I've often wondered (besides the shock value)why so many people choose to do an effect from their mouth. I've seen card to mouth, balls from mouth, coins from mouth and the list goes on. Unless its a closer (which I've never seen), technically wouldn't your hands be "contaminated" when you then pick up your following effects and continue? Of all the routines I've seen preformed next to never, have I ever seen a performer take a towel or wash rag and wash their hands.

The worst case of this that I've seen was at a party and the magician did a card from mouth. I thought the guy lost his mind because he then went on to another table and did other effects. Am I being over critical with my opinion of this effect? Should we re-evaluate how to present this type of magic with the way society is changing?

Lastly, who uses rubber gloves (besides David Williamson) with these type of effects & how does it add or subtract from your routine?

MM

This is very interesting and I would like to see what others have to say about this. But any way I can see the point of useing it as a closer but in the middle of an act/show/routine I do not understand unless to close an ACR. Even then I don't think a card to mouth (CTM)should be used. More resently I've seen CTM's where only the corner is in the mouth which might not be as bad. I also think that it might make you seam less professional. Since the only other ____ to mouth (other than pulling a d'lite out of your mouth) I've seen was at the end of a sponge ball routine (I think?)I cant help much with coin... to mouth.

I do card to mouth on rare occasions only at a bar since it has a bit of an adult presentation. (Simon Lovell's sleight of tongue.) I jokingly offer the card as a souvenier, the deck immediately gets tossed in the trash. This is always the last effect I do for a group and usually the last one of the night. As a funny side note, I performed this at my usual venue at my 30th birthday party. When the card is sticking in my teeth, I always jokingly try to get them to take it. My date did, with her teeth which was a riot.

I generally do not like mouth magic. One of the least flattering photographs I have ever seen published in a magic magazine was a photo of a very pretty teen-age girl pulling a mouth coil out of her mouth. The pose was, to say the least, very suggestive. Perhaps it is photos like that or performances like that which have caused Peter Marucci to have such a low opinion of the mouth coil.

However, there are some pieces that involve mouth magic that are absolute riots. Van Cleve's "Bean Trick" is one that is hilarious. I used to do a routine that is a takeoff on card manipulators which ended with a cascade of cards from the mouth.

Shakuma Avery does this as a running gag, also. Perhaps, as in much of magic, it's the presentation and not the trick, itself, that makes the difference.

Bill has spoken!!! Thank-you for your opinions!!

Another consideration is where you are performing. If you are in a restaurant, mouth magic may not be a good idea. Some people become queasy when props come barrelling out of the mouth of the performer. I know that when I watched Jonny Fox swallow swords at TRF, it was not uncommon for some spectators to leave because they could feel one of those nice turkey legs coming back up.

Rubber gloves, LOL
I think it comes down to character, one person puts on a rubber glove before you puts his hand up the back side of his puppet dog , very funny.
If you cant get away with it just don't do it, if you can on the other hand you will stand out from the rest.
Like nail up the noise, why do it, because you want people become queasy and say that is sick. Undersatnd, this is not what I want to see before eat. Oh know he is going to use the dersert spoon.
Mario

I can't verify the story, so I won't use the performer's name; however, he is one of the most "colorful" writers in mentalism. A friend of mine met him at a convention and they had dinner together. As they went out of the Café, there was a rather snooty cashier who gave them some grief when they actually picked TWO dinner mints from the candy dish with their fingers. The cashier said, "Each guest is entitled to ONE mint, which should be picked up with the candy fork. The candy fork was about the size of a small seafood fork. So the fellow picked up the candy fork, did the spike in the nose with it and put it back.

Actually, I think he did the cigarette up the nose move with it. In either case, it shut the cashier up. Needless to say, they were not invited to eat in that Café again!

First price for real sleight of mouth must go to Tom Mullica..
First price for verbal sleight of mouth to Gazzo

That was a great story Bill thanks for sharing it. I also have a poor feeling regarding mouth coils; especially if they are handed out after the production. I think that it show's a lack of class, although it could be argued that it "fits their personality"; in any case I think that it’s tacky and outdated.

IMO there is a huge difference between a running gag consisting of cards from the mouth (Sukuma Avery / Bill Malone), and a slobbering folded card or mouth coil from mouth. Tom Mullica comes to mind when thinking about this. He gets away with his actions obviously because everything fits his character / personality. I love to watch him work, but I’m still shocked at the outcomes of some of his effects. For example I recall a woman who (while on stage) watched him vanish / produce one or more cigarettes; then asked for one to smoke even though she didn't smoke! Talk about shockingly funny through a unique presentation!

In my original thoughts I was thinking about “mouth” magic more as a comparison to certain patter that is no longer accepted by people. While most performers stay “politically correct” with their language and actions, I am surprised we still have so many people handing out cards & mouth coils with saliva on them. As time goes on there is more and more attention to the increase in disease & questions regarding fluid transfer in our society. It’s this aspect that made me think about “mouth magic”, and if it would continue to be preformed as much as it has in the past.

I guess that as a whole society has changed at different intervals regarding its opinions of what is entertaining verses what is acceptable in the real world.

I always try to wipe any bodily fluids off my props before handing them out.

Hey! There's an idea! Someone says "May I examine the coins?"

Stick them in your mouth, drool on them a bit, then cough them back into your hand. "Here you are! Knock yourself out!"*

*Kids. Don't try this at home. I am a highly skilled, highly trained professional. Putting money in your mouth is very likely to turn you into a human piggy bank.

Good humor Bill, good humor.

MM

LOL
Mario

I have a volunteer stick a second card in a change bag that evertbody knows is unzipped, and when the volunteer goes all the way through the unzipped bag, and has a good laughes at the surprised look on my face I then cough up a 12" dry silk of the card from a TT in my mouth. Like it or not it has a devistating effect and is in my show for good.