2010-03 Dennis' Deliberations

"The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson." - Tom Bodett

My Canadian magic friend, Larry Thornton saw Mac King on a Canadian TV comedy show. Nothing but prop-less stand-up comics until Mac walks on. He did the basic three cards across routine (girl and guy each counting out ten cards). His palming off three cards from the first (girl's) pile and adding them to the second (guy's) pile was blatantly obvious (only) to magicians, and the rest was just silly bits (routining). Then for his final number he put a bag over his head, turned his back, and appeared to crush it down onto his shoulders. That's it, the whole act. ...Rapturous laughter and applause. Exit, stage left.

Mac King gets flown up to eastern Canada from Las Vegas, all expenses paid, and gets mega-bucks for a "schlock" bare-bones comedy card routine any local conjuring hack can do, while we "hacks" [speak for yourself!] fight to survive and scramble our collective rear ends off every time the economy takes a dip.

Meanwhile, back at the magic dealers, they're busy hawking the latest expensive "miracle" guaranteed to make you a star, fill your coffers with shekels, and give you everlasting success and happiness. -- Or at least until they come up with another high-priced miracle. ... But could they sell the ever-reliable journeyman's classic, Three Cards Across, complete with a killer routine in booklet form, for even the price of a bus ticket into town? Not a chance.

There are two kinds of magic dealers' customers: Those who continually ask, "What's new?" -- and those who find the old stuff and use it to fool the heck out of the first guys. There are two kinds of people in this world: those who perform magic badly, and those who regret having seen it.

In spite of record snow falls here during our first winter in Virginia, we “trust” Al Gore and believe that things will warm up eventually. (No comments- I am trying to be funny)

Spring cleaning is around the corner. Spring cleaning really has meaning when your house has been sealed tight for 4 months and you have not be able to even put out all the garbage due to cancelled garbage collection. Up here every garbage truck is also fitted with a snow plow and the roads come before garbage collection. After all, it will not rot outside in freezing temperatures.

My wife says one of her fears is that she may be stuck cleaning out my junk if I should suddenly die. She says that losing me would be a heart break but trashing the things that were my identity would be another heart break. I keep telling her to just call my magic friends and they will come take it all if it is free.

I am also into Ham Radio. About 20 years ago, I got a call from the family of a widow. It led to me going over to the house of a 68 year old widow of a ham radio guy.

Sitting in his ham shack was some of the finest radio gear available at the time. (A Collins S-Line and a Collins KWM 2-A and on and on). The widow asked me if I wanted “the radios”. I looked at all of them and said, “There has to be at least $20,000 worth of stuff here and at 50% of the used market value I still could not afford to buy it. But I will be happy to tell you how to sell it and maybe help you put ads out and show it and sell it for you to help you out.” She looked at me and said, “Sell it? Are you kidding? I just want this stuff out of my house! You can take all of it. Go get your truck and get it out of my sight!”

She had a lot of anger in her voice for a recent widow. I said, “I am sure your husband would want you to get something out of all of this”. She snapped back, “He left me lots of money and I want this stuff out of my sight. He spent all his life working making money and then playing with this stuff. He never cared about me. He spent hours back here talking with strangers while I sat alone. No, I don’t care about this stuff, get it out of my sight!”

That is so sad. I never wanted that to be in that kind of sad situation with my wife. I moved the stuff, gave some away, sold some and still have some.

You are going to LOVE this effect… It costs you nothing! No props. Nothing to carry!

First watch the genius, Paul Daniels! This is one of the strongest things I do in an adult act where most of the audience does not know each other.

I use the techniques of cueing that you will find in Ricki Dunn’s book called “Zapped”.
http://www.nnmagic.com/books/zapped.htm

It is all the set up and cuing.
My method:
There are only two things that I do. The entire set up can be summarized as:
1) Before the show I scour the audience to look for a few gentlemen that are alert, smiling, interested and do not seem connected with a group other than a woman.
2) I call about 3 guys quietly off to the side (I need a spare in case one gets called out!) and tell them,
“Let’s have a lot of fun. I need your help to fool the audience and you are going to be in on the secret. You need to be the best actor you can. The audience is not laughing at you but at how you are a victim of what I am doing to you. Use your imagination and pretend that the chair has powers. It will have the power to shock your back end while you are sitting and you will jump up like you were shocked.
The second power is that it will stick to you like crazy glue so you can’t get loose.
I will tell you when to act like one of these two ways with the chair.
If I tap you twice and say “TWO” pretend like it has shocked you and jump up like you were shocked. If you want to feel you back end the audience will love it and think that I am being mean. I will be the fool, not you!”
If I put your hands on the chair and say slowly “this chair”, you will hold onto the chair until I tell you to let go. Good, now let’s do a fast run through. (Physically and verbally demonstrate and have them demonstrate) and stress that they will get the audience’s sympathy and I will be the fool.
I hope you enjoy this! It has been a winner for me.

Dennis Phillips