This is a review of Todd Robbins’s two new DVDs:
1) How to Scam Your Way to Free Beer and Other Bar Bets
2) Poker Night Games and Other Card-Playing Tricks

Let me first say something about me as a reviewer, in an effort to give an objective review. I have met Todd Robbins and I have even paid him money. Actually, I took a course from him in the Sideshow arts. Whenever I see him, he is very cordial with me and very generous with his time. Since I don’t really know anything about him personally, I don’t think we are considered friends. But we are friendly and occasionally e-mail each other (or really, he answers my pestering e-mails). So, there you have it, my objectivity may be somewhat tainted since I “know” and admire the author. However, he hasn’t paid me anything to write this review (nor has he given me a free drink—which he should).

On the other hand, I have huge library of DVDs and an even larger library of cons and prop bets. So, I think I have a pretty good foundation on what makes a good DVD and what should be included in a DVD series on cons and prop bets.


Now for the review:
If you are at all interested in small, fun cons and prop bets, do not hesitate for even a second to get these DVDs. Go get them now. They are excellent in every way. They are a great value and include a large amount of material. They are well produced with easy to use menus. Even the background music was well chosen—it has that kinda fun, yet sneaky con type music. The teaching is excellent and easy to follow. No tough “moves” are taught—moves that would need mastery for them to work under fire. Most everything taught is “the clever” con, not the hopping the cut, switching in a cooler deck kind of con. (Todd does show a second deal and a bottom deal that wouldn’t pass if you were blind and hearing it on the radio—but he isn’t doing it for a Marlo/Keops demonstration of “how to do the second/bottom deal. He is just talking to the lay person about keeping your eyes open.)

Can the material be found elsewhere? Sure. All over the place, Wanna Bet? is an old prop book that has tons of prop bets. There is even a drink scam that was debuted on Cheers by Harry Anderson. But to see them performed, even though you as the viewer knows that they were staged, is a great learning experience. Todd shows you “how to perform” these scams and bets with the type of fun flair you need. The type of flair that puts the mark in the position of saying, “Oh…that was a good one. It was worth the price of the drink”, rather than “You *&%#! I’m gonna kick your….”.

Again, there is a ton of material here. They are well produced and easy to follow. They are a great resource and really fun to watch.


Oh. Yeah...where to get it...

http://www.modernconman.com

I have seen Todd perform a number of times, but never any of his con-man work (saw his sideshow act and his seance/spiritualism lecture/act, neither for magician audiences).

So maybe I am biased. But I loved these DVDs. A third is out soon. Especially important was his instruction on making a swindle entertaining, as opposed to letting someone feel down or angry that he got conned.

His instruction, espcially on the psychology of the swindle, is a step above the mass-market bar-bet stuff that was available years ago by people like Harry Anderson and even some of the cheeky swindles in some of P&T's earlier products.

Does anyone know if http://www.modernconman.com is working now. I tried to order Todd's DVD's the other day but had a problem with the online shopping cart, however the problem could have been my machine. Just curious, but is Todd affiliated with the site, I just want to make sure its still legit.

Scott