How to deal with Tough Cookies ( Hard Audience )

Deadman · May 26, 2009

Well , "tough cookies" are people to whom you are doing a trick and who is constantly looking for a brake , always asking to shuffle the deck before and during the trick, always trying to figure out the way the tricks work.

So my question is how to deal with those kind of people ?

hector_cervantes · May 26, 2009

try to put the pressure on them....( in a good way not making them feel bad).... do a "burner" free trick that doesn't matter how much he shuffles or pays attention you know you are going to fry him... and lastly do what wayne houchin said a while back, try to empower them wayne said he showed a palm card to a heckler and he made the heckler work towards his advantage as though he was in on it , suddenly burns from that heckler stopped... I mean there are alot of things you can do but these are some of the ones I remember.

MagicShadow9 · May 26, 2009

That's called a heckler.

There are countless numbers of threads on this site on how to deal with those people. Use the search button.

Steerpike · May 26, 2009

hector_cervantes said:
do a "burner" free trick that doesn't matter how much he shuffles or pays attention you know you are going to fry him...

Don't do that. It just pisses them off even more.

MagicShadow9 said:
That's called a heckler.

No, it's not. Are you people really so desperate for antagonism and drama that you're now seeing enemies where they don't exist?

Cliff|Bumgardner · May 26, 2009

Am I the only ones that think magicians are pussified when it comes to "hecklers"? It seems there is a massive inferiority complex that makes us play to them instead of demanding the respect we deserve like other performers do.

C

visualartist · May 26, 2009

I have started to think and notice that people always want to shuffle or put the card in themselves when,obviously,its a card trick. Or that these stories about "hecklers" involve someone taking ones cards away.
Anything thing else they are totally willing to see..(hintity hint,hint)

Randy · May 26, 2009

visualartist said:
I have started to think and notice that people always want to shuffle or put the card in themselves when,obviously,its a card trick. Or that these stories about "hecklers" involve someone taking ones cards away.
Anything thing else they are totally willing to see..(hintity hint,hint)

Well if they take the cards away, then that's pretty much a grabber. You can pretty much just tell them no.

If doing an ACR and they want to shuffle the cards. Palm the top card (their card), let them shuffle it to their hearts content, and replace the card. Or simply do a card to pocket.

If somebody is unconvinced of your godly card powers. here's what I do. DON'T CARE!

Sometimes, people just aren't into magic, and really why should you let one or two people ruin your day. Also why would want to convince everybody? As my grandfather would say "You can't win em all."

visualartist · May 26, 2009

Never said I want to convince everybody.
Besides,most card magicians here(i dont know about the OP) drown their performances in flourishes or absolutely love to show off. When laymen see that they think "well if he can do that he can do anything(with cards)" So they want to see something more real(?)
Hence,some peoples behavior

Ampersan5340 · May 26, 2009

Steerpike said:
Don't do that. It just pisses them off even more.

No, it's not. Are you people really so desperate for antagonism and drama that you're now seeing enemies where they don't exist?

Rofl, no need to be a hypocrit.

And yes, you should do a sleight-free trick or a trick with a force or something very small they will never catch. This doesn't make the heckler angry it just puts him in his place. You can also say that your not going to perform if this heckler, or hecklers continue to heckle. I've had groups of people push those people or tell those hecklers to go away, it's very funny. Then again, they might like the heckler and dislike you for not continuing the trick, but you never want to perform for a crowd that is wanting to see you screw up, might as well just not even or or accept a trick.

Also, if they want to shuffle the deck, it means they think you did something funny. However there's always people who will try to be difficult.

You could glimpse the chosen card and do a mind-reading demonstration or test there "poker face" whatever you want.

If the heckler comes up to you and asks for a trick just say ," I don't have my cards/coins/ropes/ sponge balls today, sorry" or something. I highly doubt they will go out of their way to frisk you for your magic material.

Hope this helps

P.S: Thank you for giving such wonderful advice to our friend here Steerpike.

Randy · May 26, 2009

visualartist said:
Never said I want to convince everybody.
Besides,most card magicians here(i dont know about the OP) drown their performances in flourishes or absolutely love to show off. When laymen see that they think "well if he can do that he can do anything(with cards)" So they want to see something more real(?)
Hence,some peoples behavior

Well yeah in that case, I agree. I've seen a few people do XCM or Flourishy stuff and then try to act like it was magic Coughliamwalshcough. If that's the case, then most people aren't impressed by the effect, but by the juggling as Simon Lovell would say.

Randy · May 26, 2009

Ampersan5340 said:
Rofl, no need to be a hypocrit.

And yes, you should do a sleight-free trick or a trick with a force or something very small they will never catch. This doesn't make the heckler angry it just puts him in his place. You can also say that your not going to perform if this heckler, or hecklers continue to heckle. I've had groups of people push those people or tell those hecklers to go away, it's very funny. Then again, they might like the heckler and dislike you for not continuing the trick, but you never want to perform for a crowd that is wanting to see you screw up, might as well just not even or or accept a trick.

You could glimpse the chosen card and do a mind-reading demonstration or test there "poker face" whatever you want.

If the heckler comes up to you and asks for a trick just say ," I don't have my cards/coins/ropes/ sponge balls today, sorry" or something. I highly doubt they will go out of their way to frisk you for your magic material.

Hope this helps

P.S: Thank you for giving such wonderful advice to our friend here Steerpike.

Why do you want to put the heckler in his/her place? Does it make you feel like a big man? I mean honestly, it doesn't do anything besides add fuel to the fire. If you honestly want to get rid of a heckler. Just ignore them and move on. Otherwise it's going to end up being a battle of half wits.

visualartist · May 26, 2009

Randy said:
Well yeah in that case, I agree. I've seen a few people do XCM or Flourishy stuff and then try to act like it was magic Coughliamwalshcough. If that's the case, then most people aren't impressed by the effect, but by the juggling as Simon Lovell would say.

Spot on.
Most of the time when Im performing card magic Ill place the cards on the table or tell the spectators to hold them awhile while im talking or doing something else. I try to not touch the cards constantly and to not look like such an expert with them.

Randy · May 26, 2009

visualartist said:
Spot on.
Most of the time when Im performing card magic Ill place the cards on the table or tell the spectators to hold them awhile while im talking or doing something else. I try to not touch the cards constantly and to not look like such an expert with them.

Well I prefer the Dai Vernon approach. The ONLY flourishy things I usually do are like a charlier or a faro or a lepzig cut.(yeah I probably spelled that wrong.).

I look at guys like David Williamson and others who aren't move monkeys and it's like when they pull off the effect it does look like real magic. Specially Lennert Green who looks like cluts.

Ampersan5340 · May 26, 2009

Randy said:
Why do you want to put the heckler in his/her place? Does it make you feel like a big man? I mean honestly, it doesn't do anything besides add fuel to the fire. If you honestly want to get rid of a heckler. Just ignore them and move on. Otherwise it's going to end up being a battle of half wits.

It'll shut him up. I don't know about you, but if you've ever expereinced a heckler, they don't just stop. They go to the worlds end to make you feck up.

visualartist · May 26, 2009

Randy said:
Well I prefer the Dai Vernon approach. The ONLY flourishy things I usually do are like a charlier or a faro or a lepzig cut.(yeah I probably spelled that wrong.).

I look at guys like David Williamson and others who aren't move monkeys and it's like when they pull off the effect it does look like real magic. Specially Lennert Green who looks like cluts.

Yeah,i get what your saying.
If your a magician and your performing with cards,your spectators expect you to be dextrous(?) or a bit fancy with cards.
Yet you have to do it lightly. Its alot more impressive and 'cool' if a magician does a simple elegant fan. Instead of a superfast or choppy sybil.

Randy · May 26, 2009

Ampersan5340 said:
It'll shut him up. I don't know about you, but if you've ever expereinced a heckler, they don't just stop. They go to the worlds end to make you feck up.

Yeah I realize that. But think about it. The more you try to prove him/her wrong. The more you are giving them what they want. They want to take the attention away from you. Which is why I said it's best to simply ignore them and move on.

Ampersan5340 · May 26, 2009

Randy said:
Yeah I realize that. But think about it. The more you try to prove him/her wrong. The more you are giving them what they want. They want to take the attention away from you. Which is why I said it's best to simply ignore them and move on.

But your not giving them anything, your making the other spectators have a gross dislike of them making them feel bad for what they did. it's worked for me 100% of the time and whenever I ask tehy how I did it they're like, "No man, don't want to dis-courage you or anything." They learn a lesson.

Randy · May 26, 2009

Ampersan5340 said:
But your not giving them anything, your making the other spectators have a gross dislike of them making them feel bad for what they did. it's worked for me 100% of the time and whenever I ask tehy how I did it they're like, "No man, don't want to dis-courage you or anything." They learn a lesson.

What would you want the other people to dislike them? They'll do that on their own when they realize their friend is being a dick. It just makes you look like you HAVE to prove everybody wrong. When you don't. Like I said, why let one person ruin your day. Ignore them and move on.

Ampersan5340 · May 26, 2009

Randy said:
What would you want the other people to dislike them? They'll do that on their own when they realize their friend is being a dick. It just makes you look like you HAVE to prove everybody wrong. When you don't. Like I said, why let one person ruin your day. Ignore them and move on.

rofl, I'm not proving anyone wrong, i'm teaching them a valuable lesson, "Never feck with the performer". And how many times have other spectators stopped hecklers? you have a more likely chance of being hit by lightning.

but whatever, you do your magic your way and I'll do mine my way.

Randy · May 26, 2009

Ampersan5340 said:
rofl, I'm not proving anyone wrong, i'm teaching them a valuable lesson, "Never feck with the performer". And how many times have other spectators stopped hecklers? you have a more likely chance of being hit by lightning.

but whatever, you do your magic your way and I'll do mine my way.

Actually you are trying to prove them wrong, by trying to perform a "burn proof" trick. like Steerpike said, it just pisses them off even more, which causes them to act like dicks even more. Thus you are adding fuel to the flame. If you ignore them and move on. You take away that fuel, thus they will end up walking away.

When you respond to their challenges. You are putting them in control of you and your show. Thus the attention is now back on them, just how they like it. As Jay Sankey would say "Never wrestle with a pig. You just end up getting dirty and the pig likes it."