"please do me a favor..."

Can not stand it anymore...

I say that a lot. unfortunately.

others;

lets take this to the next level

lets take this one step further

random nodding

We are going to try something.

Lets try something.

Ok let me try something.

Lets me try something and we will see if it works.

This may work I am not sure.

-----Would you want to hire any pro who can only try?---------------

Ok look at me and think of your word.
-----------Might as well say I know you are dumb and your mind wonders--------

Look into my eyes and think of your card.
(And then followed by the standard SSDD reveal).

Um's, Ah's and the omnipresent fake chuckle.
(Cannot watch Mike Ammar without going ******* nuts).

J im

H.o.A-x

"Here's what I want you to do..."

Sometimes it takes a person on the outside looking in to see the obvious. Recently, Jim Callahan pointed out that I use the phrase 'Fair enough?' far too much. A few moments of consideration made me realize he was right...and worse, I include those words too often in my scripts.

Anyway, I have determined that I will use that phrase more sparingly from now on. Fair enough?

Mick

I was saving that for my next post.

J im

H.o.A-X

Mick I almost did post that in my first list.

We all fall into habits myself included.

I am currently working on some of mine but have no reason to
share.

J im

H.o.A-X

Urrrrgh (shudders). The worst.

'preciate it.


-Scott M.

"Please set your raccoon down so I can use both your hands."

If I had a dime for every time I heard that...

"Clear your mind" <- The most confusing and annoying line EVER

Ssssssooooooo......


I know, not a phrase, but used so much by many people inbetween thoughts or at the end of a sentence.

Um.

So, let's recap what we've just done. First I wrote a prediction, and THEN you chose a card... etc...

Cut the crap for heaven's sakes. Don't waste their time and insult their intelligence.

"..and now, FOR THE FIRST TIME, what was the (blank) you were thinking of?"

A few more pages to this thread and we'll have a compelling argument for the advancement of mime mentalism! I have to admit though one of the lines that gets my back up is

"I've backed you into a phychological corner"

Mick,

I hate when performers ask whether they believe something is fair or not. We are setting up all of the conditions, so how would they know what is fair and what is not. Also, my character is the guy next door, a little bumbling, but everything works out in the end. Because of my character, the audience generally trusts me and believes I am fair already.

I tend to say, "alright" and "um" way too much. My wife told me yesterday before a magic show that I generally say, "OK, I want to show you something" between each effect.

She reported after the show, I did good at eliminating the phrase.

I have not "arrived," so I am still striving to be a better performer.

Bobby

Guilty. But, what if I really, really like this line?

Bobby

Ok, I'm ready to get burned at the stake, here.

I disagree with a few posts on this thread, because I think a lot of these so-called "annoying phrases" mentalists use, actually fit some individual personalities... others, not so much.

Jim-- I have tremendous respect for you; I think you are a brilliant creator and performer. And whereas "Ok, let's try something- this may not work", or "just look at me and think of your word", might be the wrong approach for you; I think it works well for a persona like Richard Osterlind's.

Luke-- Osterlind "umms" and "aaahhs" a lot, acts unsure of what the results are going to be, and it FITS him. For others, of course, you're right- "umming" and "ahhhing", simply comes across as amateurish and lazy. But as we all know, Richard is anything but. It's a very carefully choreographed "umm" and "ahh", placed exactly where he wants it in his act for full effect.

In addition, one could argue that if we know something is going to work, and are not merely "trying" or "attempting", the effect becomes more of a "trick", rather than an glimpse into real mindreading. Tricks always work. Reading minds doesn't. The late, great, Jack Dean once released a three-phase booktest where in one of the phases, the mentalist would always fail. Many who purchased the booktest, including members of the PEA, changed the effect so all phases would be right on the money, working every time, and therefore missed the point Jack was trying to make- mindreading is not an exact science, and it's perfectly ok to occasionally be wrong. In fact, it may solidify the authenticity. As it's been said, if it was a "trick", why on earth would you be wrong?

TheGingerWizard-- although the phrase, "I've backed you into a psychological corner" may not suit you, it works like a treat for someone like Andy Nyman (who employs it regularly). Looch, while he may not use that exact phrase, often makes a similar statement, and it works beautifully for him, as well. Nyman and Looch are suggesting that their instructions to the spec, their making the spec focus on something other than what's really going on, have indeed backed the spec right into where they want them, psychologically. It's quite effective, I think.

Just my 2 cents.

(Now that is an annoying phrase!)

"we've never met before..?"

"I haven't asked you to write anything down before the show..?"

"This shot will not cut away..."

"Mindfreak."