Let’s be real.. the funniest moments in Magic are the little side gags in between effects..(well.. for me anyways).
I even incorporated the breakaway one for an adult so the other day and it received just as much thunderous laughter as it did for my children shows somehow.

My question is this. Does anybody have ideas or recommendations for self-made fun gags for both children, teens and adult (excluding any X rated type material)?

I am not the richest guy so any DIY prompts would be preferred. I don’t care what type of gangs they are as long as they are easy to make, and can generate a few smiles.

Thank you so much.

Jeff In The Box

Anybody? Although I'm seeing more DIY ideas, if the price is right please list cost effective gags/running gags for in between tricks.

Thanks again

That's a good question!!!

A couple of cheap ones (and ain't those always the best) that come to mind.

The little small Squeakers you can get out of old stuffed toys are gold for the magician. Anything you touch squeaks.
You squeak when you walk. Touch your helper with one finger and they squeak.

Also, getting your magic words confused can be a running gag.

Tom

Look up Popschticle by Pop Haydn. Its a plastic ice cream bar with teeth marks as if a bite has been taken out of it. Casually pull it out for your pocket; pretend like you are taking a bite out of it, chomp on it and put it back into your pocket. it comes in Traditional ice cream bar as well as the orange dreamsicle. Good gag. Think its $20.

I do The Old Rope Trick! at almost every show. It always gets laughs. Only uses a foot of rope.

I learned it from a Bill Malone video and it fits my personality perfectly.

It's on Here I Go Again vol.3

If you want more details feel free to PM me.

Saw this but didn't want to shell out the money for a rubber ice cream bar (this was before Popschticle was released at $20. The faux food ones at the time were closer to $40).

Made my own with 1"x3" scrap wood. Cut it to proper length, rounded the top, then cut a "bite" out of the top. Sanded the edges down, then painted brown and white. Drilled hole in bottom and glued in a dowel. Cost was next to nothing and just some time spent.

A few years later I found a rubber ice cream cone at dollar store. Looks real and works the same. I wear baggy pants, so not noticeable in my pocket. But it's one of my favorite little bits...handing out something for examination, and while they look, taking out ice cream, taking a bite/lick, and putting it away.

A friend and I are working on a two person show, we've got a running gag with rubber ducks. They keep appearing unexcpectedly. They're a dollar or less. Also we've got some drawings in the show, and rubber ducks pop up there too.

Speaking of drawings, I do a "baby gag" type bit as part of a mentalism routine. I have large pad of paper and ask somebody to name a famous person. I then use my sharpie to draw a baby. Saying it's the person at 6 months old. I use the bit as an explaination that I'm not a good mind reader and go into a routine where two volunteers read each other minds.

I doodle quite a bit, and I've drawn the baby enough I can do it on the fly. If you're unsure of your artistic abiities, you can lightly draw one in pencil and the draw over it. Or predraw it on the pad then just pretend to draw the cartoon.