The Genii Forum

Bill Duncan

I've been told by people who have done both that The Sponge Bunnies are "better" than simple sponge balls, nearly 100% of the time. I have no reason to disbelieve that. But I remain unconvinced that The Sponge Bunnies play so strongly because "the magic happens in their hands." I...

Bill Duncan

I have it in mind that, for the denoument, it would be very magical if the whole deck was shown to have changed to a different color than the ambitious card and deck you had been using throughout the routine. I haven't thought about a method for it though. There's a color changing deck in DesTroyer...

Bill Duncan

From my (out of print, not a plug) booklet TRIBUTE, which is about my routine "An Ambitious Young Man" and the framing effects, here's my AC ending. It's done with a face up card, but there's no reason you couldn't do it with a face down stranger card. The selection is second from the top....

Bill Duncan

You have to be logged in to Facebook for it to open...

Is that the probelm? If not try using the group name in a search on Facebook.

Bill Duncan

Thanks guys.

I have a few items I'm thinking of selling, and don't really do this sort of thing often.

Bill Duncan

Didn't Elmsley have something called Ambitious Stranger, where the entire routine was done with an odd backed card?

Seems like it would make sense that the card would try to leave a deck it didn't belong in...

Bill Duncan

Leonard Hevia wrote:Voracious readers understand when I say that those who don't read much live on a superficial level.

That has to be, hands down, the funniest damn thing I have every read on Genii. Or in a book, or a blog, or the back of a cereal box, or on one of my three Kindles.

Bill Duncan

Pete,
Is that an endorsement of the group, or just informational? I like that it's a closed group, and the fact that Facebook is so intrusive gives me hope that people will realize that it's not a good way to try and scam people.

Bill Duncan

I think that the point is that we're always one or more moves ahead of the spectators. I would assume he had a better command of English than that. The words "one ahead" have a very specific meaning and Mr. Jennings used the principle often. I don't think that's what was said or implied. ...

Bill Duncan

Due to an odd convergence this evening two of my daily reads collided; Genii and Cracked.com.

Check this out. Apollo is #4 and Paul Wilson is #2.

Bill Duncan

Richard, Being "ahead" is not the same as being "one ahead." If the spectator doesn't know what is next, you are ahead. So in that sense you are always at least one (step) ahead. But that's kind of a pointless point. "One ahead" is typically used to mean the extra objec...

Bill Duncan

Jennings would say, for Triumph, that you secretly have half the deck reversed, and thus you are one ahead. I'd love to see him defend those methods where you don't secretly reverse any cards. In the Stars of Magic method, the false shuffle happens as the cards are apparently mixed, so you're not a...

Bill Duncan

Every time I look at this thread I'm reminded of a Gloria Steinem quote about job requirements which can be found here: http://famousquotefrom.com/gloria-steinem/ Using gender modifiers for job titles that have nothing do with gender just seems foolishly old fashioned to me. I'm not offended (on any...

Bill Duncan

Those trying to constantly show how woke they are have problems, from my perspective. I agree. The problem I have is that when I try to decide who's woke, and who's simply trying to show me how woke they are, I find myself becoming a judgmental asshat, and while I'm comfortable being that sort of f...

Bill Duncan

JFC... Use magician. It's gender neutral, and if you are writing about card tricks the card part is implied. If your reader doesn't realize that "she" is a female card worker then you're prose needs work, not a special new word to describe something that has nothing to do with the subject....

Bill Duncan

If you're conversant with the muscle pass, doing it into your hand, under cover of a wave provides an improved magical moment. It can be done as the hand is closed, or as it opens.

Bill Duncan

A handy glass with a bit of condensation on the outside, or a discrete "cough" into your fist can provide the necessary moisture for the "dime pickup." You might also try using quarters, as the shells are considerably lighter.

Bill Duncan

Latta used to say: Every move's a move. which is why I personally think coin magic is a lot tougher than card magic to do deceptively. Coin magic is harder because most of what's not a move is also a move. Doing something complicated, like a shuffle control, while doing something slightly less comp...

Bill Duncan

The Pink Purse video can be identified by Geoff using a pink fabric coin purse he had to borrow because he forgot to bring one with him when he sat for the video. The footage in The Long Goodbye is taken from that privately circulated video, which also includes Geoff tipping some (at the time) inner...

Bill Duncan

AND we'll get to see the other half of the Pink Purse tape...

Bill Duncan

It would be awesome if this sold out in the first run. It's such a wonderful tribute to an amazing artist.

Bill Duncan

Direct Link

Bill Duncan

Not having performed the effect, I can speak with authority, but it seems to me that you could reveal the sting while extending your arms in expectation of a hug. Should the assisting spectator step towards you for the embrace you could turn away allowing that person to see all the KILL cards, and g...

Bill Duncan

My initial reaction to the show, back in Season 1, was that it taught audiences that being fooled wasn't the be-all and end-all of magical entertainment, because some of the best acts didn't fool them. I think ultimately it has created a a different way of watching magic for laymen, and I've noticed...

Bill Duncan

However, I have read his mentor's book, "Strong Magic" and although I tried hard not to like it I have to admit that it was an excellent book with a lot of good thinking and intelligent observations. I have heard that the book was panned badly but am not sure why. I thought it was pretty ...

Bill Duncan

This was just great. When I got to the end it occurred to me that I've never read an entire interview in online form before.

Good stuff.

Bill Duncan

This is well trodden ground; Paul Curry and Ken Krenzel sre two names that come to mind. The first method HL teaches in The Magic Book is similar, though the pack is held at the finger tips instead of in dealing grip. I kind of wish we'd stop talking about the mechanics of the double lift so obsessi...

Bill Duncan

That's a great idea Bob. I've always had good luck taking a face or back OFF of a card, but they always seem a bit warped. Having clean thin faces to put on a skinned card is a perfect solution.

Bill Duncan

It really is. I'm quite fond of the lovely touch on the Stop Trick noted as "Or..." in the text.

Bill Duncan

I see a magic act as different from a play (or a musical like The Magic Show). To me magic acts are more like seeing a stand up comic, or a band. Generally speaking, I don't want to invest my time to see a cover band, any more than I want to see someone else do Mitch Hedberg's jokes. I'm perfectly o...

Bill Duncan

It's pretty simple really. If I make a movie, or write a play, and you recreate that using my words, you are wrong. Same with magic. if you make a movie about the same subject, even using some of the same plot points, you're a hack, but within your rights. If you take inspiration from something I wr...

Bill Duncan

Not to be too picky, but the number was twelve and the named card was tenth from the face of the pack. Also, why the heck would I carry a phone book around to select a number when anyone who would understand this trick would be able to think of a number between 1 and 52 without needing a book to &qu...

Bill Duncan

Ok, this is my new favorite quote.

Is he dead?

Yes. His is dead.
Do you have... the moist... cloth?

Bill Duncan

I generally don't favor the broom suspension-type tricks (I think Jerry Andrus referred to them as a physics lessons), but the kicker was fun (I first saw Stan Allen and Tina Lenert do this on an "It's Amazing" show). It's funny you mention him, because while I was watching it, I thought ...

Bill Duncan

While it would be lovely if your letter had any impact at all Mark, I suspect it won't. Fingers crossed though. I hope you'll share any response you get, even if it's just a canned "thank you for writing us..." sort of reply. It would be nice to think someone reads the emails. I do think t...

Bill Duncan

Agree. Combine the Essentials with his Fooler Doolers series, then add and Johnny Thompsons Classics of Magic videos and you'll have all the material you could ever need, and a pretty solid education in the bargain.

Bill Duncan

I've had great reactions to the Svengali deck. No doubt. I've never said it couldn't be used effectively, only that I didn't feel it was worth the weight. Beside all cards are the same, in particular are the sequence where the cards are cut into multiple piles and the top card of the pile selected ...

Bill Duncan

I agree with Mark. However, I don't think a magician would really understand why it is so great unless they pitched the decks for awhile. The recreations of the Svengali effects using a regular deck do pale in comparison to the real thing. " Ryan, Can you describe or demonstrate one of the eff...

Bill Duncan

I wonder why magicians think it's a notable observation that most magicians are bad? I've seen a [censored] of bad comedians, but I don't hear the same complaints about how many bad comics there are. Hell, Max Maven once quoted Sturgeon's law (90% of everything is crap), but suggested that in magic,...

Bill Duncan

So it is no good quoting big names in the world of magic to me since the odds are that I will sniff derisively at them and suggest they have rather a lot to learn. I think you misunderstood Mark, I was addressing someone else. But thanks for sharing such valuable information. [censored], there I go...

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