Hi everyone, I've done a search in the Café and can't find quite what I'm looking for, so forgive me if this has already been discussed, but I'm looking for information on learning comedy magic. I'm a huge fan of Wayne Dobson, and have his book, WD40, as well as the Tarbell books. I'm also a really big fan of the styles like Scott Alexander and Cody Fisher, and that's what I see myself doing. I bring up the Tarbell books because I don't believe my issue is with material, since there is a lifetime of material there, more so adapting that material to the persona I'm trying to create for myself. I guess what I'm looking for is help finding any books/dvds or any advice that would help me to take the routines in Tarbell and turn them into something that fits that style of performing. Any help is greatly appreciated, Thanks in advance!
-Chris

The answer is right there in front of your face. Not to be flippant, but pick out a routine and then do is as you would if you were just showing someone your new phone, car, or whatever. Forcing comedy into an effect only seems contrived. Be yourself and you'll do fine.

Ok, that makes sense. I'll make sure I work on it and put the time in. Thank you!

You might consider looking into taking improv lessons and acting classes. Those can help you find the character. Consider writing classes as well. It can be difficult to learn those things without a little direction.

ULockJustice,
Thanks for the input! I'll look into some of the classes offered at my school next semester, I had never thought of taking classes, especially writing, before but I can see where they would certainly help.

-Chris

Read all you can about the OLD comedians like Jack Benny, Fred Allen, George Burns, et al!

==Benny, especially! There are VHS tapes available (check used book stores) Study Benny's TIMING. --Also his character development.

Most of the humor in my program is situation comedy. (New York jokes don't usually play in the Dakotas!)

I'll certainly be on the lookout for the tapes! Where do you recommend looking for information about the comedians you've mentioned?
Thanks,
Chris

Chris -- If you have a good public library near you, they can probably help you find autobiographies biographies of some of the classic comedians, like Jack Benny and George Burns. Otherwise you can often find them on Amazon for a penny (plus shipping). There are lots of performance clips on YouTube. Reading about the lives of performers helps you learn a bit of show biz history, and also lets you see how a person's character and career might develop over time.

Djtrouten,

Thank you very much! I'll be sure to check out my local library for some of these books, and if I have no luck there, Amazon is always a great place to check. I'll also be sure to check out YouTube for some of these performances, it really is a great place to learn! (non-exposure stuff of course, but that's a whole other issue).

Are you a funny person? Are you quick witted? It will find it's way into your magic.

Don't hesitate to "borrow" lines that work for you.

Find magic you love to perform and come up with your own comedy slant to it.

Lines will also write themselves; hang on to the good ones!

Theodore -- That's a good reminder about finding lines "that work for you." People are funny in lots of different ways, and one person's schtick won't necessarily work for another. For instance, Mac King and The Amazing Johnathan are both great comedy magicians, but with completely different approaches, and something that works for one just wouldn't fit for the other. Just "borrowing" something that gets a laugh for somebody else won't work, unless it's also a great fit for you.

Dick Oslund is right on the money here, as per usual! I recommend looking on Amazon for comedy albums. I have found a lot of great George Carlin and several of the names already mentioned. I have been a comedy nerd my whole life so I found myself nodding and smiling while reading Dick Oslund's post. I couldn't have said if better.

Theodore Lawton,
Thanks for the input! You bring up a fantastic point about not being afraid to borrow lines that work. I think I get caught up in being 'original' more than 'entertaining,' and I know that as I learn more and perform more, my 'style' will work its way in and replace the borrowed lines.

Djtrouten,
It's a great reminder that not everything will work for everyone. Like I said, as I perform more and learn more about my style, I'll find what works and what doesn't for me. You have a great point about Mac King's lines not working for the Amazing Jonathan, and I think that's important for someone new like me to keep in mind, I can't just 'plug in' a line if it doesn't feel right for me.

Race Blakhart,
Thanks for the info on the resources! I'll be sure to check Amazon for some of these comedy albums. Mr. Oslund, as usual, is right on the money, like you said. It's great to have such knowledgable mentors here on the forums!

Thanks for all the help everyone!
-Chris

You can use any trick, you make your own comedy. Not sure it is funny, well you need a place or places to test the material out and tweek it. I used to do sets at a restaurant, did short stand up routines of three tricks, I would generally do two old standards then run in a new routine to see how the audience reacted in the middle trick. You learn a lot in performing it, timing, a change of word her or there, a pause, etc. Comedy magic is largely story telling magic. You use the magic as a prop to tell a funny story. Another way is to do audience interaction stuff. That is bring up a volunteer and pay off of their reactions. That takes experience, but can be very funny. Mac King out at Harrah's in Las Vegas does it very well. I've seen his show nearly 40 times and even though he changes very little, it remains funny, because he does reaction to the volunteer and it brings the house down. Use of a stooge from time to time to play off of you works well. I'd start with the story telling trick. Take something simple like a dove pan. Think of something funny to produce in it and build a story around it leading up to it. I once did a routine where the prop was a cardboard box that a replacement zombie ball came in from Abbots. I cut it up and painted it like a little house, with a little door on the front, and then filled it with a lot of things, what ever I could actually find that I could cram in the box. At the bottom were two small rabbits as the final production. I started patter with a story about how I had this pet rabbit that I loved so much named Greta. One day I went to retrieve Greta from her cage, but she was gone. I searched for her high and low but never found her, then one day I got this mysterious package in the mail and inside was the "little house", and as I explored the contents of this little house I found...and then I'd start producing things, way more than it would seem possible from the box, I worked in a dove production, and an number of other things as I talked on. Finally, I produced the two little rabbits, one that I told the audience was named "Thumper" and the other was named, "Harvey, Junior." Then right after the audience got through saying awwwww, I siad, that I found one more thing in the box, a note from Gretta, and I produced a scroll made of a piece of white cloth and a couple of dowel rods, on the cloth the note was written in sharpie." I'd take it out and said, "and last I found this brief note from Greta, and it said, "I'd turn it around so all could read it" "Never trust a 6ft tall invisible rabbit that says he is a friend of Jimmy Stewart."
It brought the house down and I go tons of requests for that trick. The trick was simple and the story simple with a gag line at the end. It took some time to tweek the performance and what was produced in what order and to not make the story too long. But it played well and always got a big laugh.
In comedy magic, you do comedy, the magic is mostly a prop.

You can use any trick, you make your own comedy. Not sure it is funny, well you need a place or places to test the material out and tweek it. I used to do sets at a restaurant, did short stand up routines of three tricks, I would generally do two old standards then run in a new routine to see how the audience reacted in the middle trick. You learn a lot in performing it, timing, a change of word her or there, a pause, etc. Comedy magic is largely story telling magic. You use the magic as a prop to tell a funny story. Another way is to do audience interaction stuff. That is bring up a volunteer and pay off of their reactions. That takes experience, but can be very funny. Mac King out at Harrah's in Las Vegas does it very well. I've seen his show nearly 40 times and even though he changes very little, it remains funny, because he does reaction to the volunteer and it brings the house down. Use of a stooge from time to time to play off of you works well. I'd start with the story telling trick. Take something simple like a dove pan. Think of something funny to produce in it and build a story around it leading up to it. I once did a routine where the prop was a cardboard box that a replacement zombie ball came in from Abbots. I cut it up and painted it like a little house, with a little door on the front, and then filled it with a lot of things, what ever I could actually find that I could cram in the box. At the bottom were two small rabbits as the final production. I started patter with a story about how I had this pet rabbit that I loved so much named Greta. One day I went to retrieve Greta from her cage, but she was gone. I searched for her high and low but never found her, then one day I got this mysterious package in the mail and inside was the "little house", and as I explored the contents of this little house I found...and then I'd start producing things, way more than it would seem possible from the box, I worked in a dove production, and an number of other things as I talked on. Finally, I produced the two little rabbits, one that I told the audience was named "Thumper" and the other was named, "Harvey, Junior." Then right after the audience got through saying awwwww, I siad, that I found one more thing in the box, a note from Gretta, and I produced a scroll made of a piece of white cloth and a couple of dowel rods, on the cloth the note was written in sharpie." I'd take it out and said, "and last I found this brief note from Greta, and it said, "I'd turn it around so all could read it" "Never trust a 6ft tall invisible rabbit that says he is a friend of Jimmy Stewart."
It brought the house down and I go tons of requests for that trick. The trick was simple and the story simple with a gag line at the end. It took some time to tweek the performance and what was produced in what order and to not make the story too long. But it played well and always got a big laugh.
In comedy magic, you do comedy, the magic is mostly a prop.

It's really great to hear these first-hand experiences! After all, that's the best way to learn, to actually go do it. Father Photius, you make a great point about me doing comedy and magic being the prop, I'll be sure to keep that in mind as I'm coming up with routines. Thank you everyone again for all the help!

-Chris

It's not a bad idea to consult a Stand up comedy writing guide, Learn how to write jokes. This will allow you to write for your tricks.

This might help
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004ZKVEUQ/

Regards Jimmy

That book looks great! I'm gonna check it out.
Thanks for the suggestion.

-Chris

Learn comedy. Then work on applying it to your magic. Jack Benny has been referenced several times in this thread. Watching him is like taking a matter class in timing. However, comedy (like everything) continues to evolve. It has become much more situational and far less "setup/punchline" as it was when Mr. Benny worked. And situational comedy is a great fit for magic, so sharpen those character-driven storytelling skills, perfect your timing, make sure that your magic looks magical, and then combine it all.

Jon-- Your first five sentences are "right on".

I do not, however, remember ever hearing Benjamin Kubelsky* deliver a set up/punchline gag. Ben was always, as far as I know, a situation comedy comedian.

He developed his "miserly", "vane" (about his age) "inept violinist" character, fairly early on, and, continued using it throughout his career. (From vaudeville, to radio, and television.

Further, he was wise enough to let his "team" (Mary Livingstone, Rochester, Don Wilson, Mr. Kitzel, Mel Blanc,et al,) get many of the laughs, at his expense.

He used his "personality", and his talent, and, he lasted for YEARS!

BTW: Regarding comedy, he said: "It's not important that the audience laughs at every joke. What's important is, that when you leave the stage, they still like you."

Most of the great comedy magicians that I know or have seen work, use situation comedy, with appropriate topical gag lines.

After that one sentence, no. 6, I concur with you.

*Born Benjamin Kubelsky, he became Jack Benny. There is a Jr. High School named "Benjamin Kubelsky Jr. High" in Waukegan, Illinois.

As a young man in late teens, I bought Robert Orben patter books. To be honest, I made the mistake of memorizing those "one liners", and actually using them for a short time.