Don't go with what magixx is doing. Go with your own personality and style. It's not fun if your doing an impression of another magician.

Be yourself and adapt to the spectators, if they are funny type go with the wave if they not just be entertaining and polite.




Zac

I definitly say be yourself and Ad-lib jokes as you go. I think ad-libed jokes are MUCH better, and leave a longer impression then canned one-liners

Most magicians I've met so far in my years of magic have had a sense of humour that is reminiscent of C-3P0. Goofy, and borderline creepishly childish. I can't stand it, and I have no idea how anyone takes their art seriously, and pays them for it.

If you're naturally funny without coming off as a bozo magician, awesome. Stick with that, because nobody minds an occassional humorous jab. Like R.T. said, Ad Libs are the best kind.

If you buy a spinning bow-tie however, you've gone overboard.

I'm funny or, at least, I think I am. (So do the audiences who are paying the freight, so maybe I really am.)

But that doesn't mean it's the way to go for every magician or even a majority of them.

No, NightBringer, you don't have to be funny.

However, what you HAVE to be is entertaining!

I think you can choose to be funny if you like. if ur routines works well if they are funny its good but I don't think joking for a voodoo ash will loose its impact..

You can make your audience laugh without being funny yourself. Most magicians who act funny are not funny.

English jokes spoken seriously sometimes make me laugh loudly. But English jokes are very difficult to understand. I wish my English will progress so that I can understand them.

Hideo Kato

Peter
you are funny , even though we have never met in person ,, I can tell just from your writings in, the LR, I have used a lot of this material as fuel for a barrage of snappy one liners ,that are Charming ?perhaps ,Non offensive ? more so,
Down right corny in a humorus sense , deffinatly, even today as we get ready to perfom yet again , my show will be a "Little Grater", IMHO, Café folks if you haven't yet read "ShowTime" in the Linking Ring mag By "Peter Marucci", these are gems that I find easy to commincate across all language barriers
Keet

I agree that you don't have to be funny but many people do want to laugh and smile. It usually goes hand in hand with "A good time."

Now, making people laugh doesn't mean you have to be funny. There are so many different kinds of laughs. Quite often it's a defense mechanism. That's why people laugh when they are scared or hurt. If you do a shocking effect and someone screams it'll often be followed by a laugh (Such as The Web or my effect Thumb Off). If you've ever watched a performer who isn't funny the spectators still laugh at the out come if it's shocking or amazing. It's just a natural reaction to the unexplained or unexpected.

So you don't have to plan any funny lines but you can still give them a good time. You said you're a pretty funny person so as long as you entertain your audience you're going to get laughs anyway.

Personally I like to incorporate those one liners and bits in my act but that's my performing style. They've come from experience and the jokes and lines have evolved into the routine. What works is used again and what doesn't is discarded for that routine. I'm sure the same will apply to your act.

Ron Jaxon

Well Sorta, you need to be entertaining.

I always like to add a little bit of humor to every performance. The spectator really loves to laugh. Put in a joke here or there but don't swamp it with random crap about some farmer John over in Minnesota. Just every once in while do something funny to relax the spectator. Sometimes humor is the perfect thing and sometimes it's not. It's up to you whether you add some or not. That's just my two cents.
-Trevor

I don't think you must be funny. But it helps to get a better connection with spectators. It will also depend on your effects - if you are into bizarre magic, maybe the "funny guy" style is not very convincing.

Magixx

Sometimes the fact that you're a magician makes you funny no matter what from the lay persons' perspective. So any jokes or sense of humor you can add to your personna can't hurt. Bottom line is be yourself, relax and it will all come together with time.

When you try to force jokes, they will be canned and horrible. If you have a sense of humor though, and a sense of the models of humor, you will be funny without jokes. The problem is, most people are not their funniest when they first meet new people. Instead of trying to be Mr. Funnybones right off the bat, perform a few tricks in a casual relaxed manner, and when you tune into the "vibe" of the group, you'll feel yourself start to be naturally funny. As you keep practicing and performing, both your sense of humor and your ability to cultivate it immediately for new people will become more efficient.

In the meantime, I highly recommend buying a book called "Comedy Writing Secrets," by Melvin Helitzer. You won't find it in small book stores, but the next time you're at Barnes & Noble or shopping online, pick this up. This is not a joke book, but instead a book that will teach you some of the models of humor and bring out your own funniness. I've read it cover to cover numerous times and it's helped a great deal.

I havent seen david blaine make a joke..maybe that's why he got a huge market..his seriousness..so like I said before you don't really have to be funnny if you want a good effect or performance..maybe you can use another element..like fear or suprise..but being funny always helps me!

You don't have to be funny - you have to be ENTERTAINING!

Kent

Great! Spontaneity is even better than scripted humor, and it's contagious!

At first I was also worried that magicians on screen are so much more funny, but believe me, if you are just nice and people like you, there is not much you have to worry about.
If you are skillful and charming, and even have a quick wit, they are going to love your performance.
Try to relate your patter to your audience. That's magic with build-in interest and humor.
And one more thing: You don't have to be perfect from the start.

Just bring them the most magical night of their lives

Be YOU. And if they like YOU they will like your act as Nate Leipzig said!

EVERYONE STOP HATING BLAINE!!! JEEEEEEEEZ! I cant believe you all! WOW! but no don't be funny if you don't want be you.. granted humour can warm up a crowd but what is best for you... blaine is kinda funnt.. he said look in my eyes.. then when she was for like a minute he screamed at her and she ran away... LOL!

I'm always funny unless I'm doing something with mind reading.