Question: Which EA's currently claim to accept challenges from all comers? Especially ones that advertise a cash reward for holding them?

I have done so for the past four years,,,this boosts interest in the show (Sponsors are happy)Gate numbers and cash,up. Gains immediate press interest with little effort.
My challenges are for the general public and entertainment purpose only (My cash interest as well of course).
The method I use was given to me by David Deval,who sadly died before he had a chance to exploit it to the full.
The whole scenario will be in a book due to be released someway in the future.
Its a great idea.
Highly reccomended.
Ken.

While I do a “challenge” of sorts, I don’t really think that I am doing what you are thinking about.

I do the old-fashioned 100-foot rope challenge. That is I bet my audience that I can get untied in less (or equal) time that it took to tie me up. OK, I confess it is only 70-feet of rope.

What I do is show the rope, and get a good -looking woman (and who is willing) up and her boy friend (or just some other lucky guy from the audience). They will do the tying. I think it is more fun for the audience to watch the girl work at tying the old man up. I have actually used two girls from time to time. Of course this does not really met your criteria of “all comers”!

I tell everyone that I will be tied up and will attempt to escape in less time than it took to tie me (blah-blah-blah-yadda-yadda!). I tell them I will bet with them! I will put up $100.00 (I show a $100.00 bill) but they have to at least match it.
It will be a Winner takes all contest! If I lose then the two people who tie me up get all the money (mine and the audience’s). Man it sure motivates the two doing the tying to do a good job!!!

I pass the hat, work the crowd, and count the money.

By the way, this is an old Doc Easton bar trick. He does the signed card to ceiling bit. He collects money from the crowd until he has a $100.00, changes the money to a C-note, wraps the deck with the bill and does the card to ceiling. The card sticks with the bill between it and the ceiling. He keeps the bill as a tip. I watched him do the routine nine times one evening. Nine hundred dollars was a nice tip, yes?

Anyway, the girl and guy inspect the rope and they begin tying. I use an old darkroom timer to keep the time (and another pretty girl to work it!). I’m tied, the clock is stop, and the red arm is set and the clock reset. On go the clock is started, and I wait a couple of beats and began my struggle.

Long story short! I make it out with about 10 seconds to spare. If I’m in a bar/club venue I buy the guy and girl a beer and take my money and run! It’s shameless I know but it pays the bills!

Otherwise I don’t advertise for or accept challenges.

In the late 1970s, when I did two, 20-minute shows at night clubs, My ads included that I would accept challenges of regulation handcuffs, leg-irons and related police restraints, and that the audience could bring their own padlocks to fasten the various devices used in my shows.

It was a relatively safe set of dares, especially in 1977-78, and added a lot to the show, and both the pre-and-post show publicity.

Steve

I structure all challenges. As my show has a certain flow, I don't have room for just anything that might come up. Since I don't book myself as an EA, I also don't have to worry about general challenges.

I also have a couple of things to do, that are complete challenge.

For a couple of years, about 20 years ago, I did a money-related challenge chain escape. 100' of chain. a dozen padlocks, and the time thing of getting out faster than it took to put me in. I only lost once.

Then I found some other solutions to pacing the show, the same way, and the chains went out the window. I still do them occasionally, but not as part of a show.

HI gang,
In 1950,when I was 12 years old,my brother and some of the kids in the
neighborhood were always trying to tie me up so I couldn't get out!
I always did!!
You see it all started when we were younger,and we played Cowboys and
Indians..... I never got to play an Indian,because Indians always tied
up the Cowboys,and it became a great sport to try and tie up this Cowboy!
To trees,posts,staked out,you name it they tried it!..... I got loose!!
So when I was 12,I'd say,You want to tie me up?...Give me 25 cents,and if
I can't get out,I'll give you 50 cents!..... Later 50 cents wold get you
a dollar,then 1 for 3,.... You get the picture!.....When it got$5 for $10,
some of the neighborhood fathers wanted to try!...... I made $35 in one week
end alone, and became the talk of many neighborhoods.... But that's another story!!

When I turned pro in 1957, I offered $100.00 to anyone who could tie me up,so I
couldn't escape,never lost the $100.00!.... 1967 raised it to $1000.00,whitch I
never lost!!
When I was in Australia it was $25.000.00..... In Las Vegas it was $50,000.00!

When I put up the !$1000.00,then I started to count the challenges!

I semi-retired in 1991 due to ill health,to that date I performed 134
challenges for the money !.... NO WINNERS!!

Steve Baker

(Hey Steve, check your private messages soon...)

I do challenges but not for money. I normally just challenge any person to bind me with what they wish to make sure I don't get out. They get to boast that they beat the Escapologist. So Far, knock on wood, I have not been beaten. Close, but not beaten.

Regards
Wolflock

Hi all: for what its worth I do a lot of challenge escapes and I use that as a prime selling point to bookers.
contrary to what most books have to say on the matter, its psychology and human interaction over teqnique (spelling)
the challenge is on the website escapeguy.com
best
Michael

One can always use their own Escape as a Challenge.

Nice to see you here, Michael!

I sent you a message a couple of weeks ago. Did I get the address right?

Hey there harley:
what message? please send again
its good to hear from you
Michael
did you ever see the "race" you and I supposedly had on tv?
talk about tv editing! I didn't know about it till I eventually got a copy of the tape
and I cracked up

Yes, I saw that. It was so lame I thought it was a little insulting to us both. But it was their gig, eh?

My message...am I right that you live in northern NJ? I'd love to get together sometime. I'm near Allentown, PA, so it's a relatively short drive.

KONDINI,

What a Great picture for the Escape site of the Café!

Talk about INTIMIDATING..... WOW!!!!! LOL,great stuff!!!

Steve Baker

My challenge ? To live with a French-Canadian woman...lol, not an easy task ! (just kidding, Em). Mr.Escape, that French-Canadian girl feels so much better...what witchcraft do you have ? This is the second time you "did your thing" and things worked out for the absolute best here...Thanks buddy !!!

~Rick~

I was told I would never escape my Marriage. Ha! Guess what. I can Escape anything!!! Haven't tried to escape from a french canadian lady yet though. Em will have to introduce me to some of her friends.

Kondini - Is that you? I somehow pictured you completely different, nice to finally see what you look like.

Regards
Wolflock

Kondini...WOW! That is a very, very, cool avitar. Well done ! (sorry for going off topic, Chance).

~Rick~

I like the idea of challenging for Money, I just don't want to get too cocky if you know what I mean. If I do, I know that that is when I will fall the hardest.