I was doing some card tricks today at my old high schools football game and after I did them for awhile kids started asking me to do "the arm trick" (my stigmata that i'm kinda renowned for in my town haha). I kept denying them and eventually a kid told me he'd give me $5 to watch it. Well I couldn't refuse that. So I made $5 doing fairly simple (a few stunners) tricks for about 20 mins. I was just wondering if this is kinda different or do you guys have this happen a lot? It's only happened to me twice so I'm just curious.
Making Money Doing Street Magic
- Thread starter bmrbu34
- Start date
For most of us I'd think what you experienced is quite close to what brought us into performing for a fee or via the hat pass; people requesting you to do specific pieces or calling you up to be part of a party, etc.
When I was in the Navy as well as my days in Cincinnati's Playboy Club I was well known for doing the Magic Ding-Dong and would have people (horny guys) slipping me everything from $5.00 to $50.00 to come to their table "next" and do it to their girls. This and my handling of Cigarette thru Quarter were trademarks when it came to my close-up work and the two routines that would give me the tips... However, doing the Magic Ding-Dong in public might not prove as lucrative... it could be down right dangerous...
"Busking" has changed a bit from my day but it still involves a hat on the ground and you busting your fury fellas in order to eek out a living. When I was doing this sort of thing in Hollywood years ago, the approach was more akin to a carnival pitchman than a traditional magician. Though I did trick most of what I did was a demonstration for things I was selling, such as a Svengali or Stripper Deck, Modeling Balloons, etc. and even with a physical product, it was a challenge to make a serious buck... BUT, as with any business, a change of venue will change the "net" results. Working key tourist sites like Santa Monica Pier or Fisherman's Warf or outside establishments like the Hollywood Wax Museum... such locations are gold for the busker.
IF this is a path you are thinking about trying out, I would strongly encourage you to study footage of as many fast talking "hustler" type performers as you can find; Harry Anderson, Ricky Jay, even some of the old actors like Pat Bucktram (Mr. Haney from Green Acres) and of course Gruber (Carl Balentine) on McHale's Navy... take on that hustler attitude and learn how to entertain but at the same time 'control' folks by using your voice and "big" expressions. Ignoring the effects, this is the real secret to busking it would seem.
When I was in the Navy as well as my days in Cincinnati's Playboy Club I was well known for doing the Magic Ding-Dong and would have people (horny guys) slipping me everything from $5.00 to $50.00 to come to their table "next" and do it to their girls. This and my handling of Cigarette thru Quarter were trademarks when it came to my close-up work and the two routines that would give me the tips... However, doing the Magic Ding-Dong in public might not prove as lucrative... it could be down right dangerous...
"Busking" has changed a bit from my day but it still involves a hat on the ground and you busting your fury fellas in order to eek out a living. When I was doing this sort of thing in Hollywood years ago, the approach was more akin to a carnival pitchman than a traditional magician. Though I did trick most of what I did was a demonstration for things I was selling, such as a Svengali or Stripper Deck, Modeling Balloons, etc. and even with a physical product, it was a challenge to make a serious buck... BUT, as with any business, a change of venue will change the "net" results. Working key tourist sites like Santa Monica Pier or Fisherman's Warf or outside establishments like the Hollywood Wax Museum... such locations are gold for the busker.
IF this is a path you are thinking about trying out, I would strongly encourage you to study footage of as many fast talking "hustler" type performers as you can find; Harry Anderson, Ricky Jay, even some of the old actors like Pat Bucktram (Mr. Haney from Green Acres) and of course Gruber (Carl Balentine) on McHale's Navy... take on that hustler attitude and learn how to entertain but at the same time 'control' folks by using your voice and "big" expressions. Ignoring the effects, this is the real secret to busking it would seem.