The worst trick is the card trick that is done in the lounge at the magic convention for the eleventh time by the eleventh card man as I sip my libation. Which was the worst trick because my prayers were not answered, yet I manage a smile smiting my condition.

For me:

Worst trick: Zombie, when done by a performer who comes across like he or she has no idea why the ball is doing all this stuff -- except that that's what it says in the instructions.

Best trick: Zombie, when done by a performer who comes across like he or she is making something magical happen with the ball.

In my opinion the worst tricks are most tricks you buy in a toy store or a non magic shop. The look like "magic" tricks especially the card tricks. They sreeam out "fake deck". I perfer a "Bicycle" deck because I use "Bicycle" cards for close up. Of couse this is my 2% of $1.00

Ron

Oh you mean the guy who keeps stumbling and acting like the ball is dragging him across the stage? This of course, with raised brow, puckered mouth, and peeled eyes that scream "Can you believe this is happening!?"...

Yes, very very fine performance.

That's the one!

;)

And yet one of the most beautiful magical moments I've experienced was watching David Oliver perform the Zombie.

Truly artistic. Left me speechless.

Jack Shalom

I had no interest in Mental/Metal Bending, then I got Psychokinetic Silverware. I thought cut and restored rope tricks were lame at best, then I saw Michael Finney perform it. I couldn't believe that anyone could fall for silk to egg, then I watched Whit Haydn perform it. (This is all takin' pikshur stuff)

I have of course seen some tricks that were bad, although I really don't like to say it much anymore, I hate the taste of my foot. I do think the Balducci, in every instance I've seen it performed, video and in person was executed poorly and is rarely given the thought it needs to make realistic.

Oh, I also dislike 60% of Card and 40% of Coin tricks I've seen and read about. "Open mouth, insert foot"

Bill,

I chuckle everytime I see your alias, "The Swatter!"

:c )

-Daniel

...........I agree.... the Zombie is Brutal.
In my opinion... the worst magic trick of all time is John Kennedy's Floating Cigarette

Worse trick in general use ....?

Everyone I do ;-)

Just had the pleasure of seeing David Oliver perform his Zombie routine this weekend. Wow. What an inspiration.

My prop should be arriving anytime now. Wonder wwhich category my performance will eventually be in?

-Daniel

Definitely Kennedy's floating cigarette

A dozen unrepentant offerings-

1.) The Web- what magical effect is taking place here? Is anyone really going to suppose that the printed spider transformed into the "unrealistic plastic one". Some say it get's great reactions- any reactions it may get have nothing to do with a "magical occurance".

2.) Sponge Rabbits or for that matter in most cases sponge balls. Why not perform a similar routine with any small natural objects like paper napkins. To me it say's, "I bought these at the magic shop, or worse yet- left overs from clown college.

3.) Change Bag- please throw it out. Anyone who needs such a suspicious looking bag just to make a silk change color or change into an egg, deserves no place in magic.

4.) Any three shell routine which uses plastic or gold shells. WHat's wrong with real walnut shells?

5.) Invisible Deck- not the effect- but the embarasing, unfunny hackneyed practice of making the volunteer go through all of that stupid "invisible shuffling". STOP already- it's not funny.

6.) Doves to Rabbit, please, please do something else.

7.) Almost any trick with "paddles" as they look like nothing on God's Green Earth.

8.) Silk in TT, fine as a utility or as part of a routine, but can't stand alone as an illusion.

9.) Most Zombie Routines- you know, those lasting over 5 minutes, usually accompanied by a loud over the top orchestral score.

10.) Any packet effect where there are so many changes and counts that no one can even follow what is going on.

11.) Almost any packet effect which uses any cards except normal playing cards.

12.) Feather Flowers, Spring Flowers, or any flower that is not real or at least looks undetectibly real. Flowers are generally regarded as one of the most beautiful things in nature. It's such bad taste to use anything but.

As long as the audience is entertained, can forget their problems for a time and laugh...any object, magical or not, has served its purpose.....oh, except for the straightjacket... unless the performer can't escape.

I too, yawn when the Zombie is presented....But Bill Abbotts' "The Thing"....Now we're talkin!....

What is ... " the thing"

See a demo of the Thing HERE ...

Card tricks where you spell names and so on. Terrible.

I don't know, done properly that's simply a card count based on a clearly random variable (a spectator's name), nowt wrong with that at all and it can make for a cute tie-in. Maybe it wears a bit thin when combined with one of those horrible slow sing-song counts that treat the spectator like the slow kid in kindergarten class, but that's the fault of the performer, not the trick.

For card tricks, I submit any card trick where there is so much going on you've forgotten which card you picked by the time the reveal comes, and I've seen a few of those (*coughtriumphcough*). Also NACT - short for "Not Another Card Trick", NACT refers to any trick that is one card trick in a row too many; it can be the best trick the world of cards has to offer, but if it comes at the point when you've already had enough of seeing an endless parade of cards selected, lost and found again in ways only subtly different from one another, it can feel like the worst.

I'm so glad this thread got revived - I had no idea it existed and there's some really interesting thinking here.

As far as I can see no one has mentioned the 21 card trick. Surely that's a bad trick, relatively speaking? I agree that any trick can be made entertaining by a good performer, but *anything* can be made entertaining by a good performer. Bad tricks clearly exist in abundance. That said, thumb tips, Svengali decks and ravens are NOT tricks and if you think they are you're seriously missing the point.

I'd say that magic tricks are like plays. Plays can be well written or badly written, in a variety of ways, but the extent to which the play's potential is translated into something entertaining to watch depends entirely on the abilities of the actors and the director.

Intellectualising aside, this has got to be one of the funniest posts I've read on the Café: