Show me magic, show me again. Show him some magic.

[StevenLevitt]

When not being paid, or working as a magician in your normal life, school, college, university, work or what ever you do as a daily routine.

When people keep asking you for magic, do you always perform? - For example friends, colleagues or students, they have seen a lot of the magic you have done, and if they keep asking, what do you say or do?

(Hi to all by the way, I am hoping to hang around here again, I have been away from the scene for quite a while and it feels good already to be back.)

 

[Jacob L]

I'm not a trained monkey, so I don't just perform on someone's whim because they feel like it. If friends of mine keep on asking (they usually don't, they are pretty tired of that haha) I might do some if I'm in the mood, or say "maybe later." If I'm visiting my mom at work, though, and she's like "show Justin a trick" I usually just pull out CHM or a quick color change.

 

[Craig Browning]

You do need to put a curb on such people or they will drive you crazy. I've gone so far as to hand them a copy of the old kiddie show give away "101 Tricks You Can Do" I believe Loftus Novelty still carries it. The idea is "if you love magic so much, why not learn some rather than bothering me." but you offer the sentiment in a kinder manner.

I know guys that respond, "No problem, do you have a deck a cards handy?" Or "Ok, but I need a couple of half-dollars and an English Penny. . . (or similar line). The schmuck will eventually catch on, especially the more you ask for abstract items. . . but be prepare if they do happen to have the things you ask for. . . lol

I do know one guy that got so fed up that he increased the power of his Electric Touch type device and zapped the heck out of the bum. . . I don't recommend doing such things but such extremes do happen.

 

[formula]

Even when doing paid gigs I don't keep repeating the same trick for the same people, maybe twice but thats usually it.

I'm in my twenties and I know someone who is around 18. I was out having a casual drink with friends and this boy is on the table next to me, of course I'm playing with cards so he draws attention to me and his 5 or so friends keep asking me stupid questions about magic and asking if I can do this, if I can do that. I was kinda rude to them to be honest but I couldn't be bothered entertaining young boys. I don't recommend being rude but in my eyes they were being rude to me but that's just me.

 

[AsherF]

It depends on their attitude about it. But I do like to train myself to be ready to perform at any given moment, because it is an art that is to be done on the go. Now, while I like to be ready to perform at any given time, sometimes I'm just not in the mood. And I'd rather just not perform than give them an impression that I'm anything less than magical. So, I typically just say "perhaps later I'll show you something." And carry on with a conversation. Keep it simple. Keep it friendly. And in a way, the wording seems like a special privilage. And also doesn't seem so threatening to them.

 

[William Draven]

I love performing for people, be it a paid gig or not. The one thing that does tend to irritate me is when people just assume I'm there for their personal entertainment. Asking me to do magic is one thing (and often I will), but just because I'm a magician expecting me to do something usually doesn't work so well with me.

I really don't get a lot of flack about people wanting to see "new" material from me when asked to perform. Especially if they've seen me work before. Sometimes I'll get requests to do that one effect, then insert description here. But it's rare. If I do get flack about doing something someone else has already seen I usually just let it roll off my back, and engage the comment as minimally as possible.

When I'm working a party and there are kids present I'm usually very aware of the people I entertain for because kids tend to think they are clever. If they get fried themselves personally on a card trick and want you to do it again, for example, to catch you out on it, You of course refuse. So they go get their friends, and want you to show the same trick to their friends while they watch. I'll either switch up methods, or if unable to do that just simply do something else.

Welcome back Steven! Good to see you again.

 

[RickEverhart]

You have to love it when the people who you entertained last week, bring their friends back to see you and they say, "Hey...show'em that one where the Red Ball Turns into the Red Square..." Ha ha. Um...they've pretty much just blown that one.

If I am not being paid and am just out at someone's house, I always am ready to perform a few effects, but I don't like being TOLD by someone when I'm going to perform for the group. If I have someone ask nicely, that is a different story. I normally decline performing if people are demanding and being rude about it.

My close friends and family are sick of my close up work by now so they would rather I "NOT" perform and just relax and hang out.

 

[Randy]

Depends on the situation and where I am. Most of the time if I don't feel like performing, I simply won't do it. No need to let people think they can treat you like a puppet.

 

[visualartist]

for me college has been very different from high school. In college everyone respects my space more and lets me be,even though some know I perform. I get asked occasionally and im usually up for it as i carry a gimmick or two with me for some effects i would be able to do wherever i am.
I sometimes simply change the subject, im never just sitting there though. im either on my way to class or gym or to eat.

 

[starthelegend]

I'm not a trained monkey, so I don't just perform on someone's whim because they feel like it. If friends of mine keep on asking (they usually don't, they are pretty tired of that haha) I might do some if I'm in the mood, or say "maybe later." If I'm visiting my mom at work, though, and she's like "show Justin a trick" I usually just pull out CHM or a quick color change.

Could not have said it better myself. your not someones personal entertainer, if it isnt your job, and you simply aren't ready or just dont want to perform, then don't. But it doesn't hurt to walk around with a deck of cards every once in a while.

 

[coinartist]

It's just part of the game in my opinion. If someone is a doctor, you usually don't say "well then take out my appendix" although, if you're a magician, people immediately want to see some magic. We have one of the few hobbies/jobs where people want to see what we can do right in that moment. It's ok with me most of the time, but if I don't want to do any magic, I tell them and they respect it.
That's how it is for me, anyway. Nobody can MAKE me perform, but I'm usually happy to because I love magic and I love reactions, even on short notice. Not to mention, it's always in good fun.

 

[BlueSpade1000]

well it does not bother me much but I do get pretty mad when people beg me to do tricks at highly inappropriate times. Such as when I am trying to eat or when I am trying to talk to girls.

 

[edgician]

You have to love it when the people who you entertained last week, bring their friends back to see you and they say, "Hey...show'em that one where the Red Ball Turns into the Red Square..." Ha ha. Um...they've pretty much just blown that one.

That's the exact same with the card to mouth. People come back asking for you to "do the one where the card goes to your mouth" for their friend and then you're completely stuffed.

 

[RickLax]

Hey Steven. That's a really good question. I always wonder that about other magicians. When friends and friends-of-friends ask me to do something, I do it about 90% of the time. If I don't have a trick on me and I don't see anything in the immediate vicinity that can be used for a trick, I'll say, "Let me show you something in a little bit." And, in case anybody is curious, the trick I perform in that situation, most often, is Gregory Wilson's "Pitch and Ditch." How about you? Do you perform on cue?