I use a lot of magic with clowning. Platform performance and restaurants. I find I use the same effects as my fellow magicians with different story lines. I was wondering what your favorite "clown" magic effects are?

Stage: change bag, Strat-o-sphere, spotty bag, Cups of Doom, Don Allen's Comedy, Egg Can, Square Circle, and rope magic especially the comedy cut and restored routine.

Close up: sponge balls, 3D multiplying rabbits, paddle move effects, cardtoon, color monte...

Please share your favorites.

Hi Jewls,
My absolute favorite (so far) magic effect is the chick pan. I use a 260 with an assistant and a rabbit in the hat puppet. We have to stuff the balloon into the pan because the rabbit is going to make a balloon animal. When the balloon pops (with my help) we use a bandaid to fix the boo boo. With the help of the assistant and a funny magic wand, the balloon is "restored" into a balloon animal complete with bandaid. The child is the hero and gets to keep the balloon for helping.

I am on a quest to find a routine for the pom pom sticks and a comedy ending for the confusing crayons. Anyone out there willing to share?
Zoom

Jewls,
I like to start out with the trusty magic coloring book. It allows everyone to get involved. It teaches them the magic word for the day. It gets them vocal which the parents like. But when I do a private party I don't start with magic but with some songs and dance such as hokey pokey. It gets everyone up, let's everyone see who I am and what type of character I am.

I usually close with my dove pan. I do a magic show and then balloon animals for the kids. I take all of the broken pieces as I go and throw them in my dove pan where all can see. After the balloons are done and I am ready to leave, I do one last magic trick. I change the broken balloons into candy. It allows you to finish on a high with all the kids.
Jazzy

Zoom,
I have a couple of routines for the confusing crayons but they are not my favorite, I just use them for my second show. In fact they are on topic right now somewhere else on this site. It seems they won't be anyone's favorite until someone comes up with a really funny routine.

Jazzy,

Sounds like you have a fun well planned show. I don't give candy to children anymore, between finicky parents and health problems I found out early I was asking for trouble. Have you never had a problem?

I was doing a small walk around production of candy at my restaurant gigs and was stunned at how many parents wouldn't let their child have a piece of candy. These were the restaurant's after dinner mints.

Jewls,

I have never had any problems with the candy. I always offer the candy to the parents first and put it on their shoulders. Once in a while they say "no thank you" for the whole table. On the health issue, I do give out only wrapped candy. It is usally Life Savers or little chocolates. But over all, I have had no problems in over five years that I've included it in my show. I never feel bad if someone says "no."

I use the following in nearly every performance:

-TestaCroce (Mine)
-Muscle Pass Routine with coin-to-watch finish (Mine) It even includes lateral muscle passes right in font of their noses.
-Out Of This World
-Stratosphere
-Mis-Made Flag
-and "We start with a rope"

I change mis-made flag in and out of shows. It's not a regular, for example, 4th of July. I'm sure a lot of people will be busting it out now.

I forgot to mention the blooming bouquet and the nesting wands...well, lots of silly wands!

You guys are great. Keep ideas coming!

At first I will do a break on a rubberband and say "Oh man I broke this one", then throw it on the table and proceed, only to look at the table and see it restored. I look confused and ask if they switched the rubber on me. Then I follow into Crazy Man's Handcuffs with the patter of, as the person holds the one rubberband or I will hold both.

"Check out my rubber bands, they are strong," as I pull them out to show them locked. "Nothing can go through them they are so strong." Do move and show hands apart. Then look confused as how did that happen.

The best of the best for me is Coin Through the Pants in Bobo's coin magic book. It is so simple.

Hello All you Clowns out there,

I am new to this Café and just started to post, I am a Balloon Artist and Magician... but many people do call me a clown! I have colors in my hair every day and balloons and magic on hand at a moments notice. I don't leave home without my squeeker and watch winder. Make your balloon animals come alive with sounds and motion.

About the candy ...I used to do it but found parents did not like it, then I used sugarless gum instead, that went over well and I can talk about bubbles from gum can and should stay in their mouth but latex balloon bubbles should never be in your mouth! This helps them remember important safety tips.. Parent love it!

I always wanted to run away and join the circus to become a clown but I do not like to wear makeup so I guess this will be the closest I'll get! Can I still join this Magic Café clown alley?

People see me as a magician today but my start was as a rodeo clown. My favorite prop was the double color changing handkerchief. At the tender age of 60, I still do it. I have them in about every color combination you can imagine. Lucy and I even have a routine in which we use two that keep changing from black and a white to a red and a white silk tied together. Finally, since we can never match, we toss them into the change bag and they come out red and white and black and white zebra stripes.

MisMade Flag is an automatic laugh getter for clowns. We even have several (since I am the magic silk importer) "wrong" flags not available from magic shops. We also use long silk streamers in that act.

Magic and clowning go together.

Enjoy!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

I am a clown /children’s entertainer and the piece that stills the show for me is Adam’s water pitcher. It's a little brown jug that keeps refilling when empty. It packs small and plays big. It’s a great running gag.

Chance Wolf Funhouse with all the ballon gags works great for me.

Run Rabbit run
Zipper gag bag
Coloring book. The easiest trick in the world. and always gets the most reaction
Stratosphere
Wobble wand and the breakaway wand

Sponge balls

worlds greatest banana trick (Dan Garrett)

D-lites

Cressey throw coils

pizzadigitation

Axtell every thing

multiplying billiards

I do a Miser's dream whether as a magician or Clown. Also, Jumping Knot of Pakistan (Daryl's moves) and Doc Waynes story about "Early Romance". Prof Nightmare is also one I use.

I have been wanting to add a miser's routine for years. Who's bucket do you use or do you do it with out the gimmick?
Come on inspire me to get busy with a miser's dream routine!!!

Hurricane Rita ran me out of Houston at the Texas Clown Association convention in 2005. So I would love to get back on schedules at some clown conventions for 2006. Specifically, today I am essentially a stage magician with over four decades in the professional entertainment industry, published, experienced and empty nest! What I would like are some opportunities to lecture and teach about comedy magic for clowns and have a booth in the dealer room. Since 1969 I have been in the import business. I am the magicians' silk importer.

Lucy and I also do animal magic.

Your assistance in making contacts leading to this end is appreciated.

Thank you!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Click here to view attached image.

Hello again Bob,
Clowns of America International and World Clown Association both hold annual conventions.
Visit their web sites....
I belive I told you before about http://www.clownevents.com It has all of the upcoming events and contact info.
AS I told you before Duain Laughlin is the clown silk guy at this time... and I see he is booked at many of the 2006 conventions.
There are a lot of great clown lecturers and dealers you many find it difficult to get in.
Best of Luck,
Jewls

Thanks Jewls,

Good to hear from you again. And thank you again for talking with me over the phone weeks ago. You were very gracious and a big help.

As long as the dealer is one of my wholesale customers, I am not remotely interested in marketing against them. But I would enjoy the excuse to be at the conventions. Now that Lucy and I are empty nest, we can have more fun time on the road.

Besides, how many 60 year-olds do you know that carry around in his brief case the sponge nose that the real Patch Adams gave him?

Thanks again for the information. Keep them smiling.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Favourite "clown effects" are:

coin magic,

disappearing flower

TT with silk or streamer

magic pen that writes any colour and then that colour handkerchief appears in little box

card trick using normal deck and one jumbo card