Anybody can buy a goose. Some people can cook a goose. Only Steve can make a goose read your mind.

Funny stuff? That's an understatement. Hilarious. And magical at the same time. And the combination of really funny and truly mystifying is hard to find. Unless you remember the name Steve Spill. And then it's way too easy to find.

So, if you want to bust a gut and fool the heck out of them, put the goose to work. And, the best part of all, it's not a real goose (sorry, Steve), so you don't have to clean up after it.

Best,

Abe Carnow

Yes this effect is now on its way to be a "Classic of Magic"

I understand the build quality is second to none and the true workings of the effect will surprise those who invest in the prop....Cant wait to get to Vegas and pick it up

Thanks a Million Steve

Except the pee .

A Short Review...

The Props:

Second to none! The quality of the goose prop is absolutely incredible. This is not a puppet that was ‘converted’ to work for this routine...this was built from the ground up specifically for this routine. It has several features that make it very unique and easy to work with. With proper care (in between shows) this will last a lifetime. I would highly recommend some sort of ATA travel case to ensure your investment will not be damaged in any way while on the road. I am in no way implying that that the prop is 'fragile'...I personally have road cases for all my equipment...no reason to take any chances with how you earn your living!

The DVD:

Again, there is so much 'inside work' on this...the DVD is a must have. Like Bob stated in a previous post, just watching the online clips will NOT give you 'the real work' on this routine. Before watching the DVD I really thought I had a good idea of what this was all about...Steve goes over every possible detail such as timing, staging, body movement, puppet management, etc...This is one well thought out performance piece…(But we all knew that!) You can always tell when a routine is a 'worker' as every possible performing situation has been experienced by the performer / creator and every possible weakness reasoned out.

Various Included Props:

I wasn't expecting some of the props I received. Opening the package I was initially confused! After watching the DVD it all made perfect sense. On a side note…I have never been a big fan of NW as the available devices have always been not to my personal liking. Steve's version is very unique and 100% sure fire.

The Routine:

The full routine is absolutely wonderful! (As we all already know!) It has been a staple of Steve's act for many years. I am certain that the act (routines and lines) "as is" could be easily added to any professional performers line up. However, I would personally not do that way. I would encourage purchasers to use the ‘basic structure’ of the routine and then...based on YOUR character / personality...Create a style that is unique to you and your act.


Why Would Anyone Want This?:

I have seen posts asking this question. In other words why would anyone want to do someone else’s routine? Another post mentioned that since this has been used for 20+ years, everyone knows about it and if they see YOU doing it, you will be accused of copying Steve. These are certainly valid opinions and I am not here to say anyone is wrong or right. However in my experience as a professional entertainer I do not share the view that ANY magic trick is generally “known” by the public. The only people that really care about magic are magicians…we “know” who invented certain tricks…we “know” who invented what card / coin move…we “know” what Daryl, Williamson, Sheets, Vernon, are all “known” for…but the lay public does not. A little experiment...over the next week, ask 200 random lay people about the Steve Spill’s Mind Reading Goose Routine…how many of them will have heard of Steve…or the goose? In other words…buy the routine…make is ‘yours’…and it will be…

The Price:

I always chuckle when I read posts on 'pricing' here on The Café. Some will say "too much"...others will say "he's not charging enough"! There is no right answer or correct opinion...if you want to do Steve's routine...then you must pay the price. Personally I felt it was MORE than fair. Why? This is something that Steve has been doing for 20 years...all the kinks have been worked out...the props are incredible...the advice is priceless...and the routine is 5-7 solid minutes of comedy that Steve is granting permission to use...jokes...gags...EVERYTHING! The fact that I can get 20 years of Steve's life for less than the cost of one corporate show is well worth it for me...your opinion may be different...

Overall:

I give this my highest recommendation.

Thanks for the run down Cody it is nice to see that the props, routine and advice are what we would expect from Steve and of course everything I have ever bought from Bob Kohler BK line has always been top notch.....


Thanks for the review

Thanks Cody for the review.
I have a concern after watching the dvd about the puppet. Why isn't the movement of the hand hidden when animating the duck? or is it in the new version.

I believe the motivavation is to entertain the audience with a hilarious and amazing routine...not to make them think that the Goose is real....but I could be wrong.I don't know if the Puppet has been upgraded to operate differently than the one in the clip...but I have a goose puppet that looks identical[to the clip puppet],and from a short distance,folks believe it 'is' real.
Thanks for the review Cody.

Rich

I don't think any audience will think the duck is real........



Mike

That's because its a goose

LOL how true !

Since the goose can read minds he knows the needles is in my street act and is making me the cash to make this purchase.

HEY "HE IS JUST A GOOSE" !

I found this thread today and was thrilled to see Steve is actually releasing this routine! The fact it is being produced by Bob Kohler makes me know it will be nothing short of fabulous. I saw Steve do this routine many times in many different environments and it killed in them all ... In a time and age when so many "new" ideas are being released as "tried and tested" it is great to see this routine which is in fact a guaranteed success for anyone willing to do what Steve has done forever ...

In all Honesty, this is the piece of Magic that I have "Coveted" my entire career!

Like Pete Biro says, "This is Golden" !!!!!!!

I would have paid Exclusive Rights for this!

With Bob Kohler making and distributing this, it's a no brainer of a buy,no matter the price, please give it the thought and practice it deserves.

With Spill and Kohler teamed up again the only way this could get better is to unzip the Goose and have Bob Sheets pop out with that chicklet grin!

No ********, this is "Money Baby".......Koz

The "Goose" is one of Steve's greatest routine's.

With the exception of Woodfield performing this trick with permission it is really great that everyone will now know who the copy cats are.

If you don't own the super deluxe version we all know you ripped it. The only reason we "KNOW" the chap from England ripped it is because he didn't do the P gag because it was not on the U tube broadcast. If it had been on there I don't believe for a second he would have left that bit out. He was not the only professional magician guilty just the only one with cheek enough to claim it as his own.

Steve, Bob congratulations on figuring out a way to stick all those "borrowers" with egg on their faces. You guys rock. Bob.

I'm interested in the improvements that have been made to the goose itself that Bob mentioned earlier in the thread. Have the animations of the goose changed etc. Any info released on this as yet?

As Cody stated in his review the Goose was manufactured and redesigned from the ground up! The animations have not changed as they were already perfect. There are major improvements however. First, the Goose is larger than the original. The sewing is bombproof. The beak and feet are custom made out of leather, molded into shape and dyed to match the look of a real Goose's beak and feet.

The Pee device is now switchable for both right and left handed performers and is super easy to use.

The performer can change the amount of batting inside the Goose to get the perfect fit to his body.

The writing utensil is actually a Mini-Sharpie. The cap is permanently attached inside Geyser's mouth so there is no chance of the Sharpie accidently becoming dislodged.

I have to tell everybody that Kozak IS the new Mr. Atlantic City. Congratulations on the new gig my friend.
We'll miss you in Vegas!

Koz is serious when he said that he'd have bought the rights to the Goose. When I told him it was out he wanted buy ALL of them to make it exclusive but it was too late.

Will there be pictures available soon Bob?

I’ve had numerous requests to see Steve Spill’s “Mindreading Goose” so I put together a trailer and published it on YouTube. The trailer shows clips from the training DVD and the complete comedy club performance of the routine before a live audience in 1998.

Keep in mind that this is just a taste. The “Mindreading Goose” DVD contains three full performances and incredibly detailed training.

Here’s the link to the YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xshrpnsk6ME

The first batch of the “Mindreading Goose” has sold out. The good news is the next batch arrives tomorrow Jan.7, 2009 at Bob Kohler Magic. Don’t wait though because several of this batch are already spoken for!

Great idea, Bob. The goose looks great...

Ken