When you are doing a trick, and someone screams out "I know how you did that!!! I saw you put that coin in your pocket!! I saw it!!!," (for example).
What in the world am I suppose to do?
(Obviously practice, but at the moment, what do I do?)

Any number of things. If you are caught red handed so to speak, you could just continue as if nothing happened. When this happens you could say "Ssshhhhh this guy over here missed it, keep it our secret." Of course everyone hears this and the tension is lifted. It really depends on the situation.
The most important think to do is to analyze why this happened and take measures to try and prevent it in the future.

Depends really,
If it's a french drop and they catch it and seem like the "narrate the rest of the trick kind of person" do a spider vanish immediately after a real french drop and they'll more than likely say "and see look it's in that hand" you immediately open it and they look bad for trying to make you look bad. Tell you the truth when i'm performing for people they tend to really get into it and like me so when someone tries to ruin the trick, someone in the audience usually says "hey shut up we're watching what he does not what you think you know!" Just have fun and they'll be on your side from the get go!
Bryan

Tell them to shut up or you will not do any more effects. Some people are just jerks and hoping to get them onside is just not feasible. In this case, walk off and perform elsewhere. If it is a precocious child (now THERE'S a remote possibility ) then lean down and whisper softly "My medication helps me ignore people like you - but it only works up..to..a..point".

Start rehearsing with a video camera, at several different angles?

Just get on with it. If they get the least indication that you're worried, they'll believe the heckler.

In that specific case here is what I would do. Reach into your pocket and finger palm the coin quickly while pulling out the entire pocket to show it empty.

I don't like dealing with hecklers verbally as it will usually just escalate the conflict so I just prove them wrong and then immediatly move on.

If this is a common reaction, then I suspect you are probably doing something fundamentally wrong. So, what we need to do is to use the information to improve your technique.

For example, let's suppose you are doing a really bad French drop. Go in the mirror and look at how you would genuinely pick up the coin and see how you are doing when you do the false transfer. If the two don't look the same, then you're doing something wrong in the "move". If they both look the same, then try taking a different position vis a vis the mirror. It could easily be that you are not watching your angles properly. In both of these checks, look in the mirror, not in you hands. Alan's video camera idea is very good, but play it from all the angles so that you are aware of how the spectators see things.

Your line of sight might be giving the game away. Maybe you're looking at where the coin genuinely is as opposed to where it should be. Your body language after and during the move is just as important as the mechanics of the move itself. There are really too many possible errors, and hence so many possible solutions. If we know the error, then we could solve the problem.

My biggest advise is don't perform if you can't perform well!

Bye for now

Harold

This response is inevitable whether the loudmouth in question actually did see something or not. However, I agree with Harold that the first thing to do is to make sure they don't see anything in the first place.

That's not just a matter of practice, either. Perhaps the routine you're using leaves the spectator with no other explanation other than the right one.

Or, perhaps you're doing something that convinces the spectator that it would be more fun to bust you than to see where you're heading with the trick.

That being said, there is still the question of "what do I do right now?"

My favorite response comes from a unknown (to me, at least) carny performer who, when confronted in this way, would tell the heckler, "Sorry buddy, but I'm all out of medals."

The line needs updating, but the point is sound. The guy who shouts out explanations is missing the point of the entire experience. There are no prizes for guessing right (unless you'd like to pay me a dollar every time you're wrong--and I have done this a few times...)

For the more serious minded, Tommy Wonder has a well-considered solution in the Books of Wonder, which you do,of course, own. If not, then that explains everything.....

Hmm, slightly off topic, but how do you usually deal with people who keep reaching for things?

I can usually head them off at the pass so to speak, but I just want to say "HEY MIND YOUR MANNERS!"

Just a few days ago, I was playing with a deck and some coins with some of my friends. I decided to show a gal I didn't know at all a coin bit and she looked like she was some godly creature, muttering 'I've seen that' and 'I've seen better'. So, I polietley told her that I really wasnt the best around, put my coins in my pockets and ordered a Coke. A buddy of mine asked me to do 'The Coin that Falls Up', so I did it. She again butted in, saying 'she'd seen better'. I was at the tip of my frusteration. The time was perfect, so I said 'Me too'. She looked at me puzzled, then realized that I was talking about how she looked. That was the last I saw of her.
Haha.
Maybe not the best idea for everyone. Try it sometime, very funny.
-Casey

I meant- Assuming you are doing it for just TWO people, one who just likes to be annoying. Both people have no idea how the trick is done but to be annoying one screams- ITS IN YOUR HAND!! ITS IN YOUR OTHER HAND!. Im not looking for a slight to get out of this- im looking for some good words to say.
Thank you so far to everyone who has helped!

If you really get caught you can always use the line " Well if I could really do this stuff do you think I'd be standing here showing you guys, instead of sunning myself on my own Caribean island being served cocktails by scantily clad women....it's a tough choice I know! Anyway here's another effect you might enjoy" and move on to something else. Usually this gets a Laugh and you haven't actually let on as to whether they got it right or not, all you have done s confirmed you aren't Merlin or Gandalf which hopefully they knew anyway... if they did think you were one of those Magicians then please let me know when you are next performing as I'd love to come and watch.
Hope this helps
Linkster

Anyone who owns "On the Spot" will see Greg nearly get busted a few times but because he is so quick he never had a problem.
At one point he gets spotted putting a coin into his pocket after a false transfer, he simply says, "Oh, I only make it look like it goes in the pocket so that..." and moves on the effect like normal.
This video is a good example of audience management and what to do just in case things don't go quite as you had practiced in front of the mirror.

I had a kid this weekend ask me to open my hand during a coins across routine.. David Stones 4 coins across to a glass.. I heard him start to ask after the first coin traveled... So on the second coin.. I was supposed to have "3 in my left hand and one in the glass" he shouted out.. let me see your hand!!! and I politely told him there were only 3 there.. he insisted.. so I opened my hand and showed him the 3 coins and he was perplexed and confused because he just knew in his heart that I was holding out on him.. *L*

I was supposed to retain a coin in classic palm in the right hand and only dump 2 into my left hand for the second coin to cross..
but I read trouble.. and responded..
I actually put all 3 coins in my left hand and paused for a moment for him to yell it out! and he felt embarrased when he was wrong.. I simply counted the coins one at a time back into my right hand.. tossed them back into my left, retained one in classic palm and proceeded on with the effect with nothing but silence from the little 13 yr old heckler.. I know I should have denied him the access of being able to question how many coins in my hand and let him verify it, because it opens up the doors to let others do so as well.. but in this case it worked very well and the rest of the audience were convinced that I was performing a miracle..
Tom

no how long you perform or how seamless your magic is there is always going to be someone that states that they know how its done or that they saw what you did. first & foremost you must not do a trick or slight until it is perfect. second, you must know many ways of doing the same thing or be able to switch to a different trick midstream that relies on another principal. As far as good comebacks, you can lose the respect of the audience by coming back too strong or putting down the person that has made the statement. I usually either completely ignore the person that is interupting. By using this tact, you are not feeding into the duel that has been set up. By staying with the script, you diffuse the person & they will probably not make a comment again. As you continue the trick, both the loudmouth & the audience will realize that the person's comment had no merit. If that does not work, I will usually respond "I'm sure that you think you know, but if you will allow me to continue, I'm sure that not only will you enjoy the trick, but you will soon find out that it's not what you think. I then continue & blow that person as well as the rest of the people away. When the trick is over, don't have any further discussion about the comment. Just continue performing.

By this method, you diffuse the situation & the person. The audience stays on your side & the troublemaker will be afraid to open his mouth again because in the nicest way, you made him feel foolish about his remark. I find that the troublemaker will very often become your best friend & sing you praises. If you put him down. you make an enemy of both him & the audience. Try & stay positive. the idea is to win at your performance & not at the confrontation.

Chris Watson, thanks! that sounds like a great idea!!

There's a good page on this exact question at: http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~roy/magictalk-wi......now.html

Hope this helps...

Interesting topic,

I have a couple of ideas. When I'm performing cards, and a kid says "I know how that's done," I lean towards them, and whisper "I know too, it's magic." At the same time, I palm a group of cards, and produce them via a one-handed fan from behind the kid's ear. This gets the kid in a situation he can't explain, and sort of takes the moment away from what the kid did(not) know, and still leaves you performing magic and also doesn't offend anyone.

Now, if the kid is persistent and still says he/she knows how it's done, and possibly blurts out a solution. I normally say something to the effect, "since you appear to be very interested in magic, how about you come up and help me with this next trick." I then do an effect where I take half the cards, and they take half the cards. Shuffle out packets, each selects a card from their own packet, I give him my card, and he gives me his. Then we shuffle our packets, and find eachother's cards. Of course, each of us shows are cards to other people for verification. Now, I don't really give them my card, but I switch it for an indifferent one. Then I replace their card via TILT and false shuffle. So I produce their card via double lift, and then place their(my) card on the table. Then when they continually seem to be unable to find my card, I palm off their card as I spread all the cards on the table and say, "it seems as though my card has vanished. Where'd you put it?" Then I produce the palmed card from the pocket or wallet, turn it over to display their card. Act, confused, then turn over the tabled card to reveal their card. Say, "I don't know how you did that, but I thank you very much for helping me out." This lets the spectator know that you are in charge, and also that you bailed them out of a sticky situation, which will make them more considerate in the future. Also, this is a fun trick for the audience, as there is a lot of spectator involvement, as well as humour.

Hopefully that all makes sense, I feel like I'm starting to ramble...

Jeff

I'm surprised no one suggested bopping them over the head with a mallet.



A magical friend of mine said the he makes the kid come on stage and do it if he "knows how it's done."

That approach may work, but it may also work to your disadvantage. If you are embarrasing a kid, people may look at you as pompous or rude. Even though the kid may be a little hellraiser, you are a professional and are being paid as such. You should therefore make every effort to act professional at all times. Of course, there will be extreme situations in which you professional attitude will have to be put aside, but these should be few and far between.

Just my opinon though,

Jeff Hinchliffe