I have talked to some people that are friends with Penn and Teller, and they tell me, the basis of the magic bullet routine is a mentalist trick. My question to you is, how do you think like a mentalist?

Let me try to give you an example of the differences if possible in this forum and in a short span of sentences. In my early days I had an effect that forced one of 4 homonyms. In one example the word do was used: right, rite, write and Wright.

Now we had a fifth place that need a word (now I think about it we could have put richt. But that was then) Anyway, my magic friend wanted to put the word wrong in that place, now he could say "would I be wrong if I said your word is right" If wrong, he would then proceed with "well, would I be right in saying your word was wrong."

Very, very clever, but magical thinking.

I put the word ripe there. Now it was a close hit and I can say, "I'm not sure, I am getting a word that sound like hipe, ripe, no I think it is right." No no matter what I get the hit. The moment I say ripe they will stop me, if not I just look like I am feeling for three right word in my mind. And finally hit it with Right.

That is an example of the difference between mental magic and mentalism. I?m a sure their are a thousand such instances that are out there. But you know it when you see it. Magic mental effects look like a magic trick done with the mind; mentalism looks like it is done with the mind. Usually this is due to the performer but sometime, rarely, it is the effect. I think most effects can be made to look like either.