How about the associated VIP phenomenon? The one where anyone who knows, touches or comes into the presence of a VIP becomes (thinks they are) a sort of pseudo VIP? Like that wood whisperer kid. The guys at the guild are always making jokes about him and how full of himself he is. He sure does like to hear himself talk. I haven't been able to make it more than a couple of minutes through any of his podcasts. He rambles on a lot and doesn't do much of anything on the show. I think he should put in a decade or two of working wood before he declares himself David Marks Jr.
That is exactly why companies hire celebrities to come to their store, trade show booth, new car showroom, etc. If you don't want to play, don't take the money.
evodawg wrote in news:iOjSj.8077$PY5.6511@trnddc01:
They're anti-personelle (sp?) devices put in place by various armies at times of war. Walking in a mime field is always considered a bad thing, and often results in death.
I like you last statement because I say the same thing. I am better than some and not as good as others. And no matter who you are, what you do, or who your mommy is, someone else is better at something.
Marks may be the guy in front of the camera, but the people behind the camera are people who actually perform. Same as Norm. It would interesting to see how crappy or good his work is if the camera never left the work piece and no one else was allowed near it until completion.
Most of the people I know are either very good at construction methods or very good at a finish, but seldom both. We are all in too much of a rush. When I show off my work I get the oohs and aahs but few people see the screw ups. I see them all and am my own worst critic.
To be publicly harshly critical of someone else is way out of line and hardly constructive. For that Marks get low marks. Maybe that's how Marks is to everyone off camera. Or maybe he really was having a bad day.
As a critique of my own, his projects have the look of 10th grade industrial arts projects. Using exotic woods doesn't make them better.
I was critical of his own work earlier, but not the hair. That's too personal. But has anyone noticed that his black brylcreamed hair gathers no wood dust? What's the secret?
That's too easy ... he doesn't do the actual work. :)
This is TV, son ... what you see has no bearing whatsoever on reality.
Why do you think politicians can get away with what they do, eh? (besides the rampant stupidity/apathy of the populace, that is)
Don't get me wrong, I like DJM immensely and have a lot or respect for what he does do, but I'm also well versed in the realities of TV/video production.
Soooooo.. are you saying that when Julia Childs slid a roast in the oven, and took it out 45 seconds later....it COULD have been shenanigans/video/time-lapse kinda trickery? Is that why my 20-second souffles were always very runny?
I would change that to say "Marks may be the guy in front of the camera but the people behind the camera also perform". Granted there are people behind the scenes and Marks openly acknowledges that, but they are doing work at his direction. You can't take away from the guy what he rightfully deserves. The only reason those people are behind the scenes is because of production schedules, not because he lacks the talent to do it.
Hey - genuflect when you say that...
I doubt either of them would turn out a crappy piece of work.
Most of the talented people I know are indeed good at both. That's part of what makes us call them talented.
Agreed.
I'm no fan of his work either. I can though, appreciate his talent.
Soooooo.. are you saying that when Julia Childs slid a roast in the oven, and took it out 45 seconds later....it COULD have been shenanigans/video/time-lapse kinda trickery? Is that why my 20-second souffles were always very runny?
Robatoy - get with it man. It's Rachel Ray now, not Julia Childs. And Rachel Ray can slide anything she wants in my opinion. Of course, I'm speaking of the fact that she's a good upstate NY girl...
Soooooo.. are you saying that when Julia Childs slid a roast in the oven, and took it out 45 seconds later....it COULD have been shenanigans/video/time-lapse kinda trickery? Is that why my 20-second souffles were always very runny?
The runny soufflé problem is because you aren't using a nitro injection system on your appliances... the secret to TV cooking is high heat.... or at least that's the impression Julia's torch scenes left on me. ;~)
I've met Marks, Abram, and Underhill (and many other "names" for that matter) and I've seen their work... Each is different from the other and they aren't trying to be the same.
IMHO Marks is working more in the art arena than the others and I've often thought that there were more efficient ways to perform some of the tasks he shows on Woodworks. When it comes to the completed product his work is very well finished, with tight joints and there are no obvious errors, so who am I to criticise his processes?
I saw Abram's Butterfly table prior to that show airing and by his own admission his finishing wasn't up to snuff at that point. The workmanship was OK but not in the same league with Marks--the top was not as uniformly flat as it could have been and the finish was not flat and smooth. I suspect his more recent furniture efforts exhibit better finishing as he has put effort to improving that area of his work.
Regarding Underhill, by self proclamation he said that "high def" may kill him... draw you own conclusions!
However, and to me it is a huge however, Undershill's work is perhaps closer to Pye's notion of the workmanship of risk than the others. Marks is perhaps at the other extreme as he creates elaborate jigs for everything--though his designs are riskier. Abram is middling compared to the other two with more elaborate designs than Underhill though simplier than Marks's, lots of jigs and powertools, and more modest finishes than Marks--you seldom see Underhill apply finish (ignoring the sweat and blood jokes).
I find them all interesting and credit Underhill more than the others will allowing me to teach my young sons woodworking. When they met him and saw him work they came to understand that you can make beautiful and intricate things with hand tools... Prior to that they were of the impression that only a shop and processes like Abram's resulted in anything useful and beautiful.
Chris Schwarz was a huge help in getting my sons to understand that I was giving them good instruction. At my club's Showcase in April Schwarz did a presentation on sawing--3 grades, e.g., whack it off, length critical, appearance and length critical. After he showed all three and was wrapping up the section on best quality sawing I turned to my sons and said, "You guys already know how to do that don't you." They both lite up and said "Yeah!" Marks inspired my older son to think beyond flat and square designs when he built his light house model for Showcase. Abram drilled it into their heads to always put on safety glasses and when needed hearing protection--I NEVER have to remind them.
I've come to the conclusion that picking a favorite is probably a good way to limit your own skill set... there is value in each. I enjoy going to the turners' club meetings though I'm not a turner as I get to see some really interesting things there that give me ideas...
Anyhow, that's my opinion and I'm now stepping down off the soap box... ;~)
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