Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Discuss your favorite close-up tricks and methods.
Guest

Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 2nd, 2003, 7:24 pm

I'm looking for variations on and the geneaology of Eddie Fechter's "Be Honest With Me."

If you're not familiar with the title, BEWM is the card transformation that David Blaine performed three separate times in his first "Street Magic" special.

I learned it off the TV show, and then Johnny Ace Palmer showed me a much-improved version of it. However, it seems to me that there must be some variations on it. And it would be fascinating (and perhaps spark other ideas) to know where this great trick came from.

If you've never performed this trick, it really is wonderful. Quick, stunning, and in the hands. And it can be presented with a con-man patter, which is fun.

Dave Egleston
Posts: 429
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Ceres, Ca.

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Dave Egleston » April 2nd, 2003, 9:01 pm

Same as--- "Be Honest- What Is It?"?

Page 134 in FECHTER

Dave

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 3rd, 2003, 12:16 am

Originally posted by David Groves:
If you're not familiar with the title, BEWM is the card transformation that David Blaine performed three separate times in his first "Street Magic" special.
Is this the one he does for the Dallas Cowboys, where two cards change with one switch?

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 3rd, 2003, 6:56 am

[/qb][/QUOTE]Is this the one he does for the Dallas Cowboys, where two cards change with one switch?[/QB][/QUOTE]

Yup.

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 3rd, 2003, 6:58 am

Originally posted by Dave Egleston:
Same as--- "Be Honest- What Is It?"?

Page 134 in FECHTER

Dave
Is that a question?

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 3rd, 2003, 8:35 am

Yes, the effect is "Be Honest--What Is It" from the book Fechter. It's one of my favorie effects. I use it as part of a two-phase card under the glass routine at the bar. First a card goes under the glass from the peek. Then I ask if they want to see that again. Have another spectator take a card and go right into Be Honest. When they turn up the two indifferent cards now in their fingers (or aces, kings, whatever you're using), palm off the two selections and load them under the glass. My patter line is, "But that's not the trick you wanted to see. The trick you wanted to see was the one where the cards go under the glass." Point to the glass.

I've seen David Roth do a nice handling, which I believe is also foreshadowed if not completely explained in Magician's Nightly. Show the first card and put it face down on the table and have the spectator place their forefinger on it. Do the triple lift, take off the top indifferent card and slide it openly and carefully under and square with the card under the spectators finger (they keep their finger there the whole time). Explain that you're going to remove one card and they have to try to feel which one you took. With a rapid sweeping motion with the pads of your first and second fingers pull the top card toward you. In other words, it's like pulling a tablecloth out from under a dish. Because of inertia, you can slide out the top card and the spectator's finger will remain on the bottom card. Ask them which one they think they have. When the look, do your top change, then reveal that both cards have changed.

There are also handlings of Be Honest that eliminate the top change with a sequence of double lifts. Handled right, they're just as strong.

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 6th, 2003, 7:12 pm

Originally posted by Carl Mercurio:
Yes, the effect is "Be Honest--What Is It" from the book Fechter. It's one of my favorie effects.
Thanks for your detailed response. Have you published your routine somewhere? That really sounds like something that's been in print, or should be.

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 6th, 2003, 7:14 pm

Originally posted by Carl Mercurio:
Yes, the effect is "Be Honest--What Is It" from the book Fechter. It's one of my favorie effects.
Thanks for your detailed response. Have you published your routine somewhere? That really sounds like something that's been in print, or should be.

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 7th, 2003, 9:33 am

Dave,
I just released a set of lecture notes on bar magic, and frankly I decided not to include my repeat card under the glass sequence because it didn't really seem original enough. It's basically two known tricks strung together with a kicker of the cards going under the glass at the end. FYI, I use a similar sequence in walk-around, only the cards go to the wallet instead of under the glass. That is, usually I do a sandwich routine with two kings and a signed selection. The selection is located via the sandwich, then goes to the wallet as a kicker. Then have another spectator sign a card and do Be Honest with the two signed cards. The spectator ends up holding the two kings and the two signed selections go to the wallet. There's a nice symmerty to it, I think...

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 8th, 2003, 1:40 pm

Joerg Alexander of Germany's acclaimed Flicking Finger troupe considers this routine to be "the sponge balls of card magic" and published his fine handling of it in his SAM lecture notes last summer (sadly, the notes did not arrive in NY in time for his lecture, but are available now!). He credits Paul Gertner's 1987 Munich lecture performance of Fechner's routine (which Paul used to explain the top change) for stimulating his interest in it. Joerg call his handling "Impossible Switch" and although these are called lecture notes, he leaves nothing to the imagination in his description, which takes up 8 pages, includes 14 fine illustrations, and 10 footnote references (only two of the references are to earlier versions of the routine: Fechner's original 1974 handling and an earlier version of Joerg's published in German in 1998. The other 8 references are to specific sleights used in his routine).

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 8th, 2003, 10:28 pm

I hear that James Lewis has an excellent version, does anyone know if it's in print?

Russell Davis
Posts: 131
Joined: January 20th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Fred Kaps
Location: Huntsville, AL

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Russell Davis » April 15th, 2003, 10:39 am

Be Honest Plus

Here's a four-phase (let's give the Rule of Three a little nap) transposition routine that gets good responses. Delete patter as you see fit.

Short Form 1040 E-Z:
1. Double Lift, 2. Two-Card Monte move, 3. Fechter's "Be Honest, What Time Is It?", 4. Top Change of two for two.

Long Form:
1. Spec shuffles ("Just don't get them out of order.") and returns deck ("Okay, are they in the same disorder? Good.") You cut the Face-Up deck wherever there are any two red cards (Let's say the 4H and 9D. No, maybe the 10D. No, I guess the 9D is okay this time.) at back of deck followed by any two black cards and rest of deck. Turn deck FDn with reds on top. While pattering about "those card cheats" and how they (you! hee hee!) "switch the cards", you double-lift to show the 9D but actually put 4H onto table or put table underneath motionless 4H. Then single-lift (Marlo method three) the top card of deck to show "the other card we'll use, the 4 of H ... No, it's 9 of D again! Then card on table must be 4 of H!", you gasp, coming THIS close to nervous collapse.

Confess to spec that this is the very Card Switch that you were just talking about, and that you'll show it to them a couple more times so they'll know what to look out for. Tell them that your middle name is Helpful, and that you had it legally changed from Alan.

2. Explain "in very general terms" that you started out "with the 9D on top of deck in LH, while the 4H was over here" in your RH. During this patter, do the Two-Card Monte switch (Walter Gibson's?), actually depositing the 4H, not 9D, FDn onto deck in LH.

(Basically, you hold the two cards FU at fingertips of palm-up RH, hand on right long side of 4H, thumb on top of 4H and 9D FU underneath but side-jogged to left. While mentioning and touching exposed part of 9D with LH forefinger ((wear rubber glove)), do essentially the Paddle Move with two RH cards while turning them FD. See Peter Samelson's "New York Transpo" for nice details here and great routine.)

Show second transposition, first revealing 9D (card of main focus) in RH and then 4H on LH deck.

3. Finally (well, almost finally), do Fechter's "Be Honest, What Is That On Your Shoe?" or whatever. Reveal two black cards.

4. ACTUALLY finally, while surprise from Fechter fase detumesces, top-change two face-down blacks for two reds (supposed blacks) which you table. Quietly cut two blacks to middle while reversing them (insert details here yourself). Spread deck FU "to find those two red cards", while reiterating out loud (especially in a family restaurant) that these effects are called Card Switches because the two FDn cards in the middle of deck are "the 9 of D and 4 of H ... Oh NO, the two BLACK cards: ANOTHER Card Switch!"

Promise spectators that "When I find out how it all works, I'll be happy to tell you!"

Last-minute idea: make all of the phases look like the Fechter in-spectator's-hand phase!

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 15th, 2003, 1:25 pm

I always considered "Be honest, what is it" to be one of Fechters staple effects (along with his handling of the Collin's aces and his cards across). In Fechter's hands...this was pure magic. Ironically, both Mike Skinner and Lou Gallo considered this to be one of Eddie's worst tricks! They always remembered it from Eddie's starting point. Eddie originally got the effect from Mac Picnik (sp) from Pa. At first, Eddie did it as he learned it from Mac...which was a straight 2 card transposition...actually it sucked to be blunt. However, Eddie really liked the concept and was determined to make this a great trick...that's when he put together the be honest presentation along with the double change of the cards. But, Skinner and the old man (my father...not Vernon ;) always had the original etched in their minds and was unable to see the improvements clearly.....now go back to the Fechter book and learn Fechters aces and 8 and 12..these 3 tricks will give anyone a reputation as a great card guy!!!!

Mike

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 17th, 2003, 5:56 am

David Williamson's "The Memory Test" was published in Magic not too long ago (and also in his "Dave Does Denny's" lecture notes.) OUTSTANDING version!

Retro...I just re-visited Herb Zarrow's RED ACES-BLACK ACES published in Lorayne's Close-up Card Magic. Great transpo done in the spectator's hands. (Use Marlo's No-break Curry.)

Kevin Wiese
Posts: 75
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Richmond, Va.

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Kevin Wiese » April 17th, 2003, 7:02 am

Is the Fechter book still in print? If so, where can it be purchased?

Kevin Wiese

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 17th, 2003, 8:32 am

Korn do you know the month of the Magic issue that "Memory Test" is in.

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 17th, 2003, 8:53 am

"Is the Fechter book still in print? If so, where can it be purchased?"

Unfortunately it is out of print and I do not believe there are any plans of reprinting at this time.

This item does pop up on E-bay from time to time and occasionally forum members will offer up their copy (which is how I obtained mine).

I think it is a wonderful book and there are several Fechter stories in the book as well that are fun to read.

Kevin Wiese
Posts: 75
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Richmond, Va.

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Kevin Wiese » April 17th, 2003, 9:42 am

I could have sworn I recently saw a book of Fechter's magic on someone's website. Something that I thought maybe was still in print. But I can't remember where it was.

Kevin Wiese

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 17th, 2003, 9:50 am

Hello friends,where can I get the "Dave Does Denny's" lecture notes?

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 17th, 2003, 10:32 am

"Dave Does Denny's" should be available from Denny at DennyMagic

Don't have access to my files now, but "Memory Test" was in a Josh Jay ExperTalk column on Williamson's Top Change.

Guest

Re: Fechter's "Be Honest With Me"

Postby Guest » April 17th, 2003, 1:18 pm

Kevin,
Try Jerry Mentzer For the Fechter book. If anyone has it...he should as he is the publisher. Also, try to find his book on dice holdouts...it may be impossible to find...but if found, it is the best book ever written on the subject!

Mike


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