Jack and all I would like to say only 2 things.

First off I am a stage hypnotist and I work 6 nights a week. I have been here since Sep. 1st and never cancel a scheduled show. Problem I have is I don't have the ability to guarantee 50 people per show. Heck sometimes 20 is a huge crowd. We are building here. What this means is a lot of risk on my part as a performer.I don't use stooges.

I use a combination of physical and psudo hypnosis stunts when necessary. As far as everyone is concerned they never see a sub standard show. We have to do this.

So on some nights an experineced perfomrer may look at my show and say it is a con. Obviously this is an unfair assesment but a case could be made for it.

I guess my point is I am an entertainer first, and a hypnotist second. I stress that here because it works out better for the town I am in. The spooky side of the show is actually played WAY down.

This is more my point actually. More hypnoitsts need to learn how to ENTERTAIN an audience! Get the training yes it is a huge help, and I feel a great insurance policy. but learn to entertain for all our sakes!

What I mean by insurance policy is you can go through a 30 year career and never have an ab-reaction. Good for you your lucky! BUT personally I love knowing how to deal with people IN CASE something would happen. Heck 95% of all cops NEVER draw their weapon in the line of duty. Does that make the training stupid and unnecessary? I think not.

bottom line Jack is right read the magazine, it rocks!

I'd be interested to know to whom you are referring. There doesn't seem to be a reason why you can't reveal his identity.

Martin

One of the greatest stage hypnotists of the twentieth century told me that hypnosis was a load of baloney therefore he always has stuff to make one of the greatest sandwiches of the twentieth century .

He is now retired from the stage and is considered one of the leading hypnotherapists in the world and runs a fine deli where they cut the baloney real thin, you can almost see right through it, and is considered one of the leading delis in the world. The pastrami is to die for.

Holy Baboon Butt Batman - You think they'd learn...

I posted this in another thread and the response was quite positive, surprisingly, so, by request, I am posting it here as well.

This may be viewed as a rant. It isn't. These are honestly held beliefs and honestly asked questions. If they offend, I apologize, but if you are a professional or have a professional attitude about stage hypnosis, I do not think that they will offend you at all. This is NOT directed at any individual, either, regardless of what anyone might say or think.

I have this theory on stage hypnosis that jibes well with my theory about magic and why it isn't generally accepted as a more serious form of entertainment - and that's because the entertainers themselves don't take the art form seriously enough, just for starters. And if WE don't take ourselves seriously, nor our craft seriously, how can we expect anyone else to take US seriously?

Question: How many musicians would take a six week course, a two week course or even a one year course where the class met once each month for a weekend each, and then go out and try to work high-end, professional musical jobs, like the Met or the Hollywood bowl?

Answer - not very many and of those few that did, maybe ONE would succeed and he or she would have been a prodigy anyway.

Stage hypnosis, magic and mentalism aren't any different from a real-world point of view - or shouldn't be. But the magicians, mentalists and many beginning hypnotists, seem to think otherwise, judging from the plethora of people who take ONE course and hang out their shingle as a stage hypnotist, mentalist or magician!

Did Pavarotti become who he became overnight? Did Stravinski? Did Clapton, or BB King, Robert DeNiro, Robin Williams or even Eminem? Heck no! They WORKED for years at their craft, whether in the dives and gin-joints where the audiences will throw you out on your ear for a bad performance, or through cuttin' contests on stage with the REAL pros or through years and years of study, practice, rehearsal and performance.

But stage hypnotists, mentalists, and magicians often think that they can read a book, take a SINGLE COURSE, go to a SINGLE WORKSHOP, or even hang out with a few people who actually work in the business and pick up on how to do this stuff in a matter of weeks, months or even days!

Does that sound even remotely logical when compared to a singer, an actor or a dancer or even a mime? Actors, musicians, dancers and even mimes are constantly taking classes to improve and hone their skills. They work with OTHER actors, musicians, etc. under the watchful eye of a DIRECTOR who then DIRECTS them in how to improve their work! How many of us are even willing to let someone even SEE what we really do who isn't "in" on the "secrets" of our art?

I was going to go on about this, but, frankly, I know that it wouldn't make all that much of an impression. I've only been in the business a short time as this summer I will be celebrating my 38th year as a performer and my work has taken me all over the US, Canada and the Caribbean. I've worked for audiences ranging from biker bars to Hollywood stars, but so what?

If you're serious about the craft, you'll keep studying and won't do your first show after only one class. That's like doing a magic show after taking only one class in magic.

Sorry of that ruffles some feathers, but, frankly, would YOU hire a performer who had taken only ONE class in his chosen craft?

I know I wouldn't. And I don't know any agents, club owners or talent bookers that would, either.

Lee Darrow, C.H.

Yeah, right.

I would suggest that you do your homework on the latest brain scan research on hypnosis and then tell your "friend" to do so as well.

Try this link for openers:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8124-1773544,00.html

MRI shows hypnosis at work.

Have a nice day.

Lee Darrow, C.H.

Lee, thank you for your posts. they show a great deal of insight. I do believe though that when somebody has honed their craft they attempt to stretch themselves artistically. Clapton will put out a rock album, then a blues album. Not that these are different in a huge way. However, I believe that, as one develops their craft they do stretch. I believe that we are entertainers as well. We use forms of magic to entertain much like Clapton uses his guitar or Pavorotti his voice. Some musicians play a multitude of insturments in order to entertain such as Paul McCartney. I agree one should work on his or her craft before professing to be on a certain level but I also believe that we stretch and grow through our experience. there is only one way to get experience and that is to do it. Finally, I also agree that if I am just beginning to work with something like hypnosis it would be ludicrous for me to believe that I could perform large shows for big money. I should do what the aforementioned have done and start in my garage and work my way up. Have a wonderful year and don't forget to stretch and grow!!!

Popo, believe it or not, I agree. But there are many starting stage hypnotists out there that don't seem to agree at all. They seem to think (and several have actually said to me or posted in other fora) that all they have to do is take a course and that their experience as a magician will "get them through" a hypnosis show!

That's like saying that being a good piano player will make you a good french Horn player after only one semester of study on the instrument!

I have only two words for that kind of thinking - FAT CHANCE!

While the similarities between a stage magic show and a stage hypnosis show might be closer than piano and French Horn, the differences are quite major as well. Yet these guys believe that they can walk into a major venue and, with little to no practical experience, work a gig for $15,000 for a major corporate client while working under the worst possible conditions for a stage hypnotist to work under!

I really wonder how many of the people who have taken one of these courses could list 10 things that have a high probability of messing up a stage hypnosis show from a physical standpoint? Or from a pre-show standpoint?

If they can't answer those two simple questions, then they really are NOT ready for even middle-time, let alone big time, shows!

And how many of them can name the most common stage accidents in a stage hypnosis show? and how many of them actually carry performance liability insurance that actually has a stage hypnosis performance rider and are not just relying on a general performer's insurance liability policy for coverage?

because, if they are, they could be in for a VERY rude awakening should something go wrong on stage and a claim be made against them. I know, I happen to have an insurance license in Illinois (but not for property and casualty, I admit), so being informed on such things is part of my training.

Respectfully,

Lee Darrow, C.H.

Good points. Caution is best and, as with any craft, one must pay their dues first. I guess it is just the need for instant gratification in us sometimes.