Out of My Comfort Zone With SNL Show

[notsoltd]

Okay, okay, not really. But it's set up like Saturday Night Live. And that's what has me nervous. (also I apologize in advance this got lengthy)

The show is called Cork Grinders Live. I performed a 20-25 minute stand up set for the show several months back and it was a hit. This Friday is the last CGL of 2016 and they're doing a 'best of' show.

This round is different. I am going to be doing an interview style performance. I opted not to do a stand up set because I don't have very much stand up material and it could very easily be a lot of the same people as last time.

So here's the set up - I'm going to be sitting on the right side of a couch. To my left, also on the couch, will be the co-host of the show and to my right, behind his desk (and also a tad behind me) is the host. I have to perform something that can play equally to them and the rest of the audience which could be anywhere from 20 to 100 people, depending on the turnout. They want my time on stage to be about 15 minutes. I normally wouldn't be too worried about this, but lately I've been getting the question "do you only do card tricks?" I definitely don't, but they ARE my favorite and usually what I resort to.

I decided to challenge myself to do this without any card tricks.

The main routine I've been thinking is a signed bill into The Abyss (the Oz Pearlman thing). I'm thinking I can have the host to my right sign and fold up the bill and then cross the gaze switch to hand it to the co-host on my left to 'make sure it's creased tightly.' I've been worried about the vanish of the bill. I haven't thought of a way to make it totally vanish, angle proof, in a way that can play for these two guys and the audience. Thought about using a lighter leash but it's too finicky. I think I'm going to just pull out a pair of metal tongs and grab the bill back with those. I'll proceed to take out a blow torch and burn it completely. That should be funny.

I'm posting this because I would like to throw around some ideas with you guys. I'm still pretty indecisive on what I should do. It might also be because I love typing with this new keyboard... this has gotten kind of long lol I'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, advice or anything else you guys have to say!

Some other things -

I thought about doing a bill levitation before everything with spider pen buuuuuut I decided against that because stage lights are going to destroy me.

I am also considered starting with "people often ask me if I only do card tricks and I actually do a lot more than just that! I specifically brought something that wasn't cards to show everyone. They're photos. ..........of playing cards. (insert laughs) I have a problem... lets really do something different, does someone have a dollar?" I'd do Into The Abyss, as above, and then come back to the photos later saying something like "they're actually photos of some cards from a deck that was used by Houdini himself and I want to share a story about them with you" and then I would end with Houdini's Influence.

 

[RealityOne]

I think you might be confusing the Crossing the Gaze Switch with something else. I think the second best method to use is a shuttle pass which uses two hands (which is what I think you are thinking of) but the best method is a billet switch that uses one hand.

I'm not familiar with the Abyss. How does the bill reappear? I've always loved the classic Bill to Lemon, Orange, etc. Mark Wilson's Complete Course has a great method using three lemons. There are a bunch of convincers you can build in, including having the co-host read off / write down the serial number. PM me if you want details.

If this is television, check that you have rights to perform Houdini's Influence on television. A lot of effects do not come with permission to perform on television... I just don't remember about Houdini's Influence. Also, think about how the effect will "broadcast" to the camera -- how can the camera show the effect so the audience at home can see it.

If you do Houdini's Influence, you will have to have a spectator come up to justify the use of the crumpled ball. I guess you could give it to the host to hold, showing him and having the prediction hide in plain sight. For your presentation, there is a Houdini Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania which would be a good place to take pictures of the cards. Also, make sure to leave the cards with the host at the end of the effect.

If you have a Genii subscription, check out Juan Tamariz's Paradise Recovered in the November 2010 issue. It is also in his book Verbal Magic. This is a great New Year's Eve trick because the presentation could be easily adapted to talk about hopes for the New Year. You could bill it as not really being a card trick. It uses cards, but it is really about us and our hopes for the New Year. You can have the host and co-host participate and even give cards to the audience members.

 

[notsoltd]

I think you might be confusing the Crossing the Gaze Switch with something else. I think the second best method to use is a shuttle pass which uses two hands (which is what I think you are thinking of) but the best method is a billet switch that uses one hand.

I'm not familiar with the Abyss. How does the bill reappear? I've always loved the classic Bill to Lemon, Orange, etc. Mark Wilson's Complete Course has a great method using three lemons. There are a bunch of convincers you can build in, including having the co-host read off / write down the serial number. PM me if you want details.

If you do Houdini's Influence, you will have to have a spectator come up to justify the use of the crumpled ball. I guess you could give it to the host to hold, showing him and having the prediction hide in plain sight. For your presentation, there is a Houdini Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania which would be a good place to take pictures of the cards. Also, make sure to leave the cards with the host at the end of the effect.

You're right, I'm thinking just a shuttle pass. With the Abyss, the bill appears in between two index cards that have been stapled together all the way around the edges. They can look at it and tear it open themselves.

I really don't like bill in fruit. I've seen the method you're talking about in Mark Wilson's book, Carl Cloutiers bill in kiwi and even methods that minimize the mess but they just don't cut it. Between the mess that comes with the routine and the amount of space it takes up, the effect just isn't worth it to me. I really like the idea of having the co-host read off the serial number. If I went this route I could make the bill appear anywhere...

This won't be filmed at all (except maybe by myself) so I don't have to worry about performance rights. As far as the crumpled ball goes, I thought about just saying something along the lines of "I need someone to catch this for me." Toss. "Someone's got it? Good. Normally I'd have you come up here, but since we've got these guys, I'm going to ask you to just stay where you are for now. As far as the paper ball goes, congrats, you're the only one here who gets to take home an official Cork Grinders Live souvenir. " I'd then go through the selection with the host and at the end have the guy come up and read the article.

 

[notsoltd]

@RealityOne Also meant to add that I sent you a PM