stop touching stuff!

[Andy Graf]

I occasionally have a problem with spectators who must fiddle with my props or they gotta grab at a card that I just used for a trick that is NOT examinable.

Today for example......I was doing a card trick where you do a double lift, show the face as there card and place the face card down claiming it is there card. Well the spectator grabbed at "their" card and pretty much ruined the trick. At that point I grabbed the card like a little baby and said "tricks over" and walked away. I should add that this person is in my immediate family and wasn't a stranger.

How do you stop this?

And don't say don't do magic for them anymore, cause that is how it's gonna be for now.

Most of the time I find these folks to be the kind who can't simply enjoy the magic of the trick, but rather MUST find out how you did the trick in order to feel any sort of thrill.


How do you stop this?

[Timothy Drake]

Hello Andy,

This idiot probably did this BECAUSE he was a family member and thus felt comfortable doing this. He most likely wouldn't do this to a stranger. It does happen from time to time and there isn't a lot you can do about it. We've all had it happen to us.

The best thing to do is to expect it and exercise more control over your presentation. If he reaches for a card then be prepared to pull back, if he asks you to do it again be prepared with an answer...etc. Time will eventually help you with this.

Here is a story you might enjoy. I was doing a haunted deck ( with loops) once at a corporate gig once and one f the onlookers thought he might impress everyone by telling them how its done. He thought I was using a gimmicked haunted deck and as he had seen one before. In front of everyone he announced that he knew how it worked and that it was a trick deck. I asked him what he meant and mentioned that I had stated earlier that I don't use trick decks. He got really confident and asked me if he could examine the deck. I simply handed it to him. He went though the cards and saw for himself it was a regular deck. You could see the smile melt off his face as he had everyones attention and yet there was nothing to expose. It looked good on him. LOL

Best,

Tim

[Kipp Sherry]

Watch your wording as well.

If you place the card down and tell me that it is my card, then the subliminal message is the that the card belongs to me and I can do whatever I want with it. Or at least I should pick it up and confirm that it is my card.

If you place the card down and tell me "I will place your card here on the table, and I want you to place your hand firmly over it so that I can not touch it.", now my only obvious response is to follow the directions.

People will do what you tell them to do, most of the time. And people will do what "they" want to do if you fail to tell them otherwise.

Until we appear again,
Kipp Sherry

[Chris Clemmons]

Ok, it ruins that trick... have a backup if somebody does something like that.
Per say...
They pick it up and say's it's not my card, palm off the top card and go for your pocket saying:
"Weird, I just showed you that it was your card... wait... you know what... i felt something hit my pocket when you looked at that card" bla bla bla then pull it out.
That's just one of many examples... always have a backup!!!

[Andy Graf]

Those are 2 things I definatley need to work on.

Having a backup plan, and wording things correctly.

Makes alotta sense guys!

Thanks!!