April 2011 Genii Speaks

[Bill Evans]

Loved the jokes and novelties. I remember back in the late 1950s when I was about 7 or 8, we used to go to St. Petersburg Florida to visit friends and I found my first magic shop. I bought a little box that said "Hear The Sound of Your Own Voice" on it with two buttons. You would push the black button to record, the push the red button to listen...except all the red button did was cause pain because there was a small hole in the button hiding a needle so when you pushed it, it would puncture your thumb and cause blood to flow. Can you imagine trying to sell that today? Anyway, I immediately brought it home and tried it on my Mom which I thought was extremely funny for about the first two seconds...it wasn't that funny afterward...never saw it again.

[Richard Kaufman]

Thanks, Bill, glad you liked the video. For you folks who haven't watched it, this is the "More Genii Speaks" video in the digital version of the April issue.

[erdnasephile]

Your video is hilarious, Richard!

Alan Alan's boobytrapped counter items reminds me of my uncle's twisted sense of humor.

When an unsuspecting little kid would come in to his store, he would bet them a piece of candy they couldn't twist the end of a metal rod.

Unfortunately for the kid, the "ordinary metal rod" was in reality a cleverly disguised electric cattle prod.

The sound of shrieks of pain, mingled with my uncle's maniacal laughter haunts me still! :)

[timbrown]

I visited a magic shop in Southern Florida years ago and as I stood in line to pay I picked up an interesting beer can that was on the counter. Of course it was a trick can that gave me a huge electric shock. I wasn't pleased and for an instant the thought of slamming the can into the head of the laughing counter person seemed like the right to do. But I settled instead for a flurry of invectives and a quick toss of the items that I had intended to purchase. What a stupid trick. Lawsuit material.

[Bill Wells]

Richard -

I finally got around to downloading the app and reading the April digital Genii. What a new experience to be able to prop up the iPad to watch and listen to the Head Genii showing me antique practical jokes while eating my morning bowl of cereal !!

I look forward to having you join me for future breakfasts !

Congratulations - you are staying on the cutting edge.

Bill

[Richard Kaufman]

Thanks, Bill.
The May issue will have about 90 minutes of video.

[Bill Wells]

Wow !! That will cover breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner !!

Fantastic !!!!