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davidpaul$ Inner circle Georgetown, South Carolina 3086 Posts |
There is this very nice woman, middle aged, who comes in EVERY week with her husband to see me at one of my restaurants. She told me they look forward to their Thursday night out. BUT she is the toughest person I have ever encountered in trying to perform for. She wants to inspect everything. for example: If I bring out a deck of cards, let her inspect and shuffle them, take them back for just a moment, she wants to inspect and shuffle again........I rolled up 3 pieces of flash paper right in front of her, placed them on the table and she unrolled the pieces just to satisfy her curiosity. If I just casually put my hand in my pocket, she wants to see my hand.
Her husband always scolds her and says...."Let the guy take a breath, without asking him why he is breathing". If I scratched my head for a second she would want to see my hand. It's that bad.....I kid with her and ask if she goes to a concert does she inspect the instruments on stage while they are playing? It's a challenge but it's making me think and research effects that would fit HER personality. I know they will be there this Thursday and even the waitresses tease her. Hey as long as she is having fun and coming back I'm doing my job. The last time all I did was walk up to the table to greet them and she wanted to inspect my jacket pockets. I've been working restaurants for 10 years and never ran across anyone like her. I know I will be better for it. It's great training!! Any thoughts or comments??
Guilt will betray you before technique betrays you!
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MickNZ Special user Auckland, New Zealand 576 Posts |
Tell jokes.
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Daz Buckley Elite user Australia 469 Posts |
Try some mentalism effects. They will usually leave the spectator with nowhere left to go for the method.
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Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts |
Tie her hands up. Or use thumb cuffs. Hand her a can of spring snakes. Stop performing for her.
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
Quote:
On 2012-04-11 02:13, Pete Biro wrote: Pete, you must be slipping. You forgot the old mousetrap in the pocket gag!
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
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ThatsJustWrong! Special user My flying monkeys are perched on 629 Posts |
Take off your pants and hand them to her. Yu usually only have to do that once...
True story: About 20 years ago, I performed Scotch & Soda for a wedding held at a medieval living history event. The bride was desperate to know where the centavo went and demanded to search my belt pouches; I removed my belt and handed it to her. She insisted it was in my tunic which I removed and handed to her. The only thing left were my trewes which I also ended up removing and handing to her (those were the commando days of my youth). I picked up her veil from the bench, wrapped it around my nekkid self and walked out of her camp whistling. When I returned later for my clothes, she again demanded to know where the centavo went, almost crying in frustration. I told her that if she felt frustrated, imagine how the gerbil who had to retrieve it felt. To this day, she still asks me every time I see her. But she doesn't ask to search me anymore.
Joe Leo
All entertainers can benefit from some help from an experienced stage director. How about you? www.MisfitMysteries.com |
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Alan Munro Inner circle Kentwood, Michigan, USA 5952 Posts |
Bring out a small box. She opens it to see a large, moving cockroach! Okay, so it's only a box with a hinged lid and a fake roach. A thread runs from the lid, through a hole in the bottom of the box, to the roach to make it seem to walk.
A shocking pop can is good, too....if you're sure she won't toss it at someone. A friend has a great gag for that, that was perfect for someone like that. You might as well let her fall on her own sword, so to speak. |
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jay leslie V.I.P. Southern California 9498 Posts |
Puzzle tricks like ring & spring.
Jay Leslie
www.TheHouseOfEnchantment.com |
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Christopher Lyle Inner circle Dallas, Texas 5698 Posts |
Jay is correct...change the situation...! You might also take up Fast and Loose.
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius For a Good Time...CLICK HERE! |
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MeetMagicMike Inner circle Gainesville Fl 3501 Posts |
Have you ever been playing with kids and your having fun but at some point it is time to stop and one kid just doesn't get it? You've taught hime to play a certain game and he loves the game more than all the other kids and doesn't want to stop. So he KEEPS hitting you with his balloon sword (for example) long after it's cute.
I think that is what has happened here. You and this women entered into a game that was fun for both of you for while but now you're bored with the game and she isn't. I think you are going to have to break character and have a talk with her. Let her know that she is on to you but you but now it might be fun for her to watch you fool the other people. In other words try to get her on your side. People are funny. I really think that even the most obnoxious spectator ususally thinks that they are "helping" the magician. After all isn't that the way it works in comedy clubs (they think). Aren't you supposed to heckle the comedians and they have great come backs and every one laughts, right? The problem is, that kind of act (The Heckler Stopper) is not my kind of act at all. It's just someting a performer has to deal with once in a while. But some people get it into their heads that that IS what comedy is. |
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Rpascual Special user USA 667 Posts |
Quote:
On 2012-04-11 09:38, that'sJustWrong! wrote: that'sJustWrong! Haha get it? A bit of humor to relieve some stress from schoolwork! |
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Christopher Lyle Inner circle Dallas, Texas 5698 Posts |
Quote:
On 2012-04-11 22:44, MeetMagicMike wrote: Mike said it before I could... Explain to her that you're not really a warlock and this is all supposed to be fun and entertaining. Everything you do is based on lies and deception and you're not really Harry Potter. See if she get's the hint...
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius For a Good Time...CLICK HERE! |
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Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
Quote:
On 2012-04-11 23:00, Christopher Lyle wrote: Naaaa!!! Just pop her balloon sword!
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
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nicolas1447 New user France & UK 17 Posts |
If someone wants to check my props, I usually say you could but it's more expensive... If she wants to check your pocket, just says yes but later in your room
I feel it always works went your reply with a joke but depends on your style. If she is being really difficult, then perform tricks without any gimmick or as Daz says, mentalism. Would be worth checking david stone's real secrets of magic. There is a scene in it with a similar guy and he ends up bitting him a removing is tongue... Extreme but that's the ultimate solution |
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Paul Rathbun Inner circle Michigan 2543 Posts |
Possibly explain to her that you use deception to try and trick her. That is your job. Obviously.
Then go on to explain that her being so curious is tying your hands so to speak. If she isn't willing to let you do your thing (which is deceive her) then explain you won't be able to perform for her anymore.
https://www.penguinmagic.com/p/9160
Sleightly Better Magic Reviews - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9rkXnNp8CxftN-rxU_WcbQ |
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Eduardo Veteran user 312 Posts |
That one is easy... obviously she is a funny person or she is finding how serious you are mr magician, as so you should play funny... in one table like that, you can end with a footmassage... the last time with that kind of spectator, one guy came from another table with a crown of thorns in his head, knelt in front of me, I knelt, he put me his crown in my head and kissed my forehead...
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patrick flanagan Inner circle lisle, illinois 1045 Posts |
Or....just go with it. You obviously have won her over, and she obviously enjoys your work...otherwise she wouldn't keep having you come to her table.
I've had people like this, also. Still do. The enjoyment they derive is in the nuts and bolts. They want...no...they NEED to know how these miracles can be accomplished. I have a couple that comes into the restaurant where I work. I've know them for almost 10 years, and I see them nearly every Tuesday night. The wife is very similar to your situation. Reaches into my pockets, checks my hands, shuffles the cards. I haven't, but I should thank her for being that way. She has made me more aware of audience and prop management and direction of attention than I would have had she not been that way. After a while though, I agree, it does get obnoxious. What I did is made her an confidante. I approach her as a practice partner now. I tell her that I have some new things that I'm working on and would like her opinion. I know this might get me kicked out of the magician's union, but I've let her in on a lot of secrets. I'll ask her how a move looks from different angles....and, guess what, she loves it even more. She even offers suggestions at times. I know this isn't the optimum scenario, but a patron like this is out of the norm. I would not recommend this for every person that "wants to know how it's done". This is definately the exception not the rule. And for me, this woman is the perfect person to be that exception. patrick |
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Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts |
Frances Carlysle used to say, "Wait, do you touch the fiddle when Heifitz plays?"
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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ThatsJustWrong! Special user My flying monkeys are perched on 629 Posts |
I still say hand her your pants and walk away but you probably won't be invited back to work at Chuck E. Cheese.
Since she's a regular and, I hope, a tipper, why not buy her a small magic trick to work on herself. Then sell her lessons. If that doesn't work, buy her a finger chopper. Ungimmicked. It usually only takes one...
Joe Leo
All entertainers can benefit from some help from an experienced stage director. How about you? www.MisfitMysteries.com |
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Alan Munro Inner circle Kentwood, Michigan, USA 5952 Posts |
I just had a great idea. Bring out a coin envelope with a "prediction". Even if she doesn't go to look inside, say, "I suppose you want to look inside, but don't give it away to the rest of the group." Unknown to her, you put the "rattlesnake eggs" device inside the envelope. It should make her jump. After she looks inside, retrieve the envelope and quip, "Wrong envelope."
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