Wow,

I just read some of the BEST,. most specific advice on how to develop routines that I've ever run across in magic literature. It was in an interview with Whit Haydn from Inside Magic. I see Whit regularly posts here in the street section. . .so most of you have already benefited from his professional advice.

Next, I think you need to go over to Inside Magic to learn "Why" he does what he does. Here's the site:

http://insidemagic.com/artman/publish/article_9.shtml

Thanks Whit. . .your advice is specific, real world and just plain wonderful.

Daniel
dbull@austin.rr.com

Thank you. Glad you found it helpful.

Hi Whit, I saw your Interview, thank you for all those tips. I was reading something realy intresting. You say there you can do Gene Andersons Newspaper Tear surounded, can you tell me how that work or where I can read that? I do this wonderfull Pice of Magic for about 2 Years, but I could`t do it a lot of times about the bad angle. Thank you for helping me.

Greetings Shorty

Maybe Whit stands with his back to the wall????

Whit Happens item... word is Whit will be working "behind the bar" at the Castle (downstairs) soon... check schedules.

Brilliant, informative, incisive, and interesting, interview.Never having used livestock or assistants(ie part of the show)never had the benefit (or otherwise)of them and its interesting to note a performer of Whits caliber doing such a thing and the reasoning behind it.
Look forward (as mentioned in previous posts) to meeting up with LA magicos and going to the castle for the first time,on my move to LA.
Cheers

You know, the thing about guys like Mr. Hayden is you do not get any pipe dreams. He has spent years working for real people. All of his products are time-tested audience approved and his thoughts are backed up with years of paid performance. It’s pretty tough to beat advice from a guy like this. I know I’m thrilled that he and Mr. Biro have chosen to spend so much time sharing their thoughts here. We really are a lucky bunch to have these guys around (Thanks guys). I wish Pete and Whit could talk Mr. McComb into popping his head in here once in a while. I bet he would get a kick out of this group of open air Cabaret workers. Especially seeing that most of his marketed stuff works a treat on the street. I’ve been closing my subway show with a variation of his stand up sponges all winter and it kills.

Best,

Dan-

McComb does have a mac... (poor guy) I haven't seen him lateley, he must be in Las Vegas opening for Amazing Johnathan.

I noticed a few days ago, that someone named "Billy McComb" had just joined the Café. Could this be "the" Billy McComb?
I second Dan's sentiments re: Pete Biro and Whit Haydn. Pete been bery bery good to me.
Jim

Very good article. I appreciate very much that Whit and Pete,and the other greats take the time to discuss, direct and critique
the Art with the likes of folks like me. I equate having these folks involved here with, personal discussions with Thurston and Houdin, or Carter.

Yes. It is Billy McComb who has just joined the forum. I signed him up last week while trying to get OS X installed on his Mac.

He may be a little slow getting involved for lack of time. He will be 81 in April. He is in Vegas this week opening for Amazing Jonathon. He has more email than the president, and has always been very good about answering all the questions he gets about arcane magicana that only he would know.

Hopefully, he will ease into the conversation here. On the cruise ships, one needs huge amounts of material, and I draw a lot from McComb.

As Danny says, Billy's cabaret magic is perfect for busking, and it packs flat, plays big, and is intelligent, interesting, and funny.

Half-dyed hank, McCombical prediction, Stage Sponges, Linking Finger Rings, Gypsy Thread, and all of his other stuff has been audience tested for every kind of performing situation--from cruise ships to television, from the Palladium to the Magic Castle Close-up Gallery.

As for the surrounded Gene Anderson tear, it is done by taping the fake page to the one behind it. This is an idea, I believe, from Bob Markwood. My gimmick is moved to the opposite side of the paper as in Johnny Brown's double Gene Anderson tear, and this gives me much more angle proofing. The tape keeps the two pages from separating as the newspaper is shown, and covers the gimmick from behind as the paper is torn. When the paper is restored, the paper is brought quickly down, and pulled in toward the knees as it is rather quickly closed, and then it can be brought up again and shown slowly in the page count.

Usually surrounded, I would do a different torn and restored, such as Ron Wilson's. This may even be more magical and convincing than the Gene Anderson tear. But it does not have quite the punch and excitement of the Anderson tear, and doesn't make as good a closing effect for me.

Pete Biro is one of those guys whose opinion I would usually take seriously. But if he doesn't quit that "Whit Happens" crap I am going to feel up his table legs when he's not looking...

No Sh... er I mean Whit

Thank you very much for answer Whit. I`m happy that you could explain that thing with the Newspaper Tear, because that is one of my favorite ones.
My english is not always as it should be, maybee because I am Swiss. Switzerland, you know the country with a lot of chocalate, cows and Mountains!!! Again, thank you.

Greetings Shorty