Greetings, fellow practitioners of the art.
I've been lurking on these forums for quite some time (that in itself became an introductory formula around here) as I didn't have a valid email address to register. Now that I have, I'm trying to productively raise my post count to the much sought after number of 50 to be able to go "downstairs". What a better way to do this than to seek advice on the matters that I have difficulty with the most when performing? Without further rambling, let me get into it:

When I started doing magic as a kid I wasn't afraid to use anything to achieve an effect. I will not name what I used to use, but you know. Cards that are not that innocent as they look and... other stuff.
My problem is that as I grew older I started to fear the moments when someone would tell me "let me see the cards" or "can you do it while I hold the deck?". You know, the usual stuff. I don't lose myself completely in those kinds of situations, but I feel like there's a more elegant way of handling such scenarios and I'm missing on it. How do you, fellow performers, handle such scenarios? I myself try to steer away from making rude remarks or telling them to @#$% off.

Hello Adrian, as you are asking about cardmagic, your topic belongs to the cardistry section of the Café. Please check out "Gaffed & Funky". You are now in the board for Mentalism and mental magic.
kind regards, Hans

Woops, my bad. As mentalism is my primary interest I guess I didn't really pay attention to what forum I post on. Thanks for the clarification. Some people perform mentalism, or mental magic, with cards too so I guess the question stands, kind of.

If people are asking to see your cards or to hold the deck then it is you and not the cards. You must be giving off tells or just bad at cards. I never seen you perform so I am just guessing that it must be in the way you are presenting the effects.

I have been using cards for over 30 years and have never had anyone ask to examine the cards.

You may be treating the cards In a way that just gives off the signal that you are trying to trick them or that the cards themselves are gimmick.

Are you doing magic card tricks or mentalism?


Best
ray

When I perform for people that I do not personally know, everything is ok. They don't ask to see the cards. The problem appears when I perform for people who know me. They know it's a trick. They don't buy intro pseudo-explanations. Instead of not performing for such people anymore, I'd like to have a way of dealing with the situation. Much of my performance is currently for friends and family.
To answer your question, I do mentalism which sometimes uses cards. I still like to perform the invisible deck from time to time. Over the years I tried to refine my repertoire as to eliminate the use of sneaky cards. Besides the invisible deck which I kind of like too much to give up on, I only use m***** cards.

The thing is, sometimes when I use a totally normal deck of cards, they still want to see it. I find it a wrong habit to let them see the cards when they are normal and to be like "erm... no. the cards are normal trust me" when they are not. I want to be consistent, so a way to deal with this situation would be ideal.

Also, what I forgot to mention is that my "very clever - I know how you did that" friends ask to see all sorts of stuff. I love the billet work of Peter Turner from his Weekly Rable, but I'm afraid they will want to see the billet after it's signed and while they hold it. Who owns his work knows what I mean.

While you're still talking, casually do a d**k s****h in your pocket and hand the cards to someone before they even ask. See Osterlind's Radar Deck performance on Mind Mysteries 1.

Adrian Tugui,
I would have to agree with Ray. You are giving some sort of tell or hesitation , something. It is about being confident in what you are doing and well practiced. I personally don't use any gimmick decks at the moment (that that there is anything wrong with them) I just don't use them. I work my close up card mentalism (and magic) so that I could leave the deck and they could take it home and look at it all day and never find anything but a deck of cards.
And as far as it being people who know you asking then there is not much you can do about that. They know you and they always will. they know its a trick and are curious and since you are friends they are comfortable crossing that line of asking to see everything or challenging you. You will get strangers doing it from time to time but those who know you will probably continue to do it no matter what you do. That is one reason I generally don't perform for family and close non magician friends.

Speaking of Osterlind, I'd recommend his Breakthrough Card System. Endless applications. Examinable before during and after because it's a normal deck.

Another vote for learning the breakthrough card system here, I always used the stebbins until I discovered this system. You can do so much with it.

There are plenty of mentalism effects you can perform with cards that do not require g**m*cks. What effect are you trying to create?

TC, You may just have to SLOW DOWN. And ACT NATURAL.

Comedy is a good way out. In your pocket, have an extra card box (or plastic card wallet if doing a packet trick)loaded with 2 blank face cards which have the following messages on them: "No! You cannot see these cards!" - "I warned you! Now the cards will self-destruct!" Finally you set off a cap snapping device (from a joke shop - like the exploding pen or gum) which explodes inside the box or open wallet and releases some smoke, which you wave away.

Then you "realize" that was not where you put the cards they were asking about. "Oh, you mean you wanted to see THESE cards!" as you take out an extra box or wallet containing ungimmicked cards, and toss it on the table. It's so worth the laughs that you'll be begging someone to ask to see the cards.

Thanks everyone for your answers. Now I understand that the only way to get rid of the "let me see the cards" which comes once in a while is to improve upon my presentation and to become more credible with my explanations (when doing mentalism with cards). I also see that friends will want to see the cards no matter what.
Also, thanks for recommending me the breakthrough card system. I own it and I love it

I think the problem is, apparently, because you are performing for friends...and the more you do that, the more you fool them, the more the whole thing becomes a puzzle for them to solve. Each time, they will naturally try to be more demanding or challenging.

I have a friend for whom I cannot demo any card trick, it turns him into an instant A.H. He becomes the worst audience ever.

I'm not sure there's a solution other than telling them not to cramp your style with demands or constrictions.

Similar topic:
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......&start=0
You can use deck switchers like Cooler or vodka
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......orum=218
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......orum=218

It starts with an attitude that avoids any sort of challenge. If your approach is, hey, look at the really cool thing, rather than look what I can do, that eliminates about 95 percent of the challenges because you start on the same side as the audience. I know that sounds silly and obvious,but there are all sorts of subtle ways in which we telegraph challenge of shared journey in our magic.

Hello Adrain, very nice to meet you. I've read everyone's posts on here. I agree with Magicial Dimensions and London's comments. I will add something to this though.

It's always a great idea to have an out. Things can and will go wrong sometimes in a performance no matter what. For me, a great out in this case would be either a subtlety or slieght of hand.

Subtlety: After a trick you're gathering up the cards and you hear, "Can I see those cards?" or something that sends up a red flag to you. Pocket the deck and look them in the eyes, smile, and nod. Then...you realize that they just said something, but you didn't quite catch that. You say, "I'm sorry, what did you say?" "Can I see the cards?" "Oh, sure." Of course they can, you just happen to leave the secret in your pocket.

Slieght of Hand: A good Pa** or a Ga****** **P will do the trick. It's always good to practice these even if just for emergencies.

David

Welcome Adrian,
I think a lot of us had a problem with such things when we started. Everyone has their own way of handling such things. When I work in the real world, for real people...99% of all my work is from a regular deck, no stack. I will often just set the cards down while chatting or getting another prop. Occasionally someone will take the bait, because they have been in a magic shop and know about a Svengali or Stripper deck. As they look through and examine the cards.....I just look at them blankly as if to say "looking for something?" On the rare occasion that I DO use a gaff, it's often brought in, and then out at an opportune moment. A lot of it has to do with your attitude in how you handle your props. If you are very guarded, and are quick to put them away, they will be more suspicious.

I believe this is a legitimate phenomenon that affects all magicians. You could take the greatest magician in the world, performing the greatest effect in the world for his immediate family and the impact wouldn't be as great as if performed for strangers or even acquaintances. Try out effects for all 3 groups to sharpen your skills.

As for them asking to see the cards, I always start out with a regular deck. The next time you do an effect for the same person or group of people, STILL use a regular deck. If they ask to see the cards hand them the deck, make sure they shuffle it at the end of their examining it and then have something ready to do with the shuffled deck! By the third time you are showing something to the same people, you can ring in a gimmicked deck. But use the gimmicks sparingly.

Hey Adrian! When asked "Can I see the cards?", I reply "Do you think Beethoven let people examine his piano?" (or Hendrix his guitar, etc. depending on age of audience). I then suggest they just relax and enjoy the magic like they would the music and the remainder of the audience (who aren't trying to figure out how every illusion is done) usually agrees. Good luck!