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Mb217 Inner circle 9520 Posts |
Has anybody tried this by Scott Guinn, "The World's WOrst Card Player"...It's very nicely done. It's been revamped and at a steal on his website for a great take on the 10 Card Poker deal.
This is not difficult at all and plays big and is very interactive. Basically you play hands of poker with a spec in front of an audience and lose every hand, then you change the game a bit so that the losing hand is the winning hand. So now you're pretty much guaranteed to win because you're such a terrible player but wouldn't you know it, you still lose because the spec at this point has a worse hand than you. You just can't win and that's the point. It's a wonderful effect, very entertaining and quite easy to do, and with it you really can't lose. *This is a download on Great Scott's site at: http://www.scottfguinn.com/cardmagic.asp I'm mostly a coin guy but Scott's brilliance with a variety of close-up magic is addicting and gets me everytime to increase my repetoire. I highly recommend this. Man, it's just 10 cards but so much more.
*Check out my latest: Gifts From The Old Country: A Mini-Magic Book, MBs Mini-Lecture on Coin Magic, The MB Tanspo PLUS, MB's Morgan, Copper Silver INC, Double Trouble, FlySki, Crimp Change - REDUX!, and other fine magic at gumroad.com/mb217magic
"Believe in YOU, and you will see the greatest magic that ever was." -Mb |
Darrin Cook Special user 621 Posts |
I think every magician should read this.
All too often our magic is about ego gratification. I'm not preaching here --I include myself. I want to look good and impress people. A problem is that we carry this into plots, particularly game plots, where we win and the spectator loses. Face it, the game is rigged in our favor. Bank Nite, "sucker" routines, poker routines, monte routines, gambling routines, chop cup routines, etc., typically pit the spectator/particpant in a role where he loses. One performer wrote of inviting a young man up from the audience, doing the usual put-down gags and spectator-as-loser-chump routine, and at some point coming to the horrifying realization that the young man he had chosen was mentally handicapped. Usually the magician simply looked like a jerk, but tonight it bordered on the cruel. Fortunately, the magician was saved when the young boy turned to hug him as he left the stage, and prevented a very ugly scene. Ask yourself, "If my volunteer had Downs Syndrome, how would my routine play? Would I do the same put-downs? The clever digs at the volunteer's expense? Would I want to do the routine where I win and the participant loses, no matter how hard he or she tries?" I think Great Scott asks a vital question, "Can you laugh at yourself?" If the answer is yes, you just might transform some of your routines into powerhouses, like Scott's effortless, engaging, packs-small-plays-big 10 Card Poker Deal. |
Scott F. Guinn Inner circle "Great Scott!" aka "Palms of Putty" & "Poof Daddy G" 6586 Posts |
Thanks MB, for the kind review. You're right; this routine is not at all difficult, and it plays very strongly--entirely out of proportion to the amount of effort on the performer's part.
Darrin, thanks to you, too. I agree that the "Me against you, and I'm gonna win every time" mentality is too prevalent in magic. I know there are some big names who disagree with me on that. But It's not like you aren't in control and everybody knows it. The audience is totally aware that you COULD, in fact, win every time, and when you choose NOT to and let the participant win, you really do end up the big winner. That philosophy is what this (and much of my other material) is all about. Thanks for posting your comments.
"Love God, laugh more, spend more time with the ones you love, play with children, do good to those in need, and eat more ice cream. There is more to life than magic tricks." - Scott F. Guinn
My Lybrary Page |
The Futurist Veteran user 331 Posts |
Darrin, Scott, I actually just made a post about this "adversarial" model of magician/spectator interaction in the New To Magic Forum. I wrote:
I have noticed some kind of "adversarial" language describing the magician/spectator interaction in a lot of posts on this forum, with the idea that you are out to "fool" the spectator and they are there to "catch you out". I possibly might have used these words myself in my forty-odd posts here, and in my diary. But that model does makes it sound a bit like a zero-sum game of sorts. I hope this needn't be so; I hope instead that I can find a model of presentation that allows myself to interact with the spectators and co-create something excellent, high-falutin as that may sound! A model where I don't have to worry too much about my "hands being burned" or such, because I have the audience on my side. Now I am new to magic myself, but as I develop my skills I want to present my magic as something that can, best-case scenario, cause a nice, temporary suspension of disbelief for my audience. Movies are in a similar business of causing a temporary suspension of disbelief, at least the better ones, and they generally don't convey this attitude of "Ha! I sure fooled you suckers with my CGI, blue screens and prosthetics! How dumb do you feel now!" And I love Bank Night, and have in fact performed it for people, children in fact! I did it light-heartedly and in a spirit of fun, hoping not to make anyone feel a "sucker". |
Darrin Cook Special user 621 Posts |
Futurist, I'm reminded of the time I saw Tom Mullica perform live. I was going to watch his technique and get some new moves. I got so caught up in the sheer fun of it that I forgot my original purpose.
I think our goal should be to create such a moving, engaging experience that how it's done, or us-vs-them becomes lost in the enjoyment. I used to do put-down lines, but then I began to re-evaluate my material. I started to ask the question, "How can I get a laugh by complimenting an audience member?" It's harder, but I think there's a bigger payoff. Scott's routine is a great example of his approach, which tries to build up the participant, rather than take him down a notch. I've tried to emulate that in my own work. |
The Futurist Veteran user 331 Posts |
Absolutely, Darrin! A 'win-win' model of say, a mind-reading trick, where the mentalist takes the time to compliment the participant for being a 'good sender'... well, it can be something that I hope the person will remember fondly. I like Kenton Knepper's demo video of his Dual Reality Deck where he flatters the spectator on being a 'genius' for being able to 'pick up on his suggestion'.
Well, there also are ways and means of tactful one-upmanship too: a good stand-up comedian can aim his wit at audience members and still be loved by them for it - there are all sorts of subtleties that make the difference between 'affectionate' and 'nasty'. |
Scott F. Guinn Inner circle "Great Scott!" aka "Palms of Putty" & "Poof Daddy G" 6586 Posts |
I have discovered that I can get away with a lot later in my show, because I start my show with self-deprecating humor. I am the butt of my own jokes. When I tease someone later, it is OBVIOUS to everyone that I am only teasing, and no one gets offended. My performing character is essentially a much more intelligent Barney fife (Don Knotts in the old Andy Griffith show)--a bit too full of himself, sometimes bumbling, but good-natured and lovable.
I am a firm believer in taking the "sting" out of routines. When I do the Tricky Bottles, I am the one whose bottle is always pointing the wrong way--not the spectator. When I do the Sorcerer's Hat thing for kids (it turns out to be a toilet plunger on your head), I wear the hat instead of putting it on the kid as the instructions tell you to do. I've even done the bra and boxer shorts tricks--on myself! In my Bank Night routine, for example (since this effect was mentioned earlier), I end by giving the participants lottery scratch tickets. (A couple of times, people have won some money.) This takes the "sting" out of the participants losing. it makes you look like a good guy and endears you to the audience rather than alienating you from them. (You will find my Bank Night routine "Take a Chance" in my eBook "A Little Something".) I do the same thing with my 10 card poker deal, and it goes over much better than when I first staring performing it the regular way, where I always win. I want the audience to have a good time--but not at the expense of my participants. Another advantage of this approach: I've seen TONS of magic acts where it was like pulling teeth for the performer to get someone from the audience to come up as a participant. I almost never have that problem, because I make it clear through my attitude, actions, and persona (and the first few routines) that I won't embarrass them or make them the butt of the joke. You may find this article from my blog of interest: http://scottfguinn.blogspot.com/2009/04/self-abuse.html
"Love God, laugh more, spend more time with the ones you love, play with children, do good to those in need, and eat more ice cream. There is more to life than magic tricks." - Scott F. Guinn
My Lybrary Page |
markmagic New user KY 51 Posts |
Saw a street performer this summer totally turn an audience off, by insulting the volunteers and crowd!
Mark |
hbwolkov Inner circle 2947 Posts |
I have always stayed clear of the Don Rickles approach to magic or Comedy.It is difficult to establish a warm bond with the audience after sticking them in the eye with a sharp pencil. Archer has a playful way to establish a connection with the members of the audience that encourages them to buy into participating in an effect.
Northern California
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magicFreak2 Inner circle 1220 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-11-07 18:07, Scott F. Guinn wrote: :D Now that brings a funny image to mind. A Barney Fife that doesn't get sensitive xD EDIT: Just noticed! 100 posts! |
magicFreak2 Inner circle 1220 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-10-29 21:04, Darrin Cook wrote: Reminds me of Sankey's latest: This new DVD includes over 60 minutes of live footage (shot in HD) from an exclusive 'magic & comedy' seminar Jay presented in 2008. During this intense presentation Jay discussed an amazing range of important topics including: * Finding 'the funny' in a magic effect * Playing WITH your audience rather than just performing FOR them * Avoiding 'jokes' * Crafting effective call-backs * Humor without making ANYONE the butt of the jokes * Being funny without letting your magic suffer * When NOT to be funny during a magic effect * The differences between magic and comedy This in particular: * Humor without making ANYONE the butt of the jokes Finally not one of those wise aleck routines I remember watching one. It was for kids, but the magician went WAAAAY overboard when it comes to mocking the audience. It was almost sickening to watch the guy. |
piraino New user 94 Posts |
The problem is that it's often such an easy and natural form of humor, to take a jab at someone. I expect performance jitters only increase that tendency. Definitely worthwhile to push back against that though, and find a less adversarial way to relate to the audience.
The routine in the original post sounds great - is there a demo video of it anywhere? |
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