Why do we contradict ourselves? On the one hand we stress the importance of using props and other objects that are familiar and unassuming in our magic and then rave over a gimmick like WOW that has absolutely no meaning in its appearance no matter how hard we try to rationally explain it to an audience. Sure,its a cool toy to share with the fellers at the monthly club meeting (right after the 45 minute business portion is over), but the real world is going to eventually put two and two together and assume that the funky little card sleeve had to have something special in it to help the magician...oh yeah, I forgot...you can order a nongaffed WOW to switch in for the gimmicked one. I can see the fumbling awkwardness already as our roving magician attempts to smoothly make the sleeve switch unsuspicious. Perhaps his next effect will use a card box to restore a torn card!

It all about presentation, "feller".

Often the spec will examine the card first after Wow as the sleeve can be show to be see-through with nothing hidden in it. Whilst they are examining the card you place to the Wow sleeve in your pocket. If they ask to examine it, you pull out the ungaffed version. Easy!
If the things you have in your pockets are organised and you know where they are, there will be no fumbling as you can go straight to it.

Wow does have a suspicious looking sleeve, yes, but I have used this effect in real world settings as people love it, especially if it's included as part of another routine where you end it by saying you will make the card impossible for you to get your hands on. I've never had it questioned anbd if used in the right way is a great, visual piece of magic.

This may not be useful for everyone, but here in NY, it's not uncommon at all for people to have little holder very similar to the Wow sleeve for their Metro card or LIRR ticket. It's quite easy to kill any suspicion by keeping your ticket in there, so your audience sees it when you introduce the sleeve. It also gives the added bonus of them seeing the card through the sleeve; a subconscious way of proving that it's totally transparent and empty.

With that said, I've performed Wow a number of times without any kind of ticket in it. I just bring out the little sleeve and go about my merry way. Nobody has ever asked about the sleeve. They're much too focused on the card that comes out of it. They assume that the card itself must be gimmicked in some way.

For me, it usually goes down like this...

The card changes, and I remove it from the sleeve about 1/4 to 1/2, allowing THEM to grab the edge and pull the card all the way out.

They check out both sides of their card, scratch the face, and look it over again.

Then they might look up and ask if I had two cards in the sleeve. I shown it front and back, they see right through it, and go back to examining their card.

I've only ever had one person ask to look at the sleeve, which I allowed. They took it, glanced at both sides, and handed it back. I do not own the ungimmicked switch version.

As for the switch, I agree with Lord Freddie. The classic switch of putting something away and then taking it back out again is all you need. "Oh, I'm sorry, did you want to see this too?" or whatever line you want to use. Personally, I'm not worried at all about switching it out, because there's never been any heat on the sleeve for me.

Another very good switch is to put the ungimmicked version on your outside jacket pocket or shirt pocket.

Then casually put the WOW in your pocket and IMMEDIATELY slide it out an let it sit in your pocket at a 45 degree abgle, so it protrudes catty corner. That way if someone wants to see it they think it was always in view and you hand it to them OR, if no one asks, yo9u simply put it away in a few minutes....Better yet, use it for a prop for something else in the next trick which is not related to WOW....but, since your switched it...it is now examinable

I hope you found these ideas interesting.....they are very old thoughts.

...WOW,just the types of reponses I needed to run out and buy another new fangled prop!I'll follow my WOW routine with my Butter Coin that everyone was buzzing about a few years ago!! Keep the magic alive fellers!

I've never been questioned about it and I work a lot. I won't say how I use it, but it's VERY logical in my presentation and has a humorous purpose. There is absolutely NO heat on it at the end of the routine.

I have never been questioned about the sleeve either. That being said I can relate to what the original poster is trying to say. If I asked a question about a black deck of cards, I would get 30 responses telling me I should use "Regular" decks and props within the first minute of the posting. But when it comes to a gimmicked sleeve, We get responses of "Its all in the presentation, Feller" and other such nuggets of wisdom.

It seems to me that what it comes down to is what MAGICIANS think is regular or not. I guarantee you the that sleeve doesn't look "Regular to 99.8% of the people you show it to.

But then again Magicians usually have things on them that are not ordinary. I mean...After all, Who carrys around a box to cut Ladies in half? I know I don't have one in MY back pocket.

Tim

Tim,

Sure you do!

http://www.magicnook.com/magicbob/IHCT/IHCT01.htm
http://www.magicnook.com/magicbob/IHCT/IHCT02.htm
http://www.magicnook.com/magicbob/IHCT/IHCT03.htm

Bob

Alright, Alright!!! You got me Bob.

BTW everyone. If you want a way to carry around a box to cut a Lady in half in your back pocket, Check out Magicbob's stuff!!

Tim

I agree with the original poster. I think was is great and I have never had anyone question me. However, I have yet to have anyone show me or tell me of a use that makes any real sense.

But, WOW, it does look cool.

I actually have used this in my last two shows with great reactions. One was for kids the other for adults.
I start with a 6H already in my WOW stating it is my favorite card so I keep it in a special holder so it will stay clean and not be bent. I have them name any card (black is better )and control it to the top. I then do the BILL Malone trick where I claim I will make the 6H turn over so fast 3 times they will not catch me. They do not catch me and they then "see" me put the 6H back. I then tell them the other reason why it is my favorite card... it is like a chameleon...

I don't own WOW, but I have seen the demo. I haven't worked it out in my head yet, but I think there is some combination of WOW with the Tamed Card (Tommy Wonder) routine that would make sense.

Is it possible to fit 8-9 cards in the sleeve? If it is, you could start by taking out all of the cards for the Tamed Card routine but just leave one card in the sleeve. And at the end of the tamed card routine, the magi realizes that he left one card in the sleeve and then he visually changes it, puts all of the cards into the sleeve and then pockets it.

However, this idea depends on being able to put multiple cards in the sleeve. Is that even possible?

No it would not be possible to fit that many cards in the sleeve. However, I too have been thinking of using it with Wild Card or something like it.

I can't say I have ever been questioned about the sleeve. I present it as a challange preventing me from being able to perform any sleight of hand and then simply pocket it as I hand the card to the spectators to check out. I have been toying with getting thier signiture to appear on the card instead of changing completely however I need to get my hands on a forcing deck as I have run through my supply here at home.

Sean

I'm working on some routines at the moment which incorporate WOW. I tested one of them out a while ago which works with a group of spectators and is a series of colour changes with each spec's chosen card appearing. I state that they may have been to fast and that they feel like some trickery may be taking place, so with the last two I use Wow (to show them the change) and then end with Converter.
I have road tested this routine on two groups of friends to a great response.
I have a feeling that WOW is more versatile than it originally seems though. I have tried to incorporate it into a Wild Card routine but have not yet come up with a satisfying enough idea.

I don't have WOW but based on the demo I was really sold on the different things you can do with it.

I think the idea about the Metro ticket holder is good since it does look just like a typical holder people have.

I forget what the routine is called but someone mentioned earlier that you can use the ungimmicked pouch with a different trick. A really nice one that I used to perform was a trick off of John Guastaferro's BrainStorm DVDs. It uses a plastic pouch which can be substituted with the ungimmicked wow.

I keep WOW in a Himber wallet with one or two regular cards (to use in the routine). I keep the Un-Gimmick in the reverse side. When I conclude WOW (which I perform a lot), I slide the spectators card halfway out of the WOW asking them pull the card out and inspect it, to make sure it's not been tampered with in any way....while they are grasping and inspecting the un-gimmicked card, I slide WOW into the Himber, casually flip it over as the spectator is looking at the card, and then, if they ask (and they do about 25 to 33% of the time), I allow them to pull the UN-Gimmick from the Himber and take a look at it. When they do that....it REALLY sells the effect. I keep a second WOW (with a 9 of Diamonds) in a pocket in the event I do the trick in an environment where spectators may see the trick more than once or twice over the course of the evening. I love the effect and wouldn't be with it, or the Un-gimmick.

I copied a photograph of myself and glued it to the front of a playing card. then place it in the Wow.

I tell them I keep the most valuable card in the deck in this protective case.

I flip it over and show a pic of me on the front of the playing card.

And there is how I introduce the Wow card holder.

And of course, their signed card is a very important card also, so that goes into the protective sleeve too.