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twm Regular user of wine. 109 Posts |
I wear a hearing aid. Well two actually. And they are rather unusual aids, called BAHAs - Bone Anchored Hearing Aids. There's a picture here:
http://www.umm.edu/otolaryngology/baha.htm#a If I were to try and do any form of mentalism, people would, I am sure, suspect I'm wearing a radio receiver, and where's the magic in that? So I'm looking for my niche. I could make a thing of it - wear only one, and have an apparent connection between the other and the USB port of a laptop or something like that. Go for the comedy effect, fit a tap on it and have water running out continuously - might work for children's magic I suppose. Take them out when I'm performing, and wear something less visible - I could manage that for short periods. Specialise in magic for deaf people, or broaden it out to magic for disabled people or somehting along those lines. Anyway, it's been useful just to try to define the problem. So if you have been, thanks for listening. Twm |
JasonbytheOcean Regular user Washington, D.C. 102 Posts |
I don't have contacts, but I believe there is an active community of deaf magicians. You might check out http://deafness.about.com/cs/nationalorgs/a/deafmagic.htm and perhaps those links might be of help.
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jazzy snazzy Inner circle run off by a mob of Villagers wielding 2109 Posts |
Welcome Twm
You might consider contacting Ron Jaxon here in the Café. His username is Jaxon.
"The secret of life is to look good from a distance."
-Charles Schulz |
DaiMagic New user 52 Posts |
I know a very successful mentalist that wears two hearing aids.
Don't let this narrow your goals. People always look for explanations, if it weren't your hearing aids it would be some other ridiculous idea. |
Spellbinder Inner circle The Holy City of East Orange, NJ 6438 Posts |
You could turn the hearing aid into an advantage by making it MORE visible and claiming that when you first got it, you began hearing voices from people that weren't there. At first you thought you were tuned in to a radio station, but the voices began telling you things that no radio announcer would know. You have since realized that the hearing aid allows you to channel voices from spirit world guides who can help you to read minds, know secrets about people, find missing persons or objects, and predict future events. And so you begin to demonstrate your "psychic channeling hearing aid" using the standard tricks of the mentalist.
Good luck! You'll make everyone wish they had a psychic hearing aid, too!
Professor Spellbinder
Professor Emeritus at the Turkey Buzzard Academy of Magik, Witchcraft and Wizardry http://www.magicnook.com Publisher of The Wizards' Journals |
Yellowcustard Inner circle New Zealand 1334 Posts |
I like the idea of Spellbinder and there are many other suggestions here that have legs. But I think the main thing is you do need these hearing aids and there part of you. I would accept it as part of you and not a gimmick for the trick.
Quote:
On 2011-03-04 14:38, DaiMagic wrote: So could you do a piece of mentallisam which is the same thing but repeatable a bit like a oracle test. But every time you do it you remove a way of doing it. So the first phase move your coat roll up sleeves. Second phase remove your glasses if you wear them. Then on the third phase speak about your aids and then remove them. I don’t know how practical this is as an idea but I hope it helps.
Enjoy your magic,
and let others enjoy it as well! |
mahucharn Elite user 418 Posts |
I agree with what's been said. I must say, I REALLY like Spellbinder's idea, it could add quite a bit to your performance. Perform with your hearing aides on at all cost, as you will not be able to perform as well without them (I have terrible ears as well).
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Cyberqat Inner circle You can tell I work on the net from my 2209 Posts |
I think if people see you wearing them when you arent performing they will be assumed as just what they are.
One of the few things about magic taht IS correct in the movie The Prestige is the bit about the magician who made a huge bow of water appear form between his legs and how he carried on the deception of being a stooped old man in public so no one would be the wiser when he was stooping because he carried the bowl.
It is always darkest just before you are eaten by a grue.
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twm Regular user of wine. 109 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-03-04 19:34, Spellbinder wrote: Thanks everyone. I especially like this idea, Spellbinder. My aids are rather large - about 1" x 1/2" and clamped to my skull, so they are a bit obvious. I'll try out a few ideas in a hard of hearing club, as a confidence builder. and see where it goes from there. Twm |
Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
How are the BAHAs working for you? I looked into them as well but I got the Cochlear Implant (Nucleus 5) which are made by the same company that makes your BAHAs.
Just to let you know my background on this issue. I've been a magician for over 20 years and for most of that time I was also deaf. Just last year I got my Cochlear Implant and am able to hear again. I used my deafness in my magic acts quite a bit. I used it for a number of reasons. For one thing it was easier to just tell my audiences that I was deaf so they'll know of the issue. But I shared it with them with humor. Some people aren't sure how to react with someone who's deaf. So by using humor I was able to share some laughs with them about it and ease that tension. It also opened the door to raise awareness on the issue. But to be honest the biggest reason I used my deafness in my acts was because it was a part of me and it made me a little different. It also gave me loads of material that even if other magicians saw me do it they couldn't do it themselves because it wouldn't fit them. I think every performer should find something about themselves to put in their acts that makes them unique in some way. It could be anything really. Just something to build on and for the audiences to distinguish you from others. Just to name some examples of magicians who used something that makes them unique. Johnny Thompson (Polish magician), Steve Fearson based an act on the location he was from. Tom Mullica, Dave Williamson, Mike Finney, etc.. All these guys have a unique style of performing that it's unlikely anyone else would be able to duplicate. Because it wouldn't fit anyone else. I wouldn't worry about them thinking the BAHAs are receivers. I don't worry about that with my Cochlear Implant. Tricks that might cause them to think you might be getting it from some kind of hidden ear piece will cause them to think that whether they see anything or not. They know that them make them small enough not to be seen these days. So in your case you have a couple of options when it comes to your BAHAs. One is to not make any mention of them at all when you perform. In this case it would have nothing to do with your act. No more then if the magician was wearing eye glasses. Or, if you want, you can use them I your act. I'm using my Cochlear Implant in my act now. Not only the implant itself but also the experience of getting it and hearing again. Just to give an example in one routine my implant is a running gag. I put it on in front of the audience and explain what it is. Do some jokes an tell some stories about hearing again with them. Then a few times during the act my implant vanishes from my ear and makes surprise appearances such as under a cup. Each time it happens I act like I can't hear them and I finally realize why, but because my implant vanished from my ear again. So use it or just don't make any issue about it at all. Really up to you. But one thing I do not suggest you do and that's to not wear them when you perform. IF you can hear better with them then wear them. You went through a lot to get them. No reason for you not to wear them while you're performing. Trust me when I say that being able to hear your audiences will only help you when you're performing. Feel free to contact me anytime about this. Ron Jaxon |
twm Regular user of wine. 109 Posts |
Thanks a lot Ron. There's a lot of info there for me to digest, so if I may just pick up a few points now, and a more considered response through PM later? Great news that your CIs are obviously working for you. I had one BAHA fitted about 15 years ago, and the second a couple of years ago. For me, the BAHA is brilliant. I tried bone conduction aids many times, but couldn't get on with them. I forget I'm wearing the BAHAs.
I was a college lecturer until my hearing got too bad for that, then switched to research, and finally left academia and tried a few other things. I'd only get rid of my BAHAs for a performance if I could fit something less obtrusive just for the duration, but I'm warming to the idea of building the BAHAs into the act. It's just that there aren't many people wearing them, and I don't want them to be viewed with suspicion! So I will have to find the right angle, that I feel comfortable with. |
Simon Mandal New user 60 Posts |
I think that a good angle would be this:
You've compensated for your hearing by learning to read people's facial cues, to the point that you can often even tell what they are thinking. This could actually be a great angle to get lots of press, etc. A good rule of performing is to openly address anything the audience's attention is on, and use it to your advantage. For example... if a waitress dropped a tray of plates, a standup comedian would make jokes about it, instead of just going on with what he was doing. Audiences are smart, and a great deal of them pick up on EVERYTHING. Often it's better to USE something the audience may notice as a strength in your act, as opposed to trying to conceal it. For your first couple routines, do effects that COULD NOT be explained by radio / etc. After you are established in the minds of the audience, you are really freed up to do whatever effects you want. I don't know much about mentalist specifically, but I am a professional magician, and have an extensive background in the theater. Hopefully this advice is helpful. If you have any questions about my ideas feel free to PM me. |
twm Regular user of wine. 109 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-03-08 12:19, Simon Mandal wrote: That's a very interesting angle. I've been going to lip-reading classes in the UK. I believe in the US they are often referred to as 'face-reading', so it will be a nice logical and plausible extension of that idea! I'll probably take you up on your PM offer in a few days time. This thread has triggered a possibly strong idea that I'd like to give a little thought to, and then perhaps test the idea with you and Ron Jaxon. |
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