What is your favorite wrong explanation you've heard?

Jan 2, 2016
1,092
881
24
California
I did a simple key card effect, where I found the card by just waving my hand over the spread out pack and I was accused of when I turned around I spread through and counted each and every card in under 3 seconds so I knew which card was missing. I came so close to saying "yeah, it's taken years of practice and skill to be able to count each card that fast". I wanted to take advantage of the situation and make it look like I am more skilled than I actually am.
I've gotten the "you have the deck memorized" before.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 010rusty
Mar 2, 2016
241
141
I think he's joking. As in, someone actually correctly called him out on a double lift. I had that happen once too, it was embarrassing. I managed to think clearly enough to use the KM move to ditch the double, but I didn't know how to finish the trick without trying to set the same thing back up, which at that point was very awkward.
Yeah, you're right it was a joke...
Obviously not a good one though...
>sad violin<
 

Josh Mickelson

Elite Member
Apr 26, 2016
85
71
Utah
Haha I love these. My wife's grandma claimed "magnets!" as the explination for me levitating a dollar bill.

Performing magic for my grandma is really funny sometimes! Once I did the classic Sharpie up nose out mouth thing to her, but with a steak knife, and she thought I was going to die. To this day she still thinks that I actually pushed it in my nose and pulled it out of my mouth.
 
Jan 26, 2017
2,173
1,338
23
Virginia
Oh I just remembered - once I did a full routine to aunt.
She responded with something that translates to
"You haven't been learning this from those Satan worshipers, have you?"
Only, she asked me this AFTER she told my dad 0_0
 
  • Like
Reactions: Antonio Diavolo

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
I did an effect using a one-way deck to select a card from a face-down tabled spread. The card was reinserted into the deck and then it turned face down in the deck (one face down card in the middle of a face-up spread which didn't have their card face up) and then all the other cards were turned over to be shown to have a different colored back.

The spectator said, "I know how you did all that... at the beginning there was one card that was sticking out more than the others and you wanted me to pick that one. I just played along."
 

Josh Mickelson

Elite Member
Apr 26, 2016
85
71
Utah
I had someone accuse me of using cards that change when you tilt them in the light (I did a standard color change.) lol ironically this was years before "Change" by Barnes became a thing lol

You had your chance to make that a genuine effect before Barnes and you didn't lol... tbh I was kinda disappointed with Change because the places I perform make it extremely hard to use, and it's a hard trick to perform in the first place. I've heard LOADS of other explanations for color changes though haha! Never that one though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Antonio Diavolo
Jan 2, 2016
1,092
881
24
California
I did an effect using a one-way deck to select a card from a face-down tabled spread. The card was reinserted into the deck and then it turned face down in the deck (one face down card in the middle of a face-up spread which didn't have their card face up) and then all the other cards were turned over to be shown to have a different colored back.

The spectator said, "I know how you did all that... at the beginning there was one card that was sticking out more than the others and you wanted me to pick that one. I just played along."
People always accuse me of using a force when I'm not using one and they never catch the force when I am forcing them a card. It's honestly great.
 

Josh Mickelson

Elite Member
Apr 26, 2016
85
71
Utah
I'll do a simple fan and people will accuse me of trying to make them take the card that has the most showing [kinda classic force-y], yet when I do a cull force, I'm yet to encounter any kind of suspicion at all haha!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Antonio Diavolo
Jan 2, 2016
1,092
881
24
California
I'll do a simple fan and people will accuse me of trying to make them take the card that has the most showing [kinda classic force-y], yet when I do a cull force, I'm yet to encounter any kind of suspicion at all haha!
The Cull Force is probably the most clean in the sense that it doesn't seem like you're pushing one card to them. Although, the classic force can be the same way if executed correctly.
 
Jan 26, 2017
2,173
1,338
23
Virginia
The Cull Force is probably the most clean in the sense that it doesn't seem like you're pushing one card to them. Although, the classic force can be the same way if executed correctly.
In that sense, almost any force can be. The most convincing one I've experienced is actually a riffle force. But even a cross cut force works fine. It all depends on how you, as the magician, are. If you're tense, they'll be tense - if you're relaxed, they won't care.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Antonio Diavolo
Jan 2, 2016
1,092
881
24
California
In that sense, almost any force can be. The most convincing one I've experienced is actually a riffle force. But even a cross cut force works fine. It all depends on how you, as the magician, are. If you're tense, they'll be tense - if you're relaxed, they won't care.
I prefer the cull/classic force as it just seems like I'm spreading through the deck like I usually do.
 
Oct 12, 2016
114
57
25
Utah
I've actually come to like the Hindu shuffle force in certain situations. It really just depends on the context. There's a self-working force taught in Royal Road that I totally dismissed at the time, but I tried dropping it off with instructions on a friend's doorstep, just for fun, and when it worked, even though I wasn't even there, she freaked out.
 

010rusty

Elite Member
Nov 12, 2016
1,276
1,730
LA (Lower Alabama)
I prefer the cull/classic force as it just seems like I'm spreading through the deck like I usually do.

I really like this force and I've never told anyone but I'll give it away:

I like to use the classic force, but if it fails I catch a pinky break at the force card and move their card to the top and ask them if they are "100% satisfied with their selection?" While I'm taking I do a pass. And show them the new card.

I call it the Amish force.
 

Josh Mickelson

Elite Member
Apr 26, 2016
85
71
Utah
I really like this force and I've never told anyone but I'll give it away:

I like to use the classic force, but if it fails I catch a pinky break at the force card and move their card to the top and ask them if they are "100% satisfied with their selection?" While I'm taking I do a pass. And show them the new card.

I call it the Amish force.

Wow, I really like that! I'm not very good at the classic force, mainly because I rarely practice it because of the possibility of failure, but that alternate out is good enough that I might just go and try it now lol. Thank you so much for sharing that idea! Honestly, the hardest part of the classic force is having the confidence to try the force in the first place over another force.
 
Jan 26, 2017
2,173
1,338
23
Virginia
I really like this force and I've never told anyone but I'll give it away:

I like to use the classic force, but if it fails I catch a pinky break at the force card and move their card to the top and ask them if they are "100% satisfied with their selection?" While I'm taking I do a pass. And show them the new card.

I call it the Amish force.
May I ask why it is called the Amish force?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Antonio Diavolo
Searching...
{[{ searchResultsCount }]} Results