AMAZING Experience.

Dec 20, 2009
343
0
Mumbai, India
Hi everyone,

This is something that happened to me about three days ago that I'd like to share.

So I was watching TV and a commercial came up saying the Derren Brown Show would be on at 8pm. I'd already seen that episode twice the previous day but I figured I'd watch it again.Don't judge me! There was a change of plans though, I had to go out to my mom's friends house.

So we went there, I walked in, noticed the TV on in the kitchen,on the same channel as where the Derren Brown show airs.
After a while,They asked me to perform some magic. I did a couple of tricks, it went well. Then they popped the question. " Do you do anything other than card magic?"(IDK why, but I get that alot). Normally, I go into some coin stuff when people ask me that. But then, I had an idea...I thought It'd never work but I figured I'd give it a try. I could see the TV from where I sat. So I said, "let me try something, its sort of freaky...it does use cards though." They said OK.

I asked the lady whose house we were at pick a card, she did. I then proceeded to do the fakest of fake coughs. Everyone was very confused. The situation was sort of like this.

cough cough cough. *Normal-straight face* I think I need some water. cough cough cough. *straight face* Excuse me. I'll Be right back. cough "Dont forget your card" I stood up and started walking towards the kitchen still fake coughing periodically.

The lady told me to sit and offered to get me some water. I gave her, what seemed like a 'Thank you' smile. but it was really a 'HOLY CRAP, THIS JUST MIGHT WORK' smile.
So, she went in. I stopped coughing, sat back down and looked at her. She got a glass out, looked at the TV. Turned around and came out.

With an empty glass and a look of complete amazement on her face. Everyone asked her what happened. She said..."The TV...there was a card-exactly like those" she said pointing at the cards, (I assume she meant the backs were the same.)

"and then the person turned it over and it was the same as mine - the three of diamonds."Is it still there?" the others asked. "I don't know" she said. Her husband went into the room to look at the TV, just as he stood up...the room got dark. The electricity had cut off, in just a few seconds, it came back on. Her husband and daughter went into the room, the TV came on and went back to channel #1, they looked through the channels to see where the show was...but couldn't find anything that seemed like It would have cards on it.

Her husband seemed like he thought it was a coincidence. I couldn't really tell what her daughter thought But that one lady was ASTOUNDED It was really a great experience. The timing was perfect, of the card turning over AND the lights going off. Haha. It was really...awkward. But thats what made it awesome.



- Jenai
 
Dec 18, 2007
1,610
14
64
Northampton, MA - USA
Firstly, I do hope you learned the more important lesson in this situation -- STOP BEING CODEPENDENT ON PLAYING CARDS, there's a hell of a lot more to the world of magic and while they can be amusing in small doses, it gets boring and repetitive. At minimum you should invest in material about Bar Magic and Improvisational routines. I know Stevens Magic used to carry a series of great videos on these topics but I'm uncertain if or not they've been translated from tape to disc. I wouldn't hurt to drop them a note and see given who is featured on these pieces and what they share (Burger, Mullica, Kornhouser, Malone, etc.)

Secondly, Stephan Minch has mentioned several times that Mentalists always take credit for such "coincidences" but prior to his encouragement Vernon and Malini both explained to folks the difference between doing a "trick" and delivering a "Miracle" -- yes, I am referring to famous "Sandwich" story -- If you were to make a sandwich appear form nowhere you've presented a trick; do the same thing when faced with a street person that's hungry and you have become a miracle worker. While I don't recommend carrying a Tuna Salad sandwich in your pocket all the time, I would hope that the concept behind this thinking encourages you to look at the many ways by which to capitalize on circumstance & events. Again, this is much easier for someone that's a full-time Mentalist vs. Magician but not an impossibility for the latter, provided he/she is clever and studied -- prepared with a solid arsenal of even simple effects, that can become "huge' positive memories for the observer. . . and let me give you an example as to how easy this can be; I think it's State Farm Insurance that gives little teddy bears to kids that have survived major disasters such as the recent Tornado ordeal in the American south. Don't sound like much, a $1.00 Teddy for a kid, but consider the psychological impact that gesture makes on the kids, their parents and ultimately the community they belong to. Look at how that one simple gesture is an investment that can bring about (and usually will) consumer loyalty a decade or more later.

From a magic world perspective, while the name of Blackstone is a fixed label to this art can you name anything major, outside his show, that either Blackstone did to solidify that reputation and make them America's Most Beloved Magician?

Harry Sr. managed to save the lives of hundreds by moving the entire audience out of the burning theater onto the city streets where he continued to do a show (less the grand effects) on the bed of a truck. He did so in a very orderly manner with show patrons unaware of the emergency until after they were safely outside and in many cases, after his performance.

Harry Jr. took the lead by pushing education and encouraging young people to do and be more -- to chase their dreams and believe in the "magic" of "Knowledge"

Sometimes we must create the coincidence - putting ourselves in the right place at the right time. Most of the time however, we must simply be aware, alert and prepared to meet apparent challenge as well as opportunity, which goes directly back to what I said in that first paragraph -- stop being so co-dependent on playing cards and actually learn MAGIC -- it's a huge, HUGE arena and every participant within it does his/her self a terrible disservice when they don't invest time into its many facets, creating working routines they can move into at the drop of a hat.

Don't argue it, think about it and improve yourself because of it.
 
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