The Owner's Wife was in the audience last night for 3 of my shows at Crystals and snapped off quite a few pics. A friend of mine took a few pics of my performances today. I tossed everything up on Photo Bucket should you wish to see me in action!

The new format is really working out well...

I'm now using the Strolling Table Magic not only as a way to show my sleight of hand, but as a way to crowd build for my cabaret show. The place has been packed the last 3 weekends. LOVE IT!

The video camera was set up this week so I had jumbotron technology in the main dining room. I did my Invisible Palm Routine, Sam the Bellhop, and my Coins Across Routine.

Here's the link! http://s345.photobucket.com/albums/p377/......20Pizza/

For some reason it didn't load all the shots...check back in about 20 minutes and the rest should be uploaded...

Lyle,

Wow -- what a nice set up! Also, nice to see some action shots. I can tell just by your posture and expressions, that it is a fun, engaging, and exciting show.

Are those your Rubbermade bins back there? Now that the restaurant has invested so much in your show, it might be time for some more professional looking storage bins behind you.

Is that the lazarus dog balloon routine that I've seen Jeff Hobson do? If so, can you point me towards where to find it/learn it? : )

-Dan

YES!!! Sadly, that is my bin behind me. Normally when I perform, I would have those backstage out of sight, but the stage here at Crystals has no back stage area...so you see it on stage.

The owner told me he was thinking about having a remodle done to redo the stage area to include a PRIVATE backstage area along with a dressing room for me. If that ever happens (which I told him it's not necessary but WOW would that be cool), then I would have the room that I need behind me for my bin/s and nobody would ever see it.

Thanks for the kind words...

Christopher

Yes...that's the Hobson "Doggie Bag" routine! Simple, powerful, effective. Plays great for adults as well as kids. It can be found on the Jeff Hobson LIVE! DVD.

The infamous crotch strap on the straight jacket joke shot. Classic!

Eddie

Nice Job, very WELL DONE, TRUE PROFESSIONAL. Christopher that really looks like a nice place to work and perform shows. I am Jealous as you are in the perfect performing situation at your restaurant. I watched the whole slide show and it was nice putting your face to your show.

Rodney

Actually the owner wouldn't have to spend all that money on a backstage area, he can just get some black flats made for very cheaply and they can get put on and off stage whenever needed. Made from Muslin they wouldn't cost much at all, less than a hundred bucks.

Eddie

Eddie...

And my jacket has TWO crotch straps...double your pleasure! lol!

Very nice!! Congratulations !
It would be great to see the audience in the pictures as well.
Maybe an angle shot of the audience with you included.
I'm happy for you, close-up and a stage show at the same restaurant.
Yo da man!
Dave

Thanks for the pics - congratulations on both earning this opportunity and seizing it with both hands.

I couldn't agree more about Jeff Hobson's 'Doggie Bag' - heaps of fun for adults and kids, though I have to drop a few lines on the odd occasion there's kids in my audience

Destiny

Yeah...I would have liked to see the audience in MORE of the shots too...maybe next time... = )

Chris,

What a great setup! Congratulations man!

Mario

Plastic,

I do a TOTALLY different presentation than Jeff does. Those lines ONLY work for Jeff. It's not my character to attempt the lines Jeff does. The same routine as his with a different presentation. Presentation is the KEY to any effect...

Oh no Lyle.....Smash and Stab and sword swallowing with kids present.....

Just Kidding....really..... I got slammed for fire eating not to long back by some so I was just messin....

Awesome gig though, and it looks like a GREAT act. I'd love to have set up like in a restaurant. BTW, what is Crystals. I might be able to find a comparison in my area and pitch something like that to them.

Anyway....great stuff man...

Dorian

Crystals is a HUGH Pizza place...a little smaller than a Dave and Busters. They use to be a large chain but are now reduced to the one I'm at.

Since you mention it, tho in jest, I'll address it since I'm sure others will too.

Here's are my thoughts on the Smash and Stab (along with many other pieces that I do in my act)...

It's Entertainment! Nothing more...

Kids see more dangerous things on TV these days then what they see me do in my act. Just becuase they see Arnold with a machine gun go into a police station and blast the place up, doesn't give them permission to do the same. Well...the same is true of what they see me do during the show.

I perform Tetanus (Randi Rain's version of Smash and Stab), the Balloon Swallow, Fire Eating/Fire Manipulation (tho not at the restaurant), Razor Blades, and a SJ Escape during my show. It's all entertianment.

It's the parents responsibility to teach their kids not to do what the Magician does during the show.

At the beginning my show, I have 2 pre-recorded intro's. The first tells everyone that some of the things that will take place during the show are very dangerous and should never be attempted by anyone at home. That clears me of ALL liabilty.

I'm going to quote Fielding West here b/c we had a long conversation about this very thing when he lectured here in Dallas. Fielding told me:

"Kids aren't dumb. They know danger when they see it. A kid knows that if they try to smash their hand down on a spike that it's going to hurt...so they won't try to. A kid won't try to eat fire b/c if they put a torch close to their face (how the **** did they get a torch anyway???) they'll feel the extreme heat and they'll pull it away. A balloon is too wide to fit into a child's mouth...so they won't do that, etc. We, as adults need to give kids more credit for not being stupid. The kids of today are way smarter than we were."

Even Silly Billy does a Dr. Blood Show for kids where he shows up in bloody scrubs and does a really gross show.

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Funny thing...about 2 months ago, I was booked to do a 90 minute show in Dallas for a Teen's bday party. He was turning 16 I think. There were kids there from the age of 2 up to 19 years old. I did pretty much everything in my repitore to fill the 90 mintue slot including the dangerous stuff.

At the end of the show some women came up to me b/c she was worried about some of the material in my show with the kids present. I asked her which one she questioned. Out of all the dangerous stuff I did...she was ONLY upset about MOUTH COILS!!!! She was worried about a child trying to stuff 50 feet of paper into their mouth and choking. lol!

You can't please everyone... = )

I am with you all the way on that one....I often have parents of very young children ask me if I will do the fireeating......the kids want it and the parents want it.

I really was jesting with ya.....

Dorian

I know you were...I simply posted it b/c I knew since you opened the door that someone might jump on and try and hose me on it...so I wanted to nip it quick. = )

Do people pay extra to see this show?

Also, be careful when you say your intro clears you of ALL liability - that may be a challenge to some dirtbag (I mean lawyer) out there. We are a "sue happy" bunch. Is your intro in all kinds of languages and modes so that "ALL" understand

No. The show is FREE to customers of the restaurant, just like my table hopping. The stage is in the middle of the main dining room so it would be a challenge to bill more for it.

So as long as your a paying customer, the show is free (at least for now). I don't worry about that end of it. When the boss man says "dance monkey" then I put on my litle hat and do the jig.

As for the announcement...it's just in English so I guess I could be held liable...but I'm not worried. Anyone in their right mind would hold the parents liable if something occured.

I remember a few years ago (back when I made Balloon Animals) I made one for a child, and the next day I got a call from my boss at the restaurant. The women left the restaurant with the child in the back seat. The balloon popped, which scared the women...who then hit a guard rail and flipped her car. Her child was injured pretty bad as was she (they're both ok now so I've been told). She was going to SUE b/c I made her child a balloon.

Nothin ever came of it b/c the case was so stupid...I would assume the same would be true if a kid tried to slam his hand down on a nail while dangling razor blades out of his mouth while holding lit torches. I could be wrong...but I think common sense would win....