fault someone like Criss Angel who has brought magic/illusions/mentalism and the arts of such back to the forefront. How do you take someone who spends hours greeting fans, and posing for pictures, and make them seem as though they are demonish. Its appaling that there is no objectivity, maybe indeed the trick took too long, a laymen has no idea the preparation that goes into something like this. Not to mention, his show in Vegas is not supposed to be Mindfreak live, its a collaboration with Cirque de Soleil, are you pointing a finger at them in disgust?, most of all remember its entertainment, thats all! Its not supposed to fix global warming, or solve lifes mysteries. Stop bashing people who work for a living. Criss Angel is like most magicians and people in this industry a hard working, family oriented guy who just happen to fall in love with his craft.Go back to what hopefully your mother once taught you, if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.
ColinfromLasVegas,
If things as you say are good for Criss Angel then why would he try to change it. He apparently has loads of money. I saw pictures of his mansion (wow it is beautiful). He has a girlfriend 20 years plus younger then him so he must be one happy man.
If you had a girl 20 years younger and a mansion would you try to change? He must be ONE HAPPY MAN.
I LOVE Criss Angel. I have been a fan for years. Nothing can turn me away from him but I do have to admit he looks pretty stupid dating a that little girl Sandra and I mean LITTLE GIRL. She looks like a 17 year old is right. Criss needs to realize he is middle aged and stop dating the college kids.
Who else got turn off by Criss Angel when he started flaunting that Bimbo Holly Madison around and then dumped her to date that chick who is young enough to be his daughter?
Holly is gross but at least she is a grown up. This chick that he is with now is an embarrassment to see him with such a teenager.
I wish he stayed with his wife. She was not a bimbo and she was his age. Dating somebody who looks like your daughter is just to hard to look at. I hope he isn’t a perv who likes kids.
Enough about Sandra. That isn’t Criss’ girlfriend. It is his daughter.
Move on and talk about his talents not his daughter.
Really? Criss is still dating that MINOR from his show Sandra?
http://tweetphoto.com/21589468 @crissangel Criss dating spanish girls now? the “Kim Kardasian” look is HOT but dating a college is NOT.
Everytime I get the pang to read about Criss Angel and what he is up to I somehow get reminded that he dated HO HO Holly Madison and get so turned off by that.
Sorry Criss you dating HO HO Madison made you lose LOTS of fans.
I can ever admire you again for dating that bimbo.
YAY CRISS CAN’T WAIT!
Criss just posted this on his twitter. Season 6 is going to rock. Can’t wait to see it.
Ill make a prediction and say this will be the biggest and best MINDFREAK season yet. I’m soooo proud of what we have shot – its insane…
about 4 hours ago via UberTwitter
From what I have read about Sandra, I remember that Sandra is a family friend that is his cousin’s sister-in-law. I suspect that Sandra was pretending to be his “girlfriend”, but I think they are “friends with benefit” for sure. No doubt that he is scared of being in relationship instead of being committed to his careers. He looked so popular back in 2007 even before dating Holly. If he isn’t dating someone now, then his popularity will gain back even more and will win more fans back.
Criss dating spanish girls now? the “Kim Kardasian” look is HOT but dating a college kid Sandra is just gross. She looks like his young daughter.
the chick hes dating now isnt his daughter. i dont think he is that country. hes never had kids. but he needs someone his own age and loves danger. i may not be his age but i sure love danger and magic. cant wait to turn 18 and see his show.
LOVE YOU CRISS.
SEE YA SOON!!
Love CA but so embarrassed to watch him date Sandra. It is like watching him dating his daughter. I know she is 20 years old but looks more like a 15 year old.
Sandra is not his girl. That is just an illusion. Criss is not going to date somebody that could be his Mom’s GRANDAUGHTER.
Get real.
First of all her name is Cassandra Gomez and she’s only 20 years old, they’ve been together on and off since she was about 15, I have a friend that knows her. She’s a great girl, but I agree she’s way to young to be with him.
Now I doubt Criss is a douche, maybe his show needs a bit of leverage, but he’s brought magic back in threefold, and he’s a way better illusionist than any magician out there. Maybe he’s let his ego get him too much, and perhaps he’s going through what most people call a MIDLIFE CRISIS. As for his shows and his magic and all that, it’s called entertainment, sure he uses CGI and yes he uses actors at times but that’s what makes entertainment entertaining that makes a show what it is. No one’s perfect. Give the man a break.
She is only 20 that is SICK. She could be his daughter. She even looks younger then 20. I thought she was a 16 year old.
A grown man of 43 years old taking a 20 year old to bed is WRONG.
Exactly! He’s old enough to be her father. It’s statutory rape, especially if he’s been bedding her since she was 15. Rumor has it she’s pregnant, it was on the A&E Message forum for his show. If that’s true…then I really have no words. Believe me when I say, I am saddened by this. Not because of her or the baby but because Criss should know better. His show is one thing and his life is another. He probably needs to straighten up his life first. I told you it’s a midlife crisis thing.
I bet Sandra came from a poor background and was looking and found her sugar daddy.
I hope he is happy with the her but he does look foolish dating her. I think or hope she is at least 25 years old but from reading many posts I think she is only 21.
Wonder if she even has a driver licenses yet lol. Guess she doesn’t need one when she has a Daddy to take care of her.
I remember people used to joke about Criss leaving her at home with the babysitter while she watched Spongbob Squarepants. LMAO! Ohh I’m sure her “DADDY” has everything taken care of. I mean maybe she’s older and looks young, but from what I know she’s younger than most of us think she is…I do hope that she’s not that young..I wonder what Criss’s family thinks about all this…hmmm…how would they react? Hmmmm….
Sandra is a KID. He looks like a FOOL dating her. What has family thinks – I’m sure they keep their mouth shut. He is their bread and butter.
I think Criss is afraid of a real woman and that is why he dates a kid.
BTW if his family didn’t mind Holly Ho who was and still is a vagina advertisment for all I’m sure the kid Sandra dating him is fine with them all.
Dimitra looks at Sandra as her 2nd grandaughter.
To me it seems rediculous. I mean I love his show, don’t get me wrong, but…seeing him with Cassandra is just…is she really that rude? That’s what I wonder, cause on the show she seems so rude, and I hear she really hates his fans.
But it’s true he is the bread and butter of the family, so he can go and act like a horses ass and no one will tell him off. I would though, I would tell him, find someone your own age, because if Sandra is pregnant, that’s gonna be an issue. I feel he’ll lose even more fans.
Sandra doesn’t seem rude on his show. I just think she is not to bright. I think Sandra is perfect for him if you really think about it. She seems mindless and has not passion in life except to be “criss girl”. She even lets him use her and dates celebs in between and Sandra is stupid enough to take him back.
hmmm maybe not stupid He is her sugardaddy. She would be nowhere without him.
Anyone know anything about Sandra, how old she is, where she came from? She looks young enough to be his daughter…Was watching the 6th season of Mindfreak and every time she showed up it kinda creeped me out cause she looks soo young and tiny. I had sen photos of her when he was chick bouncing a few years ago, but I thought he was with someone else, some blonde, not Holly, but another girl….
Sandra is about 20 years old or so, and according to rumors people are saying she’s also pregnant with his kid, but who knows if that’s true or not. She is stupid in a way if she lets herself be used, she IS young.
Great Little Sandra might have a bun in the over from Criss. Another teen pregancy.
After reading ALL the above topics, quotes, and thoughts, I must say, rumors today are still that. If one is there, in the midst of it all, then you may know. Criss Angel, an egomaniac? Hmmmmm? Could it be that he has used Women of really High celeb status, to TRY and garner some MUCH needed publicity? Answers, YES and YES. Who was he seeing however during these times? IF you think about his show, what does he say CONSTANTLY? He is a MINDFREAK. He LOVES to mess with peoples minds, and he does just that. He loves to create illusions that is one thing when he is another. Is he bad when he is trying so hard to kneel and pray and pretend to be good? Is he REALLY dating a 19yr girl, whom he is NEVER seen with at the clubs in Vegas, or she is just an illusion, to throw off the dogs of who he REALLY is talking to? There was someone he was and still speaks to, this has gone on for 7 years. To try and track this girl down, is good luck to ANY reporter! Again, this is why and I HATE to give him credit, but he is good with his illusions. He makes you left, when you NEED to look RIGHT. The girl is not on his arm, she is not even in his house. She is not even in the city. The girl has been rumored to be in the South somewhere, yet no one has been able to track her down. There have people who have tried to track it on emails, and phone calls that gone out, NUMEROUS ones, to the same girl, NO LUCK. So through the hollys, the lindseys, the Paris, the Britneys, nicely done Mr.Angel…but not everyone is looking LEFT…perhaps not, even more people are looking.. RIGHT. You are not dating a 19 yr old girl, good try. We will find the girl, or should I say, woman you have been talking to, in time, in time Mr.Angel. I hope you read this, so you will know….because my ? to you is… WHY are you hiding her? Does she not want to be seen with you, or is that ego of yours playing tricks again? WSMreporter
No he is really dating Sandra. I have friends who have seen them together. Go figure Criss would date somebody like her. Not only does she look 16 years old she isn’t a very petty girl. Kind of funny looking. Maybe it is true love for Criss because he always had beautiful females and Sandra is just not one of them.
We will see. I must say, she is a scraggly one, but the now infamous boob job, has “lifted” her age at least 2 years. Take a look at the old pictures, see the terribly flat and anorexic look she sported in Mexico, now see the new look. Seems we have a doll, but sources are sticking to the story on this one, she is a decoy. She is family member of George’s, distant, however family is family. The entire matter is simply a disaster and sickening to most normal people and love has nothing to do with it. He is in fact closing in on 44. She is 19. To that one can only say, your lucky old boy, she is NOT my child, you would never make it out of court, or dodge. To put this bluntly, time will tell, but for this child, it could all be too late. Have a Pleasant Evening All~
If Sandra is a decoy I don’t understand why CA would do that. He loves to flaunt. It would be nice to know that he is dating a WOMAN and not this skinny ass Sandra who looks 16 years old.
He had no problem flaunting Holly HO Madison and that was a big mistake. CA thought dating Holly HO was a good thing but he turned so many fans off by dating that BIMBO. Watching him date that crap I know for a fact he lost not only respect but many many fans.
To this day knowing he took Holly trash to bed makes me and many ill. He will never be looked at in the same light again after dating Holly HO HO HO.
His Mom must have been really proud of that relationship. Knowing the whole world knows what CA g/f Ho Holly’s vagina and fake boobs look like.
I rather see Criss with Sandra the kid then Holly the HO.
To all of the Angel fans..
Have you not seen the shows you love?
I hear Believe sucks and I am sure it does because everything else he does is lame.
He did a trick on mind freak where he was supposed to ramp a t Rex and jump into a cage hanging from a copter… So they build this up for 28 mins and then you don’t see anything at all. Nothing, just a CGI flame over the screen and then he is suddenly in the cage!!!???? He also repeatedly says that the camera is doing a continuous shot.. Then it cuts. Maybe I have a good eye because i was a TV editor for a while, but I think it is really obvious. Also, CGI flame enhancement was horribly done. Please, wake up! That shit was the lamest let down ever. If you like that show, you are probably retarded.
I watch the show because I do admire the fact that Criss does amazing ILLUSIONS! That’s what they are, I mean really, do some people think…I mean REALLY THINK that Criss has magical powers? His show is JUST ENTERTINMENT! That’s all it is, yeah he uses CGI, and yeah he does a lot of acting in his “life threatning demenstrations” but it’s all just ENTERTIANMENT.
As for Sandra…well that may unfortunatly be real. Now once we all hear about Criss becoming a dad then we’ll really know.
Sandra is NOT WITH BUN IN THE OVEN – lol.
She wants to finish school first. Sandra is a child herself.
Why are you guys getting mad? HE is trying to help you guys by entertaining you and yoou give him this balony!!! That’s crap you you think about it!!!
I agree what if you had a personal issue like that I mean come on.
I agree too
and by the way IM A SUPER MODEL AND I WATCH THAT SHOW BRANDON
It’s been my experience that people who judge about age differences have their own personal issues…and try to sell those around them that other people’s private lives and choices are something they actually know about.
These are two people over the age of 18 responsible for their choices. Nobody here knows them personally.
people people why dont we all just simmer down. the only reason people pick on Criss is because they have nothing better to do. Yes i find his illusions fantastic but thats just thay are “Illusions” not all real. he does a great job at what he does. wouldnt any normal joe non-celebrety want to be left alone about getting mad at a camerman of something. its his business and not ours.second on the girl thing i agree anyone the age of his said girlfriend is too young but who r we to judge,lest not we be judged. he is fabulous in entertainment and thats it let the poor man be critics r part of the reason why he does the things people hate.its human nature to want to strike out that way when your life is under a microscope like his is. give him a little bit of a break. he is just like any normal human being. he want’s to be known.
I believe Criss is still dating that maid Sandra. I think she lives with him as well as cleans his house. I hope she is at least 20 years old by now. She makes Criss dating her look kinda sick.
Criss Angel is a good impressive illusionist, he is just out of his element on a stage. I enjoy watching him outside interacting with his fans, the stage confines him too much. As for his personal life, it is just that- his own personl life!