Hello Café Friends!

Today I showed my friends my favorite tricks, 2 out of 4 involving gimmicked cards or a paddle trick. Both of which could not be passed out.

So my friend throws the old "Hey let me see that!" to which I simply said no.

This ruined EVERYTHING. I mean the magic was still cool, but they knew it was fishy.

What can I say or do when they ask to see my prop, without giving away that I can't let them. My most common tricks in this situation is a repeating deck and a "Gem Fantasy" stick, kinda like a Jumping Gems if you're not familiar with GF.

Thanks in advance,
Brittain Bass

If I'm ever using a gimmicked deck, I have a regular one with me and will simply switch them out when I'm done if someone wants to see the cards. I'd put the gimmicked one into the pocket and if they asked to see the cards, simply pull out the regular one.

You could also perhaps use a swith wallet for packet tricks.

Hey Brittain, I've encountered the same issues before. One of the best ways to circumvent this question is to routine your effects in such a way that one leads to another until you end clean and there is no clean break for them to ask to see the props. If I'm going to perform for friends as just one or two effects (and I know they will be skeptical), I will try not to employ gimmicks that cannot be examined.

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......um=219&0

I agree that with some planning for a routine, you get around the problem of examining the cards. For example, you can do a a trick with a Si Stebbins set up. If any one questions the deck, simple hand the deck and ask them to shuffle or do it yourself. You are all set to do a brand new trick that does not us the Si Stebbins set up.

Don't worry.. the more you'll be confident about your magic, the less they will ask to "see" that deck/coin/whatever!

It's really just a matter of confidence. They (your audience) can feel it!
At the end, you'll put fake coin and cards in your's spectators hand, and they will not check it.

just give you some time, and in the meantime: use regular stuff.
IMHO.

I find this situation is more of a problem with friends and family. These people knew you pre-magic and may feel that you've merely acquired an item or a secret to a puzzle that they could have just as easily acquired or read, rather than developing a skilled craft. In the case of friends especially the social barriers may be low to near nothing so they feel "left out" when not allowed in on it. For this reason I don't perform gimmicked effects for friends, though even in that case they often assume there is a gimmick that they're just overlooking, a special card, etc. Some people I know I just won't perform for at all since their only interest in wanting me to perform is to catch me -- this person doesn't like magic but views everything as a puzzle to solve. I don't do puzzles; I have no idea now how these things happen, it must be magic.

I would agree with Andrewzuber. Just carry a regular item and switch it with the gimmick.

If I'm asked to perform a trick with cards I always start using a normal deck.. Ofcourse they will ask to examine or shuffle the deck so I'm clean, I can give it.. Then I move on to a gimmicked simply by switching it in my pocket.. If they ask again to examine the deck then I switch it back..

Andrew's solution is the best if you are using gaffs or gaffed deck...

BUT as you said in your post "performing for friends" this can be both good and bad. There are a lot of threads & discussions on this very topic. My thoughts; are that when ever I perform for "friends"(people that know I do magic) I try to stick to impromptu (no gaffs) effects or a borrowed deck of cards. If I do use any gaffs (usually coin stuff) I make sure that they can be switched out for examination if desired.

And there are the times when my friends come over to the house that I may show them some "commercial stuff" (paddle's, tenyo, or packet tricks & decks ect...) that I picked up at the magic shop.Kinda like "tricks for friends and family" stuff that I leave at home and never carry with me but they are "cool" enough to show friends and family. And if they want to see and handle the props, sometime I may let them, if the have a genuine interest in magic or if it's a friend that has offered constructive criticism over the years or watched me hundreds of times either in practice or performing at a gig.
Other times I will use a cheesy line like "Dose Copperfield let people on stage to examine his stuff...I think not" and I'll just put the trick away. Or I may direct them to the local magic shop where they can buy and learn the effect for themselves. My way of promoting the art of Magic...

Later & Out,
RJ

The popular advice is audience management, so that this problem doesn't arise.

As we all know this problem can arise so the best option in my opinion, is not to use anything that cannot be examined.

In my experience a lot of it has to do with who you are performing for. Friends and family make the worst audiences in my opinion. They are more likely to grab your stuff and not respect your personal property. It seems like I hardly ever get asked to examine a prop when I work table hopping. However at a family gathering it seems likely.

Two to three pieces with ungimmicked coins/cards/whatever, then surreptitiously ring in the gimmick. If they're going to ask, it's generally going to be during the first or second, in which they become satisfied that there is nothing to find.

Word of warning: make sure that you can ring in the gimmick or gaff with NO indication of doing so...otherwise, suspicion will kill the impact.

A friend of mine uses the line would you like to examine it/them?" If they say yes he goes to offer the item to them then pulls it away puts it in his pocket and says "yeah I bet you would!!" Usually gets a laugh and he then immeadiaitely moves on to another effect.

I've often considered that. (Using a gimmicked deck and then putting it in my pocket to switch for a normal deck.) (Packet effects I use a Z fold wallet) but for the full deck switch, my mind hang up is this: As soon as you finish the effect, and they want to examine the deck, and then you ditch it in your pocket for the switch, what's your excuse or motivation for putting it in your pocket?

If you are able to get it into the pocket BEFORE they ask to examine it, that's cool, because your reason for putting it away is because you're obviously done with the trick. BUT if they beat you to the punch and ask you to see it BEFORE you are able to ditch and switch, then putting it in the pocket only to immediately pull it back out a couple seconds later looks suspicious as if you are hiding something! It almost telegraphs a switch!

Am I right, or am I making a mountain out of a molehill? Somebody help me, here! So my question is : After the person has asked to look at the deck, then you put it in your pocket for the switch, what is your reason or excuse for that action? How do you justify the switch without arousing suspicions?

Million dollar question, right?

DaffyDoug -
If you move to put the deck, or other object, away right at the conclusion of the trick you can make the switch very natural. Imagine you are asked during the routine to examine the deck you can respond, "certainly, just let me finish first". Then drop the deck in your pocket, "that's right, you wanted to take a look at it" and retrieve the duplicate. Once they have examined the dupe, ask if they would like to see another and proceed with a trick that uses an standard, deck without setup.

I use a similar ploy working with "Mike's Wizzard Wands" similar to a set of hot rods. When finished with the first half of the routine, I put it away and then ask, "would you like to see how that is done?"I pull out the second, which starts the same but with a different finish. I then hand out the small wand. No one ever suspects that I have two - except for once when I mentioned my wandS ! Words Matter!

Hudson

Daffydoug usually I create an off bit moment as I place the deck into my pocket.. I'm doing this by asking them if they liked the trick or if they have seen anything like this before.. But if they ask me to examine the deck right away when the trick is finished here is what I do:
I ignore them and place the deck in my pocket while saying: If David Copperfield performed a trick for you would you ask him to examine his stuff?
Normally I get a laugh as I switch the deck.. Then I say ofcourse I'm not David Copperfield, so here you are, take a look.
The secret is that you have to be confident, don't rush and don't give the impresion that you are trying to hide something. Always be natural (i know this is the most difficult part of magic).

Does Kenny G let you touch his clarinet when he plays?