Comedy mentalism routines?

[Steerpike]

Oh, sorry. I thought most people knew what constructive criticism was. Here, to clear things up:


Main Entry: constructive criticism
Part of Speech: n
Definition: criticism or advice that is useful and intended to help or improve something, often with a nice offer of possible solutions

I know what it is, but I want to know what you think it is. This answer tells me everything I need to know. So that in mind, do not tell me how to criticize.

 

[Craig Browning]

Thank you toby for answering my original question

and thank you craig

Im not into coin, or rope magic...and for large crowds a good mentalism routine will work wonders.

With that logic why don't you just run out and pick up an Asrah?

You have the idea of Mentalism in your mind, most likely because it's what "everyone else is doing" . . . there are some great comedic bits you can do like Bob Cassidy's UFO or John Rigg's "Procrastinating Prognosticator" . . . both are hilarious (especially the latter) I've used both and had people on the floor with them and while the Rigg's routine means you need to do some creative photoshopping so as to make up the tabloid covers, it's well worth it. Lee Earle has a ton of great Mental Magic routines in the SYZYGY series that fit your parameters as well BUT, you don't yet have the chops to pull them off . . . or so I'd assume given that you don't seem to know anything about Mentalism as of yet. . . Had you read Corinda, Annemann and even Karl Fulves you would already have foundation material that you could spin . . . you're looking for a short cut -- a TRICK, not Mentalism.

Mr. Butterfield, the majority of acts that parody Mentalists do so in a manner that put down the art. The Great Karnack (Johnny Carson) did a fun and tasteful Parody and there are others (sadly, my brain is shorting out and I can't recall names). It's difficult for most, especially an inexperienced individual, to pull off this kind of tasteful persona. . . and no, I don't take some of the bits others do very well in that they honestly do hurt certain forms of mentalism and those of us that perform in said manner. I guess I'm a lot like shut-eye Dowsers & Phrenologist when it comes to such things.

Understand. . . humor is vital to a good mentalism show but so is believability. Every time someone does an act that makes a Mind Reader look dumb, it hurts the craft. Maybe I'm being too touchy on the subject but I have the obligation to steer people away from that sort of comedy vs. accepting it.

I must emphasize to the OP that Mental Magic is the area they want to research, it is where they will find the kind of gag they are looking for. I would also suggest doing a google search on Comedy Mentalism and check out the sites of those performers that are working just such an act. I just did that very search trying to find a certain performer's video; I couldn't find him but I found hundreds of pages that cover this very topic.

 

[JButterfield]

Mr. Butterfield, the majority of acts that parody Mentalists do so in a manner that put down the art. The Great Karnack (Johnny Carson) did a fun and tasteful Parody and there are others (sadly, my brain is shorting out and I can't recall names). It's difficult for most, especially an inexperienced individual, to pull off this kind of tasteful persona

I agree, and was basically saying that it's not impossible to do such things. Perhaps should have put in the bit about it needing a deft and experienced touch to do well.

And I think that the majority of any art is bad... for every decent singer, there's a million people ruining great compositions at karaoke, terrible hobbyists making bad paintings, and bad actors far outnumber good ones.

I loved the Great Carnac! Similar bits were Steve Allen's Answer Man and Ernie Kovacs' Mr. Question Man.

 

[Steerpike]

Part of what this goes to is that Johnny was friends with magicians. He learned personally from Paul Gertner, who made two appearances on the show himself. He could parody magic with an insight of someone who knew.

Let me put it another way. When people make jokes about nerds, have you noticed that they're always the same jokes? They always portray nerds as socially retarded man-children who are just one bad D&D session away from a school shooting. Why? Because that **** is easy to write and gives people a sense of ego-gratifying schadenfreude by laughing at a stereotype. It's lazy writing in other words.

Now compare those stereotype jokes about nerds to say... Jonathon Coulton's EP Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow. The independent comedy movie The Gamers. Dexter's Lab. Any of the comics that Aaron Williams has created. These things are funny because the creators understand nerd culture and are able to make genuinely witty and insightful jokes and observations about the subject matter. This is more difficult to do, but it results in a better product.

 

[Craig Browning]

When I used to be a regular at the Castle there was old gent named Henry I often had lunch with. Henry was an black gentleman who collected black racial "humor". . . the more racist and satire the better. He had a three ring notebook filled with hundreds of such jokes . . . I'm known of Rabbi that collected Jew Jokes, a blond "bimbo" (in appearance at least) that collected blond jokes and so forth. It is the minority that "get it" and can present it best; people that have endured the uglier side of those implications.

Have you ever noticed how it takes an exceptionally skilled dancer to play the part of a poor dancer or skater, skier, pilot, etc. ?

The Great Balentine was able to parody classic magic because he really was an accomplished magician though the public never saw him do a trick that worked.

Just a few example that tie to what's been said and food for thought.