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What The Audience Sees:
"Jamie was pretty funny today. Big Ted nearly keeled over, he was laughing so hard, but Big Ted really likes that kind of thing. Anyway, Jamie asked me to think of a card. Any one at all. I did and he said that he knew what card I was thinking of. Yeah right! Well, he pulls out a few cards and starts asking me if they were my card and, obviously, they weren't. He pulled out a Bingo card for &*!('s sake, lol. I think one was even, like a fifteen of diamonds or something, lol. But then, at the end of this comedy bit, he simply looks me in the eye and names my card. I almost keeled over! And we weren't laughing anymore!!!"
How It Went:
I showed this effect, before Friday, to a few of the magic gang that I hang out with and it didn't exactly kill. But I had faith. I took it out Friday and, I'm happy to say, had a great day with it. I think what works is that, even if you don't find the gag cards funny, and I think some of them are awesome, there is still the impossible revelation at the end. The key is that they know that you won't be busting out funny cards for a few hours as they can clearly see that you're only holding a few. And you best believe that there are people out there who wish the cards didn't stop. Funny is money, after all.
And the final revelation is truly a killer. I would pull nothing out of my pocket and say, "Here's your card. Sorry but it's invisible. But I can read it because I'm special. See, right here? It says, The seven of diamonds!" (or whatever card they chose). It was great.
Best Lines:
"THAT"S THE FUNNIEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"Cough, wheeze, wheeze.
-Big Ted really thought it was funny.
"You actually knew it!! He ACTUALLY kew it!!!!
-I sure did, No force, either.
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
Ay yie yie. Angry Bob got his Christmas present early.
"Well M#%$&^$%#$. I guess that by the first $#%^# you would #^&#^ the *&@*@( and the &^##&^@%*^@, LOL!, LOL! I'm right! ADMIT IT BEFORE I KILL YOU!!!"
And, once again, our "conversation" ended with one of us in a headlock. 0/5.
Here's an Angry Bob tip however. Always, and I don't care if they actually own their own $&^&$*# ZigZag or whatever, deny everything! Deny, deny, deny. "Oh? You actually used to be part of a magic show and you used to get into the ZigZag every night? What's that? Oh, you actually used to construct them as well?! Well, that's cool, but this one's different..."
I should also mention that Angry Bob was still guessing. He didn't really know. He just thought he did. He'll always wonder, though.
My Rating:
You know, I liked it. I do, however, find myself to be quite hilarious though. So, how about 8/10.
The JDG Tip:
I don't use all the cards. And I lose the Bingo one because that's what I call the very first card. I find out if they got Bingo (you should know what I mean) and, when they don't, I say: "Darnit, if you had got Bingo, I would have given you a prize. Well how about this anyway. Was your card.." and I turn over the fifteen of diamonds. A little bit of justification can go a long way. They just think I'm making a joke and running with it a bit.
Closing Thoughts:
Wayne Dobson is a masterful thinker and one of the funniest guys ever. There's going to be a few of his tricks coming this way over the next few months so keep your eye out. They're going to be astounding!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYONE!
Jamie D. Grant
Vancouver Magician
http://www.jamiedgrant.com
______________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
"Today was awesome! Jamie came in and was holding this envelope with three things in it- a pair of scissors, a strip of paper with words printed vertically down it, and something else that he wouldn't show us, yet. Big Ted asked if it was a midget. Oh, Big Ted. Anyways, he showed us that the words on the strip of paper were everyday objects (knife, spoon, clock, plate, etc.) and then he turned the paper around. He took the scissors and started to run them down the side of the paper and asked to me to say "Cut!" whenever I wanted. He said he was going to go super slowly so that I could ask him to cut absolutely anywhere on the paper. Well, I said "Cut" and he did, and it was right through a word. He then reaches into the envelope and pulls out the object, that I had stopped him at, out of the envelope! And it was cut in half! It was nuts!!! Big Ted pulled out his asthma inhaler faster than a wild west six shooter, he was so amazed!"
How It Went:
I did this trick a number of years ago and I seem to remember it played really well but, after Friday, I think I have to upgrade my opinion as it played extremely well. I think that may have to do with Jay's idea of actually pulling the object out of the envelope. It was so much stronger than just having the word written down, as I used to do it. It's just a super cool moment to pull the object (cut in half) out of the envelope- people went nuts!
The other great thing about this routine is that there is no reset. I just had fifty strips of paper and rocked it out all day long. I think if I was going to do this at a gig, I could just keep ten small objects in one of my pockets and take it from there. It's also a great visual standing effect. No one's crowded around with heads down in card watching prayer position as everything is really up and open. Fantastic.
Best Lines:
"Put that back in there!! You did not take that out of there!!!!"
-Lol, toooo funny.
"OMG! GIVE ME THAT!"
-They took the envelope but it was empty.
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
I thought for sure that I was dead in the water but to my absolute joy, he didn't have a clue! Hurrah!
"Hmmmm. Too bad you won't be needing that object! HA HA!"
-You'll have to watch the Dvd to know what he was talking about. Still, he didn't have a clue apparently. 5/5.
My Rating:
Great trick, great day. The only downside is that you have to bring scissors with you. Hmmmm, I wonder if I could get the lists perforated so I wouldn't have to cut... 9/10.
The JDG Tip:
Okay, when cutting out you list, do not cut through anything just yet. Simply cut out the list. Now, wrap it around as if you were making a big paper ring and line up the top and the bottom of your list perfectly onto one another (you can hold it up to the light). Now cut. They will match perfectly later on.
Closing Thoughts:
Some old magic revisited. I like it and, more importantly, will actually use it. Great work Jay!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYONE!
Jamie D. Grant
Vancouver Magician
http://www.jamiedgrant.com
____________________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
"Wow, after Jamie did that trick with the card on his head he asked if he could show us something a bit more serious. We said "Yes!", of course, and he pulled out a Ziploc bag of old photographs. He gave me the photographs to hold and said he'd explain what they were, in a minute, but for now, he simply wanted me to deal them into a couple of piles onto the table. After I did that, he told us that they were actual photos of people that were on the Titanic. And when we flipped them over, the photos had either the word SURVIVED or DIED on the back. Well, here's the thing- all the DIED were in one pile and all the SURVIVED were somehow in the other pile- it was crazy spooky!"
How It Went:
White Star might be my favourite effect of 2008! No kidding. I started off the Friday crowd with Matthew Johnson's "Card On Head" and then utterly destroyed them with White Star. It went so well, that instead of saying, "I killed them!" when tricks go well, I might start saying, "I White Starred them!"! It really went that well.
I would start off, as per the instructions, of just having them sort out the photos and then would go into my presentation, which was thus:
"Okay, so these are actually pictures of people from the Titanic. My wife and I were at that flea market that they have over on Main Street, you know the one?"
-I let people talk about the flea market (Every city has one).
"Yeah well they're themed every week. Like one week's "war artefacts" and another week's "nostalgia". Well this weeks' theme was "crap" apparently. You should have seen the junk! However, there was this guy who's great grandfather, or his great, great grandfather, I can't remember which, had apparently been on the Titanic and had survived. Anyway, he became obsessed with the Titanic and started collecting photographs, and wrote things on the back and so on."
-Millisecond pause
"You know, I had no idea that people survived on the Titanic. I don't know why, I just didn't know that."
-Someone would ask at this point if I hadn't seen the movie.
"Lol, I know. I just thought that they all died. Like this guy here.."
-I would start sorting, sifting, mixing through the photos in my hand.
"Mr. John Borebank. He died..."
-I would show them the back, where it says, "DIED"
"But some people actually lived. Like..."
-Sorting, sifting, mixing
"...Mr Frederic Spedden. He Lived."
-I would show them the back where it said "SURVIVED"
"So my question to you, is this. Who decided who lived and who died on the Titanic?"
-I would start showing more from my hand.
"Was it Fate?... Was it Luck?... or... was it the hands..."
-I would point at the participants
"...of a Higher Power? Please turn over your photos."
-At this point people began to seriously freak out. Seriously freak out. A perfect effect. People would then begin talking about the Titanic and such. This would be the only trick you would have to do all night if you went out to dinner or went to someone's house. I loved it, as did they.
Best Lines:
"SHOUT...YOUR...MOUTH!
-I was silent at this point, lol.
"HOW did I do THAT?!"
-The fact that she said "I" and not "You" was ideal.
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
"Hunh...You're a total dou&**^%&&.
-He then walked away. 5/5.
My Rating:
10/10. Any time you can fill an entire night with story and discussion because of one single effect, you have to take notice. That's all I need to say about that.
The JDG Tip:
Okay, a problem I ran into from the very outset was that whoever ended up with the DIED pile would invariably say, "Awwww. My people died..." and I could tell they weren't happy about it. Until later in the day when one girl freaked out after the effect and her co-worker came in. When she asked what happened, the spectator told her that, "Everyone who I had a good feeling about Lived, and everyone who I had a bad feeling about Died!"
Now, that's not what happened. But she thought it did, and it was better. So I thought, "Why can't that happen?" and I changed the presentation.
Now, instead of saying, "If you have a special feeling." I started saying to the first spectator:
"If you have a BAD feeling about the person, place the photo on the table. If you have GOOD feeling, please place it in my hand."
and for the second person,
"Now we'll change it for you. If you have a GOOD feeling, place it on a separate spot on the table. And if you have a BAD feeling, please place it in my hand."
This turned the effect into the first person not having their special feeling causing a bunch of people to die, but rather that they simply knew who wouldn't make it. It also explained a bit more clearly why there was a mix in my hand for some reason.
It also enabled me to do it very clearly for a single person. I would make the first half the BAD pile, and then ask them to stop and to start making a GOOD pile.
It worked wonderfully!
Closing Thoughts:
It's been a long time since an effect really turned my head for a loop. And the additional bits that Jim has in his book did exactly just that. I did this with a deck of cards as well, and it was amazing. Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYONE!
Jamie D. Grant
Vancouver Magician
http://www.whatizit.net
____________________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
"Jamie's first trick today was super fun! He took one card out of the deck and stuck it to his forehead (how?) and told us that that was his prediction. He then had us select a card and told us that the card we chose was going to be the mate of the card on his head. Like, if we chose the six of diamonds, then the six of hearts would be on his head. He put our card back into the deck and told us that he would find our card first. Well, he couldn't find it! And, you know why?! Because our card turned out to be the actual card that was on his forehead since the beginning of the trick! It was amazing!!"
How It Went:
Another great Friday. Anytime I can find standing, resettable, workable material, I am extremely happy. And so was the Magic Friday crowd. This isn't the kind of trick that's going to change anyone's life or anything, but it's a super solid worker. And it worked all day. I experimented with putting the card on different surfaces all day (their hand, sticking out of my pocket, etc.) but, to be honest, there's something entertaining about a card stuck to your head. It put everyone in a fun mood and let people loosen up a bit. A great opener. It said, "Hey, I'm kind of fun!" without being too goofy. I really enjoyed it. Combine that with the fact that I didn't really have to think about the method too much and you've got something that will probably end up in your working repertoire.
Best Lines:
"Wha..th..^%@^?! How that get there?!? Did you see him put my card up there?!"
-no need to switch, my friend!
"IT'S ON HIS HEAD! OMG! IT"S ON HIS HEAD!!!
-I know, lol. I put it there.
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
"I got you #%^^#%^#! I got you."
-Even though I didn't ask him then and there what he thought, he seemed pretty confidant. I might give him the benefit of the doubt and say 1/5. Like always, however, your magic friends might have a good though but no spectator will.
My Rating:
You know, like I mentioned, this isn't going to change people's lives but, when working a a walkaround magician, that isn't what you always want. Sometimes, if not most of the time, you need material that just says, "Hey, let's have a great time tonight!" And this trick fits that vibe to a "T". So let's say 9/10.
Also, as you know, I only review one trick from an entire DVD. Usually, to be honest, there's only one or two that will work for me. However, almost every trick on "The Secret Art Of Monkey Business", is a complete worker. The production may be a bit low-key but I was super surprised at the quality of working material on this disc. You could basically watch this DVD and go out an work a gig with performing nothing else than what you just watched. A rare thing indeed. Because of that, I'm going to rate the entire DVD 10/10. Great job Matthew and very generous!
Closing Thoughts:
My only tip is to not let anyone see you lick your head. Well, you don't really...ah you know what I mean, lol.
THANKS FOR READING!
Jamie D. Grant
VAncouver Magician
http://www.whatizit.net
______________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
"This Friday was awesome! Jamie performed two unbelievable magic routines for us and they blew us away! First, he did this crazy string and ring trick. Check it out! He took this ring, and he let me totally inspect it. Dude, it was a totally normal circle of metal. No holes, cuts, breaks, or anything- I checked! And then he took this shoelace. Well, check it out, he could loop the ring on the shoelace without coming anywhere near the ends- it was amazing!!! And, in the end? He made the ring jump onto the shoelace while it was behind his back! The guy's incredible!"
How It Went:
This Friday was a fantastic day. I've been researching a ton of magic over the last few months and I've found some absolute workers. Fantasma's Ring Through String is not only one of those effects but it's also one that's going into my working repertoire immediately. All day Friday, people simply couldn't believe their eyes. There's one phase where you simply throw the ring onto the string that is some of the greatest visual magic you could possibly see. It's really that good.
On Friday, people really enjoyed the effect and I could repeat it again and again with no problem whatsoever. It meets all my criteria that I need for a trick that I'll end up taking to a professional gig- It can be dome standing, people can inspect the ring,it's instantly resetable, and it can be seen by a large group. Awesome.
Best Lines:
"Gaaaaaasspppp!"
-when that ring is thrown on, it fries.
"Did you see what just happened?!!??"
-Yes, lol.
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
You know, to be honest, I was a bit worried. I thought for sure that Angry Bob might just toss out a guess and hit it but he was just as shocked as everyone else.
"Hunh. That's pretty %#^%in good. Where'd you get that? You're still a @^@%^* *@&*@(*&@, though."
- good enough for me to think he had no idea. 4/5.
My Rating:
Well, as you can guess, I'm a big fan of this trick. I've actually started putting it in my pocket whenever I leave the house. I know that when I start doing that that the trick's a 10/10 for me.
I also think that Fantasma now includes a DVD with the trick so that's cool. I did it with three phrases. I would let someone inspect the ring and then tell them I'll show it to them three times:
1) The ring goes on and then magically comes off.
2) The ring is tossed on (no kidding). and then comes off in the spectators hand.
3) The shoelace is draped over my forearm, the ring is placed in my hand, the shoelace is placed in my pocket, and the ring jumps from my hand to being on the shoelace as it's pulled out of my pocket.
The JDG Tip:
I think on that Fantasma teaches the last phase as the shoelace going over the shoulder and the ring jumping onto it while it's behind your back but I jut thought having it come from the pocket was a bit better for me. Just a personal preference but it might be an option for you to try.
Closing Thoughts:
Great day. Loved the effect and so did the spectators. What else can you say about that?
HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYONE!
Jamie D. Grant
Vancouver Magician
www.jamiedgrant.com
____________________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
"Okay, so Jamie says he's going to start doing two tricks every Friday now! We've won the magic lottery! And he doesn't perform any of this magic stuff like my neighbour does. Nunh unh. This guy's the real deal. No kidding. If you don't believe me, you only needed to be there this Friday and you'd be a believer too, man.
He took this matchbook, right. And he pulled out a match and gave me the matchbook to hold. Well, he lit the match he was holding and then he swallowed it! %$^% &#^&@^. He swallowed a ^@&^@in lit match. But then? Then it reappeared in the matchbook I was holding! We went crazy! But that's not all. Nunh unh. The Jamie D. Grant religion meeting was still in session yo! He told me to keep holding onto the matchbook because he wanted to show us a card trick. Well, he had us pick a card and it vanished from the pack. Crazy enough, right? Not even close! Because it reappeared again. You know where?! In the matchbook I WAS HOLDING! It became printed onto the @%&@8(*@ matchbook! Suzie asked him if he could heal her sick cat! I went home immediately and started making Jamie dolls that I can sell on Ebay. We're going to make a killing once the world sees what this guy can do!"
How It Went:
Lol. I don't even know where to start. I've been lucky enough to buy enough magic, or have it sent in for review, that I'm able to show only solid gold to my clients on Friday. And sometimes something comes across my desk (well, it's more of a table really) that shines even brighter than all the rest. And LIT is one of those effects. It's weird but I'm sure you'll know what I mean when I say that there are some effects that are straight up workers, there's some that make people laugh and applaud, and then there are some that make people think that you really have special powers. LIT is one of those tricks where people don't think "How did he do that?" but rather, "How did he get to be the way he is."
I also actually used the floating match that's included in the Extras to make it a three phaser for certain clients as well. They see me light a match, float it, eat it, have it reappear in the matchbook they're holding, and then the card portion. All in all, an amazing routine that can take a few minutes. A few minutes to change a life. An absolute steal.
Best Lines:
"Noway. Noway. Noway.Noway."
-This person started rocking back and forth, lol.
"Where do I build my altar?!"
-Tooooo funny.
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
Here's the thing. When I swallowed the match, Angry Bob immediately said, "It's still in the matchbook @^%% @^%^%@!" so I guess 1/5. I think for someone who knows magic a bit, he might not know how to do it, but he can guess the result. However, that only made the ending more spectacular. When I brought out the cards he thought I was going to move into a card trick because he ruined the match trick. When he opened the matchbook and saw his card? I think I may have made Angry Bob a believer!
"Jamie. I don't know what to say. That's amazing man."
- I think that's the first time Angry Bob used my real name and not "*&@%%#&)$". 5/5.
My Rating:
10/10. I should really start a Magic Monday column that only reviews bad magic so everyone can see that I don't love everything. It is nice to only write positive reviews though. But man, you should see some of the horrors that I see. Thankfully, LIT is nowhere near that category. Not even close. It's an amazing effect that I think will make a lot of people very happy with their purchase. My only comment is to Dan Hauss, who I've become a big fan of. Keep the "Teaching Hannah" segment that you had in Flow. It's a brilliant idea and, if you're going to be be putting out more material, will really help keep differentiating you from the rest. Other than that- awesome with a capital "A". Great work Dans!
The JDG Tip:
Know your audience. This is the kind of trick that plays waaaaaay stronger than you might think and I'm not even sure I can explain why. I remember one time I did a stage show and I brought out a flaming wallet and you can clearly hear on the tape someone yelling "Yaaaay! FIRE!" so maybe that has something to do with it. By the way, I changed up vanishing the lit match into a TT later in the day. So don't use this as a throw away type effect. Go out and start changing lives, for the better.
One more idea I had was, when levitating the match, to ask the spectators to imagine that it was a person. If you can make a matchstick man, this looks all the better.
Closing Thoughts:
Well, in my opinion, Dan White and Dan Hauss killed it with this DVD. So let me say a big "Thanks" for giving me such an easy review to write and for such an enjoyable effect to perform.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYONE!
Jamie D. Grant
Vancouver Magician
www.jamiedgrant.com
______________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
"Okay, check this out baby. Jamie comes into our office, right? And he's carrying a cocktail shaker (probably to pull an elephant out of) and some bottled water. He takes the cap off the water and asks me to put my palm on top of it. He then places the cocktail shaker beneath my hand "to catch the little bit of water that'll come out" because we're going to turn my hand over. Sure enough, I do, and a little water comes out, but not much because I've got my hand sealed on this %^@$#^**!*& so tight! He's not getting anything in here!!! But then he asks me to take my hand away?! And I do! And the water stayed inside the bottle, man!!! I screamed like a little girl! My co-workers were screaming like me! It was nuts! Then, when he waved his hand, or sold his soul or whatever, I squeezed the bottle and all the water came out! How?!"
How It Went:
Awesome! I only wish I could have had done it more times! I did it a total of only eight times, because of time/prep, but it killed everyone. The great thing about this is that everyone has, at one time or another, spilled or dumped water from a water bottle. Also, even though I used a cocktail shaker to catch the water, there was fantastic amount of suspense in this trick- Are we actually going to dump water all over this desk?
People loved it and were totally astounded. I think I may start using this as a "One off" as my first effect for when I do a corporate party. I always meet whoever hires me, before the guests arrive, and this would be perfect to show this person. Come in, suit and tie, carrying nothing but a water bottle, reintroduce myself, show them Flow, blow their minds, and then rock the party- works for me!
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
Dan, I have no idea if you'll ever read this review, but, if you do, let me personally offer you my thanks! It's rare when Angry Bob is silenced and left with a slightly wet hand (which he proceeded to rub on me). But it was awesome. Not one word. Nothing. No donkeys or murder were mentioned, just silence. So 5/5.
Oh, I have to admit I almost asked him if he wanted a drink (after the effect).
My Rating:
I love this effect. I think it's practical, relates to everyone, and has a clear beginning, middle, and end. The only thing that I wish for is instant reset because of the kind of work I do. So, for me, it's a 9.0/10. However there is something to be said for the fact that they can examine the water bottle after (awesome) so let's make it 9.5/10. And you know what, the "Teaching Hannah" section (wherein Dan teaches someone how to do the effect) is such a great idea that we might as well bump it up to a perfect 10/10! Great work!
The JDG Tip:
The only thing I can suggest is, if doing it inside, to use a container that isn't a drink cup. By using the cocktail shaker, it makes sense that I have to go to a washroom to dump out the water. If I had simply a larger drink cup, the idea would be that I could stand there and drink. Not what we want.
Closing Thoughts:
It's great to be surprised. I go through a lot of stuff looking for effects that I know will play well, so it's always a pleasure to come across something that is clear, well-taught, and that I know will kill. And the "Teaching Hannah" portion was a true stroke of genius. Good times.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!
Jamie D. Grant
Vancouver Magician
www.jamiedgrant.com
______________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
"AIIIIEEEIIIEII! OMG! Listen to me for a second! Please! I've got to tell somebody! I mean, no one will believe me but I SAW IT man! I saw it with my own eyes, I swear! Jamie came into our office and said that he was practicing for Magic Friday and that he had burned himself. Well, that sucks for him, but we're all excited because we might get to see fire, right? Then he showed us his fingers, which had these two blisters on them, man, that was gross, but whatever, bust out the fire! So he has us pick a card and then takes out his lighter- sweet! But then they guy burns himself again! ^%#%! We wanted to see something alight, you know what I mean? But listen! He shows us his previous blisters and they turned into the card we were thinking of!!! Suzie fainted for $#!!$&& sake! and I actually had a @%&@^@ heart attack! That's why I'm telling you this from this %@$%^@ hospital bed! It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!!!
How It Went:
Aside from being a totally awesome day with amazing reactions, Friday also solved a very long search for me. There are some tricks that I only perform for women. My sponge ball routine, although absolutely killer (if I may say so, lol), is a great example. I just wouldn't do it for a group of guys. Maybe some trick involving a flower might be another example. So I've been looking, for years, for a trick that I could perform for a bunch of guys. Something that would kill and shock and that they know was only for them. Well, here it is. Branded is absolutely perfect. That's not to say that you couldn't perform it for women, which you obviously can, but I liked the idea of, "Hey guys, I can't really show the ladies this because it might be a bit gross, but here, take a look at this..." It just set the perfect mood and feeling. That's just something about a personal search of my own, however. For the rest of you, this is the perfect effect to astound everyone you meet.
And it destroyed all day Friday. Group after group was absolutely floored and, if you've ever performed any type of blister effect before, you know how it plays. I'm not sure I can explain why, but it really hits people hard. There's a mixture of "Am I really seeing this?" with "How is this possible?" that strikes people down. It's strong magic, great theatre, and is worth every penny and second.
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
Lol, 5/5! He had no idea! "HA! You burned yourself? Serves you right, ##%*&@! Yeah, give me a @^%@ card, @^%$@%&@!... ... ... WHA?! ... ..." -silence.
My Rating:
Well, I absolutely love this effect and love that I can carry it with me anywhere! It also is a great excuse for carrying a lighter and enables me to perform stunning magic at a moments notice. Imagine going over to a party and there's a pack of cards there? This won't be your typical card trick, I can assure you. A perfect effect. 11/10.
The JDG Tip:
I think the morphing idea that is explained on the DVD is brilliant, as I always thought the immediate appearance of a blister was a bit of a stretch with other blister effects (that's just me, by the way.) So the morph presentation is the one I'll be using. So, on that note, I show people the blisters before I even start the effect. "I was practicing my magic the other day, and take a look at what happened!" The thought that the blisters are a day or two old really helps sell it, I think. And the lighter hasn't even been brought into play yet.
Closing Thoughts:
I used to walk out the door with enough magic in my pockets to perform for a week in an expensive Vegas production, lol, while never performing the same trick twice. Now, I can perform without carrying hardly anything at all- a true sign of learning and experience, I'm proud to say. Branded, however, will be coming with me wherever I go. Brilliant! Thanks Tim!
HAVE GREAT WEEK!
Jamie D. Grant
Vancouver Magician
www.jamiedgrant.com
______________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
"Jamie is a mind reader. That's all I want to say about it. I mean...No, I can't talk about it. It's too crazy...Okay, listen- he read my mind, okay? HE CAN SEE MY THOUGHTS!!!! I wrote down the name of my best friend, who I KNOW he's never met, and Jamie told me his name. And no, he didn't see what I wrote- it went deep into his wallet, man! It was insane! Do you hear me? Insane!"
How It Went:
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Jamie D. Grant and I am a wallet addict. It's true. Sorry, what's that? You have a wallet that can launch dancing monkeys from a small catapault that pops out of the inside flap? Sounds great! I'll take two! To be honest, I thought, and my wife, that I could never stop...until now.
Yep, the Magnum is perfect. Finally, my wallet days are over. And it's not just that the Magnum is the perfect way to gain information, which it is, but it is also, for me, the most perfect daily use wallet. It's small, elegant, and truly a beautiful thing.
On Friday, I went through my usual mind reading bit, which I've used many times before:
"Think of someone that's important to you and please write it down for me...Do you know why I ask you to write it down? It's not only to help you solidify your thoughts but we also, I'm afraid, need it to for proof. You see, sometimes people lie. Not to say that if I guess what you're thinking you might say that I'm wrong, no matter what I say, but rather that I'm right. One time, I though a woman was thinking of a South American pygmy chicken, but she was really thinking of Brad Pitt (I found out later) but she told me I was right, as to not hurt my feelings. So this way, we have proof if I succeed. We won't need it for a while, however, so let's put it somewhere where there is no way I can see it...
And there you go. No reopening the wallet. No crazy moves. Nothing. I place the card deep into the wallet, close it, and I know the info. And people go crazy. Really.
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
I'm going to have to say 2/5. It's a hard one, actually. He was stunned for a second, said "Pretty good," then, "Give me the wallet %#%&^@&@^@!" and I almost did, but changed my mind, lol. It would have been too hard to get it back. That said, not a single person all day, aside from Angry Bob, asked to see the wallet. And I have no concern for that at all.
My Rating:
10/10. I am totally, 100% happy with this product and my purchase. I carry it every day as my wallet and I'm always ready to go! What more can I ask for? I'm cured!
The JDG Tip:
Okay, I've got a couple so bear with me:
1) I always carry a pen in my wallet. Always. Here's what I did- I went and bought a refill for a Zebra Pocket Pen. Not the pen, just the refill, which if the exact size of the height of the Magnum (actually 2mm shorter, which is perfect). I then took a Sticky Note and laid it down, with the sticky side up and on the right hand side. I placed the refill just to the left of the beginning of the glue and then fold the note over to the left (over the pen). This created a mini tube for the pen refill to slide in and out of. I then slide the sticky note pen holder into the inside horizontal slot inside the Magnum so that just the tube is out and in the fold of the wallet. The pen slides in and out perfectly and couldn't be a better fit.
2) Okay, now that I always have my pen, I need something to always write on. My business cards are printed in both sides so that's not an option- so I use sticky notes again (the smaller ones). I put these (about 5) onto the backside of my I.D. I then removed the clear plastic window from the outside flap pocket of the Magnum and put my I.D. in instead (so it is now against the "you know what"). It's perfect! Now the I.D. window is, in fact, an I.D. window and when I need to write on something, I remove the I.D., comment on my great picture, and say, "Please write on that sticky note on the back. Hold it up in front of your face so that I can't see what you write and just use the I.D. as a hard surface. When you're done, leave the sticky note on my I'D. but place my I.D. face up on the table so I can't see what you've written.
3) And lastly, I bought some women's black hair ties. The small ones (they're the size of a...I don't know...Snapple cap?) I took one and wrapped it around the wallet so that it's inside of the crease and on the outside of the wallet. That is, if the wallet is open and flat, I put it on via 1 side, and rolled it to the middle. Now there is an elastic on the inside crease of the wallet (right beside my sticky note pen holder). This holds my cash (which is folded in half and under the elastic). Perfect! I have no idea if that made sense, lol.
So, whew, here's what I've got in my Magnum:
LEFT SIDE:
Back Slot- Credit Card (zero balance, btw- that's a life tip, lol).
Second Slot- 3 Playing Cards (for 3 card monte) and my Driver's Licence.
Front Slot- PayPal Card (to access AIP funds.)
MIDDLE CREASE:
Sticky Note Pen Tube with Zebra refill.
Hairpiece elastic for cash (which is folded and in the wallet horizontally.)
INSIDE POCKET (LEFT):
5 business cards.
Left hand portion of sticky note pen holder tube.
RIGHT SIDE:
3 business cards.
Debit card.
NFW.
OUTSIDE POCKET:
Main I.D. with 5 small sticky notes on the back.
Closing Thoughts:
I love this wallet and there's not much more I can say, lol!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!
Jamie D. Grant
Vancouver Magician
www.jamiedgrant.com
______________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
”This week was so much fun! Jamie came into our office and asked a bunch of us to cut exactly ten cards from the deck he was holding. Three of us got to do it and we each tried to take only ten cards. After we all took our guess, Jamie counted the number of cards he was left holding (which should only have been twenty-two if we all succeeded) and ended up having twenty. We were pretty close! But then he told us all to look at the top card of the stack that we had cut off and each stack had a ten on top- the ten of clubs, hearts, spades, and diamonds! How did he do it? It was incredible!”
How It Went:
It was a great Friday! I have to say that I’m a real big fan of effects where the spectators win and, without question, the specs loved it as well. This trick has a lot of interaction, lets people try and do something different, and lets you make them all achieve something absolutely impossible and wonderful.
I also have to say that I’m a big fan of Bill Malone. Not only are his On The Loose DVDs some of my favourite DVDs in my collection but they are the only ones that my wife can stand watching. And that says a lot. He comes across as a genuinely funny and is extremely entertaining.
Doing this trick all day was really quite fun because I presented it as more of a game rather than a “Watch me blow your mind!” routine. People are laughing, talking, and generally having a great time. And in the end, they get to feel like they did something special- with a little help of course.
History:
David Solomon was one of Chicago’s “Inner Circle” that surrounded Ed Marlo. Consisting of such names as Simon Aronson, Steve Braun, and Bill Malone, these guys really took magic to a different level.
Best Lines:
”Lol, you’ve got 35 cards left?!??! We suck!!!... ... ...Holy $#%#!!” –this happened after realized they had al cut ‘ten’.
”LET ME SEE YOURS? YOU DID IT TOO? AND YOU? NOT YOU TOO?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” –this particular person reeeeeeeeeallllly liked it.
Angry Bob Rating:
I have a co-worker (Bob) whose uncle was a magician and thereby has a good working knowledge of how magic works. He's pretty grumpy but likes Magic Friday because he can tell me how he figured out how the effect is done.. A high rating means he'll never figure it out.
”Hunh. Why didn’t I get a f#^&#& ace hotshot.” –uh, because you cut to ten? I think he was angry because couldn’t figure it out. 5/5.
My Rating:
I’m going to say 9/10. The only possible thing I can see holding this trick back is that it’s best performed, in my opinion, with three spectators and I can appreciate that that’s not always possible. It doesn’t have to be, by any means, but I think it plays best to a group.
If you’re reading this column for the first time, then you should know that I never review bad effects. I spend a good amount of my life researching effects that I know will play well, not only on Magic Friday, but also in my other life as a Professional Magician. So you’re going to see a lot of 8s, 9s, and 10s on these pages.
The JDG:
Bill goes into this effect directly after a different one on his DVDs so he’s kind of ready to go. Since I performed this as a stand-alone on Friday I would preset the deck, obviously, and then do a bunch of double out faros (I’m just making terms up now) to keep the top and bottom intact. Basically, I would just split the deck in two and begin as if I were going to do a faro shuffle but made sure that the top and bottom’s were faro’d to the outside. Did that make any sense at all?
Closing Thoughts:
Bill Malone rocks and he sure knows his cards. If you haven’t checked out his DVDs you should probably start to think about taking a look.
Anything Is Possible,
Jamie D. Grant
Vancouver Magician
visit: www.whatizit.net
______________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
"This week was pretty sweet! Jamie walked into our office and asked to borrow a pen. "Hey cool!" he said. "These are those pens that come with a free twenty-five cents!" and we all began to wonder what he was talking about. He then took the cap off the pen and poured out two dimes and a freakin' nickel!"
How It Went:
Well, I was wrong. I think that's happened once before (back in '82 I was pretty sure that North meant straight up into the sky, but I digress.) Since I never give bad reviews, I do sometimes perform effects that I think are good, but aren't crazy fantastic. Well, what can I say? If you saw the reactions this simple trick got, you'd think it was pretty crazy fantastic all right.
It also goes to show that you can never be 100% sure what's going to strike an audience on a particular day. Maybe on Friday everyone just really wanted to see twenty-five cents come out of a pen cap. And that's what they got, courtesy of the amazing David Williamson. Just as I mentioned before that magic that can be performed Anytime and Anywhere is some of the most sought after, I should also add, magic with everyday objects, to that list. Or, to be more specific, magic with everyday objects that have been borrowed. A lot of times spectators, in a desperate attempt to maintain their sanity, will immediately demand to see the object that we just performed magic with.
That's why so much money is spent on making tricks examinable and, even though with good audience management it shouldn't be your number one goal, as in "Hey, did you like that one!? Well, LOOK AT IT! I's completely examinable!", it does make sense. But when you start doing magic with objects that your audience brings, things just go up to another level as I'm sure you know.
Best Lines:
"Give me that!" - what makes this funny is that they were referring to the cap and not the money...
"Did anyone just see what I just saw?" - try saying that ten times fast. Actually, it's not that hard.
Angry Bob Rating:
I have a co-worker (Bob) whose uncle was a magician and thereby has a good working knowledge of how magic works. He's pretty grumpy but likes Magic Friday because he can tell me how he figured out how the effect is done.. A high rating means he'll never figure it out.
"Hunh. Hold out your hands." - We'll say 1/5...It did take him a second, though. And even though Angry Bob knew what the dealio was, I didn't have a single spectator make that request.
My Rating:
I'm going to have to say 8/10 for this one. It just really hit home and it's the perfect miracle for a lot of situations. It's hard to find someone that doesn't have a pen around somewhere and besides, who doesn't like to see money appear from impossible places? It's also what I call a 'fun' effect. Not all magic I perform has to make people go running around pulling their hair, gnashing their teeth, and wanting me to autograph their kneecaps (True story). No, some magic has to be fun for me and for the spectators. I think that's important- the ability to distinguish when life-changing miracles should be performed and magic that simply says that something special just happened.
The JDG Tip:
What really sells this trick is the sound aspect of it. They can hear the money in the cap before you dump it out so really milk this moment. I would put it beside their ear and shake it. The look on their faces, when they've just seen your hands empty and they know there was nothing in that cap a second ago, is priceless.
Closing Thoughts:
David Williamson has also created what I consider to be the greatest card effect (aside from Eddie's) of all time: Torn and Restored Transpo (found on his Sleight of Dave DVD). If you get a chance, check it out. You won't regret it.
Anything Is Possible,
Jamie D. Grant
Vancouver Magican
visit: www.whatizit.net
______________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
"This week was pretty sweet. Jamie had me pick three different dollar bills and put them, one at a time, into different pockets while he wasn't looking. He was then able to turn around and tell me which bill I put into each pocket. And on the last bill, he had written exactly what I was going to do before I actually did it. Amazing!"
How It Went:
Awesome. I waited quite some time before picking up the Stealth Assassin and am now wondering if that was a wise choice. I probably should have bought it when it first came out because I use it almost daily. It really is a great investment. It's always been my goal to have every accessory I carry contain some sort of 'magical' property. The wallet seems to be the Holy Grail of magical accessories simply because it has the most potential- card to wallets, peeks, fire, the list goes on and I assure you, I have almost all of them. So I'm pretty happy I've found one I use daily. I should note that I still use my Haslett Fire Wallet in my stage show, though.
However, here on Magic Friday, I really try and not to review entire DVDs or books too much- just one effect from them. I perform for all my different clients (which is a split of about 50/50 between people I know and strangers) and write about how that one effect went.
This Friday's effect was Peter's Cash Cabaret- a routine that is taught on the DVD that comes with the Stealth Assassin Wallet. And make no mistake, this is a fantastic routine. You will need a SAW to perform it though.
It was a bit slow on Friday, so I think I performed this effect about fifteen times and every one had the same great reactions. Not only is it impossible that I knew where the bills went, but what makes it a "knock out of the park" is the fact that I predicted where people would put the bills, as it was written down before hand. Peter writes it on his business card but I wrote it on the bills (my business card has writing on both sides). As long as you make sure the bill is folded with the writing on the inside, it will come as a complete knockout when they unfold that last bill and read what you wrote.
History:
Peter states on the DVD that this routine is based on Stephen Tucker's VISA CABARET but that it was Marc Paul's idea to use money- A truly wonderful idea.
Best Lines:
"HOW DID YOU $^!$%%$ KNOW THAT?!??!" -A gentleman never tells...
"Shut up! SHUT UP!" -I don't think I even said anything.
Angry Bob Rating:
I have a co-worker (Bob) whose uncle was a magician and thereby has a good working knowledge of how magic works. He's pretty grumpy but likes Magic Friday because he can tell me how he figured out how the effect is done.. A high rating means he'll never figure it out.
"Hey !$!%!^&. I've got a prediction. How about I keep this money and you go @$%@ yourself." -I think that's a 4/5.
My Rating:
This really is a great routine. 9/10 great , really. You need to make sure you always have a few bills on you and you're set. I also have started using an old Canadian one dollar bill to write the prediction on and I let them kwwp it as a souvenir. What's a buck to blow someone's mind?
The JDG Tip:
As I stated above, you can write the prediction on the last bill if you don't have any business cards handy. Works for me. That said, you should always have business cards handy.
Closing Thoughts:
Not too much to say about this effect, really. It's very good and it's one that I'll actually be able to perform at a moment's notice, which means a lot. Magic that can be performed Anytime and Anywhere seems to always be the most sought after in our art so it's always a pleasure to find one that meets both criteria.
Anything Is Possible,
Jamie D. Grant
Vancouver Magician
visit: www.whatizit.net
______________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
"Jamie did this crazy card trick! He asked me to hold the Ace of Spades and then showed me he was holding the Ace of Clubs. He then demonstrated what was about to take place and switched our cards. So now I had the Ace of Clubs and he had the Ace of Spades. He then took his Ace and tapped mine with it and told me they had switched places. When I looked, however, they were both Red Queens! OMG! It was crazy!
How It Went:
Well, unless you've been living under a rock the last ten years, you've seen this trick performed by David Blaine on television. The question is; are the reactions he gets on the show authentic? I can tell you, and I'm sure you know, that they absolutely are. Make no mistake- Eddie invented, in my opinion, one of the greatest card effects of all time with this one. It's fast, the magic happens in the spectator's hands, and it really is remarkable. I would have to say this is the one trick I get asked to do the most as well, as a civilian and as a worker.
Friday was like my own David Blaine special. People were screaming, laughing, and having a great time. I actually thought one lady was about to give birth, and she wasn't even pregnant! I think I did this trick a total of thrity-seven times (busy day at work!) and there wasn't one bad reaction. Great work Eddie!
The interesting thing about this effect is, and this is a testament to the effect, that no one, not one single person, asked where the Aces went. They all firmly believed the Aces changed into the Queens. I've played around with revealing the Aces in another location and such but, in the end, I just leave the Queens in their hand and that's where I stop. The moment you reveal the Aces somewhere else, in my opinion, you've altered the effect from a change to a switch. And that's not what I'm shooting for with this one.
History:
Published in Magician Nitely in 1974. You can find the complete text of Magician Nitely in "Fechter: The Magic of Eddie Fechter" by Jerry Mentzer.
Best Lines:
"OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!" -a common reaction.
"TETHWH SHUYWTQR TRGHAH!" -this person actually started choking, lol.
Angry Bob Rating:
I have a co-worker (Bob) whose uncle was a magician and thereby has a good working knowledge of how magic works. He's pretty grumpy but likes Magic Friday because he can tell me how he figured out how the effect is done.. A high rating means he'll never figure it out.
"Go %$^$ yourself." -5/5.
My Rating:
10/10, no question. I thought it quite fitting that my latest Magic Friday for the Café was the School for Scoundrels "3 Card Monte" and that my first Magic Friday for Street Magic is a trick commonly referred to as "2 Card Monte". Both are fantastic and both are 10's. This is a good time to bring up a point, actually.
If you're reading this column for the first time, then you should know that I never review bad effects. I spend a good amount of my life researching effects that I know will play well, not only on Magic Friday, but also in my other life as a Professional Magician. So you're going to see a lot of 8, 9, an 10s on these pages.
The JDG Tip:
I'm not sure if Eddie does a triple but, if I remember correctly, I'm pretty sure that's how David does it- a triple and a top. I, however, prefer a double with a bottom. That's a key to success in magic- Find out what works for you!
Closing Thoughts:
There you have it.
Anything Is Possible,
Jamie D. Grant
Vancouver Magician
visit: www.whatizit.net
______________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
"This Friday was totally nutsorama! Jamie came in and told us he was going to show us a trick with just twenty cards. He gave me ten to hold and then showed me the faces of his ten. He then asked me to just think of one of the faces of his ten cards, which I did. He then waved his hands, summoned the devil, or whatever the %##^ is he does, because he showed me his cards...and there were only nine! Are you hearing me out there?!! One of his cards left his hands!!!! I was scared, man! I didn't even want to count how many cards I had but he made me! And there were eleven!!! And you know what's coming, right?! My thought of card was there...in my hand!!! @^%@ somebody save us from this guy!!!"
How It Went:
Lol, from the description above, you can probably guess. I'm still doing Magic Fridays every week but haven't been writing them up here as much as I'd like due to magazine commitments, bad weeks, etc. but this one was so good I thought everyone here might like to read about it...
This destroyed. I mean it was a complete massacre. I've been putting off doing Strange Travelers because I was worried about how it would play to a group due to the fact that only one card travels but it honestly didn't seem to matter. A number of times, even though I only asked one person to think of a card, when I showed the nine cards, a few people in the group would yell, "OMG! Mine's gone too!!!" And when we counted the eleven in the one spec's hand, everyone would be leaning over it saying, "Mine's here as well!!" which shouldn't make sense. If their cards actually did travel then I should be holding seven and they should be holding thirteen, but it just never came up.
This is a good lesson in just going out there and trying things. I think we're so knowledgeable and, in some cases cynical, that we forget how life changing this stuff is. If a person has never seen a math equation in their life (like someone in preschool), then they have absolutely no idea that 2 + 2 =4 (I hope that's right) no matter how obvious it is to the rest of us.
And no one cared that the count was off- they were just amazed that their card was gone, and had reappeared, as well. Now, that said, I never said "Everyone think of a card.", because that might be asking for trouble. I would just ask one person and if others looked as well, all the better. And don't forget, the count is perfect with one person.
Best Lines:
"Jamie, how? How? How? How? How?" - it was like I had just dropped a gear into their brainworks and they got stuck, lol.
"Aiiieyeyyeahiieahe!" - this spec scared the daylights out of me, lol. I thought she became possessed, lol.
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
2/5. $@%@. I thought I had him until he said, "Give me your cards m^#^%@%25&." I, of course, didn't, and used the line provided, "Trust me. You don't want to know", to which he replied, "Oh, I wanna know $@$@ @^% @%$@ and I'm going to find out!". It all ended with one of us, again, being in a headlock.
And I have to say that Angry Bob was the only person all day to ask to see the cards. Even my regulars (50% of the day's audience) never asked. I think it has to do with the fact that they only think of their selection. In their heads, no matter what I'm holding could tell me what was in their heads- it must be real magic.
My Rating:
Not much to say here- 10/10. I loved it and it was a home run all day. I'm even going to make the card box to carry these around with me all the time.
The JDG Tip:
Okay, I've got a few things that helped me throughout the day:
1) When I brought out the case holding ten cards a side, I would say, "We're going to do a trick with only twenty cards, there's ten on each side here to help me keep track." which makes it seem like they're this way o help me not screw up the trick as opposed to helping me fool them- there's a difference there that they picked up on. If I was saying that to trick them, the would demand to count them themselves but if they think the cards are that way so that I don't embarrass myself, then it's believable- it's in your body language, attitude, and voice.
2) When I took the two packets out and counted theirs for them, I didn't count out loud! I know that sounds a bit crazy but I would almost mumble to myself until the very end and say, "...mumble mumble ten. Cool. Hold onto these." Again, it seems like I'm doing this for my own benefit and that the trick hasn't started yet.
3) I would then let them clearly count mine with me but prefaced it by saying, "And just for you cynics, you can see that I'm holding ten, look..." And we would count together. No one cares about the ones they're holding because their mind is telling them there is only twenty cards total. Since they know that I might do something fishy to the ones in my hand, these are the ones that they want to count to ensure I am, in fact, holding ten. They count, and we're all happy.
4) After their card has disappeared from my packet, I really needed to say, "Count your cards, facedown." as stated in the instructions. In the beginning, people would be so excited that they couldn't care less about how many they were holding and were just looking to see if their card was in their hand. If it was a large group, however, I didn't put as much emphasis on the count if I new that more than one person had selected one. I would simply say, "I only have nine...Look in your hands..." and everyone would freak out.
As an interesting note on psychology, with a large group, no one would comment on the count. The first thing they would do is ask each other what card they all thought of. They wanted to see if they all thought of the same one. An interesting look at the bonding process of a group.
Closing Thoughts:
It was great day and I'm always totally happy when I try a trick that I'm not sure will play, only to find out that I'll use it forever. Be fearless!
Go buy an "Anything Is Possible" bottle so I can go buy some more Higley stuff,
jamie d. grant
vancouver magician
visit: www.whatizit.net
p.s. Have a great week!
______________________________________________________________
What The Audience Sees:
"This Jamie guy is way too far out. Check it. He came into our office and we're all totally pumped- Magic Friday's a big hit around here. He says he's going to show us something that's just "A quick trick, nothing crazy." and pulls out his business card, "Just in case someone asks for it after..." out of a business card thingy, "And I only have one card left, so no fighting...". He then takes out two cards, a King and a Six and asks me which one I want. I say the King, obviously, and he says, "Perfect, I'll give you the SIX!" and he does. Ha Ha. He then asks me to put my hands over it so that he can't get it. And since no one trusts his hands, he puts his King into his business card thingy "So there's no way I can mess with it..."
Now,I didn't actually see the face of the card when he put it into his holder and I thought he might have done something tricky when he laid that Six into my hand, so when he said, "Watch...See, I now have your Six!" we weren't too impressed. I think someone liked it, but I've seen him do better. So then he goes, "C'mon, that was good! Here, keep your hands together on that King (ed. see the JDG TIP) and I'll show you how I did it. I'll even show you face up. Now, I can't get at your King, but watch..." AND ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE! The @%^$@^% SIX changed into the King in front of our very eyes! It was caraziness! I think Sheila even passed out for ^%^@% sake! OMG, I feel dizzy even remembering it..."
How It Went:
I hope you can get a feel for my presentation from the write-up above. Basically, I want them to ask for the Six. If they do (which they don't, lol) then I give it to them. If they ask for the King, then I do as above (still giving them the Six). Now here's the thing. When I put the Six into their hand, I want it to look slightly or sleightly (magician/writer inside joke, lol) fishy. Because once I put the King into my WOW, I'm making it look like this is the trick. That is, when I turn my WOW over, it's holding the Six now. Make sense? I kind of have a "Ta Da!" expression to which almost everyone says, "Ah, you just switched it when you put it into my hand..." (which I actually didn't). So, when I say, "No, I did it magically! Look, I'll show you..." they're floored. And that's exactly how it went on Friday- it killed.
Best Lines:
"Sheila! Sheila! Get up! Wake up!" -Lol, okay, maybe she didn't actually pass out but she did have to sit down. This guy was pretty funny, though.
"Wha...Bu...Ho...Wha..."- I think this person hasn't finished a complete sentence since.
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
Okay, I know you're all waiting for it so here it is: 5/5. He had no idea. And here's why (I'm going to be stressing this line in my upcoming book because I feel it is so crucial):
When he said, "Give me your case @$^(*#&*&!! Now!!!!" I pause... look (for a millisecond) like I don't know what he's talking about... look at my hand with a look of ("Oh, that.) and hand it to him while saying, "Here, knock yourself out." That phrase is worth its weight in gold. It says, to the spec, that there is no way that whatever item you're handing them has anything to do with the trick or you wouldn't have handed it to them. But you've got to be fearless when doing it. Even the smallest hesitation will blow you away and you'll never get your WOW back, lol. I then hand them my business card (a couple of people during the day asked to see the WOW) and said, "Here, let me trade you- you can call me later and I'll tell you how I really did it..."
My Rating:
This is going to be a weird one. As good as it is and as great as it went, I can't help but thinking "Prop" in my own head. And I did a professional gig the other night where a good friend of mine showed up with his new girlfriend. I did some magic for them and spoke with him the next day. He said his girlfriend's least favourite routine that I did was WOW. Now, was it because my Crazy Man's Handcuffs was way better to her? Or was it that I had done some other card stuff with no apparatus and this just didn't feel right? Or was I just "off" for this one bit? I'm not sure but I'll defintely make a note of it. That said, WOW, on its own (like Friday) it seemed to destroy so let's say 9/10.
I should end that rating on the thought of: Sometimes we fall too in love with our own gear and inventions. It's almost as if they are our girlfriends or wives, of a sort. Once we decide we love something, we often fail to see any faults with itever again (if you want stay married, anyways.) And while it's an attribute encouraged with human relationships, it is the exact opposite with magic. Because it doesn't matter as much what we think about someting as much as what the spectator thinks. Just something to think about...I do love WOW, though, lol.
The JDG Tip:
If you're going to do the presentation that I use, then it's important to brush up on your audience management (when I "reveal" that I now have their Six, I immediately use my other hand to put on top of theirs so that they don't look a the Six in their hand) and your poker playing (handing out your WOW will be the greatest Bluff you do). Remember, Be Nonchalant and Fearless! BNAF! That's a good saying, lol.
Closing Thoughts:
It's always surprising how many people PM me with Magic Friday questions and comments. I really appreciate the fact that people actually read my work and take the time to say so- Thank You!
Go buy an AIP bottle, or just have a great week!
jamie d. grant
vancouver magician
visit: www.whatizit.net
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