Tommy Wonder on Dutch TV

[Tom Stone]

...and people think Letterman was a difficult host.

[Tom Frame]

For the final transformations, I love how Tommy walked over to the pile of Sevens, putting himself between the cards and the goofy, knuckle-walking host, who obviously planned to examine the cards. Tommy finished the effect, grabbed the cards and spirited them away. Bravo!

[Jonathan Townsend]

knowing that you did a trick is a different kind of feeling than how it feels to perceive an impossible thing as having happened that leaves an ordinary object in its wake.

[Q. Kumber]

This video clip is well worth study and examination. It is easy to make these suggestions with hindsight and certainly please chime in with your thoughts and views. These are purely my thoughts and opinions.

I must assume that as this was a Dutch show that Tommy would be familiar with it and its host. The setting is intimidating for the guest who is sitting low on a soft sofa (difficult to manoeuvre your body) while the host is higher up on a solid chair. It also looks like the show is being recorded live, even if it wasn't going out live and any editing was being done in real time from the director's box.

When on TV, while you might be apparently performing for the people in the studio, you are really performing for the people at home. He did the wrong trick for the viewing audience and it doesn't focus on your face enough. Remember Doug Henning did the Phoa Yan Tong C&R silk and the host asked to examine it. Even if he still chose to do that trick he should have stood up. He was probably told to stay sitting in the sofa by the director in advance. Nonetheless, you must do what is best for you. I have heard both Paul Daniels and Mark Lewis talk about directing the camera as to what you want the camera to focus on. It is very sound advice.

This particular host obviously thinks even more highly of himself than Jolly Roger and he's not going to be upstaged by anyone.

Knowing what I know now and knowing the host and assuming I was going to do cards, I would start with a quick visual trick for the camera followed by Design For Laughter from the Royal Road. With the latter I would force a breather crimped card with corner shorts and would act suspiciously when he puts the card back to encourage him to want to shuffle the deck. Take no chances. When the correct card is revealed at the end, it is held up beside your face.

[Richard Hatch]

Wow, thanks for posting that, Tom. Really incredible. Tommy manages to retain his composure and good humor in the face of that onslaught. What a lesson!