Magic & Illusion: Secrets Killed 60 Seconds at a Time?

Magic & Illusion: Secrets Killed 60 Seconds at a Time?

Author: Gareth King August 15, 2025 Duration: 46:21

By demystifying the craft, exposing its secrets, and reducing complex tricks to bite-sized content, has the foundation of all magic – mystery – been eroded?

Joining us to delve into this world is Cosentino, Australia’s most successful magician, illusionist and escape artist - known to audiences around the world as ‘The Grand Illusionist’.

⁠https://www.cosentino.com.au/⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/thecosentino/⁠

⁠https://www.youtube.com/officialcosentino⁠

⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheCosentino/⁠

⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@thecosentino

Welcome to Ruined By The Internet? - the show where we examine how technology is shaping modern life - whether we want it to or not.

Follow the show, let us know what else to look into at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ruinedbytheinternet.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or support us at ⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/rbtishow⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Cosentino shares his journey from a shy child with learning difficulties to becoming a renowned magician. We discuss the evolution of magic in the digital age, the impact of social media on the craft, and the emotional connections that magic creates with audiences.

We also look at the need for magicians and illusionists to develop their own storytelling and performance style, the benefits of technology in enhancing the art form, and Cosentino offers valuable advice for aspiring magicians and shares insights about his upcoming tour ‘Tricked’.

00:00 The Journey to Becoming The Grand Illusionist

04:07 The Impact of Technology on Magic

07:37 The Evolution of Performance Styles

12:05 Navigating Fame and Social Media

17:06 Balancing Secrets and Exposure in Magic

22:47 The Evolution of Magic in the Digital Age

27:45 The Impact of Technology on Magic Performance

31:46 The Art of Creating Wonder

37:13 Leveraging Technology for Magic

41:20 Advice for Aspiring Magicians


It’s a question that nags at anyone who’s ever felt a pang of nostalgia or a wave of digital fatigue: are we better or worse off because of our constant connection? Hosted by Gareth King, Ruined By The Internet? digs into that uneasy feeling, moving beyond simple headlines to explore how our online world actively moulds society, culture, and the texture of daily life. This isn’t about reviewing apps or gadgets; it’s about treating the digital realm as the pervasive environment it has become. Each episode features thoughtful conversations with leading thinkers and researchers from around the world, dissecting the real evidence behind our shared anxieties and hopes. You’ll hear nuanced discussions that ask whether the casualties we often blame on technology are inevitable, or if we’re simply misdiagnosing deeper societal shifts. This podcast provides a space for considered reflection, offering listeners a clearer lens through which to view their own place in a world that is, for better or worse, thoroughly wired.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 26

Ruined By The Internet? - Uncovering the human cost of our digital world
Podcast Episodes
The Job Hunt: Built to Harvest Data, not People? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:33
It was once a very human-centric process. But for so many of us, has the internet transformed looking for work into an automated, opaque, and intensely competitive digital gauntlet?To help us unpack what’s going on, we’r…
Dating & Relationships: A Dehumanising Paradox of Infinite Choice? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:49
It promised us unprecedented connection, but has the internet instead damaged the quality and authenticity of dating, by offering endless choice, a “shopping” mentality, and reduced emphasis on genuine, in-person connect…
Child Safety: Public Platforms Full of Private Predators? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:01
Many people - especially parents - feel that the internet has seriously compromised the safety, well-being, and even innocence of young people, by exposing them to risks that the offline world struggles to contain. But i…
Attention Spans: A Short-Form Destruction of Focus? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:29
Thanks to the internet's constant stream of information, endless notifications, and explosion of rapid-fire, short-form content, are we losing our capacity for sustained focus and deep concentration?In this episode, we’r…
Ruined By The Internet? - Trailer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:33
Is the internet actually ruining everything, or are we just looking at it wrong?Welcome to Ruined By The Internet? - the show where we examine how technology is shaping modern life - whether we want it to or not.Through…