Monte makes a return to NYC

[Jack Shalom]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/17/nyreg ... .html?_r=0

[Bob Farmer]

Here's the routine he was using:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0Xo68frPQk

[Jack Shalom]

Not sure about that, but the guy was also reportedly carrying around a couple of legal pads and wearing a Canadian flag on his back.

[Daniel Bain]

My office is in Times Square and I'd prefer Monte workers to the horrible costumed characters that are running around trying to get tips for taking photos with tourists.

Would be great if a decent magician or two would start busking in Times Square!!!

[erdnasephile]

When I stayed in TS in the 70's it was a dump. I was pleasantly surprised when I went back in the mid to late 90's--it was like night and day.

I was last there a couple of years ago and was accosted several times by various and sundry. Sad to see the thugs are coming out of the woodwork again.

Interestingly, I was strolling down La Rambla in Barcelona this summer expecting to see a lot of scam artists, but didn't see one. While I made sure to stay off the side streets, I can't help but think the copious police presence (trios with at least one automatic weapon showing) had something to do with it.

[Bill Mullins]

My office is in Times Square and I'd prefer Monte workers to the horrible costumed characters that are running around trying to get tips for taking photos with tourists.

They are everywhere.

[Dave Le Fevre]

Interestingly, I was strolling down La Rambla in Barcelona this summer expecting to see a lot of scam artists, but didn't see one.

My wife and I were there in 2010, and Las Ramblas had a couple of teams of scam artists every day. No noticeable police presence. So you're probably right about cause and effect.

[performer]

I used to know some monte workers. They are not nice people. And oddly enough they WANT you to be suspicious of the game. Leaflets handed out saying it is a scam actually HELP them! Shhh........don't tell anyone I said so!

[observer]

The guy was working alone.
The guy was working in a prominent, brightly-lit space.
The guy attracted such a big crowd it created a nuisance. And that's strike three, guy, you're under arrest.

He may be an experienced professional, but he seems to have done pretty much everything wrong this time.

[Dick Koornwinder]

I noticed this picture, made in the seventies, on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/BKo94dAA3ZN/

Verstuurd vanaf mijn GT-I9505 met Tapatalk

[performer]

The guy was working alone.
The guy was working in a prominent, brightly-lit space.
The guy attracted such a big crowd it created a nuisance. And that's strike three, guy, you're under arrest.

He may be an experienced professional, but he seems to have done pretty much everything wrong this time.

He may have had a lookout. That is, someone outside the edge of the crowd to look for signs of police. He gives the signal and then they do a disappearing act.

Ooops! It seems I didn't read the article properly. I didn't know he got arrested. Either he didn't have a lookout after all or the lookout was incompetent. You can't get good help nowadays.