Dealing with liars

Apr 24, 2014
4
0
When performing anything with a card reveal at the end, I usually come across spectators who lie about their cards. I know you guys will tell me about showing the card to other spectators, having them sign the card and stuff, but my main problem is on 1 on 1 situations. When theres a trick that calls for a forced card, I can tell the specatator's lying about their card
I just want to know how you guys deal with this.

Thanks
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
First off - Make sure you're not missing the force. It's easy to put it on the spectator but if you force the wrong card then you're the one messing up.

Second - Why are you having so many people trying to screw you up? If your spectators are consistently trying to mess you up, then you're challenging them somehow. Something in your presentation is making them want to make you fail. You need to change things so you are engaging them, getting them to like you, and then wanting you to succeed.
 
Apr 24, 2014
47
0
This happens to me aswell dunno why maybe coz I don't present it strong enough and they just wanna mess about or they just want to do it for annoying you
 

formula

Elite Member
Jan 8, 2010
968
5
In a one on one situation you can shrug it off easily because there's no pressure to please a group of people. However, there are lot's of one liners to combat difficult spectators. There are various books on combating this as well. The way you deal with it depends how old you are, how old they are, where you are and a few other things.
In any case, say something easy going like "maybe I'll have better luck next time". "that was a warm up" or "and they say practice makes perfect" so that you don't look like a try hard.
 

Justin.Morris

Elite Member
Aug 31, 2007
2,793
888
Canada
www.morrismagic.ca
ChristopherT has some good questions for you to explore.

Perhaps the effect you are doing would be best presented in a place where you can show more than one person. This way multiple people will see the card.

I had this happen one time during a show with a tossed out deck effect. Now I always have an invisible deck on me to cover my back.
 
Apr 24, 2014
4
0
First off - Make sure you're not missing the force. It's easy to put it on the spectator but if you force the wrong card then you're the one messing up.

Second - Why are you having so many people trying to screw you up? If your spectators are consistently trying to mess you up, then you're challenging them somehow. Something in your presentation is making them want to make you fail. You need to change things so you are engaging them, getting them to like you, and then wanting you to succeed.

When I mess up on forces, I move on to other routines like acr or something. But when I sucessfully execute the force, I know when they're lying about their card. Also, when it comes to walk around situations, I have no problem with people lying about their card. It usually happens when I perform at school for kids my age (15-18) or on the street for people my age. So basically, the sort of "rowdy" type teenagers are the people I have trouble with.
 
Oct 11, 2010
90
0
Denmark
You have to act as though it doesn't faze you in the slightest. Because that's what spectators are looking for when they lie, some sort of reaction. Don't give them the satisfaction and don't accuse them of lying.
Be the bigger man.

Then move on with a trick that either doesn't require them to pick a card or one where they sign the card.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
So you're challenging them in a social way. You're displaying a skill that is desirable and they are messing you up to show that you're not better than them. You need to change your performance so it's not a challenge to their social status (Which is something everyone that age is concerned with, even if they don't realize it - that's the time period when social status is being established).

The easiest way to do this one-on-one is to do a trick where they create the magical moment themselves - this gives them a feeling of power and collaboration and also subconsciously tells them, "He's not taking me down, he's boosting me up". In small groups you want to identify the Alpha of the group (it's easy, when you walk up, see who everyone looks at first) and make them look good. These are simplifications of course, but you get the idea.
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
Here is how you deal with it. Don't perform for them. If they try to get you to perform for them again, just tell them "No" in a nice manner or you can do it like Dr. Cox from Scrubs.

But if you really want to perform for them. Then stop doing pick a card tricks for and instead do things like coin magic or sponge balls. Things where they CAN'T say "That's not my card.".
 
Nov 26, 2013
207
2
When performing anything with a card reveal at the end, I usually come across spectators who lie about their cards. I know you guys will tell me about showing the card to other spectators, having them sign the card and stuff, but my main problem is on 1 on 1 situations. When theres a trick that calls for a forced card, I can tell the specatator's lying about their card
I just want to know how you guys deal with this.

Thanks
Like others have said, you are challenging them in some way. Make them feel like they are in control and they will no longer lie, try to mess you up, ect. If you make the situation feel like you are trying to impress them, instead of trying to fool them, they will most likely not lie anymore. The reason they lie is because they feel as if you are trying to show their stupidity by fooling them with magic. That's why if someone figures out one of your tricks, but they don't tell anyone how to do it, if they see you preforming the trick they figured out to someone else, they will say, "I know how to do it". They will not tell everyone how to do it, but they say "I know how to do it" so they will seem smarter than everyone else getting fooled. Hope this helps! ;)
 

Lyle Borders

Elite Member
Aug 5, 2008
1,604
859
Seattle, WA
www.theory11.com
Another way to help prevent this is to angle your tricks so that your spectators are "doing" the magic. Get yourself out of the picture. If your spectator feels that THEY could fail the trick in front of other people, they will do what you are asking. These people are often just looking for a good laugh, and if they can make someone else look bad that is how they get it. They won't usually want to look bad themselves. Help them to do something magical, don't just show them a trick.

// L
 

strudles

Elite Member
Oct 8, 2013
165
0
Oakton, Virginia
Considering that all who seem to have this problem are likely (due to the number of forum posts) very new to magic (nothing wrong with this, we all started at some point), they are not only unable to make engaging patter, but likely are very nervous or didn't practice enough; the latter of which would most likely attribute to the spectators wishing for them to fail (after all, who would lie about a chosen card if they don't have anyone in a group to impress, which is the reason hecklers exist in the first place). If you perform with an air of confidence and you put in the practice, as long as you aren't boring your spectators to death, you will hold their attention and they will want to see you succeed. This also can come in handy if you ever happen to flash the method; if you engage your audience in such a way, they will often berate the heckler, and tell him not to ruin the magic for everyone else.

Hope this helped,
Peter H
 
It's going to happen. Hell I've used a tossed out deck in my street show for about a year now and I've had spectators swear on the bible that they had selected a specific card that I know for a FACT isn't in the deck... since its just a four way force deck with an indifferent ace on the bottom. But hey... what can you do right? Sometimes people see one card, and they remember another. 6 of Hearts, vs 9 of diamonds. Clubs and spades can be confusing because they aren't common symbols. Some people never really know what to call a spade or club even though they've maybe seen one once or twice before. Or as others have pointed out, you could be setting yourself up for trouble by somehow challenging a spectator to beat you because you present yourself as being flawless with your magic.

Outside of better or more thought out scripting an easy way to combat this is to have more than one person look at the selected card. More eyes, more witnesses, more of a chance someone won't get away with any funny business when it comes time for the reveal. Having the card signed is another way to get around it. If they say that's not their card then strait up ask them what their card was. If they have to think about the answer then you know for sure they're screwing with you. If they rattle right off "jack of hearts" or what ever the card is then you can be pretty sure you just messed up the force- and that happens even to the best of us.
 

rob_tabris

Elite Member
Oct 18, 2011
327
228
Hey... I cannot say this doesn't happen to me... But I was lucky that every time I responded: "Really? This is not your card? O_O''?", they answer me: "No, that was my card. Nice trick"... Althought, when they answer me that, I realized they don't really care about the trick, because somehow, they don't really like magic... Or, at least, that's what they made me feel on those moments...
I read every response to this thread, and I think (at least, for me) that is impossible to predict someone gonna lie to you if it is the first time you gonna perform for that person... Of course, if you already had a little chat with him/her you can maybe predict his/her reaction, but it's too much to worry, I think...
What I would do on that situations, could be something like "How-to-save-a-trick-if-you-screw-it-already"... In my opinion, if you already started the performance, and revealed the selected card at the end of the effect and the spectator tells: "That's not my card...", I instantly would ask: "Really? Wasn't this?", and if he/she answers me "NO", I would ask for his/her "selected card", and at the same time turn the deck face up and cull or cut to the top the card he/she named. Later, make a color change with the real selection and handle him/her that card he/she just named... Could be a color change, a top change, a card-to-pocket or card-behind-the-ear or card-to-box or anything new, but with the card he/she just named... That way, you just not only shut his/her mouth up, but also performed a second "impossible" effect...
I think now-on, even when someone tell me: "That's not my card... Nah, just kidding", I gonna (at least try to) cull the other 3 of the kind to the top or bottom of the deck and make them appear somehow, backing up on the excuse that "he/she maybe confuses the selection with one of the other 3..."
Hope something of all these can help you... And good luck with your teenage audience LOL
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
What type of force are you doing? And you are most likely setting yourself up for failure by getting them to challenge you. You need to change your attitude to show them that you aren't flawless and unstoppable. You need to also get on their good side and maybe do something that isn't card magic before you do your card trick. Do a sponge ball routine and get them in the right frame of mind. Once you have done that and maybe a simple coin routine. They SHOULD be softened up to you and much more receptive.

Then again, you could just be dealing with people who don't like magic. If that is the case, then just end up and don't perform for them. Why waste your effort and energy on people that aren't into it?
 
This has happened to me once before years and years ago and its an easily fix, when forcing a card make sure more then one person sees the card also if you feel the spectator might lie about their selection, before your reveal make them or another person from the group name the card.Yet like others have said if you have the audience on your side and have a fun attitude this shouldn't happen. Good luck hope this helps!
 
Jul 13, 2010
526
34
Some people never really know what to call a spade or club even though they've maybe seen one once or twice before.
On David Williamson`s DVD "Ridiculous" there`s a live show where he asks a woman to name her card and she says "King of Flowers". Very funny. If you`re not too serious about it you could probably use such situations to your advantage.
 
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