Maybe if they started out with a sword swallowing act followed by the bonsai demo and finished up with the lion tamers then everyone would know they were under the big top. You could even work in a few clowns through the bit.
I think Jay makes a good point about a good bonsai artist wanting to keep the tree alive and not doing more than the tree can take. In my opinion that should be the main goal. Making the best design out of what you are given to work with. That's kind of my whole approach to bonsai. Slow, deliberate, and for God's sake keep it alive. Of course, sometmies I fail but that is my goal.
I find no benefit in a "show" that winds up killing the tree. What would you really learn anyway? If the experts want to put on a styling show it's no sweat off my back. I just think they need to be up front about what it might do to the long term health of the tree. You shouldn't have to whisper about it in the corner of the room. If they aren't big enough to point out that what they are doing to the tree just might kill it then they have truly taken bonsai to a new level of illusion.
Tony