Pimpin' by Nathan Kranzo (and Paul Harris!)

[Kent Gunn]

Its only $24.95! I think you should: go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJrih4rW530

And make up your own mind about this effect, before you read my review. It looks pretty darned skippy. Im serious; watch Mr. Kranzo strut his stuff, before you read the effect description or any of my whiny complaints!

Are you back already? Ok, here we go,

Ah, nothing says class like, a trick title that is slang for that most misogynistic of job titles. Some folks actually think that emulating a pimp, in any way, (save for the penchant for feathers in the hat or Lincoln Continentals) is actually a bad thing. Heck its only a darned name . . . on with the review.

Ive always had a personal problem with effects that just happen with no sense of connection to anything else. In Pimpin a deck of cards changes into a stack of dollar bills. It looks to be difficult to get into. Mr. Kranzo did address this in the DVD and gives you several thoughts about getting into the effect.

If you buy this, watch all the way through the DVD. He has a handling, very far along in the DVD where more cards are used with the deck. I think his later handling would be far, far more deceptive and entertaining.

If youve got any ability for putting stuff together to make the magic a little more cohesive, I like to think someone is going to have a card signed, returned to the pack, (with Mr. Kranzos gaff), bang the deck turns into a stack of bills. The magician is confused, hey if thats my cash, whats in the wallet? . . .

All my negativity aside, I made the gaffus up from the directions. I wanted to ensure the directions were clear enough for even the most inept could handle it from the provided directions! Mr. Kranzos directions are crystal clear. There is nearly zero cost to make up the gaffus. If youve constructed one of the infinite number of packet bill switches littering the Internet, you have more than enough skills and binding agents to make up this one.

I think in younger, hipper hands than mine, this thing would get a great reaction. I was very pleased to see that Paul Harris was given props for his gimmick of yesteryear, used by Mr. Kranzo, as part of this gaff.

This is the first time Ive seen any of Mr. Kranzos work. His performing persona seemed very, very polished. He described the effect and how to make the gaff beyond even my ability to screw it up. I wouldnt carry this around, you might.

For the price of 25 bucks, if you like how the demo looks, pick one up. I think with some personal input on your part and your own script, you could have an inexpensive winner here!

[Richard Kaufman]

I like Kranzo's work in general, and the change of the deck of cards to the cash really looks great. It must shock the hell out of the audience. The deck seems a little stiffly held in the hand for the preceding part of the trick, but I imagine that some practice would loosen that up. I like the change a lot.

As for the the title, "Pimpin'," I wouldn't let that color my view of the effect. The level of civil language and discourse descends daily. Shall I "pimp up" the next issue of Genii? :) I think Nate is simply picking a title that will appeal to his target market.

What do you think?

[Brad Henderson]

Is he not wearing a shirt under his coat?

[Bill Duncan]

Nice catch Brad. He's barefoot too.

[Richard Kaufman]

Don't you know it's cool to wear a sportjacket with no shirt? You out of touch, boy!

[Steve V]

Richard, you've seen me...do you want to see me in ANY situation w/out a shirt on? I be plumpin'.

[Jeff Haas]

Steve Skomp, a late friend of mine, had a similar idea in his book "Devious Deceptions." It was called "The Imagination Deck" and allowed you to change a deck of cards into a dollar bill, a candy bar wrapper, or other objects.

His website seems to have been taken down in the last month, but if you search Google on "Steve Skomp" you can see the cached version of it, minus pictures. There's also a review of it here:
http://magic.about.com/od/magicreview/f ... 6skomp.htm

[Nathan Kranzo]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for that post. Also another similar "in concept" is the Eric DeCamps effects Joker's Wild available at http://www.mymagic.com/decamps.htm

Don England also has some work on it....

Hi Kent,

Your review is spot on. Exactly what I would have said. A killer visual effect waiting for a great presentation.

I offered a few presentations. I have a few that I didn't include, as well as another one that I just came up with last night.

I thinks it is important for the youth of today (and old farts) to have to a do a little work and create presentations that fit them.

Or at the very least think about it.

i've seen a few posts on other forums from guys that say things like....

"It looks great but it doesn't make sense" or "I don't like his jokes".

I am amazed that someone would see a deck of cards turning into a fist full of money and not be able to think of dozens of great applications or presentations.

It also amazes me that someone would think they have to say what I say.

Get a mind of your own!!!! : )

On second thought I guess that doesn't amaze me. These days nobody wants to work or think.....

Thanks for all the kind words guys!

All the best,

Kranzo

P.S. I was wondering if anyone would notice I was shirtless. LOL!

[Irving Quant]

Nathan,

You have a very good point indeed. They should work for their material and open their mind for creative brainstorming. But they also have a very good point, one that I support partially. Is it ok for me to publish half-baked work? Not saying that yours is, but it could be attributed to it due to the "incompleteness in effect" by somebody that doesn't see your approach. So I wonder if such bold move in your part could really set your approach in the spotlight or become a hiccup in your career. I say this because if I were to release something that people thought was incomplete, me a nobody in the eyes of the public, then my work and reputation wouldn't have much to live for regardless of positive reasons for my release.

I will be honest with you when I say that when I first saw the effect I thought it didn't make sense either. However, when doing walk around and not following a specific order of performance, then any off beat effect (regardless whether it makes sense or not) will always raise the level of energy in the group. I don't know if you mentioned this or not on your DVD,but this would seem like a good reason to venture into such "incomplete" effect. Whether this product is good or bad, I think that the only reason why this is being seen as "incomplete" is because it is not being seen with audiences watching it in the moment of uncontrolled positive energy (which any performer can tell you that if they are going wild, that's a good thing). Perhaps everyone saw it how I first saw it before giving it some thought: a trick that makes no sense.

In my personal opinion and preference, without looking into the DVD, and based on the advertising and the video demo, this is an incomplete project (different than effect).It could have had more solid ideas with better approaches to the effect before being released (at least in the demo). Even finished pieces are open for brainstorming from the purchaser. It is up to them to be smart enough to be able to do this. Take for example Aaron Fisher's Panic. I had heard about how Aaron was frying people at the castle with it many years before it's release, and when I purchased it I came up with alternative uses for it. Definitely his polished routine didn't stop me from using the gaff for my own.

But discussions aside, I still would like to congratulate you in the new release. As always, I wish you the best.

[Richard Kaufman]

It is a change of Cards to Bucks waiting to for the purchaser to fit it into both his personality and his routine.

If it was something I'd seen demonstrated at the magic shop when I was younger, my hand might well have moved to my wallet!

[Bill Duncan]

I thinks it is important for the youth of today (and old farts) to have to a do a little work and create presentations that fit them.

Or at the very least think about it.

On second thought I guess that doesn't amaze me. These days nobody wants to work or think.....

Now Nathan... You're too young to be a curmudgeon.

[Nathan Kranzo]

Bill,

Hah! : )


Irving,

Somehow I think my career is ok. : )

It's not an incomplete effect. Some people just don't like the simple/basic presentation offered. Thats an opinion....and I expected it.

At the end of the day even if I offered NO presentation at all a deck of cards changes into freakin money. Thats just cool.

I really love the presentation I have been presenting in my lectures....so maybe some of you can see that.

One of these days in the near future i'll post videos of some of my alternate presentations.

Until then I guess some will love it, and some won't get it...but i'm not losing sleep over it. : )

Later,

Kranzo

[Kent Gunn]

Nathan,

Several of your fans emailed me, saying I was too harsh on your product. You have a large following. I can see why!

I did not mean for anyone to infer you had an incomplete product. I really like the version you did when you spread the deck for a selection and then turned the deck into a wad-o-cash. I'm playing with a presentation along those lines, even as we speak, (write?)

I re-read my initial review. I mention you had more than one handling. The tone sounds pretty damn positive, if I do say so myself.

If you ever put out some stuffies in written form I will be first in line with a wad-o-cash!

You da man Kranzo-man!

[Nathan Kranzo]

Hi Kent,

No worries bro. I thought your review was groovy.

Later,

Kranzo

[amp]

I think it best for a quick opener.
You can say Everyone goes to vegas to make quick cash the hard way. I make it the easy way. I buy a casino deck and remove the jokers and write on a piece how much cash I what . Place the paper on the deck and light it. And there you go some HOT cash!

[Jonathan Townsend]

Nathan, what's the thinking behind going to money rather than taking out a wad of cash and a few extras and turing them into the deck?

[Bill Duncan]

I don't know Jon... a deck costs about 4 four bucks. Changing a wad-o-cash (tm) into a deck sounds counter productive.

I like the idea of changing a cancelled Casino deck into cash. Then pull a couple of bills (pocket the gaffus) and do Paul Cummins' coin assembly. Produce a $100.00 poker chip instead of the dollar coin at the end.

[amp]

If I do wife swap again I might used this trick.
It's great for TV.

[Jonathan Townsend]

It's one thing to produce a dollar and give it to someone, and quite another to pluck some lint from their jacket and turn that into a dollar and pocket it. What might be neutral?

[amp]

Ok here it goes

(You have deck in your hands off the top you display a joker)
You Know I'm a joker ,a midnight toker
But jungle love ( queen of spades ) is driven me crazy.
I'm so in love ( take the two cards and produce a half dollar tail side up)that I'm flying like an eagle.
So I said ,Abracadabra ( waving your hand over the deck)
Then we took the the money run ( changing the in bills)
And head down to swingtown.

[Nathan Kranzo]

Thats great amp! : )

I'm a big fan of Classic Rock. In the near future I will be releasing my "Classic Rock Spellbound".

"...and I've got one moooooore silver dollar......."

Later,

Kranzo

[Pete McCabe]

"Trying to find Chinatown"
--from the song "Chinatown" by Joe Jackson

[amp]

"Trying to find Chinatown"
--from the song "Chinatown" by Joe Jackson

Chinatown??

[Bill Duncan]

Take me now Lord... take me now.

[Pete McCabe]

I thought we were doing song lyrics with the names of magic tricks in them.

[amp]

Never heard that one Pete.
All I know of Joe Jackson is "Steppin' out: and "is she really going out with him "?
Doobie Brothers have a song Chinatown,
But what about" China Grove" ? or Bowie's "China girl".

[amp]

Thats great amp! : )



Kranzo

Thanks I'm glad you liked it.

[Nathan Kranzo]

Doobie Brothers did China Grove. : )

Kranzo

[amp]

and Chinatown.

[amp]

Too bad I didn't have your trick during the filming of wife swap last year. because my new wife,Jennifer didn't think you can make money doing magic. Change the deck into dollars would have been funny.
However,you can say my folks or wife kept on asking what are you going to for money and I said, "Card Tricks" and then bam a stack of dollars in your hand.

The DVD is coming out next week. LOL

[Nathan Kranzo]

LOL! Your right. That would have been the perfect effect. She was quit the biaatch.

Bless your heart for putting up with her....

Later,

Kranzo

[amp]

I might used it if we get the next swap coming up.

[Mark Williams]

I have this DVD. I like the effect a lot! I have been toying with a few ideas like using David Regal's "Sudden Deck" effect, as a get-into for introducing the 'Pimpin' deck into my routine. I then pretty much follow the ACR premise (with the extra cards), turn the deck into a fistful of money then end by finding the spectators signed selection in my wallet, to complete the routine.

[Irving Quant]

I just read an article of Blaine...Changing cards into money in front of Katrina victims...could this be it? I hope so :)

[Edward]

People will disagree and people will agree.

This for me doesn't cut it.

It is what it is.

[Wayne Kawamoto]

I thought that Pimpin was a great effect and wanted to chime in.

I've been using it the past couple weeks at my restaurants, but for now, only with regulars.

I walk up to the table with Pimpin deck in hand and greet the regulars. Ask them if they want to see a card trick, or how about a money trick for a change? I perform Pimpin and I've got a wad of bills in my hands.

I put the bills away in my pocket and ask how everyone's week has been.

I follow by pulling out the Patrick Page gimmick. For now, I've been working with Tom Isaacson's "Prophet" to turn five one-dollar bills into five twenties. (However, after watching Richard Sanders "Extreme Burn" I may be changing.)

Since I already performed the bill switch - Heiny 500, Hundy 500, whatever you call it. I thought it was a logical progression after Pimpin. No slick bill switch. I just use my pockets and rely on my relationship with the patrons to take the heat off of the bills for a bit.

Thanks to Jeff for reminding me of the Skomp gimmick. I had forgotten about it.

-Wayne

[Jonathan Townsend]

Wayne, you're a working performer - would you describe how this works for you - how people react to your taking out money - making more of it and pocketing it?

[Wayne Kawamoto]

Jonathan:

I only performed the routine for my restaurant regulars who know me. After using the "Prophet" technique to turn the ones into twenties, I turn them back into ones and then pocket everything.

Just before I perform the final transformation (back to ones), I joke about how all this isn't real and if it were, I wouldn't be working right now, I'd be on a beach somewhere in the tropics drinking Mai Tais. The presentation is light and jovial.

My take was that the visual changes - Pimpin and Prophet - were stunning and impressive to spectators. As spectators are scratching their heads and reacting, I joke about how I wish it were real, which suits my persona.

I didn't perform this for new patrons because I have my regular close-up material that does more to introduce me and my magic to them. Also, I don't want to deal with the unknown of having some new "grabby" patron who might try and swipe the bills from my hands.

-Wayne

[Nathan Kranzo]

Thanks for the kind words Wayne!

I have a brand new presentation for Pimpin' that really hooks them in the heart. I have been performing and teaching it at my lectures and people love it.

It involves a very powerful question you ask the audience. If you had a choice...would you choose Love, or Money?

I'll post a link to my site once I get the routine written up.

All the best,

Kranzo

P.S. Please keep in mind that you can change the deck into literally 50 loose bills. Whatever you can fold in half and hold comfortably in your hand.

[Irving Quant]

hey, why not change it into 52 bills? 52 cards...just a thought