shyness, alcohol, card magic and a beginner

[Mouseff]

Hi,

so I have now been doing magic for about a month (cardistry over a year) and did notice that I do better performances when drunk.
With that I don't mean the people freak out more, thats of course so but thats only because their drunk too I think, but that I talk and present better.
It's kinda like aproaching women...


So what I wanted to know is if that is similar with you guys or if thats just me beeing a bit more shy than the average dude while enjoying entertaining other people, unlike the average shy dude, so me beeing something strange and in between thing? And what you would recommend me doing of course.
BTW: Since I'm not really an expert on this I compare my performance with classmates and friends while sober to those while drunk performing to anyone who cared to watch.....

mouseff

 

[IAmTheChin]

The fact that you've just started practicing magic makes it easier to understand that you do perform better while under the influence. When first starting anything, nerves are usually the hardest things to overcome. However over time this nervousness will go away, and your performance will and SHOULD be better sober than drunk.

Now that's not to say your BEST and most MEMORABLE performances won't occur while drinking. While I was still in college, I've had random people tell me how AMAZING my card tricks were without me remembering that I had even performed at the party. Don't rely on alcohol because if you do, you're bound to get sloppy. But always know that a magician's best audience is a DRUNK audience, same goes for comedy.

 

[ReservoirRed]

I don't recommend it brother. I'm Irish and i don't even perform drunk. I remember doing it once, a few years ago at a house party, and did some card to pocket and card under glass routines, but i almost ruined all of my good work, by messing up a riffle force. A RIFFLE FORCE! If you really need to perform drunk to be good, you need to make changes, or practice while drunk. Liquid courage isn't the answer to anything.

 

[William Draven]

I don't see anything other than a lot of rebuke for the suggestion of performing drunk coming in this thread. I for one don't do it. I don't advertise it, I've seen magicians get fired from gigs for performing drunk, and I'd fire someone off my play list if I was producing and saw it happen.

This is nothing but a formula for bad things. If you need alcohol to get over your self consciousness issues, then perhaps performing isn't for you?

 

[RickEverhart]

I'm with Draven on this. Do not get into a habit of this or you will have a VERY difficult time getting and keeping gigs. It only takes one bad gig where a client says to another, "Well...he was good but he had alcohol on his breath or said a few inappropriate things." This will spread like wild fire and ruin your reputation. I always have people offer to buy me drinks at gigs and I'm simply decline nicely and say that I am hired by the client to perform and I need to be on top of my game. I've even had parents offer me beers after I've just performed for their child's birthday party....That is a HUGE no no in my book. Why would I want to stand and drink beer in front of the children who I just entertained? I know that doesn't pertain to you at all but just a point I'm trying to make.

Now, I completely understand where you are coming from as far as your nerves. The more and more you entertain (notice I didn't say do tricks) that fear will turn into anxiety and excitement because you will be bursting to get into your routines / sets. The other thing that was mentioned which is true, is believe it or not you will have a time when you are drinking and performing and you will get sloppy on a control or part of an effect and it kind of kills the mood when everyone just saw you flash horribly.

 

[Mouseff]

ok so I should stop performing drunk at all, I thought about that before and after what I read here I will do it. But I didn't honestly think that it's that bad, cause til now I cant tell from any messed up trick, but I guess it would come.

@Rick
you mean I should tell more jokes or stories so I get a good feeling about handling and interacting with people and start with the tricks later?

 

[TheatreHead]

Don't get used to performing drunk.

If it becomes habitual, then it becomes destructive. Fitzkee talks about this in Showmanship for Magicians, which I'll post here when I get home and can look up the exact quote. But eventually the gist of it is: if it becomes to habitual, you'll find that you won't be able to perform at all without drinking, especially if you're using it as a tool to calm your nerves.

 

[Ola]

I haven't read all the answers, but I think as long as you don't overdo it, a little liquid courage is OK.
I've been doing magic for years now, but the nerves still gets me, no matter how much I perform.
Magic out on the town after a couple of drinks eases the tension, and makes it more enjoyable for ME. I don't do magic solely for others, I do it because I like to. I'm no dancing monkey, I want something out of it to, be it fun or money.
I have more fun after three drinks, and it reflects back on my audience. Period.

 

[ReservoirRed]

I haven't read all the answers, but I think as long as you don't overdo it, a little liquid courage is OK.
I've been doing magic for years now, but the nerves still gets me, no matter how much I perform.
Magic out on the town after a couple of drinks eases the tension, and makes it more enjoyable for ME. I don't do magic solely for others, I do it because I like to. I'm no dancing monkey, I want something out of it to, be it fun or money.
I have more fun after three drinks, and it reflects back on my audience. Period.

When you are being paid to perform, your fun comes second.

 

[Icecool]

Im a amateur and only perform for friends and family. I need one or two beers before performing.. Ofcause that is not called drunk, its caned confidence. Im posting to say that your not alone Mouseff!

Erik.

 

[Craig Browning]

Im a amateur and only perform for friends and family. I need one or two beers before performing.. Ofcause that is not called drunk, its caned confidence. Im posting to say that your not alone Mouseff!

Erik.

I know of at least six major names in our biz that started with that can or two of confidence who are now chronic drunks that can't do a decent set unless they've had a six pack or more. One in particular tried to work sober for roughly a year and ended up destroying his reputation as a solid performer -- he'd become so dependent on the booze that he lost his ability to shine without it.

My own coke habit started the same way, a touch of nose candy about ten minutes before the show and I would knock them dead. . . within a year I had to take breaks between sets in the show in order to do another line or two. . . in under two years time I was doing over an ounce of blow a week which ultimately cost me everything.

We can make our excuses for only so long, then we must start looking at our reality. . . hopefully before we end up in the hospital, divorced, bankrupt, or worse.

 

[b_08]

Hi,

so I have now been doing magic for about a month (cardistry over a year) and did notice that I do better performances when drunk.
With that I don't mean the people freak out more, thats of course so but thats only because their drunk too I think, but that I talk and present better.
It's kinda like aproaching women...

And I assure you that....just like approaching women...it's only in your own mind that you think you're doing better. From their perspective you're not nearly as engaging, charming, funny, or cool as you think you are in your own drunk mind.

Besides some of the good response here, I would recommend you read Social Intelligence by Daniel Goodman. You can find it on Amazon use for about $8.

Don't take short cuts, whether that be with your magic or your social skills. You'll never get to the place you want with short cuts. In the back of your mind you'll always feel insecure and that you're not good enough because you know you haven't put in the work. Men who need alcohol to approach women will never get or keep women in their life...they aren't memorable in a positive way and they have no true value. Magicians who need alcohol to perform fall under the same bad perceptions.

If anything, you should be at your best when sober and a little off when you're drunk....not the other way around.