There are a ton of possibilities, I use "Please & Thank you", but was thinking of something different. I thought of using each one of these magic words, one for each wand:

eye sum el li kam on key

Each word would be on a separate large card (sign) that a different child held - and they would NOT be in order. Each time I would shuffle the order of the kids (and their words). Example: One child would hold all the wands, and as we add wands, we add words (Cards), and shuffle both the cards holders and the wands (the one child is holding) around. This would be becase we “Must not be doing it right”.

On the last one I would have them say ALL the words together (in correct order), faster and faster until they realized what they were saying (I smell like a monkey!). I would then make a big deal of how they smelled (in fun, of course) and this must be why the magic didn't work -too many smelly monkeys! I would then have them go back to "Please and Thank You" (with motions, of course) and the magic would work.

No this is not a routine, just a bit of fun IN a routine, fleshing out the basic bigger wands presentation. Any thoughts?

Hi Captain. I like your approach at using a different wand and different word as you progress through the wands. It gives it a reason why it is not working and progresses into a funny comedy line and business at the end. That can certainly work and be very funny and entertaining.

However, I just would warn you of a few things that I am sure you may have already thought about. Just playing devil's advocate here for a minute and certainly not personal by any means. You know I like ya. hehe =)

Personally I would change it around so that I am having the kids say that I smell like a monkey. It is just changing the first part from eye to ewww. Ewwww would be a funny word by itself to use that would certainly get a laugh. This way all the kids at the end would be saying that YOU smell like a monkey. Which you can go "wait a second.. no I don't. Oh wait.. maybe I do. ewwwwwww I knew I forgot to do something this morning." Still gets a laugh but now the comedy is not poking fun of the audience or the kid on stage.

Now do not get me wrong. I certainly have no problem with getting laughs through the use of teasing the kids or helpers on stage. You can do that. However, if you take that approach you must be comfortable with the character you play on stage and the audience and kids must know you are joking and teasing only. They must understand it is only in fun and that you tell them you are only teasing.

One other point I would watch out for is an obvious one that would certainly effect me cause of the vast areas I perform in. You would NOT want to do this routine in the city or with an audience of anyone of Afriacan American Heritage. It simply would not be right and I doubt it would be well taken. Just something to look out for as you develop this idea is all.

Some of this I am sure you already know and have thought of.Just figured it was worth mentioning for others who read it so we can alllearn and grow in the art. I think you have the right idea and approach but perhaps it is a different way of doing it or different words that say something else that is funny.

Just some thoughts.=)

Kyle

Kyle, you are right, placing it on myself is better and funnier. You can criticize me all you want - I only learn from it. During most of my show I am making fun of myself, but I do tease the kids about their names - every child, every name.

I really never considered it would be taken seriously by anyone - the kids never take me seriously in my shows. From the beginning I am yelling at them to stop smiling, stop laughing and to be quiet - and they always do the opposite. Yes MS, I also yell “I can’t hear you”, and when they do yell, I get angry at them for yelling. Somehow I can keep control of them when it counts. I did not realize that some of African descent could take it as a personal slur, the last thing I want to do is offend anyone (except MS, of course! *G*). Thanks for that tip, I feel I just avoided a possible major problem.

The whole thing was a thought stream I just had, not anything I spent some time on. It is sort of an inside joke in my family, my son and I are always telling each other “You smells like a monkey!”. At 5, this is very funny to him, especially when I sniff my under arms and tell him I smell more like a horse.

Do you know how a monkey smells?

He climbs up a tree and sniffs a banana.