Perverse Magic

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Gerald Deutsch
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » March 7th, 2004, 10:20 am

The Card on the Ceiling

My routine for the Card on the Ceiling is another example of Perverse Magic.

It's a very dramatic effect and if the ceiling is high enough the card will remain there for a long time. I don't like to put a rubber band around the deck as I like the deck to scatter when the cards are thrown to the ceiling. Also, instead of using wax, I like to use scotch tape as suggested by Bruce Elliott in "Classic Secrets of Magic".

For the Perverse aspects of my routine, I combine this with a four card discovery and this is the climax. Now a discovery of multiple selected cards can, I feel, be tedious and boring and I think this routine solves that problem.

The effect is that the magician has a card selected and tries to find it (say the four of diamonds) but finds another card of the same value (the four of clubs). He tries again and finds another card of that value but a different suit (the four of hearts) and then another (the four of spades) and then, finally in disgust he throws the deck at the ceiling and to everyone's amazement including the magician the selected card sticks.

---------------------

For the routine I won't go into details of the card revelations as I'm sure you all have your own favorite ones but what I use would be (i) a fancy cut, (ii) and impromptu rising card and (iii) letting the spectator spell the selected card.

Some additional points:

1 Again, as with all Perverse Magic, it's happening against me and I'm not saying how great I am.

2 When finding the first wrong card (here the four of clubs) it should be of a different color from the selected card. If the audience sees a four of hearts they may think that the selected card was the four of hearts and not the four of diamonds. By using a different color there is no doubt.

3 When I "miss" the first time I say "Oh well, at least it's a four . Let me try again--"

4 On the last of the errors, whole the spectator has the deck and is spelling the card, I have time to secure the loop of scotch tape around my middle finger.

5 Of course the deck is set up with the four of a kind on top and I do force the card to go on the ceiling but there's one other thing I must say. It's possible that the toss may fail and the card may not stick and an out is needed so I have a duplicate of the selected card in my shoe.

If I do miss (and that's rare) I walk over to make sure the real selection is not visible and if it is I pick it up as I gather the cards. Then I "feel something funny" in my shoe, I shake my foot and with my hands clearly empty I remove my shoe to show the "selected" card and scratch my head, puzzled as to how it gat there.

Gerald Deutsch
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » April 2nd, 2004, 1:53 pm

The Sponge Ball - Cup Routine

The sponge ball trick is a classic and has many opportunities for perverse magic.

I have always felt that a major weakness in the usual routine is that the climax comes at the beginning of the effect. The spectator is startled when a second ball pops out of her (it's usually a woman) hand. But later, when three balls instead of two appears she's again surprised but less so and so on as the effect progresses. And towards the end of the routine the spectator is apt to be conscious of the number of sponges put into her hand.

This routine is a combination from the routines of Slydini, Roy Benson, and Dr. Jaks and I think solves the above problem - and also has elements of perverse magic.

(Note that the Dr Jaks ending is startling, is perverse magic and removes any idea the spectator may have about loading sponges in her hand.

Effect

The routine is done seated with the audience facing the performer.

1 A cup (or bowl) is shown empty and placed on the table.

2 A bagless purse frame is shown and a sponge ball is produced from it.

3 The ball vanishes and is shown under the cup.

4 That ball is covered by the cup and another ball is produced from the purse frame.

5 That ball is vanished and 2 balls are shown under the cup.

6 The magician puts one ball in his left hand and puts a pen in his left hand and a second ball is taken in his right hand which takes the other end of the pen.

The magician shows that the ball is no longer in the left hand and there are now 2 balls in the right hand - one ball having gone through the pen.

7 This is repeated but although there is no ball in the left hand, there is only one in the right hand. The magician looks puzzled and then looks under the cup and finds the missing ball. He scratches his head in confusion.

8 The magician tells the spectator that her hand will be the cup. On ball is given to the spectator and the magician takes the other. The magician's ball vanishes and the spectator has 2.

9 The spectator is given both balls and the magician looks in the purse for another. He finds only a tissue. He looks in his pocket but still can't find another. Finally, he asks the spectator to open her hand and she finds she has 3.

10 The spectator is asked to pick up 2 and the magician takes 1. The magician vanishes his ball and tells the spectator to open her hand and when she does a dozen or so balls fall out much to the surprise of the spectator and the magician.

Preparation

On the table

Pen - (used as a wand)
Cup

On lap

2 sponges
a tissue

Right jacket pocket

12 sponges

Rear right pocket

Purse frame

Right palm

Sponge

Routine

The numbers below correspond to the numbers above under "Effect"

1 As the cup is turned mouth down the palmed sponge is loaded underneath.

2 The technique of producing sponges from a purse frame is described in detail in The Best of Slydini and More in the chapter "The Purse Frame".

3 Use a standard natural pass vanish. Use the pen as a wand by holding it in the right hand (which helps cover what might be an unnatural looking right hand with the palmed sponge).

What I like to do is pretend to put the sponge in the left hand but retain it in the right and then, as my right hand reaches for the pen, the right hand moves in an arc passing over the lap and the sponge is lapped.

(See "Slydini Kills Time" on page 25 of Apocalypse.)

8,9,10 It is important to condition the spectator to open her hand at just the right second because at the end the magician will be releasing sponges that he has palmed in his hand at the exact second that the spectator opens hers so as to give the illusion that the sponges really coming from the magician's hand are coming from the spectator's.

Tell the spectator that she must open her hand whenever the pen touches her hand at the count of 3. Practice with her a few times.

9 The 12 sponges that are in the right jacket pocket are palmed as the magician pretends to look for the missing sponge.

10 This uses Dr. Jaks' "Multiball". It is performed as follows:

Pick up one ball with the left hand.

Tell spectator to pick up 2 (She KNOWS she has 2)

Perform Slydini's Revolve Vanish (The Best of Slydini and More page 41)

Tap left hand with pen showing the sponge in left hand has vanished.

Tap spectator's hand with pen and count to 3. At 3 the spectator will open her hand and so does magician and 12 sponges pour all over the table.

The magician looks confused and upset as he cleans up the mess.

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Pete Biro
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Pete Biro » April 9th, 2004, 5:35 pm

You are doing too much and the finish is in the middle.

Try to find Johnny Thompson's routine. It is pretty much the Benson Bowl routine, but when the spectator opens hand and find TWO and does the standard "SCREAM" -- you have incredible misdirection (in Johnny's routine) to LOAD the bowl.

One scream is enough, then the surprise final load is perfect to finish.

At the beginning I like to place one ball on the table and use the "toss vanish" from the Rezvani Tomato Trick (the ball is stolen out as you toss the bowl over it -- similar to vanish of a paper ball under hat from Charlie Miller).

Then vanish the first ball ala Benson and find it under bowl. Bring out or produce second ball and vanish and find under bowl. You then do the "which ball do you want?" with spekie giving her one (2) and put your one ball in pocket (stealing load) and load bowl as she opens hand and discovers two... this is Johnny's and is in his lecture.
Stay tooned.

Gerald Deutsch
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » April 10th, 2004, 6:47 pm

Sorry Pete - I disagree.

When a woman opens her hand and 12 sponges jump out when she thinks she has 2 (that she picked up herself) that is a CLIMAX (and it's stronger than any load under the cup).

Jerry Deutsch

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Jonathan Townsend » April 12th, 2004, 4:52 pm

It seems reasonable that a response from a volunteer is a better cue than a display on the table.

Also suggests something about "a bird by the hand being worth more than a load under the bowl". :D
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

Gerald Deutsch
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » May 1st, 2004, 4:03 am

Cutting The Aces

Cutting the Aces is a show of skill. How can this be presented as "Perverse Magic"?

What I do is remove the aces from the deck and then insert them in different parts and shuffle the deck and say I will cut to the four aces.

The first cut reveals a five of clubs. I say I will try again and the second cut reveals the five of hearts. Frustrated, I try again and cut the five of spades and finally a fancy cut reveals the five of diamonds and with disgust I say "I quit!"

-----------------------------------------

This plot of finding the wrong card and then finding the mates of that card is one I use often. (See Card on Ceiling above.) I keep acting as if I missed but the audience sees some magic happening and I'm apparently not aware of it. Perverse Magic.

----------------------------------------

The handling is simple.

I want to use a spot card as the "wrong card".

As I pick up the deck to find the 4 aces, I note the top card. If it's a spot card good - if not I cut a spot card to the top.

I then go thru the deck face up looking for the four aces and as I come to the other spot cards matching the one on top I cut them to the top as well.

(Note that you don't want to hold up getting the aces looking for the spot cards but the fact that the first is already on top helps. Also, I pass over the first ace just in case I have to come back to look for one of the spot card.)

So the four aces are on the table and 4 spot cards of the same value are on top.

Then:

* I insert the four aces in different parts of the face down deck. Really! (And this will fool magicians!)

* I jog shuffle the deck, adding one card to the top.

* I show no ace on top (an indifferent card shuffled there) and no ace on the bottom. (Note: Check to be sure no ace is on top or bottom.) and then I double cut the indifferent card to the bottom and show I cut to one of the spot cards. I apologized and ask to try again.

* I cut the deck, hold a break and double cut the original top back to the top and turn over the second of the spot cards.

I don't notice the coincidence (they will) and say I will try again, this time I will cut an ace to the bottom.

* I double cut the 3rd spot card to the bottom turn over the deck and again, oblivious to the coincidence appear to be frustrated.

* For the final cut, I do a fancy cut.

I hold the deck in my right hand between my thumb and second finger and with my left thumb I lift up about half of the deck and swivel it to the left, the upper packet pivoting on my right second finger. I let that upper packet fall into my left hand and drop the right hand lower packet on top of it but as it does my left thumb goes between. Immediately the left thumb moves to the left taking the bottom card of that upper portion and then pressing on its face so it falls face up on top of the face down deck.

* "I quit!"

Great Perverse Magic. I've cut four of a kind and instead of being cocky about it
I'm upset.

Gerald Deutsch
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » June 1st, 2004, 2:27 am

The Thumb Tie

This is a classic effect where the magician has his thumbs tied and repeatedly shows he can use his hands - that even though the thumbs are tied he constantly gets free.

To me, (like with the sponge balls) after the first revelation the surprise is gone and the effect becomes boring and tiresome. (So many magicians don't know when to stop.)

I recently saw Alan (Ace) Greenberg do his routine and I loved it. It was short and a good example of "Perverse Magic". He didn't do it to show how good it was - he just nonchalantly entered another world where his hands were free.

Alan asked a spectator to tie his thumbs together TIGHT and he would do a good effect. The spectator did, Then Alan made a look of pain. "You tied it too tight!" he said as he reached for a scissor with what everyone thought was his tied hands, gave the scissor to the spectator and told him to cut the string from his now bound again hands.

A good laugh - good Perverse Magic!

(By the way, Alan came up with a great revolutionary way to do this. I hope he publishes this someday.)

Jonathan Townsend
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Jonathan Townsend » June 1st, 2004, 9:20 am

Originally posted by Gerald Deutsch:
... he just nonchalantly entered another world where his hands were free.
Does perverse magic border on cartoon logic?
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

Michael Baker
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Michael Baker » June 21st, 2004, 10:39 am

Wonderful concepts undiluted by semantics are apparently hard to find. Bravo, Gerald Deutsch for your contributions! This is a brilliant thread exemplifying the fact that magic is bigger than any of us. Those who are leaving all their rubber on the pavement trying to get to the point are probably threatened by this.

Gerald Deutsch
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » July 1st, 2004, 2:16 am

Perverse Three Card Monte

Foreword

1 For one thing I've always felt that the "Three Card Monte" routine (and many routines done today) need a strong finish.

I think this routine has that finish.

2 One of the charms about "Perverse Magic" is that the magician is not saying
"Look how good I am." But what happens just happens. And sometimes what happens has happened to the magician before. David Copperfield has used "Perverse Magic" and I recall his saying several times, "I hate when that happens."

3 Often a spectator will ask about "Three Card Monte" and when she does the magician should be prepared to do something to demonstrate what it is. This short routine should do that - and entertain as well.

4 There has been much written about "Three Card Monte". One can look up Erdnase, Vernon in FURTHER INNER SECRETS OF CARD MAGIC, Lewis Ganson in THE THREE CARD MONTE AS ENTERTAINMENT, Ken Krenzel and Sol Stone in APOCALYPSE etc.

5 When I do this routine I explain that it's important to do this slowly and one of my problems is that I'm too fast. I say that I try but I always forget and do things too fast. This makes my ending Perverse - I did it but I didn't mean to.

(It's true - I do work fast - sometimes too fast. When I spent time with Slydini he kept telling me to slow down!)

The Climax

The climax of the routine is finding the signed "winning card" in my pocket.

I don't do this as a show of skill but, instead, when I show the "winning card" is not
on the table where I expect it to be I realize that I again "forgot myself" and
worked too fast and I did the "switch out" move.

Routine

1 I use two red tens and the Ace of Spades for the routine and the Ace of Spades is the "winning card" because there can only be one card that looks like the Ace of Spades. The two red tens are contrasting cards.

I run through the deck and pull out these cards and bring them to the top of the deck. I also secretly bring a black ten to the top. I arrange it so that the black ten is next to the last of this packet - that is, third card from the top.

2 I turn each of the first two of these cards face up and then deal it face up to the table. Then I double lift showing either a red ten or the ace - depending on the order that I found the cards (with the ten of spades face up below this).

I tilt the deck towards myself and deal the showing card to the table and put the deck face up in the table.

The face up black ten is face up on the top of the face up deck (against the table) .

3 I do a very brief Monte routine emphasizing that it's necessary to do all moves very slowly and I say that I tend to do moves fast and I say I'll try to go slow here.

I do the regular "Monte move" twice and then I straighten out the bent cards and do the Trevor Lewis "Monte move" (see Apocalypse June 1978 page 67 and Krenzel "Monte Plus Plus" Apocalypse July 1978 page 81) only once.

4 Finally I tell them that sometimes the "winning card" can be marked and I pick up the deck and put the Ace of Spades face up on top (over the face up Ten of Spades) and have a spectator initial the Ace of Spades. This is a logical reason for putting the Ace on top of the deck.

I then double lift the two cards (Ace and black ten) turning them face down and I deal the top (black ten) to the table.

5 I tell the spectator to turn the red tens face down and push them forward.

While they are doing that I:

* palm off the Ace of Spades

* put the deck to the table

* put BOTH HANDS in the trouser pockets leaving the Ace of Spades

(I think I previously mentioned that Fred Braue suggested putting both hands in trouser pockets to disarm spectators.)

6 Very slowly I move the three cards on the table around and ask the spectator to put her finger on the Ace of Spades. She will probably put her finger on the face down black ten.

7 I look disappointed saying, "Darn - I did a fast move again! I didn't mean to - I did the 'switch out'. Look," I say shaking my head like I didn't mean to do it, "A ten," turning over a red ten, "a ten", the other red ten "and a ten" showing the black ten under the spectator's hand and then very slowly pulling the signed Ace of Spades from my pocket as I shake my head in disgust.

Gerald Deutsch
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » August 1st, 2004, 3:00 am

Perverse Color Changing Knives

My friend, Peter Marshall, the mortgage banker, came up with a very entertaining color changing knife routine which I modified somewhat. The routine has a "Perverse" theme.

Starting Position

* White knife in right jacket pocket
* Pack of gum in right jacket pocket
* Black/white knife in right hand

Routine

* Show black/white knife as a black knife on both sides using the paddle move
* Changes to white on both sides again with paddle move
* Back to black

* Explain that you really have 2 knives and reach into the right trouser pocket and bring out the
regular white knife.
* Place black/white knife on left palm black side up and white knife at base of fingers next to black/white knife. Close left hand and turn fist back up.
* Push black/white knife out of left fist with left thumb (shows white).
* Take black/white knife in right hand and show it white on both sides and explain that you keep the white knife in your jacket pocket (put it there and take it out in closed right hand) and the black knife in your left hand.
* Show white in left hand and black in right hand. Look confused and puzzled and say , "Wait a minute---"

* Try to remember what to do. Put black/white knife in left fist black side showing and put white knife next to it and turn fist over.
* Push black/white knife out of left fist with left thumb (white side showing) and put in right jacket pocket and take pack of gum in closed fist
* Show white in left hand and again look confused.
* Open right hand and show pack of gum and look really confused. "I quit!" and put the knife in the left jacket pocket and offer spectator a piece of gum.

Guest

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Guest » August 16th, 2004, 7:58 am

Thanks, Gerald, for posting this thread and providing great examples. I think perverse magic is good because it includes the element of surprise, and surprise is essential to strong, entertaining magic. In so many repetitive routines, like coins across, the final stage is often anticlimactic.

If you had complete control over the magic, and could perform it at will like a 9 to 5 job, it wouldn't be magic, would it? I think the idea that the magician is struggling with powers that are just within his grasp, with sometimes unpredictable results, is helpful to create the illusion of magic.

By the way, I'm looking for printed sources on Benson. Does anyone know of any? I had the chance to speak with Cellini, who really praised Benson's act.

Gerald Deutsch
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » September 1st, 2004, 2:27 am

The World's Fastest Card Trick

In 1948 Joe Karson published "The World's Fastest Card Trick" - a great perverse magic effect.

Basically the performer says he's going to perform the "world's fastest card trick" and invites a spectator to assist him to select a card. Then:

1 Because of confused timing there's difficulty in having the card selected
2 A card is finally selected and returned to the pack but the spectator says she didn't look at the card
3 Another card is selected and the performer shuffles the deck and pulls out one card and asks the spectator the name of the card and in confusion it appears that the spectator still has her card in her hand
4 Again this is repeated and this time the spectator forgets her card
5 Finally all goes well and the performer removes a card but is the wrong card - so he changes it for the right card.

Some thoughts on this:

A In 1980 Ken deCourcy published a pamphlet discussing this routine and pointed out:

* In step 4 above the result is obtained by whispering to the spectator to say she'd forgotten the card and this isn't practical for close up and he gives variations. I don't like any of the variations so I eliminated this part.

* The ending - the incorrect card changing to the correct card is weak compared to the value of the buildup. I agree. I like to find a wrong card and then find the selected card is not in the deck but is in my shoe.

B There's a bit of a "sucker trick" here and let me say something about sucker tricks

When I met my wife, Linda, she did not like magic and the reason was that when she was a little girl, she was called up to assist a magician and he made of fool out of her with his breakaway wand and fan, blaming her and embarrassing her in front of the laughing audience.

Perverse magic lets the magician be the brunt of the sucker situation. The wand and fan break is against the magician not the spectator.

C The question often comes up as what to do when a spectator refuses to tell you his card. One answer is to forget that trick and the card selected but, instead, go into The World's Fastest Card Trick (with another spectator of course)

D My way of doing the routine is as follows:

* If possible I'll put a duplicate of a card in my shoe before performing (though for walk around I can only do this once- unless I "go to the bathroom" during the performance)

* I follow the Karson routine for steps 1,2, and 3 skipping 4 (If anyone doesn't have the Karson booklet or wants details of these steps let me know).

* I force the duplicate of the card in my shoe, have it returned, controlled to the top and palm it as I give the deck to be shuffled.

Then I put BOTH hands in my trouser pockets, leaving the palmed card. (I think it was Fred Braue who suggested putting both hands in both pockets in such a situation. And for me this is a very natural position to be in.)

I then cut the deck and ask for the name of the selected card and turn over the cut-to card and - it's wrong. I then go through the deck and try to find the card but can't and I give the deck to the spectator to find it making sure that my hands are shown empty.

Then, ACTING CONFUSED, I start looking in my pockets and then I remove my shoe (not the one with the card) muttering something like "You'd think I was going on a plane--" and - nothing. Then the other shoe and there is the card.

Again, with perverse magic I'm confused when I find the card. The attitude is NOT "and here's your card ta da--"

If I can' t load the card in my shoe I produce the actual card from my pocket with the same attitude. (After making it clear that my hand is empty.)

Guest

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Guest » September 1st, 2004, 6:13 am

Gerald: Once again, thank you for your contributions.

Darrin: Two of Benson's routines are included in "Classic Secrets of Magic".

Gerald Deutsch
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » October 1st, 2004, 3:29 am

Progressive Production

This effect by Bob Carver appears on page 377 of Bobo "The New Modern Coin Magic" (it's not in the first edition or the paperback Dover version) and with some modifications I've made in the presentation (I have two different presentations) , it's become one of my favorite impromptu effects.

In both presentations it's just something that happens - I'm not doing a trick.

In the method, the only thing I've added is the production of the first and second coins. Instead of palming five coins I palm only four, two in each hand and use the spectator's coin for the first. I'll explain my production of the second coin below - the third, fourth and fifth follow Bob Carver's routine.

I have two presentations as follows:

1 I ask a spectator for a quarter and when I get it, it becomes two, then three, then four and then five. Then, as if this is a natural way to get money and not a magic effect, I use the line that comes from one Vernon attributes to Malini (See Dai Vernon Book of Magic page 106) as I give the lender back her quarter, "Thanks, I needed quarters." as I put the other four in my pocket.

2 I note a quarter in a spectator's purse or on the table and say, "Oh there's one!" (As if the quarter is a special one. I use this line for several effects. I'll publish one with a rock in a few months). I then make her quarter two, then three, then four and then five and I let her keep them all. (For the frugal it can be done with nickels.)

I always have four quarters in my right hand jacket pocket (and NO other coins)
and when I see I'm going to perform I secretly take the four coins in my right hand,
put both hands behind my back, and put two quarters in my left hand and classic
palm them. Then I classic palm the other two in my right hand but, as Carver
explains, the outer coin is injogged forward. (This is so when you release your grip
slightly, only one coin will fall

I take the spectator's quarter and hold it between my thumb and first finger of my
left hand by the opposite edges (so the coin is fully displayed) and I let the jogged
coin fall to my right fingertips.

I bring my right hand, back showing, to my left hand and as my right hand
approaches, it twists so that the coin on the fingertips goes underneath the coin
displayed between my left thumb and forefinger and my right thumb drops on the
displayed coin pushing it onto the coin at the right fingertips.

With the right thumb and first finger I spread the two coins and take one in each
hand between the thumbs and fingertips (the Kaps subtlety makes it appear that
the hands are empty.

I then toss the left hand coin to the right hand and the three come together showing
three (but one stays in classic palm).

I toss two (the one staying in classic palm) from the right hand to the left hand
where they join the two there showing four and then the four are tossed to the right
hand joining the one there to show five.

Brian Marks
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Brian Marks » October 5th, 2004, 10:19 pm

I have been using this coin production for three years now. Its a worker

Gerald Deutsch
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » November 1st, 2004, 2:26 am

Perverse Signed Card to Pocket

Ive listed some cards to pocket effects in this thread above (see December 21, 2002 Ambitious Card, May 20, 2003 Perverse Discovery, July 1, 2004 3 Card Monte) but its one of my favorite plots. Also, as I may have mentioned, I rarely have a card signed as I find it slows the effect down. This is an exception.

The routine is performed as follows:

1 A card is selected, signed and shuffled back into the pack.
2 The spectator is given the deck to shuffle.
3 The magician takes back the deck and asks for the name of the card.
4 He spells that card taking one card for each letter.
5 But when he completes the spelling its not the selected card.
6 The magician is confused he starts to look through the deck and leaves it spread on the table but no sign of the card.
7 He puts his left hand in his left trouser pocket no card
8 He puts his right hand in his right trouser pocket and there is the signed selected card.
9 The magician is very confused and quits saying, I hate when that happens.
10 A few minutes later he casually reaches into that same pocket and is surprised as he removes a card. He reaches in again and removes another, then, finally, a few cards. He shakes his head bewildered.

Some notes:

1 Of course the selected card is controlled to the top and palmed out with five or so cards as the deck is handed out for shuffling. (Dont take too many or the spectator will realize the deck is not full.)
2 While the deck is being shuffled, BOTH hands go into the trouser pockets (I believe it was Fred Braue that suggested this. It is important as it is a natural way for me to stand) and the palmed cards are left in the right pocket.
3 I spell the card. Some may be tempted to ask for any number but this is WRONG because one of my rules for Perverse Magic is what happens has to be stronger than what you say will happen and a card at any named number is stronger than spelling - but the card in the pocket is stronger than the spelling.
4 When you have the wrong card at the spell position the spectators may think you just missed and lose interest and walk away so its VERY IMPORTANT to start acting here as you spread the deck to find the card. Make it into a little drama.
5 The card in the pocket is often used as an OUT when a card is missed but here the card is loaded while the trick is progressing and here the performer is showing the hand empty before going into the pocket.
6 But using Perverse Magic you cant say Look, my hand is empty so thats why I take my time getting the card from my right pocket by looking first in my left pocket acting confused and in doing so, I show both hands clearly empty.
7 After the trick is over, I casually reach into my pocket again and remove a card and look confused as I drop it on the table. I reach in again and remove another and then another and finally the few remaining at one time. Ive found that for some reason while spectators may understand palming a card, they do not understand how you can palm more than one.
8 I said above that I rarely have a card signed because, for me, it slows things down but I used to and I kept a collection of such signed cards. Now, sometimes, if I know Im going to see a person that has signed one of these cards, I would take that card and a matching deck and, at the right time, I would force the duplicate and have it returned to the deck and tell the spectator to picture his card and Id give him or her an imaginary pen to sign the mental picture of his card and put the imaginary card back in the deck. I go through the deck and remove the card with the spectators signature and while he or she is trying to figure out how the actual signature got there, I palm out the duplicate.

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » December 1st, 2004, 4:22 am

The Purse Frame

A purse frame is a bagless purse - the frame of the purse. Back in 1950 Bill Nord suggested using it to produce an silk (See Phoenix # 212) Slydini used it to produce sponges (see he Best of Slydini and More" page 54), Al Goshman used it to produce coins and sponge balls (see "Magic By Gosh") and I use it to produce dice (see "Dice Caper" in Apocalypse page 745 March 1983) and Patrick Page has suggested using the purse frame in an impromptu situation. So do I. It is a good example of "Whimsical Perverse Magic"

I would have a few bills that have been folded with one short end to the other short end and then once more with the center to the ends (but not pressed flat) and palmed in the left hand with one long side against the heel of the hand and the other long side against the curled left fingers of that hand.

The purse frame is in the right pocket (jacket if wearing one - pants pocket otherwise).

When paying the check at a restaurant (where I'm not paying by credit card) I'll go to the cashier and reach into my right pocket and get the purse frame and hold it between my right hand between my thumb and first and second fingers,

I shake the purse and hold it to my ear and then move it to the cashier's ear (see "The Best of Slydini and More" photo 254). I then put the purse in my left hand (see "The Best of Slydini and More photo 257) and open the purse with my right hand and reach in with the thumb and first finger of that hand and grasp the bills by the side touching the heel of my left hand and pull the bills out of the purse.

I put the purse away and pay the check with the bills - as if using a purse frame with an invisible bag that holds invisible bills is the most natural thing in the world.

*****************************

Sometimes instead of bills I produce a few coins, perhaps to buy a newspaper for, say, fifty cents. Here I'll have two quarters finger palmed in my left hand and here, when I reach for the coins with my right thumb and first finger, I do so with my right palm facing the spectators so that the right palm is shown empty. (See "The Best of Slydini and More" photo 259).

*****************************

I sometimes use the purse frame at dinner with friends. (I do a lot of magic at dinner - or lunch. That MAY be a good time to do magic depending on the circumstances and you must use your good judgment here.

I might, at the end of a meal, ask if anyone wants a piece of gum and take the gum from the purse frame. Or I might just reach into the purse frame and pull out a tissue, wipe my mouth and throw the tissue away.

Here, the gum (and I use a few small pieces of gum, like Trident, that can fit easily in my left hand) or the tissue is on my left leg and the purse frame is in my real right pocket. As I reach for the purse frame with my right hand, my body turns and my left hand drops on top of the gum or the tissue.

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Pete Biro » December 3rd, 2004, 6:54 pm

FYI... Al Flosse told me he was FIRST to use a purse frame. He had a small leather purse he cut a hole into so he could do the old Wand from Purse trick. He had it so long that the hole kept getting bigger and bigger, and all that was left was the frame and a fringe of the leather.

Actually, I think that makes more sense than to use the empty frames we all see.
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Richard Kaufman » December 3rd, 2004, 8:51 pm

Isn't Al Baker generally given credit for the Purse Frame? In The Phoenix, perhaps?
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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Philippe Billot » December 5th, 2004, 2:39 am

You are right, Mr. Kaufman
See The Phoenix N214, Oct 1950, page 856 under the title SCOTCH PURSE by Eugene L. Bulson

"The idea of using a skeleton purse was first brought to my attention by the late Charles R. (Baffles) Brush, more than twenty years ago, at one of the first I.B.M. convention in Kenton. Brush attributed the original idea, if I remember correctly, to Al Baker, and some years later mentioned its use in his column in THE SPHINX..."

As I have'nt the SPHINX, I hand over to someone else.

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » January 1st, 2005, 4:17 am

Ricochet! A good candidate for Perverse Magic

This effect by R. Paul Wilson, is currently a marketed item, and I think is a good candidate for Perverse Magic.

The effect is as follows:

1 Four kings are shown and put face down on the table.
2 The four Aces are taken in the magicians hand.
3 One by one the Aces change magically to Kings.
4 The magician says, If the Kings are now here whats on the table? The spectators say, The Aces.
5 No, says the magician, The Kings are still on the table because and then he showsthe Aces are here again. The Kings have changed back to Aces.

My suggestion would be that in step 5 the magician should expect the Aces to be on the table and should appear confused to find the Kings are still there. He then looks at what he is holding, expecting to see the Kings and is shocked to find the Aces. He scratches his head in bewilderment.

Perverse Magic!

(Note: The Kings should be left on the table, not under a spectators hand because one of the rules of Perverse Magic is that what is done must be stronger that what you say will be done and if the Kings are under a spectators hand and they changed to Aces that would be a stronger effect.)

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » February 1st, 2005, 10:16 am

The Bag Snap

Many years ago I saw a vaudeville performer named Roger Ray come on stage with a xylophone and proceed to take a paper bag from his pants and have a catch with imaginary objects. I loved it.

Milbourne Christopher describes a Misers Dream with balls using a paper bag in the January 1950 issue of Hugards Magic Monthly (page 621) and Bob Mc Allister worked out a similar routine using chocolate chip cookies. (I worked out a routine with Tootsie rolls which Ill put here in a few months.)

Kids love it and so do adults. You reach into a paper bag and take out an imaginary ball and throw it against a wall and the catch it in the bag.

Theres timing involved. As the imaginary ball ( or chocolate chip cookie or Tootsie roll) is to hit the bag a sound it heard.

The sound is made, of course by one of the fingers of the hand that is holding the bag hitting the bag.

What I do is hold the bag in my left hand, fingers inside and thumb on the outside. I have my ring finger on my middle finger and to make the noise I slide my ring finger to the left, off my middle finger and it will strike the bag with a snap.

Try it its very effective and its Whimsical Perverse Magic.

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Philippe Billot » February 20th, 2005, 1:30 am

Gerald,
As you are interesting by Perverse Magic, you can read Up His Sleeve (1920) by Charles Waller (if not already done) or the reprint of the book in Genii, beginning Vol 10, N2, October 1945.

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » March 1st, 2005, 3:45 am

Perverse Cards to Pocket

Perverse Magic can be just an incident in an effect and need not be the entire effect. I recall Roy Benson doing his beautiful billiard ball routine and then, as he was producing one 2 inch white ball after another, a red ball suddenly appeared confusing Benson who consulted what had to be a magic instruction booklet.

The Card to Pocket is a classic effect and leads itself to having a perverse incident or two. I learned this effect many years ago from one of my favorite books, "The Royal Road to Card Magic" (although it is written up in many standard books on magic) and made changes to fit my style as follows:

Effect

* The spectators are asked to count out 10 card and give them to you.

* You explain that by riffling the cards you make them go up your left sleeve, down your right sleeve and into your right trouser pocket.

* You riffle and produce a card from your right trouser pocket. You do this again and then again.

* You count and there are 7 cards remaining

* You riffle again but - no card. You feel something at your left shoulder and reach up for the fourth card. You look very confused.

* You riffle again and - again no card in the pocket. You reach into your left trouser pocket and there's the card. Again you look confused.

* You riffle and find the sixth card in the right pocket where it should be.

* You say you will do two at a time and riffle twice but theyre not in your right pocket. You look in left pocket and find number 7 and 8. You scratch your head.

* You riffle again and look in your left pocket for 9 but it's where it should be - in your right pocket. You nod, pleased.

* You take the last card and say "Watch" And when you open your hand - your watch is there and you're very confused. You push up left sleeve and there's no watch on your wrist. You put the watch on your wrist.

* You look for 10 and find it in your rear pocket and quit in frustration.

Working

* Remove watch and buckle it as if it were on wrist and put in left trouser pocket.

* Ask for ten cards and then count them again getting break under fifth.

* Palm top five in right hand as you riffle remaining five.

* Reach into right trouser pocket, leave four cards and bring out one.

* Bring out another and then another.

* False count five as seven. Get break under the second card and bottom palm bottom three in left hand.

* Riffle and reach into right pocket and pretend nothing there but palm one of two cards there. Then start to flap left arm against side. Reach over with right hand and produce palmed card from left armpit.

* Try again for next card. Surprised when not in right pocket. (There is one there.) Reach into left pocket and produce one.

* Next from right pocket (#6)

* Say will do two at a time. Surprised when not in right pocket. Produce from left pocket. (7,8)

* Show 2 cards and get break between and palm top in right hand. Riffle then take unpalmed card in right hand and reach into left pocket expecting card and palm watch (Actually, just take it LIGHTLY with one side resting on the curved left fingers and the other touching the heel of the left hand). Put the unpalmed card onto left hand (covering watch) . Reach into right pocket and produce card (9).

* Take the last card between the right thumb and fingers on the short side and with the back of left hand facing audience, put the other side of the card behind the watch (that is the watch will be between the card and the left palm) and then gently tap the card into the left hand with the right fingers. When the card has about an inch to go, hold the card tight between the left fingers and the left heel and the card will bend and if you now release the pressure of the left fingers, the card will snap into the right palm.

* Turn the left hand palm up showing the watch as the right hand with the palmed card drops to the right side.

* Look confused and try to find the card. The right hand (with the palmed card) goes into the right pocked where it leaves the card and pretends it's not there. Transfer the watch to the right hand as the left hand goes into the left pocket and doesn't find it either.

* Keep looking puzzled as you open the watch and put it back on your wrist. Then the right hand goes again into the right pocket and the left hand goes into the left pocket. The right hand presses against the card in that pocket and as the hand comes out the pressure is kept on so the hand (and the card) moves against your pants and to the right rear pocket and then inside.

* You turn you back to the audience as you produce the card from your rear right pocket.

Its an entertaining routine.

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Curtis Kam » March 1st, 2005, 11:16 am

Congratulations, Gerald. The watch is a very nice addition to a routine that could use all the surprises it can get. Would it be more logical (but therefore perhaps less "peverse") to produce your credit card instead of your watch? Or a few bills? That would prompt you to pull your wallet out of your back pocket, and inside find the last card.

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » April 1st, 2005, 3:09 am

Dice Caper

This routine is another good example of the type of Perverse Magic where the magician explains how simple things somehow affect other simple things which confuses him. I use this effect to close most formal sit down close up routines that I do.

The effect is as follows:

1 The magician has a white die, a salt shaker and a pepper shaker on the table. He explains that if you sprinkle salt on the die it becomes invisible. I do and it does.


2 Explaining the difficulty of storing an invisible die, the magician explains that he keeps it in a bagless purse (or purse frame - see discussion of this above December 2004). He gets such a purse from his pocket and drops in the invisible die.


3 The magician explains that while salt makes a visible die invisible, pepper will make an invisible die visible. He sprinkles pepper into the bagless purse and reaches in and pull out a visible die. Then he looks deeper into the bagless purse and pulls out another visible die chuckling and saying he lost that last week and wondered where it went.


4 He starts to put the bagless purse away and then thinks he saw something and sure enough theres another visible die which he puts on the table with the other two.


5 He says you dont need three dice so he drops the last back into the bagless purse where it again turns invisible and he starts to put the bagless purse away again and once more changes his mind and again takes out the third die which is again visible.


6 The magician explains that the salt and pepper only works on one die at a time. He puts all three in his hand, sprinkles salt and shows that only one became invisible, the other two remaining visible.


7 He puts the two visible dice in his hand, sprinkles salt and again only one becomes invisible. There are now two invisible and one visible dice on the table.


8 The magician explains that with an invisible die and a visible die you can always throw a 7. He demonstrates. He explains that with 2 invisible dice and one visible die you can always throw an 11. He demonstrates.


9 He takes the bagless purse from his pocket and drops in the two invisible dice and sprinkles in pepper to make them visible and reaches in and produces a pack of gum he looks confused then he takes out the two dice now visible.


10 He explains that its important that you remember not to use pepper on a visible die because - and does and shows that the die has changed from white to red.


11 The magician explains that what really gets confusing is when you put both salt and pepper on a die---he does and shows that it has become a miniature die.


12 He shakes his head and says that it doesnt stay that way long and as he drops the miniature die through his fist a huge giant die falls to the table as the magician looks startled.

This routine is written up in detail on page 745 of the March 1983 issue of Apocalypse which I assume those that are interested in this type of magic have. If anyone cant get this let me know. As noted there, my inspiration for this routine was my good friend Johnny Benzais but I worked out the routine with Slydini.

(Slydini and I had many friendly arguments when we were together as both of us were stubborn. With the development of this routine, I wanted to end with step 11 (the miniature die) but Slydini insisted I end with the giant die and I insisted that I didnt want to have to carry that giant die around. Then one evening I visited Slydini and he gave me a giant die that he had gone out and purchased. Do! he commanded and I did and he was right.)

Guest

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Guest » April 28th, 2005, 1:28 pm

Gerald -
I very much enjoy your Dice Caper, but do not have access to the March 1983 Apocalypse routine which, you said, details the routine. You said you could make it available. How do I contact you?

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » May 1st, 2005, 4:47 am

Cards on the Wall

I don't know where I leaned this - probably in some kid's book of magic but I have fooled some knowledgeable magicians with it. I did this in the lobby at the Brown's Hotel at a Tannen's Jubilee and it's fun.

It's the simple trick that everyone knows - rub your feet on a carpet on a cold day and then if you put a card (or something) on a wall it will stick.

It was the way I presented it - very serious like I had to do something. I would have the deck in my left hand and then take one card in my right hand and walk to a wall, stop, think, shake my head and walk to another wall and put the card on that wall. I would repeat this a few times. Then I would shake my head - something was wrong. I would take a card from the wall and walk over to another wall and put it there face up (it was face down on the first wall).

This would be repeated a dozen times or so. In some cases I would slide a card that was on the wall to a space higher or lower.

I had fun doing this for Slydini during one of my regular visits to him and I was surprised (and delighted) when my teacher laughed and said, "Wha you do?"

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Guest » May 1st, 2005, 10:20 pm

I learned it from the Stevens " Greater Magic

Video Library " of Johnny Paul. I can't remember

if he credits it anf currently don't have a VHS

so I can not check...Mike Walsh

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » June 1st, 2005, 12:42 pm

Misers Dream For Kids

The Misers Dream is an excellent example of the fifth category of Perverse Magic Whimsical Perverse Magic. The magician and the audience are on different plains as to what each sees. The magician sees objects before him that the audience doesnt until the magician catches it.

The effect has usually been done with coins but Bob Mc Allister came up with a wonderful routine for kids using chocolate chip cookies. I came up with a variation using Tootsie Rolls.

* Requirements and Preparation

** Paper bag folded flat on table

** 1 Chocolate Chip cookies in paper bag

** 18 miniature Tootsie Rolls in a plastic bag on table out of sight

** 3 miniature Tootsie Rolls in left pants pocket

** 1 miniature Tootsie Roll in right trouser pocket

** Purse frame (bagless purse) in right trouser pocket

* Routine

** Secretly take packet of Tootsie rolls in plastic bag in right hand as left hand picks up the paper bag and shakes it open and then right hand goes into the bag to open it leaving the plastic bag with the Tootsie Rolls.

Leave the bag upright on the table.

** Put both hands in pockets. Get purse frame in right hand and palm two Tootsie Rolls in left hand (leaving the third).

(See this thread above December 2004 for a discussion of the bagless purse.)

Put the purse frame in the left hand holding it between the curved fingers and the base of the hand and produce the two Tootsie Rolls from the purse frame with the right hand. Toss the Tootsie roll to the left hand and take the purse frame in the right hand.

** Replace the purse frame in right pocket and palm the Tootsie Roll.

** Show the two Tootsie rolls in the left hand and apparently toss them into the right hand but do a shuttle pass holding back one with the left thumb so that only one is tossed which joins the one if the right hand and leaving one in the left hand.

** Pick up the bag with the left hand and toss in the two Tootsie rolls that are in the right hand.

** Pretend to catch a Tootsie roll with the right hand and toll the invisible Tootsie roll into the bag and as you do snap the bag with the fingers of the left hand.

(For a description of the Bag Snap see my entry to this thread of February 2005).

** Put bag in right hand and catch the Tootsie roll that was palmed in the left hand and toss it into the bag.

** Reach in the bag with the right hand and pick up the three Tootsie rolls and show them. Toss them back into the bag but retain one in the right hand in thumb palm position.

** Pretend to catch three and do the bag snap for each as they are apparently tossed into the bag, retaining the one thumb palmed.

** Put the bag down and pull the thumb palmed Tootsie roll from a childs ear.

** Pretend to put it into the left hand but retain it thumb palmed in the right hand. Slap the left pocket with the left hand and show gone and with the left hand reach into the left pocket and remove the one that was there. It apparently penetrated the pants.

** Put that Tootsie roll in right hand (which still has one thumb palmed). Pick up bag with left hand and drop visible Tootsie roll in right hand into the bag.

** Pretend to catch some thirteen from the air and tossing each into the bag and each time performing the bag snap and each time returning the Tootsie Roll to thumb palm. Occasionally bring the thumb palmed Tootsie roll to the finger tips and then, as apparently tossing it into the bag, thumb palm it again.

** Put right hand into the bag and (a) pull plastic bag off Tootsie rolls, (b) finger palm chocolate chip cookie and (c) move Tootsie rolls around all the while keeping the Tootsie roll thumb palmed.

** Catch the thumb palmed Tootsie roll and toss it in the bag.

** Catch the chocolate chip cookie. Look confused. Shrug your shoulders and then eat the chocolate chip cookie.

** Finally pour out the bunch of Tootsie rolls from the bag to the table.

Guest

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Guest » June 1st, 2005, 2:43 pm

Gerald,

The Tootsie Roll idea is a good one, but Ron Bauer beat you to it. His Tootsie! was published in the August 1981 issue of The New Tops (Vol. 21, No. 8). The best part about the routine is the fact that you have THE TOOTSIE TOUCH, a power kids have DREAMED about... You can get Tootsie Rolls whenever you want!

Your trick does differ from Ron Bauers, but I thought you might be interested to know that someone else has used the Tootsie Roll idea (and to good effect!). Also, Tootsie! ends with the Magical Person transforming all his candy (way too much for one person) into a nutritious glass of milk.

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Guest » June 2nd, 2005, 2:00 am

For the benefit of us Brits, what is a Tootsie Roll?

Ive Googled for it, but I havent yet found a picture of one.

Dave

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Brad Jeffers » June 2nd, 2005, 4:05 am


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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » June 2nd, 2005, 6:51 am

I'm sorry, I should have explained Tootsie Rolls better.

These are candies that are individually wrapped. The candies are "tube shaped" but solid and they come in a few sizes. The size I use is about an inch long (and are easy to thumb palm)

I'm sure that any candy shaped like that can be used but it should be a candy recognized by the audience.

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Guest » June 2nd, 2005, 8:54 am

Thanks Brad and Gerald. I find that there are often such references on these cross-cultural boards. We take them for granted. I recently referred to Polo Mints on another board, not realising that they werent universal.

Dave

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » July 1st, 2005, 3:43 am

Wired

I teach some basic magic to kids in a hospital and I also wind up doing some close up magic for the kids and their parents.

One of the most important things to know is when its appropriate to approach a child and what to do when you do go to him or her. Some of these kids are really sick and dont want to be bothered by magic. On the other hand, if they are receptive, magic can be a great escape for them and their parents (who need an escape with so much on their mind).

(My purpose in starting to do this was to try to get some kids interested in magic because, as so many of you know, magic can be very consuming and hopefully can let the kids forget they are sick if only for a little while.)

Anyway, I was going bed to bed and I came across a youngster that had been having seizures and had on a helmet with wires leading to some machine. During the course of what I was doing I pretended to notice the wires and, looking at the boys mother I said, I read about something with this a long time ago. Let me try.

I forced a card on the boy and then grabbed the wire and with great difficulty I was able to read the boys mind as I told him the name of his card. Dont tell the doctors. They dont know you can do this with these machines.

Thats Perverse Magic. I didnt do it it works with the wires.

(Before I left I told the mother it was just a trick. I didnt want them to think the machine could result in an invasion of privacy and have everyone sued. You know lawyers today!)

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Brian Marks » July 1st, 2005, 10:00 am

yeah tax lawyers are the worst

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » August 1st, 2005, 3:41 am

Darn the Dentist

I complain about how, a few hours ago, my dentist hurt me and, still in pain, I put my empty right hand into my pained mouth and fish around and pull out a portion of my dentists mirror which he apparently left in my mouth.

Darn him! I say. Im going to call my lawyer!

To do:

1 Get a dentists mirror (that the little round mirror mounted on a plastic stick) and cut off most of the stick leaving about 1 inch. It now looks like a little V with the mirror as one leg and the plastic the other.
2 This is finger palmed in the right hand with the top edge of the mirror at the top crease of the 2nd and 3rd fingers and the bottom edge of the plastic against the fleshy part of the palm at the base of the fingers.
3 As you complain, the index finger points to your mouth. The hand appears empty.
4 All four fingers go into the mouth and at the same time:
* The head tilts to the left
* The right thumb presses against the plastic
* The right hand relaxes and closes into a fist.
5 The right hand comes out of the mouth with the portion of the mirror protruding from the top of the fist.

A Perverse moment..

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Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » September 1st, 2005, 3:52 am

Perverse Poker Deals

* Ten Card Poker Deal

This effect has been the subject of a current thread under Close Up Magic in this Genii Forum.

Ive always like this effect as written up in Harry Loraynes Deck Sterity (page 72) but I could never see it fitting my personality because it shows the performer beats out the spectator and thats not my style.

I discussed this recently with my friend, David Levitan, a professional performer who told me that he only uses it against an obnoxious spectator. I thought about this recently and came up with the idea of presenting this as a person that knows little about poker and I lose whenever I play. (So, in effect, I will deal the losing Jonah Card to me instead of the spectator and I would lose.)

But the beauty of the original effect is that the spectator is always given a choice and still he loses so what I would do is get a spectator to help me. So I would use 2 spectators the one that has a passive role as he will always win and the other, my helper that will make all the decisions that the spectator in Loraynes routine makes but he is making them for me since I know so little about Poker and I, not the spectator, will always lose.

(After I mentioned this to Bob Lusthaus, a magic friend he told me that he had seen this idea by Scott Guinn called The Worlds Worst Card Player.)

What I would do would be to follow the Lorayne sequence but end with his step 6 what he calls Open Poker but instead of gloating over the victim I would get frustrated when my helper tells me I lost again (he has to help me because, as I said, I explain that I dont understand Poker very well) and my reaction is You see what I mean? I never win at Poker no matter what! I quit!

Then, after a few minutes, I would explain that someone taught me how gamblers cheat and I would, as a climax, go into the Lorayne Poker Deal as described below.

* Loraynes Poker Deal

A poker deal is usually a demonstration of skill but I present this as a confused person who doesn't understand how to play cards.

The routine I do is Harry Lorayne's Poker Deal from page 153 of "Close Up Card Magic.

The "bare bones' of the routine is:

** You're going to explain how card sharks cheat and you pull out the
four aces.

** While doing this you secretly bring the 10S, JS, QS, and Ks to the top
(in any order).

** The four aces are openly put on the bottom of the deck with the AS on
the bottom.

** I explain that I was shown how gamblers cheat although I know little
about poker. I ask if anyone there does and when someone says they do I say that's good - he can help.

** I then start to deal 5 handed poker and when I get to the dealer's
hand (mine) I openly deal from the bottom. I say, "This is called a "bottom deal" and I can't do it."

** I repeat this three times and then I the fourth repeat I deal from the
top because "I already have the four aces."

** I then drop the dealer's hand on the deck followed by the other hands.
The way the deck is now set, if five poker hands were dealt the dealer would get a royal flush (the highest hand in poker).

** I say that someone showed me how to get a good poker hand without
having to do a hard bottom deal. Also, the way this guy showed me you could shuffle the deck.

I give the deck a jog shuffle retaining the stack on top in place.

** I deal out the five hands.

** I start looking at the other hands and when I get to the second there is
an ace. I look confused. Same with the third and the fourth. I scratch my head.

** I finally look at my (dealer's) hand and show a royal flush. I look
confused and I ask the guy that said he knew poker, "Is this any good?"

So I did the poker deal, a show of skill but I did it in a way that I didn't
understand what happened. It happened but I didnt do it

Perverse Magic!


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