PROPHECY IN NUMBERS from Robert A. Nelson's booklet Magic As A Hobby (1945)

Well, I was bound and determined to review a terrible trick this week and, boy, this one's a doozy!

What The Audience Is SUPPOSED To See:

The performer asks the spectator for any 3 digit number. After a series of calculations that Stephen Hawking couldn't complete with a calculator, the performer reveals the number!

What The Audience REALLY Sees:

Well, you're supposed to be able (According to Mastermind R.A. Nelson) pick any 3 digit number and reverse the number and write it underneath the original. If the reverse is less than the original, subtract it, if it's bigger, then subtract the original from it. Now take your new number and add the reverse of it to it. Got It? No? Too confusing, you say? Who Cares, it won't work anyway! And besides, everyone loves math as entertainment! According to our main magi Nelson, the result should ALWAYS be 1089! Unless of course the spectator picks any 1 of the $^%$^$ numbers that don't work-there's lots! (232, 343, 132, etc.)

What The Audience REALLY Sees:

The Performer asks the spectator to think of any 3 digit number. The performer then asks the spectator to perform extremely complicated logrithmic calculations in their head (if they can understand your instructions). Once the spectator begins to cry, the performer begins to yell, '^$^$^!##$ PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER! DO YOU THINK THIS IS FUN FOR ME?! I CAN"T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT 11 X 12 IS!!!' Once the spectator has stopped hyper-ventillating, the performer then asks the spectator to do more fun, high action arithmetic, that couldn't be done withoutthe help, of say, NASA. If the spectator is still awake by this point and actually has a number that isn't 0 then you're in luck. Quickly reveal that there number is 1089 only to have them point at you and laugh. FUN!

How It Went:

See above. After 40 unsuccessful tries, it finally worked. I prompltly went out and bought a lottery ticket.

Best Lines:

'This ^&%%^ Sucks!'
"I $^%$^$$! HATE MATH!"
'Am I supposed to add the $^%$^$ number to my first $^$^$ number or the...ah, %^%%& it! I'm going to get a sandwich.'

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's because he can tell me how he figured out how the effect is done...

100/5. He'll never figure this one out. Heck, I'll never figure this one out!

My Rating:

0/5.

The JDG Tip:

Uh, don't perform this.

Closing Thoughts:

Next week we'll return to our regularly scheduled program.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

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