I once saw Craig Kargis do a routine that absolutely rocked me. He simply asked several audience members for things about a car: make, model, color, year, license plate, cost (that was all, if I remember right - it's been a few years). He was writing down the answers as they were given.

He then reached into a jacket pocket, pulled out a wallet, withdrew a sealed envelope and handed it to a volunteer. The envelope was stamped and postmarked. The volunteer pulled out the letter and read something to the effect of: "My name is Craig Kargis. It's (sometime) on (some day), and I'm in a hotel in (some city). Tomorrow I will perform at (venue) in (my city) and they will tell me they want a ..." and described the car exactly as the audience had provided.

Does this sound like a familiar routine that would be publicly available? Or would that more likely be a personal signature routine?

Ed

Could it be the 'Out to Lunch' principle in operation?

Corona.

Must be the real McCoy, or the three stooges in the audience...

Corona, I don't really see how this could be The "out to lunch" principle?

This sounds like a confabulation routine to me. I also recall Larry Becker had an effect years ago called dream car(I think that was the name) that sounds like what was described.


Mike

Lol,
It's carfabulation ;-)

I think it could also be elaborate use of the knuckle writer or elbow writer..

Either could work.

Spelmann

I know there that no stooges were used. The volunteer opened the envelope. There were no forces or "solicitations" that I remember - of course I was pretty ignorant of 'most eveything outside of a Svengali deck in those days!

Thought it might have been more in the wallet, perhaps. I seem to recall the sealed envelope came out of a zippered pouch in the wallet.

Ed

I actually think that this might be a clever use of Magic Makers no hands pocket writer



Mike

P.w. would be plausible, p** s**w wouldn't be impossible (Paul Brook's book "The Gift" would bring insight to that).

Methods are being discussed, perhaps this is something for the Inner Thoughts?

-Henry

Sorry Marc, but they wouldn't work in the environment that Karges works in. The way you have to bend your arm around your body for it to work just doesn't work unless your sitting at a table. Not for me at least. I do rather think that it could easily be a mix of a good mixed fraction force, one stooge, and the venerable eyelid writer that Corrinda produced back with Nelson back in 1973. They're difficult to find, but I'm sure Craig has the funds to purchase one. Just my idea though.

I know for sure it was the new Ghost Writer put out by Callahan Inc.

I've seen Craig do this several times, and it looks like Confabulation to me.

And if the original poster mentioned that it was "a few years" ago, and "back in those days", it's probably not something "new".

Rory

This sounds like a variation of John Archer's wonderful, "Spelling Test". His method could be applied here perfectly. Cheers.

Christopher

I think Criss Angel use the same system for his flying.

I think I'd start by contacting Craig about his routine.

I think Riley was on the right track...

I am quite certain that the described effect can be duplicated exactly using Mr. Archer's method. It is found on Educating Archer.

Christopher

If you check on you tube there is a clip featuring part of this routine.Around the 2 minute part:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=X1WuHEnf8og

I've sen him do it & it's Confabulation.