Think about this:
When the "Maggid Speaks" book first appeared years ago we all knew that RPK wasn't calling himself a Maggid. He was simply recording Reb Shlom Schwadron's stories. RSS would stay at his home when in the States and young Pesach'l would hear stories, some of which made it to the book. As time went by - and especially after RSS' passing - somehow he yarshened the title Maggid. Maybe it was the publishers that decided it would be better for business - I'm not necessarily pinning it on him. We recently cut down on our magazine purchases; now the only glossy magazine we buy is the Ami, so I'm not hating here. It was a conscious decision we made based on what we enjoy to read. It just so happens that last night I was looking at YWN and noticed the "story." It poshut hurt. You have the nerve to compare the two?! Rabbi Krohn's "influences on maggidus?" are you kidding me??!! Every storyteller is now a Maggid?! Every guest speaker at a Chinese auction is a Maggid?! What is this world coming to?!
We all know that Chassidim bichlal had a "problem" with some Maggidim that would come into town and reprimand simple G-d fearing folk who served Hashem as best they could. There are stories of the BeSHT where he would shout down the Maggid and chase him out town. How dare he tell off these people who live under Tsarist tyranny yet still make town to learn, daven and gemilas chasodim. Having said that we still could learn to appreciate true maggidim like RSS, like RYG and even Reb Shabsse Yudelevitch! These were Yidden who sat and learned day and night, but also were darshonim. A Yid like Reb Yankelle was a Novardoker Talmid who had mesiras nefesh for Yiddishkeit in the shverre tzeiten. Maybe he made a few groshen from his droshos, I don't know. But he wasn't a broiled-chicken/mashed potatoes fed Yankee doodle. I realize Rabbi Krohn's is not to blame for being raised in American prosperity, but I wouldn't call myself a Maggid and a disciple of the big 3 if I was. And if it was the Artscrolls of the world who dubbed him such because it was good for business, SHAME ON THEM!